A control method is provided for an electric motor which drives an apparatus through a gear unit. The method includes generating a gear output and input speed signals, low pass filtering the gear speed signals and subtracting the filtered gear input speed signal from the filtered gear output speed signal to provide a relative speed signal. The method also includes high pass filtering the relative speed signal, multiplying the filtered relative speed signal by damping gain value to generate a backlash compensation torque value, and subtracting the backlash compensation torque value from an apparatus control torque value to generate the desired motor torque value.