Noise gate. Where do you put yours?

fastonebaz

I have my noise gate pedal (boss ns2) after my wah before my dirt pedals in front of the amp.

I have noticed that this keeps the front of the amp clean and tidy but when I activate the fx loop (with amp pedal) some new hiss noise is introduced from my modulation pedals and it got me wondering....

Have I got my noise gate in the right place? 

guitarfishbay

First in line after tuner. I use an ISP Decimator

I just want to chop the noise at source. That way it should always work consistently and can just be left on at all times.

I’ve never felt like complete silence was necessary, amp hiss generally isn’t that bad and there’s usually so much other noise going on in a band environment anyway. I just switch to a clean channel between songs.

If you have a pedal that lets you do 4cm then make sure it senses as early as possible and then put it so it cuts off after your last distortion source, but before your delay/reverbs so you don’t kill their tails.

Gassage

Why does anyone need them?

GavRichList

Boss NS-2 is after all my drives etc etc, but before delays and verb - that way you don’t lose any tails. @gassage - just cleans away the last little bit of big board noise, and actually is a really nice buffer. Board sounds noticeably better with it on. 

ChuckManual

GavRichList said:
...after all my drives etc etc, but before delays and verb - that way you don’t lose any tails. 

^^^ This. ^^^

In this position in your signal chain, subtle usage does away with unwanted noise - but extreme settings can be used as an effect in itself.

Jonathangus

From the horse's mouth: https://www.rolandcorp.com.au/blog/how-to-use-boss-ns-2-noise-suppressor-in-your-rig

sgosden

Gassage said:

Why does anyone need them?

not everyone can afford nice quiet cornish pedals

and because high gain!!!!

Corvus

Wah > Tuner > NS2 > delay > reverb
Comp phaser chorus and all filth is in the NS2 send/return loop

The threshold is near min and decay is well past 12 o'clock. Seems dirt in the loop lets the threshold be lower. Zero decay problems and no noise. (Switching to a Zuma also cut down on noise a good lot).

As per Gav it makes my basic sound better when it's on, maybe just the early buffer? There's an Octafuzz in the loop, was expecting that to not like being in the buffer zone but it's the same in or out of it.

pintspiller

I think I remember a Gilmour rig where he had one every few pedals

fastonebaz

That all good info thanks.  I just have 

Guitar wah tuner ns2 dirt in the loop
Mods in the fx loop.

Looks like I could experiment some more.  

Gassage

pintspiller said:

I think I remember a Gilmour rig where he had one every few pedals

Thanks. I just ordered 12.

ToneControl

when I was more high gain, I used a Boss NS-50
That was good, because the trigger was from the start of the signal chain, then the gate was much later: so far more accurate operation

https://www.manualslib.com/manual/683686/Roland-Boss-Ns-50.html?page=4#manual

there may be pedals that do this now, I have not looked into it

sweepy

I have never found a noise gate I like, they kill the note for me 

flying_pie

I always used a version of the X configuration with my ns 2 where all the noisy stuff - not just pedals but also my amp preamp - was in the loop of the pedal and then the modulation afterwards. It might look complicated but it makes sense:

Guitar -> ns input 

ns send ->  any pedals in front of amp like wah, boost, od going into your amp input

Amp FX send -> ns 2 return

ns 2 output -> modulation pedals/boosts etc which would be in your amp FX loop -> amp FX return

guitarfishbay

sweepy said:

I have never found a noise gate I like, they kill the note for me 

Have you tried the ISP Decimator stuff? I find it pretty good 

Bezzer

Exactly as @flying_pie says best way to control amp hum as well.  Unfortunately the NS2 doesn't play well with my amp so I can't do that any more... either way, if you have one ALWAYS use the loop and and the gate at the front, noisy pedals in the gates loop ... modulatey stuff from the gate output.  You'll keep everything nice and quiet that way ... X config if you're amp plays nicely.

webrthomson

I've got a Fortin Zull in the loop on my high gain rig - I'm liking it better that the ISP stuff. It's by far and away the best gate I've ever used

skunkwerx

I use a noise gate as a final addition, once all other steps have been taken to remove any unwanted noise. 

Some pedals are just noisy, even when theyre bypassed. So instead of just suppressing and hiding the noise constantly, I put them in their own true bypass loop, so atleast when theyre off, they wont be adding anything at all to the chain. 

I like a silent rig when I’m not playing. i only have a katana 50 amp but on its 2 high gain channels I have the inbuilt noise suppressor turned on. 

Lets the notes decay to the point where they naturally die, then it cuts in. I think it works great, doesnt appear to kill any sustain at all. 

My original use for it was because my pedalboard raised the natural noise floor of the amp when the amp was fully gained. 
So the inbuilt noise gate killed not only the pedal boards hiss but the amps natural high hain hiss/noise floor. 

Turns out its my boss oc-3 octave pedal, which even when bypassed adds a bit of hiss, which is only really noticeable when not playing, and when the amp is high gain. 

I set my amp to high gain, no noise gate and plugged straight into it. A reasonable amount of hiss. 
Plugged in through the pedalboard, a noticeable raise in hiss volume. 
Bloody annoying trouble shooting that was! 

It annoyed me though knowing that hiss is being added by that pedal. So I put it in its own bright onion tb loop to completely remove it from my signal chain until needed.  

Now even when I plug in through my pedalboard, theres no added noise as long as the octave is in its own loop! 

sweepy

Tried everything, I also disabled the noise gate on my Axe Fx Helix etc, they screw up all the nuances of damped and dynamic pickingto my ears

Lestratcaster

After my tubescreamer, in a 3 pedal chain (Tuner, OD, NS2). The OD808 makes a lot of noise when clicked on so just put it after that to tidy up the noise as we play a lot of stop start riffs.

fastonebaz

I've rewired my board now using the X formation and it's much better.  Virtually silent when I stop playing.  Cheers