Question 1

What's the difference between Logic Pro's Noise Gate and Noise Removal plugin?

Accepted Answer

Logic Pro's Noise Gate (under Dynamics) is a level-based tool: it monitors audio amplitude and silences anything below a threshold, typically removing noise during pauses between sentences. It doesn't affect noise that's present while speech is occurring. Logic Pro's Noise Removal plugin (under Utility) is a spectral subtraction tool: you sample a noise profile from a silent region, then Noise Removal subtracts that spectrum from the whole recording — similar to Audacity's Noise Reduction effect. Noise Removal handles sustained noise beneath speech, but it requires consistent noise and produces artifacts at aggressive settings. The two tools are complementary, not interchangeable.

Question 2

How do I use Logic Pro's built-in Noise Removal plugin?

Accepted Answer

In Logic Pro X: add the Noise Removal plugin to your audio track's channel strip (Audio FX slot > Utility > Noise Removal). You'll see a 'Learn' button and a Reduction slider. To learn the noise profile: find a 1-2 second region of pure noise in your recording (before you started speaking), loop it, press Learn, and let it capture the noise spectrum. After learning, stop playback, deselect the loop, and play your full recording — Noise Removal now subtracts the learned noise spectrum. Adjust Reduction between 50-80% to balance noise removal against artifact generation. Higher reduction = more noise removed but more risk of metallic artifacts.

Question 3

Why does Logic Pro's Noise Gate chop my speech at the beginning of words?

Accepted Answer

This is called 'gate chatter' or 'clipping,' caused by the gate's Attack time being too slow. When you start speaking after a pause, the gate opens after a brief delay (the attack time), cutting off the transient at the beginning of your first syllable. Fix: reduce the Attack slider to 1-5ms so the gate opens nearly instantly. Also check the Threshold — if it's set too high, the gate opens late because your soft consonants (s, f, th) don't trigger it quickly enough. Setting Release longer (100-200ms) prevents the gate from closing between closely spaced words that have brief amplitude dips.

Question 4

Can I use Logic Pro's Expander instead of the Noise Gate for gentler noise reduction?

Accepted Answer

Yes, and for voice recordings it's often better. The Expander (also under Dynamics in Logic Pro) attenuates audio below threshold by a ratio rather than cutting it completely. Instead of hard silence, quiet sections are reduced proportionally — a 2:1 ratio makes quiet audio twice as quiet rather than inaudible. This sounds more natural than a hard gate for voice, especially in rooms with moderate background noise. Set threshold just above your noise floor, ratio at 2:1 to 4:1, fast attack (1-5ms), medium release (150-300ms), and the Expander will reduce noise during pauses without the hard-edged chop of a full gate.

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