12 Noise Gates for Keeping Noise at Bay

Nothing spoils a performance the way a perpetually noisy guitar does. Add to that the bad power, a venue with a lot of inherent noise, a crowd suffering from cell phone addiction, as well as stray noise that come from different places: single-coil pickups, vintage amps, and light dimmer circuits. The outcome might ruin the sound, but not anymore. Now, there is a way to combat zap hum and unbearable noise. For performances that call for everything from soft and sweet passages with hardly audible notes to wailing like there is no tomorrow, a good noise gate pedal is an invaluable tool. Noise gate pedals present a handy solution to eliminate squealing, humming and other noises that can compromise the sound. They are configured to eradicate the noises beyond a defined threshold to produce a clean sound sans compromising the performance or cutting off the long notes. Finding the best noise gate stompbox must be of paramount importance for many musicians, but surprisingly, only a handful of them employ one or even understand its function. Noise gates should be a vital piece of equipment in many guitarists’ arsenal. They help minimize the effect of hum or hiss relative to extended volume, noise pickups, or essentially anything the produces an unwanted electrical sound. Picking the best noise gate pedal for a set up is crucial. However, with the abundance of noise gate stompboxes available in the market, making a purchase decision can be a challenge. Below are some of the best noise gate pedals players can score on Tonebox.

**Behringer NR300 Noise Reducer **

Effectively eradicate pesky hum and noise while holding on to precious single-coil tone with the super affordable Behringer NR300 Noise Reducer. Guitars with single-coil pickups or high-gain amps tend to produce unwanted noise and hum. The NR300 Noise Reducer is a powerful solution for cleaning up the tone, taking the noisy buzz and hum out of the guitar signal. Utilize the dedicated controls for decay and threshold to dial in the perfect response. The NR300 Noise Reducer also includes a Send/Return loop for noise suppression of external effect units. Users may set the pedal as a kill switch to immediately cut their signal out. The NR300 Noise Reducer serves as two stompboxes in one. In Mute mode, the pedal becomes a super-quiet on/off switch for the instrument, while in Reduction mode, users may tweak the dedicated Decay and Threshold knobs to keep their dynamics and tone intact, but effectively erase hum.

Boss NS-2 Noise Suppressor

More natural and smoother than regular noise gates, the NS-2 Noise Suppressor from Boss effectively takes hum and noise out of the input signal while maintaining the tonality of the original sound. The natural attack and envelope remain unaffected, credits to the NS-2 Noise Suppressor’s innovative noise detection circuit that accurately separates the noise components and the guitar sound. The NS-2 Noise Suppressor is a compact noise suppression stompbox specially designed for eliminating hum and noise in bass and guitar effects as well as amp setups. Decay and Threshold dials allow for sculpting the suppression and elimination at will. As Boss puts into words, the NS-2 Noise Suppressor is “the perfect pedal to quiet down any pedalboard or effects setup.”

TC Electronic Iron Curtain Noise Gate

Here’s a no-frills way to banish all the sound gremlins. The Iron Curtain Noise Gate by TC Electronic is an efficient and lightning-fast noise gate featuring an intuitive and simple dual-knob operation. Credits to a pure analog design that includes only top-grade components plus a zero-tolerance policy for pesky noise, only the purest signal can get past the Iron Curtain Noise Gate. Its user-friendly two-knob layout consists of controls for decay and threshold. The Iron Curtain Noise Gate also carries a toggle switch that provides users with the choice between minimizing unwanted noise and muting the signal entirely. The Iron Curtain Noise Gate also boasts a true bypass for supreme signal integrity. It comes in a built-like-a-tank metal enclosure and operates on a 9V battery or PSU-SB DC power supply. “If your performance calls for everything from sweet and soft passages with barely audible notes to wailing like there’s no tomorrow, IRON CURTAIN NOISE GATE’s all analog circuit blocks the noise and lets your tone through in all its glory,” TC Electronic states.

MXR M195 Noise Clamp

Those who love to crank up multiple pedals know how valuable this stompbox is in their chain. The Noise Clamp noise reduction pedal from MXR puts the kibosh on noise and hiss from a signal chain. It incorporates an effects loop that efficiently allows users to kill noise across their signal chain. A single Trigger dial lets them determine the threshold at which the pedal activates, while a green LED indicates when the gate is active. Sounding exceptional is about more than a beautiful tone. With the Noise Clamp, the rig will also sound great between the notes. The Noise Clamp enables users to crank their stomp pedals to the extremes without worrying about excess noise or hiss. By sensing the dry signal, this bad boy lowers the noise level within the effect loop. The Noise Clamp is capable of minimizing noise up to 26dB, preserving riff definition at extreme gain levels.

Pigtronix Gatekeeper Micro

The Pigtronix Gatekeeper Micro is an ultra-fast, studio-grade noise gate stompbox that locks out all the unnecessary noise from any rig. Carrying threshold and release time dials, this noise gate pedal offers 100% attenuation with unparalleled response time, making it a highly efficient and valuable unit. Per Pigtronix, the Gatekeeper Micro leverages lightning-fast J-FET circuitry to “completely eliminate hum, hiss, buzz and any other non-musical sounds from your signal path,” adding, “The wide range threshold control combines with superior headroom to deliver smooth transient response and warp speed time constants previously available only in rackmount, studio oriented noise gate processors. These extreme performance characteristics allow for musical gating even under the most punishing demands of high-speed metal.” The inclusion of the release time control lets users determine the amount of time it takes the gate to slam closed. With the Gatekeeper Micro, players can crank up the volume without the fear of hearing the pesky white noise or 60-cycle hum that plagues a lot of high gain rigs.

