Embodiments of the subject application provide a method for operating a micro-electro-mechanical system (MEMS) tuning fork gyroscope. The method includes oscillating a voltage on a first sense electrode out-of-plane from and proximate a first side of a first proof mass between a first voltage and a second voltage at a first frequency. The method also includes oscillating a voltage on a second sense electrode out-of-plane from and proximate a second side of the first proof mass between the first voltage and the second voltage at the first frequency and 180 degrees out-of-phase with the voltage on the first sense electrode. The method also includes generating a rate signal corresponding to a rotation rate of the first proof mass by first demodulating an out-of-plane signal from the first proof mass at the first frequency and second demodulating the out-of-plane signal in phase with in-plane motion of the first proof mass.