Time Gate is a Windows VST3 audio effect built with JUCE. After the detector has been re-armed below the Threshold, a rising input level through the Threshold triggers a fixed OPEN period followed by a Lockout period. Unlike a level gate that remains open while the signal stays above its threshold, Time Gate closes when its configured Open Time ends.
This makes it useful for isolating consistent attack-length fragments from sounds with long sustain or decay, such as synthesizer bass parts, before processing those fragments with other effects.
- Threshold-triggered ARMED, OPEN, and LOCKOUT gate cycle
- Adjustable Open Time and Lockout Time
- SHOT and RETRIG trigger modes
- Dry/Wet control
- Dynamic OPEN indicator
- Note Duration Reference based on the host tempo/BPM
- Resizable, vector-based JUCE interface with no image assets
- No lookahead and no additional reported latency
| Parameter | Range | Default |
|---|---|---|
| Threshold | -60.00 to 0.00 dB | -18.00 dB |
| Open Time | 0.00 to 4.00 s | 0.50 s |
| Lockout Time | 0.00 to 4.00 s | 0.50 s |
| Dry/Wet | 0 to 100% | 100% |
| Trigger Mode | SHOT / RETRIG | SHOT |
Note Duration Reference is not a plug-in parameter or a tempo-sync mode. It converts a selected note value using the host BPM for reference only and does not change Open Time or Lockout Time.
- Windows x64
- A VST3 host
- CMake 3.22 or later
- Visual Studio 2022 with the MSVC x64 toolchain
- Git with submodule support
- JUCE 8.0.15, included as a Git submodule
The project builds as C++17 and does not use Projucer.
git clone <repository-url>
cd Time-Gate
git submodule update --init --recursive
From a terminal where CMake and the Visual Studio 2022 toolchain are available:
cmake -S . -B build -G "Visual Studio 17 2022" -A x64
cmake --build build --config Release --target TimeGate_VST3
With the build directory shown above, the VST3 bundle is generated under build/TimeGate_artefacts/Release/VST3/Time Gate.vst3. Automatic plug-in installation is disabled, so copy the bundle to an appropriate VST3 directory for the target system when needed.
- Set Threshold to the level that should trigger the gate.
- Set Open Time to the length of audio to pass after a trigger.
- Set Lockout Time to the period during which further triggers are blocked.
- Select SHOT or RETRIG for the desired lockout-end behaviour.
- Adjust Dry/Wet to blend the original and gated signals.
Use Note Duration Reference to compare musical note lengths at the current host BPM. It is a reference display and does not transfer values to the time parameters.
Time Gate is licensed under the GNU Affero General Public License version 3 or later (AGPL-3.0-or-later).
external/JUCE is a third-party Git submodule and is governed by JUCE's own licence terms and the notices for its dependencies. Those third-party terms are separate from the Time Gate licence.
The core DSP and normal user interface are in practical working use and have been used in music production. The current normal UI and control behaviour are treated as complete for this version.
See docs/PLUGIN_SPEC.md for the detailed internal technical specification.