Trillium Lane Labs® Plug-ins Version 7.
Copyright © 2007 Digidesign, a division of Avid Technology, Inc. All rights reserved. This guide may not be duplicated in whole or in part without the express written consent of Digidesign. AudioSuite, Avid, Avid DNA, Avid Xpress, Digidesign, Pro Tools, Pro Tools Academic, Pro Tools HD, Pro Tools LE, Pro Tools M-Powered, RTAS, and VENUE are either trademarks or registered trademarks of Avid Technology, Inc. in the US and other countries.
contents Chapter 1. Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 Contents of the Boxed Version of Your Plug-in . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 System Requirements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 Register Your Plug-ins . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Chapter 6. TL Drum Rehab . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25 Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25 Using TL Drum Rehab . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26 TL Drum Rehab Controls and Displays . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Chapter 11. TL Space TDM and TL Space Native . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 81 Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 81 System Performance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 86 Impulse Responses . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 89 Presets . . .
vi Trillium Lane Labs Plug-ins Guide
chapter 1 Introduction Welcome to the Trillium Lane Labs® plug-ins for Pro Tools|HD®, Pro Tools LE™, and VENUE systems (brought to you by Digidesign ®), as well as Avid Xpress®, Avid Xpress DV, and Avid DNA™ systems. References to Pro Tools LE™ in this guide are usually interchangeable with Pro Tools M-Powered™ or Pro Tools Academic™, except as noted in the Pro Tools M-Powered and Academic Getting Started Guides.
System Requirements Register Your Plug-ins To use Digidesign plug-ins you need the following: If you purchase a plug-in online from the DigiStore (www.digidesign.com) using Internet Activation, you are automatically registered. • An iLok USB Smart Key • An iLok.
Conventions Used in This Guide All Digidesign guides use the following conventions to indicate menu choices and key commands: Convention Action File > Save Choose Save from the File menu Control+N Hold down the Control key and press the N key Control-click Hold down the Control key and click the mouse button Right-click Click with the right mouse button The following symbols are used to highlight important information: User Tips are helpful hints for getting the most from your Pro Tools system.
4 Trillium Lane Labs Plug-ins Guide
chapter 2 Installation Installing Plug-ins Installers for your plug-ins can be downloaded from the DigiStore (www.digidesign.com) or can be found on the plug-in installer disc (included with boxed versions of plug-ins). Additionally, an installer may also be available on a Pro Tools software bundle installer disc. Installation steps are essentially the same, regardless of the bundle, package, or system you purchase.
Authorizing Trillium Lane Labs Plug-ins Trillium Lane Labs plug-ins are authorized using the iLok USB Smart Key (iLok), manufactured by PACE Anti-Piracy, Inc. If you purchased a boxed version of a plug-in, it comes with either an Activation Code (on the included Activation Card) or an iLok License Card: • To authorize plug-ins using an Activation Code, see “Authorizing Plug-ins Using an Activation Code” on page 6.
5 If you have any installed unauthorized plug- ins or software options, you are prompted to authorize them. Follow the on-screen instructions to complete the authorization process. Authorizing Plug-ins Using a License Card License Cards are specific to each plug-in or software option. You will receive the appropriate License Cards for the plug-ins that you purchase. License Cards have a small punch-out plastic chip called a GSM cutout.
Mac OS X To remove a plug-in: 1 Locate and open the Plug-ins folder on your Startup drive (Library/Application Support/ Digidesign/Plug-ins). 2 Do one of the following: • Drag the plug-in to the Trash and empty the Trash. – or – • Drag the plug-in to the Plug-ins (Unused) folder.
chapter 3 Adjusting Trillium Lane Labs Plug-in Parameters Adjusting Plug-in Parameters You can adjust plug-in controls by dragging the control’s slider or knob, or by typing a value into the control’s text box. Additionally, some plugins have switches that can be enabled by clicking on them. To adjust a plug-in control: 1 Begin audio playback so that you can hear the control changes in real time. 2 Adjust the controls of the plug-in for the effect you want.
Editing Parameters Using a Computer Keyboard Editing Parameters Using a Scroll Wheel Some controls have text boxes that display the current value of the parameter. You can edit the numeric value of a parameter with your computer keyboard. Some controls have text boxes that display the current value of the parameter. You can edit the numeric value of a parameter using a scroll wheel. If multiple Plug-in windows are open, Tab and keyboard entry remain focused on the plug-in that is the target window.
chapter 4 TL Aggro Introduction TL Aggro is a TDM and RTAS compressor plug-in that is modeled on vintage FET compressors. At moderate settings, TL Aggro is designed to sound smooth and transparent, perfect for vocals and acoustic instruments. Crank TL Aggro up for maximum aggressiveness and it instantly adds character and intensity to guitars and drum tracks. Figure 1.
Analog Compression Compression is a common audio processing technique that is essential to many recording styles. A compressor is a specialized type of amplifier that acts to reduce the dynamic range between the quietest and loudest peaks of an audio signal. When dynamic range is compressed, this highlights quieter parts of an audio signal while taming the loudest parts. Heavy use of compression on percussion, instruments, and vocals is a staple in musical genres such as rock and pop.
