The Pigtronix Gatekeeper 2 is a mini noise gate pedal, a compact pedalboard gate that quiets the noise between notes. Guitar Player's noise gate buying guide called it "The best noise gate pedal that doesn't take up loads of space," which is the appeal of the format: a full gate function in a housing that leaves room on a crowded board1. It sits alongside Pigtronix's other compact gates, the Gatekeeper Mini and Gatekeeper Micro, and the original Gatekeeper.
What it does
A noise gate mutes the signal when you are not playing, cutting the hiss and hum that high-gain pedals and single-coil pickups can leave hanging in the air. The Gatekeeper 2 handles this with two controls1:
| Control | What it does |
|---|---|
| Threshold | Determines how much signal is needed to open the gate1 |
| Release | Determines how long before the gate closes1 |
Threshold is the sensitivity control: set it low and the gate opens on quiet playing, set it high and only stronger signal gets through. Release shapes the tail end, deciding how quickly the gate shuts after the signal drops. Together they let a player tune how aggressively the pedal clamps down between phrases1.
For a wider view of how this pedal compares with others in the category, see the noise gate pedals type page, which covers everything from the Boss NS-2 Noise Suppressor to the MXR Smart Gate.
Videos
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Questions
What does the Release knob do on the Gatekeeper 2?
Release sets how long the gate stays open after your playing stops before it closes. Together with the Threshold knob, which determines how much signal is needed to open the gate, it lets you shape how quickly the pedal clamps down on noise between notes and phrases.
How is the Gatekeeper 2 powered?
The pedal runs on 9V DC power, as listed in Guitar Player's noise gate buying guide. A standard 9V DC center negative supply from a pedalboard power supply is what this voltage calls for.
Sources (1)
- Best noise gate pedals: control your tone, GuitarPlayer (www.guitarplayer.com), 2024-09-24
