DigiDesign Trillium Lane Labs Plug-ins User manual

Trillium Lane Labs
®
Plug-ins
Version 8.0

Legal Notices
This guide is copyrighted ©2008 by Digidesign, a division of
Avid Technology, Inc. (hereafter “Digidesign”), with all rights
reserved. Under copyright laws, this guide may not be
duplicated in whole or in part without the written consent of
Digidesign.
003, 96 I/O, 96i I/O, 192 Digital I/O, 192 I/O, 888|24 I/O,
882|20 I/O, 1622 I/O, 24-Bit ADAT Bridge I/O, AudioSuite,
Avid, Avid DNA, Avid Mojo, Avid Unity, Avid Unity ISIS,
Avid Xpress, AVoption, Axiom, Beat Detective, Bomb Factory,
Bruno, C|24, Command|8, Control|24, D-Command, D-Control,
D-Fi, D-fx, D-Show, D-Verb, DAE, Digi 002, DigiBase,
DigiDelivery, Digidesign, Digidesign Audio Engine, Digidesign
Intelligent Noise Reduction, Digidesign TDM Bus, DigiDrive,
DigiRack, DigiTest, DigiTranslator, DINR, D-Show, DV Toolkit,
EditPack, Eleven, HD Core, HD Process, Hybrid, Impact,
Interplay, LoFi, M-Audio, MachineControl, Maxim, Mbox,
MediaComposer, MIDI I/O, MIX, MultiShell, Nitris, OMF,
OMF Interchange, PRE, ProControl, Pro Tools M-Powered,
Pro Tools, Pro Tools|HD, Pro Tools LE, QuickPunch, Recti-Fi,
Reel Tape, Reso, Reverb One, ReVibe, RTAS, Sibelius,
Smack!, SoundReplacer, Sound Designer II, Strike, Structure,
SYNC HD, SYNC I/O, Synchronic, TL Aggro, TL AutoPan, TL
Drum Rehab, TL Everyphase, TL Fauxlder, TL In Tune, TL
MasterMeter, TL Metro, TL Space, TL Utilities, Transfuser,
Trillium Lane Labs, Vari-Fi Velvet, X-Form, and XMON are
trademarks or registered trademarks of Digidesign and/or Avid
Technology, Inc. Xpand! is Registered in the U.S. Patent and
Trademark Office. All other trademarks are the property of their
respective owners.
Product features, specifications, system requirements, and
availability are subject to change without notice.
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Contents iii
contents
Chapter 1. Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1
Contents of the Boxed Version of Your Plug-in . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1
System Requirements and Compatibility . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2
Register Your Plug-ins . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2
Using Trillium Lane Labs Plug-ins with Pro Tools . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2
Using Trillium Lane Labs Plug-ins with VENUE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2
Conventions Used in This Guide . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
About www.digidesign.com . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
Chapter 2. Installation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
Installing Plug-ins for Pro Tools. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
Installing Plug-ins for VENUE Systems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
Authorizing Plug-ins. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
Uninstalling Plug-ins for Pro Tools . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
Uninstalling Plug-ins for VENUE Systems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
Chapter 3. TL Aggro . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
TL Aggro Controls . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
Using the Side-Chain Input . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13
Chapter 4. TL AutoPan . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15
Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15
TL AutoPan Controls . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15
Using TL AutoPan . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21
Using the Side-Chain Input . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22

Trillium Lane Labs Plug-ins Guideiv
Chapter 5. TL Drum Rehab . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23
Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23
Using TL Drum Rehab . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24
TL Drum Rehab Controls and Displays . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28
TL Drum Rehab Main Window . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28
TL Drum Rehab Library Browser. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43
Loading Samples and Saving Custom DRP Files . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44
Chapter 6. TL EveryPhase . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47
Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47
TL EveryPhase Controls . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 48
Using TL EveryPhase. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 54
Chapter 7. TL InTune . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 57
Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 57
TL InTune Controls and Displays . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 58
Customizing TL InTune . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 60
Using TL InTune . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 62
Chapter 8. TL MasterMeter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 63
Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 63
Using TL MasterMeter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 67
TL MasterMeter Controls and Displays . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 68
Chapter 9. TL Metro . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 71
Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 71
Configuring Pro Tools for Use with TL Metro . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 71
TL Metro Controls and Displays . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 72
Synchronization . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 74
Customizing TL Metro . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 74