Implementing a Threshold control into the operation of TL Aggro has two specific side-effects. At the extreme setting of a high threshold, high ratio, fast attack, and a slow release, TL Aggro can overshoot in compression and become “sticky” with a high gain reduction. Sonically, this sounds like “pops” in the output signal. In more technical terms, TL Aggro is becoming marginally unstable.
Attack and Release The Attack control controls the amount of time it takes TL Aggro to begin compression once the audio signal has reached the threshold. Slow attack times tend to promote overall brightness and high frequency audio within the compressed audio signal. Conversely, the Release control controls the time it takes TL Aggro to return to unity gain once the audio signal has fallen back below the threshold.
Tube Drive LED Meters The LED meters display the peak input and output levels. The LED meters are normalized to 0 dB at digital full-scale. Note that when TL Aggro is inserted on a mono track, only the left LED meters will display levels. Needle Meter Tube Drive control The Tube Drive module adds subtle even order distortion after the compression processing, simulating the effect of a vacuum tube amplifier.
Using the Side-Chain Input Using a Side-Chain Input to TL Aggro lets you direct audio from another track or hardware input in your Pro Tools session to drive the input of the TL Aggro compressor. This is usually achieved by sending the audio from the desired channel to a bus and setting the side-chain input on TL Aggro to the same bus. On versions of Pro Tools prior to 7.0, RTAS plug-ins do not provide side-chain processing on TDM systems.
chapter 5 TL AutoPan Introduction TL AutoPan is a TDM and RTAS plug-in for Pro Tools. TL AutoPan is an automatic panning plug-in that pans a mono input to a multichannel (stereo, LCR, quad, or 5.0) output based on a LFO, envelope follower, MIDI Beat Clock, or manual automation. TL AutoPan is ideal for rhythmic panning effects based on your Pro Tools session tempo. It also provides an easy and elegant way to automate panning to multichannel surround formats for post-production.
TL AutoPan Controls The TL AutoPan interface is divided into several sections, each of which is described below. Output The Output slider lets you cut or boost the output signal level from –24 dB to +12 dB. Output Meters The Output meters display the amplitude of the outgoing audio. In mono-to-stereo mode, a two meter bar is shown. In mono-to-LCR, quad, or 5.0 mode, three, four, or five channels are shown respectively.
Angle Spread The Angle slider adjusts the orientation of the panning field from –90° to +90°. At 0°, the panning field is oriented strictly left/right. At –90° or +90°, the panning field is oriented strictly front/back. The Spread slider opens or constricts the field of panning. At 100%, the spread of the panning field is at its greatest. At 0%, the spread of the panning field is completely constricted, and the sound is centered and stationary (left/right and front/back). Panner section, mono-to-5.
Panning Display LFO Section The Panning display graphically represents the panning field and the location of the sound source within that field. The LFO section provides controls for the Low Frequency Oscillator that can be used to modulate panning. The controls in the LFO section only affect the panning if LFO is selected as the panning source in the panning section (see “Panning Source” on page 19). Panning display, mono-to-5.
Waveform Beat Clock The Waveform selector determines the wave shape used by the LFO. The waveform shape in use is graphically depicted by the movement of the Sound Location indicator in the Panning display. When the Beat Clock trigger is selected, the LFO synchronizes to MIDI Beat Clock. TL AutoPan receives Beat Clock signal every 64th-note. The Duration menu determines how often the Beat Clock signal triggers TL AutoPan, ranging from every 16th-note to every 4 bars.
Manual Duration Selector When the Manual trigger is selected, the LFO is triggered manually. This can be especially useful if you want to trigger the LFO using Pro Tools automation. The Duration selector works in conjunction with the session tempo, LFO rate, and Beat Clock trigger. By default, Duration is set to 1 bar. At that setting, the LFO cycles once within one bar. When Duration is set to 1 beat, the LFO cycles within the duration of one beat.
Envelope Section Attack When Envelope (ENV) is selected as the Panning source, Panning (as shown in the Panning display) is controlled by the audio signal and the Envelope section controls. The Attack slider sets the attack rate of the Envelope Detector. Release The Release slider sets the release rate of the Envelope Detector. Using TL AutoPan Envelope section When Envelope (ENV) is not selected as the Panning Source, the controls in this section have no effect on the sound.
5 Select the desired waveform for the LFO from the Waveform selector. For example, select 4 Step Triangle. 6 Enable Beat Clock for the LFO Trigger. This ensures that the LFO is synchronized to the beat. 7 Play back the session to hear the panning ef- 6 Adjust the Rate slider as desired. Try automating Rate to alter the speed of the panned sound over time. 7 Play back the session to hear the “mosquito” flying around your head. fect.
chapter 6 TL Drum Rehab Introduction TL Drum Rehab is an RTAS plug-in for Pro Tools that provides engineers with a powerful tool for the precise drum replacement and enhancement of drum tracks in real-time, regardless of performance, equipment, or recording limitations in the original track. Use TL Drum Rehab to do everything from replacing poor drum sounds to remixing drum performances with completely new and different sounds. TL Drum Rehab is a mono plug-in only.
Using TL Drum Rehab TL Drum Rehab can be used to reinforce a drum performance with sampled drum sounds or can be used to replace the original drum sounds entirely with sampled drums. For most applications of TL Drum Rehab you only need to use the Trigger panel (see “Trigger Panel Display and Controls” on page 32).
