A small gathering still needs a soundcheck
Listen from the seating area, even when only a few people are present.
With a small gathering, ask someone to listen from where people will sit while the band plays a verse and chorus. Can they follow the vocal? Which drum sound is most prominent? Twelve people in one room can hear a very different balance from twelve in another.
If the hi-hat covers the words, repeat the passage with a quieter, more closed sound. If the snare’s ring is the problem, check the acoustic drum and discuss the amplified sound with the engineer. A gate acts on its audio channel; it cannot remove the acoustic sound already reaching the seats.
Keep the parts the song needs while testing the balance. Fewer notes may help, but an important rhythmic figure can belong in a quiet arrangement too. Use the listening check to choose the adjustment instead of treating a small audience as a fixed musical instruction.