Getting my head around GATE Audio effect.

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sir_dss
Posts: 48
Joined: Sat Feb 07, 2009 8:18 am

Getting my head around GATE Audio effect.

Post by sir_dss » Sat Jun 27, 2009 9:57 pm

I'm trying figuring out how to use the GATE effect better. I'm interested in some of the ways you GATE music like on the Squarepusher recording Go Plastic and other crazy IDM recordings.

Any suggestions?

Thanks

DSS

Superchibisan
Posts: 593
Joined: Thu Jun 10, 2004 7:25 pm

Re: Getting my head around GATE Audio effect.

Post by Superchibisan » Sat Jun 27, 2009 11:23 pm

the gate effect in ableton is a gate, not a chopper.

gates are just that, gates. they open and close. you define the amount of time it take teh gate to open, to close, and at what volume to let anything through.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Noise_gate

if you want stuttering and chopping, you'll have to do it the way they do it. by hand :) (well, not always.

fun toys to play with: Dblue Glitch, Audio Damage Automaton

these will not do exactly the quality of squarepusher stuff, but he spends a lot of time with his music and uses a lot of crazy tools. you really have to find what works for you.

sir_dss
Posts: 48
Joined: Sat Feb 07, 2009 8:18 am

Re: Getting my head around GATE Audio effect.

Post by sir_dss » Mon Jun 29, 2009 11:49 pm

Thnks for all the help Superchibisan!

Winterpark
Posts: 1671
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Location: Melbourne, Australia

Re: Getting my head around GATE Audio effect.

Post by Winterpark » Mon Jun 29, 2009 11:51 pm

yes... but you can sidechain it to be like a chopper.
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sir_dss
Posts: 48
Joined: Sat Feb 07, 2009 8:18 am

Re: Getting my head around GATE Audio effect.

Post by sir_dss » Mon Jun 29, 2009 11:54 pm

Hey AM...

That's what I was hoping to hear...whats your approach to doing that?

Winterpark
Posts: 1671
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Location: Melbourne, Australia

Re: Getting my head around GATE Audio effect.

Post by Winterpark » Mon Jun 29, 2009 11:59 pm

put a drum rack on one channel with output set to 'send only'

put some audio you want to gate on another.

put the gate on the channel; with the audio you want to gate.

open up gate preferences, and choose the gate's sidechain input as the drum racks channel.

set gate level, and program some gates in with your drum racks.
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sir_dss
Posts: 48
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Re: Getting my head around GATE Audio effect.

Post by sir_dss » Tue Jun 30, 2009 12:08 am

Right! I never set the output to "send only". I'll try that...

Even tho I understand the concept(and can read instructions) on how to set the levels of the Gate, Attack, etc... it's still a bit confusing.

I try and use Hi Hats as the controler in the sidechain but it's always too stutterly and not tight enough...should I use a compressor as well? Before or after the gate?

IDM stuff lets you feel the slience in the micro second it's gated...it's incredible

Winterpark
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Location: Melbourne, Australia

Re: Getting my head around GATE Audio effect.

Post by Winterpark » Tue Jun 30, 2009 12:16 am

rather than compression... you should use something to trigger from the drum racks that has a very fast attack and decay. try using a single wave form of something maybe?

also your gate settings should have a fast attack and release.
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alex.the.forge
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Re: Getting my head around GATE Audio effect.

Post by alex.the.forge » Tue Jun 30, 2009 3:19 am

the auto-pan is a good chopper - just set the phase to 0

nq
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Re: Getting my head around GATE Audio effect.

Post by nq » Tue Jun 30, 2009 7:11 am

although the ableton gate and the autopanner can get you some nice gating effects, i think, what you really want is either a plugin like dblue glitch or sugar bytes effectrix, if you want it the quick way or do it by hand.

just draw in clip envelopes, resample bits in the arrangement view, just copy small bits of 1/16 or 1/32 size, stuff like that. most of the time, you 'll get the most satisfying result. but be prepared for a tedious amount of work.

my two cents

zalo
Posts: 999
Joined: Sat Jun 27, 2009 9:10 pm

Re: Getting my head around GATE Audio effect.

Post by zalo » Tue Jun 30, 2009 8:52 pm

if you are doing production work aka not live audio destruction then just make sure your audio files are warped correctly then slice them to midi

then you can rebuild and rework the audio how ever you want

but remember you can only have 128 total slices for each selection

so thats 32 measures with 1/4 slices
16 @ 1/8
8 @ 1/16
so on and so on

also the drum rack/simpler combo that comes out of this creates some interesting results like velocity to filter and can make some great sounding results

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