5 Start playback in Pro Tools. As Pro Tools plays back, TL Drum Rehab “listens” to the track, and analyzes the audio for attack transients and marks those sample locations with triggers. These triggers play back the samples loaded into TL Drum Rehab to replace or enhance the drum sounds on the audio track. Listen button Detected triggers 6 In this example, there is some bleed from the snare on the kick track and TL Drum Rehab detected a trigger on one of the snare hits.
9 Do one of the following: • To load a DRP file into TL Drum Rehab, double click the desired DRP file in the Library browser. – or – • To load a sample into TL Drum Rehab, double click the desired sample (WAV, AIF, or SD2) in the Library browser. The sample is loaded into the currently selected Zone (see “Velocity Map and Velocity Zones” on page 35).
12 Once you are satisfied with the result, do one of the following: Workflow Example 2 • Bus and record the output of TL Drum Rehab to a new audio track. Using the TL Drum Rehab Expert panel to replace and quantize a high hat sound: • Use Bounce to Disk to render the replacement track and import it back into the session. For more information on Bounce To Disk, see the Pro Tools Reference Guide. 1 Insert TL Drum Rehab on a mono audio track containing a high hat recording.
sients, or if you need to compensate for the delay inherent in non-close miked recordings (such as overs for the cymbals). Committed triggers are indicated by a red arrow. For more information on working with committed triggers, see “Commit” on page 39. 6 For no latency on playback, enabled No La- tency mode (see “Triggering Controls” on page 36). 7 Select the desired quantize resolution from the Quantize To pop-up menu (see “Quantize To” on page 41).
TL Drum Rehab Controls and Displays When using TL Drum Rehab, most operations take place in one of two displays: the Main window and the Library Browser. TL Drum Rehab Main Window Provides access to four different control panels: Trigger, Expert, Sample, and Preferences. TL Drum Rehab Library Browser Is to the right of the Main window and lets you select samples for playback, and also lets you manage your sample library.
Other sliders are unique to a single panel, such as the Quantize control in the Expert panel. These controls cannot be automated and are displayed in a luminous gray. Quantize slider, a unique control Not all sliders are active controls in every panel. For example, the last slider in the Trigger panel is grayed out. Trigger Panel Display and Controls The Trigger panel provides most of the controls you need to use TL Drum Rehab (see Figure 2).
Detector Mode Voicing Use the Detector Mode pop-up menu to select the algorithm for trigger detection. TL Drum Rehab provides four detection algorithms: Snare Mode 1, Snare Mode 2, Kick, and Tom. Use the Voicing pop-up menu to select whether the triggered sample plays back freely (the entire sample plays when triggered) or is choked (the triggering of the next sample silences the sounding sample).
Waveform Display # of Zones The Waveform display provides a graphic representation of the selected track’s audio, and also displays detected triggers and velocities (amplitudes). Detected triggers are displayed as light blue lines on the waveform. The # of Zones pop-up menu lets you select the number of Velocity Zones into which you can load samples.
TL Drum Rehab lets you have up to 16 Velocity Zones, and up to 4 Clips (samples) per Zone. Using slightly different sounds on multiple Clips per Zone adds a greater degree of realism by adding variety to the sound (see “Clips” on page 43). Selecting the number of Velocity Zones Velocity Map and Velocity Zones The Velocity Map, below the Waveform display, graphically represents playback amplitude of the track audio against the specified Velocity Zones.
3 Double-click the audio file (WAV, AIF, or SD2) you want to load into the selected Zone. DRP files cannot be loaded into a Zone. DRP files contain multiple sample with fixed Zone and Clip assignments. Once you load samples into Zones and Clips, you can save them all together as a DRP file. For a workflow example of loading samples into Zones, see “Loading Samples and Saving Custom DRP Files” on page 48.
Input Controls the playback gain of the source track audio. This is like a Dry Mix control. The range of the Input control is between –40 dB and +20 dB. Samples Controls the playback gain of samples loaded into Velocity Zones. This is like a Wet Mix control. The range of the Samples control is between –40 dB and +20 dB. Ducking Controls the amount of gain reduction applied to the input audio when a sample is triggered.
Expert Panel Display and Controls The Expert panel lets you commit, uncommit, or ignore specific triggers for sample playback, as well as quantize committed triggers and edit the location of committed triggers. Playback must be stopped to commit, uncommit, ignore, or otherwise edit triggers. The Expert panel also provides some of the same controls as the Trigger panel: Listen, No Latency, Minimum and Maximum Threshold, and the Velocity Map and Velocity Zones.
Commit To play back only committed triggers: Commit lets you commit specific triggers for sample playback. Committed triggers play back regardless of whether or not Listen is enabled. If Listen is enabled, all detected triggers play back. If Listen is disabled, only committed triggers play back.
To change the amplitude of a committed trigger: ■ Control-click (Windows) or Command-click (Mac) and drag the trigger left to lower its amplitude or right to increase its amplitude. Triggers that are ignored are marked with a red X. Uncommit Uncommit lets you uncommit triggers that are currently committed.
Undo Playback Controls If you clicked a trigger that you did not want to commit, uncommit, or ignore, click Undo in the Expert panel. TL Drum Rehab supports multiple undos. The Expert panel provides the same playback controls as the Trigger panel: Input, Sample, Ducking, Dynamics, and A/B Blend. See “Playback Controls” on page 36). Quantize To Waveform Display Use the Quantize To pop-up menu to select the quantize grid value.