Contents v
Chapter 10. TL Space TDM and TL Space Native . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 77
Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 77
System Performance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 82
Impulse Responses . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 85
Presets . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 88
Snapshots . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 89
TL Space Controls and Displays . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 90
Using TL Space . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 100
IR Library . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 102
Index . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 103

Trillium Lane Labs Plug-ins Guidevi

Chapter 1: Introduction 1
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.
Digidesign Trillium Lane Labs plug-ins include
the following:
Free Trillium Lane Labs Plug-ins:
The following plug-ins are installed with
Pro Tools:
•TLInTune™
• TL MasterMeter™
•TLMetro™
Paid Trillium Lane Labs Plug-ins:
• TL Aggro™
• TL AutoPan™
• TL Drum Rehab™
•TLEveryPhase™
• TL Space™ TDM and TL Space Native
Contents of the Boxed
Version of Your Plug-in
Your plug-in package contains the following
components:
• Installer disc
• Digidesign Registration Information Card
• One of the following authorization cards for
authorizing plug-ins with an iLok USB Smart
Key (not supplied):
• Activation Card with an Activation Code
(for authorizing plug-ins with an iLok USB
Smart Key, not supplied)
– or –
• License Card (for authorizing plug-ins with
an iLok USB Smart Key, not supplied)
References to Pro Tools LE™ in this guide
are usually interchangeable with Pro Tools
M-Powered™, except as noted in the
Pro Tools M-Powered Setup Guide.

Trillium Lane Labs Plug-ins Guide2
System Requirements and
Compatibility
To use Digidesign plug-ins you need the follow-
ing:
• An iLok USB Smart Key
• An iLok.com account for managing iLok li-
censes
• One of the following:
• A Digidesign-qualified Pro Tools|HD sys-
tem, Pro Tools LE system, or Pro Tools M-
Powered system
• A Digidesign-qualified Pro Tools system
and a third-party software application that
supports the Digidesign TDM, RTAS®, or
AudioSuite™ plug-in standards
• A Digidesign-qualified VENUE live sound
environment
• A qualified Avid Xpress, Avid Xpress DV, or
Avid DNA system (AudioSuite only)
Digidesign can only assure compatibility and
provide support for hardware and software it has
tested and approved.
For complete system requirements and a list of
Digidesign-qualified computers, operating sys-
tems, hard drives, and third-party devices, refer
to the latest information on the Digidesign web-
site:
www.digidesign.com/compatibility
Register Your Plug-ins
If you purchase a plug-in online from the Digi-
Store (www.digidesign.com) using Internet Acti-
vation, you are automatically registered.
If you purchase a plug-in boxed version, check
the enclosed Digidesign Registration Informa-
tion Card for information about how to register
online.
Registered users receive periodic software up-
date and upgrade notices.
Please refer to the Digidesign website
(www.digidesign.com) or the Digidesign Regis-
tration Information Card for information on
technical support.
Using Trillium Lane Labs Plug-
ins with Pro Tools
Refer to the Pro Tools Reference Guide for infor-
mation on working with plug-ins, including:
• Inserting plug-ins on tracks
• Plug-in Window controls
• Adjusting plug-in controls
• Automating plug-ins
• Using side-chain inputs
• Using plug-in presets
• Clip indicators
Using Trillium Lane Labs Plug-
ins with VENUE
Refer to the D-Show Guide that came with your
VENUE system for information on working with
plug-ins.

