If you need more dynamic processing tools, Vain Audio offers an updated version of Orange Gate for free in VST3 format for Windows only.

Orange gate consists of two modules that do gating and compressing, respectively. The plug-in also boasts a spectrum analyzer and a sidechain filter, giving you additional control over dynamic processing.

First we have the gate module with controls for threshold, attack, and release.

Threshold determines when processing will take place. Say you want to eliminate annoying noise, hum, or microphone bleed, Orange Gate does the trick by placing the threshold above what you don’t want to hear and below what you want to hear.

Attack and release gives you additional control over the envelope.

Those wanting to gate a signal to emphasize transients and make it more stuttery, could experiment with short timing amounts. On the contrary, if you want smoothening, extending the timing might give a more agreeable result.

The bare bones design makes it easy to tweak parameters without getting option paralysis.

Orange Gate also has a compressor that lets you tame peaks, apply glue or squash the sound, depending on your need. You operate it by dialing in threshold, ratio, attack, and release.

Furthermore, a sidechain lets you trigger both gate and compression by the filtered input. The controls are separate for each module, which is handy when you want the modules to behave a certain way. This gives you way more flexibility both for mixing and production tasks

For instance, a compressor overreacting to bass frequencies is a common problem that sidechain filtering mitigates. Simply apply a low pass filter to the trigger input and hear how the low end comes through.

To top it off, the plug-in has a tweakable analyzer that gives you immediate visual feedback of the dynamic behavior. This can help you catch particular problem areas or to quickly set thresholds.

Dynamic processing can be enigmatic even for industry veterans. Having some visual aids can really come in handy, even though we’re supposed to use our ears when mixing.

Orange Gate gets right to the point and gives you a lot of dynamic control with a few tweaks. The UI is easy to understand, which improves workflow.

Most DAWs have compressors and gates as part of their standard repertoire, but if you want a slightly more sophisticated multi-tool in one insert, Orange Gate might be the thing for you.

To download Orange Gate, simply register with an email, log in and download the installer (2.8 MB).

Please note that it is a Windows-only plug-in.

Download: Orange Gate (FREE – email required)

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