Samples Panel Display and Controls The Samples panel lets you load, view, shape, and organize samples for playback. To access the Samples panel: ■ Click the Samples Panel button (see Figure 4). Samples Panel button Figure 4.
Position A/B The Position A and B button lets you store samples in two different sets of Zones and Clips. The mix between Positions A and B can be controlled during playback using the A/B Blend slider in the Trigger, Expert, or Samples panels. For example, Position A could have a center hit snare sample and position B could have an offcenter hit snare sample. Mixing between the A and B positions helps give triggered samples a fuller sound by blending between alternate samples.
Velocity Map Waveshaping Controls In the Samples panel, the Velocity Map functions the same as in the Trigger panel (see “Velocity Map and Velocity Zones” on page 35). Use the envelope and EQ controls to shape the sound for all clips in the currently selected position (A or B). Sample Name Display The Sample Name display displays the name of the sample currently loaded into the selected Zone and Clip is displayed right above the Clear button.
Preferences Panel Display and Controls The Preferences panel lets you set the preferences for TL Drum Rehab. In most cases the default preference settings do not need to be changed. To access the Preferences panel: Click the Preferences Panel button (see Figure 5). ■ Timeline Buffer Size The Timeline Buffer Size determines the amount of RAM allocated for the Waveform display. If you are using TL Drum Rehab on large selections, you may want to increase the Timeline Buffer Size.
TL Drum Rehab Library Browser TL Drum Rehab provides a Library browser for finding and organizing your library of DRP files and drum samples. TL Drum Rehab includes a library of professionally recorded DRP files (drum samples) tailored specifically for use with TL Drum Rehab. Library Click the Library button to view TL Drum Rehab’s Library of DRP files. To navigate through multiple directories, double-click folders and use the Up arrow to go up one directory level.
Edit Help Use the Edit pop-up menu to Add or Remove Favorites, and organize your Favorites in folders. The Help button at the top of the Main window turns TL Drum Rehab Help Balloons on or off. Add To Favorites Adds the currently selected DRP file or folder to the Favorites folder. Remove From Favorites Removes the currently selected DRP file or folder from the Favorites folder. New Favorites Folder Creates a new folder in the Favorites folder.
Loading Samples and Saving Custom DRP Files In addition to using the DRP files that come with TL Drum Rehab, TL Drum Rehab lets you load your own samples and save custom DRP files. While you can load samples in both the Trigger and Expert panels, the Samples panel provides the most extensive features for loading samples and saving custom DRP files. The following example describes loading several snare samples layered by dynamics and then saving them as a custom DRP file.
7 Select the Zone into which you want to load the first sample. In this example the samples will be loaded from soft to loud, so select the left-most Zone first. (See “Velocity Map and Velocity Zones” on page 35.) 11 In the Library browser, navigate to the directory where you want to save the loaded samples as a new DRP file. TL Drum Rehab provides a User DRPs directory in the Library for storing your custom DRP files. 12 Select File > Save New DRP File.
14 Press Enter (if you do not press Enter, the new DRP will not be saved). The new DRP file appears in the current directory. 15 Select the new DRP file in the Library browser and choose Edit > Add To Favorites to readily access to the new DRP file in the future.
chapter 7 TL EveryPhase Introduction TL EveryPhase is a TDM and RTAS 18-stage analog modeled phaser effects plug-in designed to reproduce classic phaser effects as well as creating exciting new sounds. How a Phaser Works Traditional Analog Phasers The phaser (or phase shifter) is a classic sound effect often heard on guitars or synthesizers. The sweeping sound of a phaser can vary from subtle modulation and tremolo on a delicate guitar track to the most extreme filtered feedBack.
TL EveryPhase TL EveryPhase uses proprietary DSP algorithms to deliver the classic analog phaser sound in digital form, with the added benefits of extensive synchronization and automation options. Figure 2 shows the different modules of TL EveryPhase and how they interact with the audio signal. The modulation of the phaser algorithm in TL EveryPhase can be controlled by a low frequency oscillator (LFO) or by the envelope of an audio signal using the built-in envelope detector.
Modulation Resonance The Modulation meter displays several items at once. First, the range of phaser sweep set by the Modulation Width and Manual controls is indicated by the shaded background area. The movement of the phaser itself is indicated by one or two scanning bars. When TL EveryPhase is instantiated on a mono, stereo, or 5.1 track, a single bar is shown in this meter. When instantiated on a mono track as a mono to stereo plugin, two scanning bars are shown.
Modulation Section LFO Section Modulation section Width The Width slider determines the amplitude of the modulation sweep. This is displayed graphically in the modulation meter. Manual The Manual slider offsets the modulation sweep. This is displayed graphically in the modulation meter. Source Click LFO or ENV to select the source for modulation. When the Source is set to LFO, modulation is controlled by the LFO.
Waveform Beat Clock Selecting the LFO Waveform When the Beat Clock trigger is selected, the LFO synchronizes to MIDI Beat Clock. TL EveryPhase receives Beat Clock signal every 64th-note. The Duration menu determines how often the Beat Clock signal triggers TL EveryPhase, ranging from every 16th-note to every 4 bars. When Beat Clock signal is received, the Beat Clock trigger light blinks brightly.