Chapter 1: Introduction 3
Conventions Used in This
Guide
All Digidesign guides use the following conven-
tions to indicate menu choices and key com-
mands:
:
The names of Commands, Options, and Settings
that appear on-screen are in a different font.
The following symbols are used to highlight im-
portant information:
About www.digidesign.com
The Digidesign website (www.digidesign.com)
is your best online source for information to
help you get the most out of your Pro Tools sys-
tem. The following are just a few of the services
and features available.
Product Registration Register your purchase on-
line.
Support and Downloads Contact Digidesign
Technical Support or Customer Service; down-
load software updates and the latest online
manuals; browse the Compatibility documents
for system requirements; search the online An-
swerbase; or join the worldwide Pro Tools com-
munity on the Digidesign User Conference.
Training and Education Study on your own using
courses available online or find out how you can
learn in a classroom setting at a certified
Pro Tools training center.
Products and Developers Learn about Digidesign
products; download demo software or learn
about our Development Partners and their plug-
ins, applications, and hardware.
News and Events Get the latest news from Digi-
design or sign up for a Pro Tools demo.
Pro Tools Accelerated Videos Watch the series of
free tutorial videos. Accelerated Videos are de-
signed to help you get up and running with
Pro Tools and its plug-ins quickly.
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
User Tips are helpful hints for getting the
most from your Pro Tools system.
Important Notices include information that
could affect your Pro Tools session data or
the performance of your Pro Tools system.
Shortcuts show you useful keyboard or
mouse shortcuts.
Cross References point to related sections in
this guide and other Digidesign guides.

Trillium Lane Labs Plug-ins Guide4

Chapter 2: Installation 5
chapter 2
Installation
Installing Plug-ins for
Pro Tools
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).
An installer may also be available on a Pro Tools
installer disc or on a software bundle installer
disc.
Installation steps are essentially the same, re-
gardless of the package, system, or bundle.
Free TL Labs Plug-ins
The free TL Labs plug-ins are installed when you
install Pro Tools. For more information about
installing Pro Tools, see the Setup Guide that
came with your system.
Updating Older Plug-ins
Because the Trillium Lane Labs plug-ins install-
ers contain the latest versions of Digidesign
plug-ins, use them to update any Trillium Lane
Labs plug-ins you may already own.
Installation
To install a plug-in:
1 Do one of the following:
• Download the installer for your computer
platform from the Digidesign website
(www.digidesign.com). After downloading,
make sure the installer is uncompressed
(.ZIP on Windows or .SIT on Mac).
– or –
• Insert the Installer disc into your computer.
2 Double-click the plug-in installer application.
3 Follow the on-screen instructions to complete
the installation.
4 When installation is complete, click Finish
(Windows) or Quit (Mac).
When you open Pro Tools, you are prompted to
authorize your new plug-in (see “Authorizing
Plug-ins” on page 6).
Be sure to use the most recent versions of
Trillium Lane Labs plug-ins available from
the Digidesign website
(www.digidesign.com).

Trillium Lane Labs Plug-ins Guide6
Installing Plug-ins for VENUE
Systems
Installers for VENUE plug-ins can be down-
loaded from www.digidesign.com. After down-
loading, the installer must be transferred to ei-
ther a USB drive or a CD-ROM. Plugs-ins can be
installed using a USB drive connected to the
UDB ports on any VENUE system, or using a
CD-ROM inserted into the CD drive available on
an FOH Rack or Mix Rack.
Authorizing Plug-ins
Trillium Lane Labs plug-ins are authorized using
the iLok USB Smart Key (iLok), manufactured by
PACE Anti-Piracy, Inc.
The iLok is similar to a dongle, but unlike a don-
gle, it is designed to securely authorize multiple
software applications from a variety of software
developers.
This key can hold over 100 licenses for all of
your iLok-enabled software. Once an iLok is au-
thorized for a given piece of software, you can
use the iLok to authorize that software on any
computer.
Authorizing Download Versions of
Plug-ins for Pro Tools
If you purchased a download version of a plug-
in from the DigiStore (www.digidesign.com),
authorize the plug-in by downloading licenses
from iLok.com to an iLok.
Authorizing Boxed Versions of
Plug-ins for Pro Tools
If you purchased a boxed version of a plug-in, it
comes with an Activation Code (on the in-
cluded Activation Card). You will need this code
to authorize your plug-in.
To authorize a plug-in using an Activation Code:
1 If you do not have an existing iLok.com ac-
count, visit www.iLok.com and sign up for an
iLok.com account.
For complete instructions on installing
plug-ins for VENUE systems, see the docu-
mentation that came with your VENUE
system.
iLok USB Smart Key
Not all Trillium Lane Labs plug-ins require
authorization. For example, no authoriza-
tion is required for TL Utilities plug-ins.
The iLok USB Smart Key is not supplied
with your plug-in or software option. You
can use the one included with certain
Pro Tools systems (such as Pro Tools|HD-
series systems), or purchase one separately.
For more information, visit the iLok website
(www.iLok.com) or see the iLok Usage
Guide.

