SMG Cockblocker is a specialized noise gate plugin engineered to address one core problem: eliminating unwanted noise in high-gain guitar and bass rigs without sacrificing tone, sustain, or the feel of your playing. Unlike general-purpose noise reduction tools, Cockblocker was designed from the ground up with metal, hard rock, and hardcore in mind—styles where distortion can be fierce and relentless. By focusing exclusively on guitar and bass, it employs an intelligent algorithm that monitors playing dynamics to remove hiss, hum, and feedback, all while preserving the sharp attack and robust sustain that heavy music demands.
What truly makes Cockblocker stand out is the way it splits the signal from your amp and applies gate processing in real time. This design means that loud, crushing riffs remain powerful, but the plugin clamps down on noise the instant you stop playing. Unlike standard DAW gates or bundled gate modules in amp sims, Cockblocker is dialed in for musicians who push their gear to the edge. You won’t spend hours fiddling with parameters or fighting that “choked” effect most gates produce; instead, Cockblocker offers swift, transparent gating that maintains clarity through lightning-fast palm-mutes, soaring lead lines, and everything in between.
For anyone tired of waging war against hum and feedback, Cockblocker streamlines the entire process. Setup is a breeze, with straightforward controls that take guesswork out of the equation. This frees you to focus on your performance, rather than constantly readjusting thresholds or worrying that your plugin will kill crucial harmonics. Speed is key—modern recording sessions often move at a frantic pace, and Cockblocker ensures your signal is clean and tight without bogging you down in complex settings. You’ll record more efficiently, get a pro-level sound faster, and capture the best elements of your tone without that nagging background noise.
Compared to generic gate plugins or massive noise-reduction suites, Cockblocker is both more affordable and more precise. There’s no paying for features you’ll never use, and no convoluted interface to navigate. It zeroes in on the demands of high-gain instruments so you can finally tame the roar of your amp without losing its signature power. For those serious about achieving a polished, aggressive tone—and saving precious time in the studio—SMG Cockblocker stands as the ultimate gate built by guitarists, for guitarists.
One knob. That’s it. With SMG Cockblocker’s streamlined control, you skip the usual deep-dive into complex thresholds or attack/release times. All you do is turn one dial to find the sweet spot where noise disappears but your tone stays alive. It’s a quick, straightforward approach that keeps your playing seamless—no time wasted tweaking settings. By focusing on simplicity, the One Knob design lets you get right to recording, rehearsing, or performing without stressing over gate details. The result is clean, natural high‐gain without the frustrating learning curve. It’s noise control that just works.
When you’re chasing high-gain tones, the last thing you want is a gate that dulls your attack or chops off your note tails. That’s where the Cockblocker’s Splitter feature really shines. Instead of blindly gating your entire signal, it splits off the noisy portion and deals with it separately, leaving your pure guitar or bass tone untouched. The result is a more transparent gating experience where every palm-mute stays tight, leads ring out naturally, and background hiss disappears the moment you stop playing.
Because the gate and amp signals are handled independently, the plugin always “hears” your performance accurately, reacting quickly to dynamic changes without clamping down too hard. It’s a simple idea—separate the problem and tackle it at the source—but it changes everything for high-gain musicians. You get far fewer artifacts, a more natural feel, and a straightforward setup that means you can spend more time making music and less time wrestling with noise.
The back panel of Cockblocker offers the flexibility to sidechain a clean DI signal, letting the gate “listen” to your raw playing before the amp saturates your tone with high gain. Because it hears every note as it truly is—minus the distortion—it can react with far more accuracy and keep unwanted hiss and feedback locked out. And with the Key Listen feature, you can quickly audition that clean sidechain signal to dial in gate thresholds perfectly. This way, you hear exactly what the gate is hearing, making it easier to squeeze every drop of sustain from your riffs without ever choking the life out of your tone.
Unfortunately, we do not have a demo version of SMG Cockblocker yet. But we do offer a 14 day return/refund policy if you buy SMG Cockblocker and are unhappy with it. If you do end up wanting a refund, just submit a support ticket to our support team here they will get you refunded as quickly as possible.
Guitar Players: The single knob interface might be too complex for bass players
Yes! You’ll have to set things up differently for the application, however. One size does not fit all, and one setting doesn’t work with every style of playing.
Because this has been designed to work like the hardware Cockblocker: it’s been tuned specifically for guitar, and isn’t a “generic” gate. Besides, it says “cock” right on it.
“Sidechain” simply means the source that causes the gate to open and close. Normally a gate would just be triggered by the signal coming from the amp’s output. In high gain situations, this can cause misfires, and the gate could open unintentionally. The cockblocker works with your guitar’s direct signal to control the gate. Properly dialed in, when you stop playing, the amp goes SILENT.
Yes! This is the Cockblocker’s super power! You can use your guitar’s direct signal to clamp down on your heavy rhythm tracks quickly and accurately. You’ll save HOURS of editing time!
The Cockblocker can be used to stop noise, even on leads with effects. Just place it in this order: Splitter or DI signal–>Amp Sim–>Cockbocker–>Delay/reverb
