Craig:
Gate workaround looks good, thanks for that.
 
Chucke:
So how do you handle sibilance if you're not using a deesser?
 

revnice1
Craig:
Gate workaround looks good, thanks for that.
 
Chucke:
So how do you handle sibilance if you're not using a deesser?
 

by hand limiting using automation.
It more time consuming but it's about as precise as it gets.
 
I've been meaning to do a video on it, maybe later if I have time I will upload something to show you an example.

>I've been meaning to do a video on it, 
Or a text description. I've got the usual deessers but even closely following a tutorial hasn't worked out for me.

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I use Remove Silence all that time...not sure why you think it is broken.  When I score TV or film projects i create stems and at times the wavs will be the length of the project (although there is nothing on that track for long periods of time).  I will "Remove Silence" thru out the whole project and the OMF I create will be much smaller.  I do have my own settings so maybe you need to experiment with those.  Sometimes there is an inaudible hum on the track or noise you can't hear that causes Remove Silence to not work.
 
So the OP really wants is to "Remove" unwanted sound...not silence.  He wants to add silence.
 
Try this from izotope.  I really, really like it and use it all the time. It saves many a bad recording.
 
https://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/RX6El--izotope-rx-elements
 
Try to catch it on sale 
 
 

Chucke:
OK, so you're not addressing frequency, just volume. I suppose I could also do that with:
Process > Audio > Gain > 3db or more Cut
 
I didn't think of that, I was hung up on some auto tool that attenuates the offending frequency.
 
Jimbo:
Yeah, I've got a nice audible hiss after each kick and snare so I want to insert silence. I'll try doing nothing (I'm really good at it) and see how it sounds. It might be construed as warmth :)

Jimbo, the lead and lag before it is what is broken. You cannot fade in before the start of the clip.

gswitz...I'll check out what you are saying, but my cues fade in and out all the time.  I will have strings fade in from nothing and out to nothing, I have my Open and Close settings at -81db and I get pretty good results.   So say I have a violin enter and play at Measure 3 and stops in measure 5 then does not play again until measure 60. Say I left the mic recording all the time or if it is a Midi violin and I froze the vst synth...the audio clip would have dead air for 55 measures that I want to avoid having to send out in my file.  I "remove silence" and it nicely removes all the dead air time. The clips still fade in and out with no trouble. I can add a fade in or out later if i so choose by using the clip options.
 
revnice1....izotope has a nice "De-noise"  plug in.  You sample the hiss and it will learn the exact frequencies and allow you to adjust how much you want to remove.  I use it way more than i should.    

revnice1
Chucke:
OK, so you're not addressing frequency, just volume. I suppose I could also do that with:
Process > Audio > Gain > 3db or more Cut

Not if your doing sections you cant (unless you want to be there for years).
 

revnice1
 
Chucke:
So how do you handle sibilance if you're not using a deesser?
 

 
My apology's. As this conversation went on I thought you were inquiring about how to remove sibilance in Vocals.
I will remove my earlier tutorial + comments to avoid confusion.