Chapter 2: Installation 7
2 Transfer the license for your plug-in to your
iLok.com account by doing the following:
• Visit http://secure.digidesign.com/
activation.
• Input your Activation Code (listed on your
Activation Card) and then your iLok.com
User ID. Your iLok.com User ID is the name
you create for your iLok.com account.
3 Transfer the licenses from your iLok.com ac-
count to your iLok USB Smart Key by doing the
following:
• Insert the iLok into an available USB port
on your computer.
• Go to www.iLok.com and log in.
• Follow the on-screen instructions for trans-
ferring your licences to your iLok.
4 Launch Pro Tools.
5 If you have any installed unauthorized plug-
ins or software options, you are prompted to au-
thorize them. Follow the on-screen instructions
to complete the authorization process.
VENUE Systems
After installing a plug-in on a VENUE system,
the system re-creates the list of available plug-
ins. Whenever the racks initialize, the system
checks authorizations for all installed plug-ins.
If no previous authorization for a plug-in is rec-
ognized, you will be prompted to authorize the
the plug-in.
VENUE supports challenge/response and iLok
USB Smart Key authorization, including pre-au-
thorized iLoks and Activation Cards.
Challenge/Response Challenge/response autho-
rization is only valid for the VENUE system the
plug-in is currently installed on. Challenge/re-
sponse codes can be communicated using any
computer with Internet access.
iLok USB Smart Key Plug-ins supporting web au-
thorizations through iLok.com can be autho-
rized for your iLok Smart Key from any com-
puter with Internet access. This lets you take
your iLok and your plug-in authorizations any-
where, to use plug-ins installed on any system.
Uninstalling Plug-ins for
Pro Tools
If you need to uninstall a plug-in from your sys-
tem, follow the instructions below for your
computer platform.
Windows Vista
To remove a plug-in:
1 Choose Start > Control Panel.
2 Double-click Programs and Features.
3 Select the plug-in from the list of installed ap-
plications.
4 Click Uninstall.
5 Follow the on-screen instructions to remove
the plug-in.
For complete instructions on authorizing
plug-ins for VENUE systems, see the docu-
mentation that came with your VENUE
system.
For more information, visit the iLok website
(www.iLok.com) or see the iLok Usage
Guide.

Trillium Lane Labs Plug-ins Guide8
Windows XP
To remove a plug-in:
1 Choose Start > Control Panel.
2 Double-click Add or Remove Programs.
3 Select the plug-in from the list of installed ap-
plications.
4 Click Remove.
5 Follow the on-screen instructions to remove
the plug-in.
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.
Uninstalling Plug-ins for
VENUE Systems
Plug-ins installed on VENUE systems can be dis-
abled, uninstalled, or deleted. A plug-in that has
been disabled or uninstalled (but not deleted)
can be reinstalled without the CD-ROM or USB
drive containing the plug-in installers. Deleted
plug-ins, however, must be installed from in-
stallers located on either a USB drive or a
CD-ROM.
For complete instructions on uninstalling
plug-ins for VENUE systems, see the docu-
mentation that came with your VENUE
system.