ZVex Loop Gate

Gating highly complex sounds, such as delay and fuzz, is always a challenge. ZVex’s Loop Gate offers a loop switch with an inbuilt “perfect” audio gate (zero hisses, no distortion, and high headroom) that allows users to set up a loop of stompboxes which they can switch in and out of their signal path as desired. Users also get some exciting options to manage that loop, including a cross-fade “mix” option and crafting tremolo-esque sounds with “chop” mode. ZVex boasts a well-deserved reputation for taking progressive perspectives on sculpting guitar tone. The Loop Gate is a member of its Vextron series of lower-cost pedals. Vextron series units are built in Taiwan, leveraging several of the same top-grade components as their hand-painted, lifetime warranted counterparts. They also share the same compact form factor as most other ZVex stompboxes, making them easy to squeeze into even the most crowded pedalboards.

JOYO Noise Gate

Tuned particularly for guitar, the Noise Gate pedal from JOYO enables users to minimize any unwanted stage noise or hum in-between sounds. It helps users on the stage just as sophisticated processors help them in the studio. The Noise Gate takes some experimentation and thorough command over the input gain vs. threshold setting, but users can achieve some stunning and unique sounds with this stompbox. With the Noise Gate, users can rock on without allowing any interference, feedback, or other pesky 60-cycle hums to enter the picture. It lets them achieve real sonic control. The Noise Gate pedal is designed for cutting out the noise from other pedals and amp. It also features a true bypass design and convenient operation, carrying only the single Threshold knob.

Carl Martin Noise Terminator

Configured to eliminate annoying noise caused by utilizing multiple effects while maintaining the original tonal characteristics, the Noise Terminator from Carl Martin exceeds the performance of standard noise gates by enabling the players to change between two threshold settings—Hard and Soft. Use Hard when more radical settings are necessary and Soft with less noisy equipment. The Noise Terminator is a 9V battery powered stompbox. The remote jack lets users connect the pedal to an external midi switching system, enabling them to go between hard and soft settings conveniently. This dual-setting noise gate incorporates an AC adapter jack.

**Electro-Harmonix The Silencer Noise Gate / Effects Loop **

With the Electro-Harmonix The Silencer Noise Gate / Effects Loop, users may silence their signal chain while growing their routing options. This dual function stompbox boasts a versatile noise gate, which users can adjust to their ideal settings. It consists of controls for Release, Threshold, and Reduction that allow users to create a setting that does not affect their sound and stays out of their way. Utilize The Silencer as a loop-specific noise gate or an inline noise gate to remove unwanted hum and buzz from rowdy pedals. “A sophisticated noise gate that can tame a single pedal or an entire effects loop! The Silencer’s three-control layout provides precise fine-tuning to fit your system, axe and playing style. Threshold adjusts how much level is required to open the noise gate and allow a signal to pass thru. Reduction regulated the degree to which the gated signal is reduced and is variable between -70dB and +4dB. Release controls how long the gate remains open after the signal drops below the Threshold. Release time is variable between 8ms and 4 seconds,” Electro-Harmonix detailed.

Gokko Audio Kult Noise Gate

Gokko Audio’s Kult Noise Gate pedal is capable of helping minimize the noisy hum and buzz of other pedals, particularly high gain distortion, within the pedal chain. It comes with two primary controls—the sensitivity knob, which determines the level when the noise gate kicks in, and a two-position toggle switch that lets users choose from Hard or Soft. The two-way selector switch dictates whether the gate comes into effect softly with a gradual cut or more aggressively with a steep volume cut. The Kult Noise Gate features true bypass switching and operates on a 9V power supply.

Caline The Noise

The Caline CP-39 The Noise lets users cut out all the annoying noises and hums. This excellent noise gate stompbox kills the noise without killing the tone. It consists of two primary controls. The sensitivity control sets the level when the noise gate is activated. At higher settings, everything under aggressive strumming will be cut. The Noise’s two-position selector switch lets users select between Soft and Hard gating. The gate kicks in softly with a gradual cut and more aggressively with a steep volume cut. The Noise works exceptionally and operates on a 9V power supply. Packaged in a compact, super solid metal enclosure, The Noise will not take a huge chuck out of the user’s valuable pedalboard real estate as well as their wallet.

TC Electronic Sentry Noise Gate

A member of TC Electronic’s successful lineup of Tone Print stompboxes, the Sentry Noise Gate serves as a gateway to a fully dynamic and noise-free performance. While it is convenient to use, this noise gate pedal boasts cutting-edge multiband technology built on the similar algorithms available in system 6000. Its multi-band technology packs one of the most sophisticated noise-removal algorithms to date. That lets users hone in on very specific frequencies and instantly eliminate extraneous noise from their signal as they stop playing, without compromising their core tone. That results in the most organic and seamless noise reduction ever. According to TC Electronic, the Sentry Noise Gate pedal’s sophisticated multiband technology will “cater to all of your hum and buzz-killing needs and with its highly intuitive design, you’ll be dialing out that unwanted noise faster than an Yngwie Malmsteen arpeggio lick. Take control and enjoy the silence!” Designed and engineered in Denmark, the TonePrint-enabled Sentry Noise Gate allows users to beam awesome signature tones into their stompbox with the free TonePrint App. It boasts top-grade components that deliver an incredibly fine noise reduction engine in a stompbox format.