What Is a Noise Gate?
Updated October 2026
A noise gate is a processor that mutes or lowers the sound when the level drops below a threshold you set. It makes quiet gaps silent while the louder parts pass through.
The short version
- A gate opens when the signal is above the threshold and closes when it falls below.
- Attack, hold and release control how fast it opens, how long it stays open and how fast it closes.
- A gate removes noise between words, not noise under the voice.
- Set the threshold just above the room noise and listen for clipped word starts.
The short definition
A noise gate is an audio processor that reduces the level of a signal whenever it falls below a threshold. Above the threshold the gate is open and the sound passes; below it the gate closes and the sound is muted or turned down. Gates exist as hardware, as plug-ins and as a setting in many recorders.
The controls
- Threshold: the level that opens the gate. It sits just above the background noise.
- Attack: how fast the gate opens when the voice starts. Too slow and the first sound of a word is lost.
- Hold: how long the gate stays open after the signal drops, so word endings are not cut.
- Release: how fast the gate closes after the hold. A longer release sounds more natural.
- Range: how much the gate reduces the sound when closed. Full mute can sound abrupt; a small reduction sounds more natural.
Why it helps a voice recording
Most voice recordings have a steady background between words, such as a fan or a hiss. A gate removes that gap noise, so the silence between phrases is quiet. It does not touch noise that sits under the voice; for that you need a noise cleaner.
When it hurts
A threshold set too high cuts the starts and ends of words, and quiet speakers can sound clipped. A short release makes the gate chatter on and off. Listen to the whole recording after you set a gate, not just one phrase.
How to check it
Play the recording through once with the gate on and once with it off. The gate is right when the gaps go quiet and no word is clipped. If you hear a flutter in the room tone, lengthen the release.
Gate the gaps, keep the words
Tunedzy cleans the background between words as part of its cleanup. Use Before and After to check that no word starts are cut.
Free tools for this
Frequently asked questions
Does a noise gate remove background noise?
Only the noise between sounds. Noise under the voice needs a noise reduction tool.
What is the difference between a gate and a compressor?
A gate reduces quiet sound below a threshold. A compressor reduces loud sound above a threshold, which evens out the level.
Why does my gated voice sound choppy?
The release is too short, or the threshold sits right at the level of the room noise. Lengthen the release and lower the threshold slightly.
Keep going
How to Remove Background Noise From a Voice Recording
How to Remove Breath Noise From a Voice Recording
How to Clean Up a Phone Voice RecordingAll guides and comparisons · Tunedzy Go on your phone · Pricing