Manual Duration Selector When the Manual trigger is selected, the LFO is triggered manually. This can be especially useful if you want to trigger the LFO using Pro Tools automation. With control surfaces and automation, the Manual trigger acts like an on/off switch and triggers the LFO every time it changes state.
Envelope Section Threshold The Threshold slider sets the amplitude level required for the Envelope Detector. The LFO Envelope Detector light blinks brighter when audio is detected above the threshold. Attack The Attack slider sets the attack rate of the Envelope Detector. Envelope section When you select Envelope as the Modulation source, Modulation (as shown in the Modulation Meter) is controlled by the audio signal and the Envelope Detector section controls.
Using TL EveryPhase This section addresses some common scenarios in which TL EveryPhase can be used during a Pro Tools session. Using Presets TL EveryPhase ships with a wide selection of factory presets for different phaser sounds. The following should be noted when using presets: • Presets which use the Envelope Detector may need to have the Envelope Threshold, Attack and Release adjusted appropriately for the current audio signal. 7 Set the Automation mode for the track to Write or Touch.
Alternatively, with an appropriate audio signals, using the LFO envelope trigger with the correct threshold settings will trigger the LFO as needed. For example, a side-chain input can be used to “listen” to a percussion track and create a rhythmic phasing effect on a bass line. This is especially effective in R&B, hip hop and electronic music. Using the Beat Clock Consider the following two bar bass line and drum loop.
7 The Attack and Decay in the Envelope section can also be adjusted to suit your needs. The phased bass line is shown below after being recorded to a separate track. The effect of TL EveryPhase triggered by the drum loop can be seen in the resulting waveform. Resulting phased bass line On versions of Pro Tools prior to 7.0, RTAS plug-ins do not provide side-chain processing when used on TDM systems. Use the TDM version of TL EveryPhase if you require side-chain processing on a TDM system.
chapter 8 TL InTune Introduction TL InTune is a TDM and RTAS professional instrument tuner plug-in. It offers the features and performance of a rack mounted digital tuner in the convenience of a plug-in. TL InTune provides accurate and rapid tuning for a wide range of musical instruments, saving valuable studio time and adding a level of unprecedented convenience for musicians and audio engineers.
TL InTune Controls and Displays Automatic Mode When Automatic mode is active, TL InTune will detect the note played and automatically show the pitch for that note. Test Tone TL InTune will generate both sine wave and triangle wave test tones as shown in the tone menu. The “Audible” tuning tone modulates the input signal against the reference tone. To hear a test tone: 1 Select Sine, Triangle, or Audible from the Test Tone selector. To tune to a single note: ■ Click the button for the desired note.
Meter Display Octave The Meter selector lets you use a standard needle style meter or a strobe style display. To select the Meter display: Select Needle or Strobe from the Meter selector. ■ Down Octave button Up Octave button Octave buttons The octave range of 0–6 displayed in TL InTune is based on middle C being equal to C4. In chromatic presets, you can select the desired tuning octave from 0–6 using the arrows at each end of the note display.
Note Selection The Note Selection buttons provide two functions: • When in automatic mode, clicking on a note button will turn off automatic mode and TL InTune will now display pitch relative to the selected note only. • When a tone is selected in the test tone menu, clicking on a note button will play a test tone for that note. Click the note button again to turn off the test tone. The number of note buttons will depend on the preset selected. The default chromatic preset will display all twelve notes.
Single Octave Mode Note Entry Fields When selected, Single Octave mode disables the display of octave information with each note on the main TL InTune screen. When tuning in this mode, TL InTune ignores the octave of the note being tuned. The octave information entered in the Edit screen is used only for generating test tones. The twelve note entry fields allow entry of individual notes from A0 to G7.
Using TL InTune When TL InTune detects a signal, the meter lights up and displays the relative pitch of the incoming signal. With stringed instruments, this will vary during the attack and decay of the note. In Automatic mode, TL InTune estimates the note to which you are trying to tune. If the correct note is not lit in automatic mode, click on the note to which you are trying to tune for greater accuracy. This will lock TL InTune to the specified note.
chapter 9 TL MasterMeter Introduction TL MasterMeter is a TDM and RTAS oversampling meter plug-in that is designed for critical mixing and mastering applications. Figure 1.
Understanding Digital Distortion Clients in the music industry regularly demand the loudest possible mixes. In the process of achieving such a “hot mix,” unwanted distortion can be introduced. Intersample peaks that exceed 0 dB may play without distortion in a studio environment, but when the same mix is played through a consumer CD player, the digital to analog conversion and oversampling process can reproduce a distorted mix. Figure 4. Waveform sampled Digital Audio Theory Figure 5.
