SMG Cockblocker
The Best Guitar Noise Gate, now as a plugin.
“Most gates are either too slow or clamp too hard. The Cockblocker walks the perfect line. Tight when I need it, open when I don’t. It’s now permanently on all my guitar tracks.”
Built by guitarists, for guitarists
Turn one dial. Done.
One knob. That’s it. No thresholds, no attack and release menus, turn the Threshold dial until the noise disappears and your tone stays alive. Built to work like the hardware Cockblocker, it’s tuned for guitar and bass under serious gain, so palm-mutes stay tight and leads ring out.
- A single Threshold control
- Zero latency, no lag while you play
- Tuned for high-gain guitar and bass, not a generic gate
Gate from your DI, not the amp.
Standard gates listen to the amp’s output, and under high gain that means misfires. The included SMG Splitter plugin splits off your guitar DI so the gate is triggered by your raw playing, not the amp. Loud riffs stay crushing; the instant you stop, the noise is gone.
- Trigger the gate from your DI signal
- Fewer artifacts, more natural feel
- Saves hours of editing on rhythm tracks
Hear exactly what the gate hears.
Flip the back panel for input and output gain, attack, hold and release, and a sidechain view with high- and low-pass filters. Sidechain a clean DI so the gate hears every note without the distortion, then hit Key Listen to audition that signal while you dial in the threshold, every drop of sustain, no choking.
- Sidechain input for a clean DI signal
- Key Listen auditions what the gate hears
- Attack, hold, release and detector filters
Key features
Gating without losing sustain
Clamps down the instant you stop playing, your note tails and sustain stay intact.
One knob
Turn one dial to the sweet spot. No thresholds, attack or release menus to fight.
Kills hiss, hum and buzz
Removes even the worst guitar background noise, buzzing and hums.
SMG Splitter included
Use your guitar DI to trigger the gate, not the amp, so it doesn’t misfire under high gain.
Zero latency
No lag when you play through it. Track with your whole chain running live.
“Secret” back panel
Sidechain a clean DI and use Key Listen to get the gate exactly right.
Reviews
See SMG Cockblocker in action
System requirements
Things to know
License & activation
Your license and serial number appear in your account right after purchase. Open SMG Cockblocker inside your DAW, enter the serial, and you’re activated. Activation is a one-time online check, no dongle.
Installation
Download the macOS or Windows installer from your account. On Mac, run CockBlocker.pkg and choose your plug-in formats (VST, AU, AAX, leaving the defaults is fine). On Windows, run the installer and pick VST, or AAX for Pro Tools. The SMG Splitter plugin ships with Cockblocker.
Refunds
There’s no demo version of SMG Cockblocker yet, so it’s covered by a 14-day refund policy. If it isn’t working out, contact support within 14 days of purchase and we’ll get you refunded as quickly as possible.
System requirements
- Apple M1, Intel Core i5, AMD Ryzen or equivalent
- 4 GB of system RAM or more recommended
- Internet connection for one-time activation
- Graphics card with OpenGL 2.1 or higher
- Mac OS X 10.9 and above (64-bit only): Stand-alone, VST, AU, AAX, native Apple Silicon support
- Windows 10 and above (64-bit only): Stand-alone, VST, AAX
Who is this for?
Guitar players. The single-knob interface might be too complex for bass players.
Will it work on leads and rhythms?
Yes. You’ll set it up differently for each application, though, one size does not fit all, and one setting doesn’t work with every style of playing.
I have a gate in my DAW. Why would I pay for this?
Because it’s designed to work like the hardware Cockblocker: tuned specifically for guitar, not a “generic” gate. Besides, it says “cock” right on it.
What’s a “sidechain”?
The sidechain is the source that opens and closes the gate. A normal gate is triggered by the amp’s output, which under high gain causes misfires, the gate opens when it shouldn’t. Cockblocker uses your guitar’s direct signal to control the gate. Dialed in properly, when you stop playing, the amp goes silent.
Can I use it on my mixes?
Yes, this is the Cockblocker’s superpower. Use your guitar’s direct signal to clamp down on heavy rhythm tracks quickly and accurately, and save hours of editing time.
What if I use a delay on a lead?
It still stops the noise, even on leads with effects. Chain it in this order: Splitter or DI signal → Amp sim → Cockblocker → Delay / reverb.
Current version
- Current release, macOS and Windows installers
- Stand-alone, VST, AU and AAX on Mac; Stand-alone, VST and AAX on Windows