Chapter 3: TL Aggro 9
chapter 3
TL Aggro
(TDM and RTAS)
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 vo-
cals and acoustic instruments. Crank TL Aggro
up for maximum aggressiveness and it instantly
adds character and intensity to guitars and
drum tracks.
Analog Compression
Compression is a common audio processing
technique that is essential to many recording
styles. A compressor is a specialized type of am-
plifier that acts to reduce the dynamic range be-
tween 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 compres-
sion on percussion, instruments, and vocals is a
staple in musical genres such as rock and pop.
Before the introduction of digital technology in
the studio, compressors were typically designed
around a set of analog components. Various
compressor circuit designs are known for their
distinctive sound and characteristics. Popular
analog compressors are often designed around
optical isolator, VCA (voltage controlled ampli-
fier), or FET (field effect transistor) based circuits
that produce the compression effect.
TL Aggro
TL Aggro implements a unique compressor to-
pology based on a traditional analog FET design,
with several updates for the digital age. Figure 2
shows the different modules of TL Aggro and
how they interact with the audio signal.
TL Aggro uses a reverse feedback system com-
mon to many analog compressors. In essence,
this means that the compressor is not compress-
ing the input signal but rather analyzing and
compressing the already compressed output sig-
Figure 1. TL Aggro plug-in
Figure 2. TL Aggro signal flow, processing, and controls

Trillium Lane Labs Plug-ins Guide10
nal. Sound weird? It is. Reverse-feedback is a
strange and paradoxical concept. It can lead to
strange and chaotic behavior if not well-tamed.
In fact, at least one well known and popular
hardware compressor that uses a reverse feed-
Back topology becomes marginally unstable at
extreme compression settings. Despite this
sometimes unpredictable behavior, the reverse
feedBack model produces a desirable and
unique compression sound.
TL Aggro adds modern digital conveniences to
the reverse feedBack model. Precise bass com-
pensation provides for improved tracking of
bass heavy instruments or a complete stereo
mix. TL Aggro provides linked stereo operation
to preserve stereo imaging as well as full side-
chain support. A tube drive module adds addi-
tional tube-style distortion if desired.
TL Aggro uses a program dependent release
which provides more natural sounding com-
pression. In essence, the program dependent re-
lease works to slow down the release time of
compressor so that it more smoothly rides the
average loudness of the audio material.
The most unique feature of TL Aggro is its
Threshold control. Most reverse-feedback com-
pressors do not implement a Threshold control
typical to non-FET compressors. Instead, they
provide an input control that increases the
amount of compression as the unit is driven
harder. However, an input control adjustment is
often less intuitive than a Threshold control.
Implementing a Threshold control into the op-
eration 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. In this scenario you can al-
leviate the problem by doing one or more of the
following:
• Lower the Threshold
• Reduce the Ratio
• Reduce the Attack
• Increase the Release
The second side effect is that for a given set of
Ratio and Attack settings, the compressor has a
finite range of available gain reduction. At some
cutoff point on the Threshold knob, you might
find that compressor ceases to apply anymore
compression to the signal. To acquire more
compression range, increase the Ratio slider, or
alternatively increase the Attack speed.
The reverse-feedback model combined with the
Threshold control and additional features like
Bass Compensation and Tube Drive gives
TL Aggro a wide range of compression styles
once you understand how it operates. The abil-
ity to adjust threshold gives TL Aggro a distinc-
tive advantage over traditional reverse feedBack
designs, both in terms of functionality and
sonic character.

Chapter 3: TL Aggro 11
TL Aggro Controls
Compression
TL Aggro provides the standard compression
controls Threshold, Ration, Attack, Release, and
Post Gain.
Threshold
The Threshold control sets the amplitude level
at which the compressor begins to affect the in-
put signal. The values indicated on the Thresh-
old knob are in negative dB. At the default 0 dB
setting, TL Aggro will pass the audio signal
through at unity gain and will have no effect on
the audio. As the Threshold knob is turned
clockwise (click and drag up), the threshold will
be lowered deeper into the input signal and re-
sult in more gain reduction as the compressor
becomes sensitive to more of the incoming au-
dio signal.
Ratio
The Ratio control indicates the degree at which
TL Aggro is reducing dynamic range. The Ratio
slider increases the amount of compression as
the slider is pushed upwards, by increasing the
amount of gain reduction in the output signal
relative to the input signal. Additionally, as the
ratio is increased, the “knee” of compression
curve is made tighter. At lower ratio settings,
TL Aggro has a gentle knee in the compression
curve.
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 at-
tack times tend to promote overall brightness
and high frequency audio within the com-
pressed 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. TL Aggro uses a program dependent
release which slows down the release time to
more smoothly ride the average loudness of the
audio material.
Turning the Attack and Release knobs clockwise
increases the reaction speed of the compressor.
1 is the slowest setting and 10 is the fastest set-
ting.
Post Gain
The Post Gain control lets you make up for the
signal gain lost through compression. The val-
ues indicated on the knob are in dB. At maxi-
mum setting, 36 dB of gain can be applied to the
compressed signal.
Bass Compensation
The Bass Compensation section of TL Aggro af-
fects the compressor’s side-chain circuitry. By
default, Bass Compensation is enabled as indi-
cated by the illuminated green light. To disable,
Compressions controls
Bass Compensation controls