1948, when a waveform has all frequencies removed above the Nyquist frequency, the resulting waveform will be the original waveform that was sampled. This process is significantly more involved than simply “connecting the dots” between sample points. Today it involves extremely sophisticated means of reconstructing the waveform, using filters that are highly complex mathematical systems utilizing “oversampling,” “upsampling,” “linear phase, equiripple FIR” designs and much more.
can be represented is the sample points and for the sake of visual ease, they connect the dots between them with straight lines. They save the reconstruction process for the digital to analog converters. Figure 7. Intersample peaks The consequence of the way in which DAWs treat waveforms is that the meter inside the DAW or other digital mixers inevitably shows inaccurate information. It is virtually a mathematical certainty that the waveform will exceed the amplitude of the samples in any sampling system.
the reconstruction sounds “perfect” to the mastering engineer, because the engineer’s equipment can actually reproduce the waveforms properly. Nielsen, Soren and Thomas Lund. “0 dBFS+ Levels in Digital Mastering.” TC Electronic: Risskov, Denmark. 17 July, 2003. http://www.tcelectronic.com/media/ Level_paper_AES109.
Historical Metering To gain an overall picture of the levels in an entire session, TL MasterMeter can be inserted on a Master Fader track and the entire session played from beginning to end. This is typically done during final mix and mastering. When session playback is complete, TL MasterMeter shows historical peak and event information for the entire session, as well as a historical list of events in the browsers for both signal clips and oversampled clips.
Oversampled Clip Events Browser Although the meters remain active and the Peak field continues to be updated, new events will not be added to the browsers. The Events field flashes ‘2000’ to indicate this condition. The Oversampling field displays the current oversampling factor in use by the DSP processing. This will vary between 2x, 4x and 8x oversampling depending on the session sample rate.
Export Button Clip Field The Export button exports all of the information displayed in the two browsers to the clipboard as tab delimited text. It can then be pasted into any text or spreadsheet application. The Clip field can be used to set the clip threshold at a lower point. For example, if a session must not exceed –10 dB, the Clip field can be set to –10 dB and TL MasterMeter will treat that as the clip threshold for both signal and oversampled clip events.
chapter 10 TL Metro Introduction TL Metro is an RTAS metronome plug-in designed to provide you with the convenience of a traditional metronome, as well as providing advanced functionality for sophisticated timekeeping requirements. Figure 1.
Configuring Pro Tools for Use with TL Metro For TL Metro to work in conjunction with the Pro Tools transport in “linked” mode, it must receive MIDI from Pro Tools. This is configured in each Pro Tools session. To configure Pro Tools for use with TL Metro: Factory Presets TL Metro provides a number of factory presets that provide a range of sounds. To audition a preset: 1 Select the desired preset from the Plug-in Li- brarian menu. 2 Click Play in TL Metro. 1 Create a new Pro Tools session.
Sample Selectors Link Status TL Metro can be linked to the Pro Tools Transport or to the Pro Tools Transport and Tempo track. For more information, see “Synchronization” on page 78. Beats Per Measure Sample selectors Select the desired audio sample played for each of the five different notes from the corresponding Sample selector. A sample can be selected from any of up to 50 sample slots. Master Volume The Master Volume slider controls the overall volume of the metronome audio signal.
Tap Button The Tap button provides a tap tempo function. Click the tap button in time with the beat to determine the beast. The detected tempo is displayed in the Tempo field and in the LCD display. Synchronization TL Metro can be synchronized to the Pro Tools Transport and Tempo using the Link Status selector.
Linked to Transport and Tempo Importing Custom Samples TL Metro can also be linked to both the Pro Tools Transport and Tempo. In this mode, TL Metro automatically follows the tempo of the Pro Tools session in addition to following the Transport. TL Metro supports up to 50 different samples for metronome click sounds. TL Metro includes factory samples in the first 40 slots, the remaining slots are marked as “.
Factory and imported samples are stored in a preferences file named “TL Metro Plug-in” located in your system preferences folder. On Windows, it’s located in :\Documents and Settings\\Application Data\Trillium Lane\TL Metro PlugIn.rsr. On Macintosh, it’s located in Users\\Library\Preferences\TL Metro Plug-in. If you want to use the particular samples you imported into TL Metro on a different Pro Tools system, copy this preferences file between systems.
chapter 11 TL Space TDM and TL Space Native Introduction TL Space is a convolution reverb TDM, RTAS, and AudioSuite plug-in. There are two versions of TL Space: TL Space TDM and TL Space Native. TL Space TDM includes all plug-in formats. TL Space Native includes RTAS and AudioSuite plug-in formats only. TL Space was designed to be the ultimate reverb for music and post-production applications.
Feature Highlights TL Space has an extensive feature set designed to assist users in creating the best reverb effect in the shortest possible time. Listed below are some of the key innovations that TL Space offers over traditional software reverbs. Reverb Features • Mono, Stereo, and Quad and 5.
IR Library • A wide variety of both real and synthetic reverb spaces and effects • Mono, stereo, and surround formats • All reverb impulse responses stored in WAV file format Reverb and Convolution Reverb Concepts Reverberation is an essential aspect of the sound character of any space in the real world. Every room has a unique reverb sound, and the qualities of a reverb can make the difference between an ordinary and an outstanding recording.
A small room may have only a fraction of a second before the first reflections, whereas large spaces may take much longer. The elapsed time of the early reflections defines the perceived size of the room from the point of view of a listener. TL Space offers various controls over early reflection parameters. The time delay between the direct sound and the first reflection is usually known as Pre Delay. TL Space lets you adjust Pre Delay.
TL Space System Design TL Space uses advanced DSP algorithms to deliver convolution processing on both TDM and native host processing. Figure 2 on page 85 shows the internal system design of TL Space and demonstrates how TL Space processes the audio signal. The impulse computer is an internal module of TL Space that provides extensive user control over the currently loaded impulse response waveform.
