Gate settings

[liv_rong]

I am having trouble setting up a gate for my podcast. I’ve done some research and have played around but I can’t find something that works. It either opens too fast and abruptly or closes too fast.

I’ve been drawing envelopes for the first few episodes but it takes so long……

For toms or a snare it’s easy, the sound is so loud and mostly consistent. But with people just talking the level is so variable that even with compression I can’t get it right.

Any tips?

[JD01]

You're gating drums on a podcast? Are you drumming and talking about drumming?

[Greg_L]

Try a gate where you can tailor the opening and closing rates.

[Tadpui]

For voice/spoken word, I use an expander instead of a gate. An expander is like a "soft" gate that can be set to not close all the way. It just makes quiet things quieter while leaving the loud parts of the signal alone. It's basically a backwards compressor. That was one of the main draws to the dbx 286 that I've got, the expander plus other bells and whistles are great for spoken word.

ReaGate might be able to be set as an expander, I'll have to look into it.

[Lt. Bob]

You're gating drums on a podcast? Are you drumming and talking about drumming?

I think he means when he gates drumbs he has no problem but is having some with doing it to voices

[liv_rong]

You're gating drums on a podcast? Are you drumming and talking about drumming?

I think he means when he gates drumbs he has no problem but is having some with doing it to voices

Exactly.

@Tadpui interesting

[Armistice]

Shut, to keep your cows in the paddock...

[Farview]

The expander would be what you need. However, the real answer is to make the recording place quieter so there is no need to gate.

[vomitHatSteve]

My noise solutions for recording podcasts have been

FFT filter for constant noise (especially in Skype type settings)
Markers when I know there's noises (coughs, etc)
Gate with a very long tail and a very short attack. And usually less of it than I want.

[liv_rong]

The expander would be what you need. However, the real answer is to make the recording place quieter so there is no need to gate.

My issue is more phase than it being quiet. Even with the mics facing opposite each other there is still the slightest amount of phase for it annoy me. The average listener may not notice but I do. I can post an example later.