Trillium Lane Labs Plug-ins Guide12
toggle the switch in the section by clicking it.
The green lamp will turn off to indicate that
Bass Compensation has been switched out of
the side-chain signal path.
When Bass Compensation is enabled, the com-
pressor becomes less sensitive to bass frequen-
cies in the input signal. This models the sensitiv-
ity of the human ear, which is also much less
sensitive to low frequencies. For most signal
sources, enabling Bass Compensation will re-
duce the total amount of gain reduction that
TL Aggro induces, but the result will often be
more natural sounding with less pumping and
breathing. For example, Bass Compensation
sounds great on bass guitar or when you have
TL Aggro on your master fader as stereo bus
compressor.
Additionally, TL Aggro provides a cutoff fre-
quency control to tailor the sound of the bass
compensation. This acts as a high pass filter and
the values indicated above the Bass Compensa-
tion slider are in Hertz. As the slider increases
from left to right, the compressor will be even
less reactive to low frequencies.
For example, place a stereo TL Aggro on a full
stereo drum mix. Set the compressor for moder-
ate to high gain reduction levels, enable the Bass
Compensation, and slide the frequency control
from left to right. As the cutoff frequency is in-
creased, you will hear more and more of the kick
drum “punch” through the mix and become
louder relative to snare or cymbals.
Tube Drive
The Tube Drive module adds subtle even order
distortion after the compression processing,
simulating the effect of a vacuum tube ampli-
fier. This provides a difference in the sonic sig-
nature of TL Aggro and is most noticeable on
audio with harmonic content such as piano and
acoustic guitar.
To engage the Tube Drive, turn the Tube Drive
rocker switch to on by clicking it. The Tube
Drive rocker switch and tube light up when
Tube Drive processing is on. The amount of dis-
tortion increases with the output level.
Tube Drive control

Chapter 3: TL Aggro 13
Meters
LED Meters
The LED meters display the peak input and out-
put 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 lev-
els.
Needle Meter
The Needle meter shows input, output, and gain
reduction levels, selectable by the buttons di-
rectly to the left of the meter. By default, the GR
(gain reduction) button is selected and the
meter displays the amount of gain reduction
TL Aggro is applying on the input.
When in GR mode, the needle instantaneously
reacts to peak reductions that occur. The red
scale of the meter indicates compression in dB.
This gives you an accurate representation of the
total amount of gain reduction being applied.
However, the release speed of the needle is lim-
ited to give it more natural motion. At fast re-
lease settings, the instantaneous gain reduction
might be less than what it is presented by the
needle.
In Input (IN) or Output (OUT) mode, the needle
meter displays an average of the signals roughly
approximating the RMS (root-mean-square)
strength of the signal. The grey scale on the
meter represents the input and output levels in
negative dB This gives you a better representa-
tion of the overall loudness of the signal with re-
spect to the LED meters.
Using the Side-Chain Input
Using a Side-Chain Input to TL Aggro lets you
direct audio from another track or hardware in-
put 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 in-
put on TL Aggro to the same bus.
LED Meters, In and Out
On versions of Pro Tools prior to 7.0, RTAS
plug-ins do not provide side-chain process-
ing on TDM systems. Use the TDM version
of TL Aggro if you require side-chain pro-
cessing on a TDM system.
For more information on using Side-Chain
Input, see the Pro Tools Reference Guide.

Trillium Lane Labs Plug-ins Guide14