Latency System Performance Latency is a function of how Pro Tools processes audio and is typically measured in samples. The latency of each different mode of TL Space is shown in Table 12. Latency is displayed in the Mix window for each track in Pro Tools TDM using Delay Compensation view. Supported Plug-in Formats TL Space is available as TDM, RTAS, and AudioSuite plug-in formats depending on your Pro Tools system and version of TL Space.
Channel Support TL Space supports a variety of channel formats depending on your Pro Tools system, including mono, stereo, quad, and 5.0 channels. The following table outlines channel support in specific modes. True Stereo at 96 kHz is only available in TL Space Long. Stereo processing is available in both summed stereo and true stereo. Summed stereo processing uses the traditional reverb technique of summing the two input channels into a single channel that is processed by the reverb.
DSP Usage on TDM systems On Pro Tools HD and HD Accel systems, TL Space can be instantiated as TL Space Short, Medium and Long. The plug-in name displayed in the menu refers to the maximum reverb time as shown in Table 12 on page 86. The number of DSP chips required is a function of the number of inputs and outputs, and the type of processing in use. The maximum chip usage is 8 DSP chips across two HD Accel cards. Table 15 shows the TL Space DSP requirements by channel. Table 15.
Impulse Responses IR Processing Overheads Adjusting some controls in TL Space requires the impulse computer to recalculate the waveform and reload it into the convolution processor. This operation uses DSP and host processing capacity. When this occurs, some control lag may be experienced. This should be kept in mind if controls are being automated in real time during a session.
IR Library Installation If you purchased the boxed version of TL Space, it includes an installer disc of the standard TL Space IR Library. If you purchased TL Space online, you will need to download IR Libraries from Digidesign’s TL Space Online IR Library. For more information on downloading and installing IR Libraries from the TL Space Online IR Library, see “Installing TL Space IR Packages” on page 99.
For multi-mono files, TL Space understands the following filename conventions, based on those used by Pro Tools. The filename format is based on the impulse name plus two suffixes which indicate input and output channels as follows: Impulsename.inputchannel.outputchannel.type The following examples show how various multi-mono IR files could be named. Stereo to Stereo IR Cathedral.1.L.wav Cathedral.1.R.wav Cathedral.2.L.wav • Impulsename is the name of the impulse.
Channel Compatibility TL Space works best with IRs that match your current channel configuration. For example, if TL Space is instantiated in a mono to stereo configuration, stereo IRs will be highlighted in the IR browser. The IR information displayed in the display area shows how many inputs and outputs an IR has. For example, an IR listed as 2 input 4 output is a stereo to quad IR.
Snapshots In addition to presets, TL Space lets you manage a group of settings, called snapshots, that can be switched quickly using a single, automatable control. Each snapshot contains a separate IR and settings for all TL Space controls. IRs in a snapshot have been pre-processed by the impulse computer and can be loaded instantly into the convolution processor. With RTAS, switching between snapshots does not cause audio to drop out.
TL Space Controls and Displays The TL Space interface is divided into several sections, each of which is described in the following section. Figure 4.
Display Area Waveform Mode The display area of TL Space operates in four modes, indicated by the Display Mode selectors at the top right hand corner of the TL Space window. The modes from left to right are Waveform, Picture Preview, Snapshot, and Preferences. Waveform mode is selected using the Waveform icon at the top of the TL Space window. In Waveform mode, the display area shows the IR waveform with the following controls. Display Mode selectors The Display area changes based on the selected mode.
Picture Preview Mode Picture Preview mode is selected using the Picture Preview icon at the top of the TL Space window. When selected, Picture Preview mode shows pictures associated with the IR. For an IR provided with TL Space, this will usually include a photograph of the location, and an image with technical details such as microphones used or an overview of the microphone setup. Thumbnails of images are displayed in the right hand column.
Clear Clears the IR from the currently selected snapshot. Preferences Mode Preferences mode is selected using the Preferences icon at the top of the TL Space window. This displays a number of preferences settings for TL Space. Meters The Meters display the amplitude of the incoming and outgoing audio signals by channel. The number of meters shown will depend on the number of input and output channels. Input meters may be mono or stereo, and output meters may be mono, stereo, quad, or 5.0 channels.
IR Browser The IR Browser icon at the top right hand corner of the TL Space window opens the IR browser. By default, TL Space will display a single IR group for the TL Space library. The IR browser lets you quickly and easily install, locate, and organize IRs on local hard drives. The Load and Edit buttons in the IR browser let you install and import IRs, create Favorites, and change the IR groups displayed. TL Space automatically highlights each IR that matches the current channel configuration.
IR Browser Edit Menu The IR browser’s Edit menu contains the following commands: Download TL Space IR Package Opens a Web browser to the TL Space online IR library. Install TL Space IR Package Installs a new IR package downloaded from the TL Space online library (see “Installing TL Space IR Packages” on page 99). Import Other IR Folder Lets you import a new IR folder in common file formats. By default, the new IR is given the same name as the selected folder.
6 In TL Space, select Install TL Space IR Package Primary Controls from the Edit menu. 7 In the resulting dialog, locate and select the file you downloaded. 8 Click Choose. The primary control group is visible at all times and allows control of key reverb parameters. This includes the wet and dry levels of the audio passing through TL Space. TL Space will display a summary of the IR package with a short description, copyright statement, and a list of the contents.
