The pedals you employ will be key for getting heavy metal distortion without losing definition or clarity. Djent players use a variety of overdrive, distortion, and reverb pedals to shape their sound, but the absolute must-have in your pedal chain is a noise gate. Combined with the right EQ settings, a well-placed noise gate is the most important piece of equipment for getting that classic Djent sound. So which noise gate pedal do you want to use? We’ve picked out some of our favorites here.
These are our recommendations for the 4
ISP Technologies Decimator II Pedal
If you’re looking for the top of the line in noise gate pedals, the Decimator is widely accepted to be the industry standard. It processes your signal differently than a lot of noise gate pedals, directly tracking your signal so you can use the same settings for your clean tone and high-gain playing—a versatile option if you change styles during your sets.
The Decimator also avoids the dreaded “tone suck” that’s often reported from noise gate pedals. You’ll still get the power and punch you need for lead metal playing, just with a shorter sustain that gives you quick, staccato Djent lines. It’s also easy to use and control, with a single threshold dial for adjusting the effect and a straightforward, portable design.
The only downside to the ISP Decimator is that it’s an investment—maybe more than your effects budget allows, especially if you’re not primarily a Djent player. If you want the best noise gate pedal for Djent out there, however, this is it.
Boss NS-2 Noise Suppressor Pedal
- Boss NS-2 Noise Suppressor Pedal
- Price: $105.99
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- Price as of 04/18/2024 16:43 PDT(more info about ad)
Boss pedals are consistent and built to last. The NS-2 has the heavy-duty metal casing and pedal design typical to the brand. It’s also fairly compact, making it a great choice for gigging guitarists who need both durability and convenience from their effects pedals. The cost is also appealing for a professional musician. At its price point, it’s an exceptional value.
You’ll get more customization of your tone with the Boss NS-2. It has knobs for both the threshold and decay, along with a mode selection knob. It’s equally effective at controlling noise from a bass as from a guitar. These features make it the most versatile pedal on the list.
The bypass on the Boss NS-2 is buffered, not a true bypass. That’s about the only potential con we could find. This is a powerful pedal for cleaning up your tone and a great tool for any Djent player to have in their tone arsenal.
TC Electronic Sentry Noise Pedal
If you’re looking for the most compact option in noise gate pedals, check out the Sentry Noise Gate from TC Electronic. It weighs less than a pound, with a slim casing that will fit easily into your signal chain. Don’t be deceived by the size, either. This is a powerful pedal, a versatile to boot, with loads of effect customization choices and a user-friendly design.
You’ll get three controls on the Sentry: threshold, decay, and damp. These alone give you a lot of ways to shape your sound, but along with that it’s enabled for TonePrint, TC Electronic’s effect editor. Whatever sound you have in mind, you can find it with the Sentry Noise Gate.
The most important thing about a noise gate is that it leaves your signal intact. With the TC Electronic Sentry you won’t lose volume or tone—just the noise you don’t want. The variety of modes and tone options gives this a lot of goodies in a little package. For the money, it’s one of the best pedals for Djent period.
Donner Noise Killer Pedal
If your budget is ultra-low, check out the Noise Killer from Donner. It’s economical both for your space and your wallet, thanks to the durable and compact aluminum-alloy casing on this super affordable noise gate pedal.
The interface here is simple. There’s just a knob to control the threshold and a footswitch for the bypass. For most Djent players, though, this is exactly what you need to give your existing effects the separation you’re looking for.
The maximum amount of noise reduction you’ll get from the Noise Killer isn’t quite as high as with some of the other pedals you’ve seen above, but it’s still efficient at cleaning up your signal to the degree most people need. The pedal also has a minimal impact on your tone. With the Donner Noise Killer, you’ll get a transparent noise gate with a true bypass at an impressively affordable price.
How Do You Choose the Best Pedal for Djent?
All of these pedals are great options. Picking the right one for you really means considering your set-up and your needs from the pedal. A lot of people like to put a noise gate pedal after every step in their signal chain for Djent—in other words, one after your amp and another after each pedal. If you use a lot of effects, you’ll probably want to go with something like the Donner Noise Killer (see full specs) just so the costs don’t get completely astronomical.
The size of the pedal is going to matter more the more you’re getting, too. One ISP Decimator (see full specs) won’t add much to your gear load but five of them is a different story. Since noise gate pedals are things you’ll be mainly setting and leaving alone, compact versions don’t have the same drawbacks in terms of in-gig usability as other kinds of effects.
Generally speaking, more expensive pedals do two things better than their cheaper counterparts: they’re more transparent and they give more effect customization options. The extent to which these two things matter to your personal sound is the biggest decision you have to make as you’re choosing which pedal to buy. Ultimately, though, any of these four options can give your sound that special Djent quality, and depending on how much green you have in your pocket, each could qualify as the best pedal for Djent. Good luck on your search!