Group Selectors Delays TL Space presents reverb controls in five different groups. Each group is activated by selecting the corresponding selector. The Delays group allows control of delay timings for the reverb. When changes are made to any control in the Delays group, the IR waveform is recalculated and displayed in the Waveform display.
The Early group controls the character of the early portion of the IR and the early reflections. The primary control is Early Length which defines the size of the early portion of the IR waveform. When loading an IR from an audio file, TL Space relies on the user to define which part of the IR is the early portion of the waveform. By default, the Early length is set to 20 ms.
Reverb Decay The Reverb group offers a low and high shelf EQ in addition to width and balance controls. The EQ operates prior to convolution processing. Lo Freq Adjusts the frequency of a low frequency filter from 20 to 500 Hz. The Decay group controls allow the user to control the decay of the low, mid, and high frequency portions of the IR. Use the controls to tailor the reverb’s character for a mix or for creative possibilities not found in traditional reverb processors.
Using Presets Using TL Space TL Space ships with a selection of factory presets for different reverb sounds. The presets are designed to give a sample of the various IRs available in the library in conjunction with various reverb settings. However, the presets do not cover the entire IR library. This section addresses some common scenarios in which TL Space can be used during a Pro Tools session. TL Space Plug-in Formats TL Space is available in TDM, RTAS, and AudioSuite plug-in formats.
Automating Snapshots Snapshot automation is a powerful method of changing the reverb parameters without having to individually automate each parameter. To automate TL Space Snapshots: 1 Insert TL Space on a track. 2 Select Snapshot mode. 3 Load an IR into each Snapshot and make any desired changes to specific TL Space controls. 4 Name each Snapshot as desired. 5 Click Auto. 6 Add Snapshot to the list of automated con- trols.
IR Library TL Space includes an extensive impulse response library, divided into the following categories. Table 18.
index A I Activation Code 6 adjusting plug-in parameters 2 computer keyboard 10 keyboard shortcuts 9 mouse 9 scroll wheel 10 toggling switches 10 authorizing plug-ins 6, 7 automating plug-ins 2 iLok USB Smart Key 6 impulse response (IR) 89 inserting plug-ins on tracks 2 installing plug-ins 5 IR 89 B boxed version 1 C Clip indicators 2 compatibility 2 compression 12 computer keyboard adjusting plug-in parameters 10 convolution reverb 84 D K keyboard shortcuts adjusting plug-in parameters 9 L Librari
P package contents 1 phase shifter 51 phaser 51 Plug-in window 2 plug-ins adjusting parameters 2, 9 authorizing 6 automation 2 installing 5 registration 2 using the Librarian 2 working with 2 R registration 2 removing plug-ins Windows 7 reverb 83 convolution 84 reverberation 83 S scroll wheel adjusting plug-in parameters 10 switches adjusting plug-in parameters 10 T TL Aggro 11 Attack control 14 Bass Compensation 14 cutoff frequency control 14 GR mode 15 Input (IN) mode 15 LED meters 15 Needle meter 15 O
TL Drum Rehab 25 # of Zones pop-up menu 34 A/B Blend control 37 Add 40 Add To Favorites 47 adding a sample to a Clip 43 adjusting crossfades between Zones 36 Attack control 44 Auto-Audition 47 Auto-Scroll Time preference 45 browsing sample CDs 46 changing the duration of the crossfades between zones 36 Clear 43 Clips 43 Commit 39 Commit All 40 committing detected triggers 39 Detector Mode pop-up menu 33 DRP 33 DRP Name display 33 Ducking control 37 Dynamics control 37 Edit pop-up menu 47 editing the positio
TL EveryPhase 51 Attack slider 57 Beat Clock trigger 55 creating a single phased sound 58 creating gradual phaser effects 58 Depth slider 53 Duration selector 56 Envelope 57 Envelope trigger 55 factory presets 58 FeedBack slider 53 Input slider 53 LFO 54 LFO triggers 55 Link To Tempo option 56 Manual slider 54 Manual trigger 56 manually automating 58 meters 52 Modulation 54 Modulation direction 54 Modulation meter 53 Modulation source 54 Output meter 52 Output slider 53 Phaser 53 Rate slider 54 Release slid
TL Space 81 Add to Favorites 99 channel formats 87 clip indicator 97 CPU usage 88 Decay 100 Decay group 103 Front/Rear 103 High 103 High Xover 103 Low 103 Low Xover 103 Mid 103 Delays group 101 Front/Rear/Center Delay 101 Late Delay 101 Pre Delay 101 Download TL Space IR Package 99 Dry 100 DSP usage requirements 88 Early group 102 Balance 102 Length 102 Lo Cut 102 Size 102 factory presets 104 features 82 Group selector 101 Import Other IR Folder 99 impulse computer 85 impulse response (IR) 89 Info screen 10
TL Space IR Library installation 90 TL Space Native 81 TL Space Online IR Library 99 TL Space TDM 81 TL Drum Rehab workflow examples 26 tuner 61 U using TL Drum Rehab 26 W website 3 working with plug-ins 2 112 Trillium Lane Labs Plug-ins Guide
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