TC Electronic TC THIRTY User manual

TC THIRTY
MANUAL

TABLE OF CONTENT 3
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ABOUT THE COMPANY . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
TC SUPPORT INTERACTIVE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
SYSTEM REQUIREMENTS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
INTRODUCTION . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
KEYBOARD CONTROLS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
PLUG-IN OVERVIEW . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
SETUP PARAMETERS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
OPERATING PARAMETERS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
TREBLE BOOSTER PARAMETERS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12
MIDI PARAMETERS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13
PRESET MANAGEMENT . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
PRESET LOCATIONS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15

ENGLISH ENGLISH
The TC Support Interactive website is designed as an online support and information center.
At the site you can find answers to specific questions regarding TC software.All known issues
are stored in a database searchable by product, category, keywords, or phrases. Under the
section "My Stuff" you can login to check the status of your questions, download materials
such as product manuals, software updates and new presets.This site has been specifically
designed to meet the needs of our users.
We constantly update the database and you will find the site to be a huge resource of
information. Browse through Q&A’s and discover new aspects of your TC product. If you
can’t find an answer online, you have the option of submitting a question to our technical
support staff who will then reply to you by e-mail.The TC Support Team is on constant alert
to help you in any way they can.
SYSTEM REQUIREMENTS
The Plug-In requires POWERCORE PCI or POWERCORE FIREWIRE version 1.7 or later to
be available in your system.
MAC OS X
• G4 or G5 (800 MHz or faster)
• 256 MB RAM (512 MB or more recommended)
• Mac OS X (10.2.6 or higher)
• Any VST or Audio Units compatible host application
• System must meet requirements of the host application
WINDOWS
• Pentium III 1GHz or faster
• 256 MB RAM (512 MB or more recommended)
• Windows XP
• Any VST-compatible application
• System must meet requirements of the host application
CONTACT DETAILS
If you would like to get in touch with us, please e-mail: [email protected].Alternatively,
you may contact the TC Electronic distributor in your area, or write to:
TC ELECTRONIC A/S
Customer Support
Sindalsvej 34
Risskov DK-8240
Denmark
www.tcelectronic.com
e-mail: [email protected]
e-mail: [email protected]
USA:
TC Electronic, Inc.
742-A Hampshire Rd.
Westlake Village, CA 91361
1-805-373-1828
www.tcelectronic.com
e-mail: [email protected]
© BY TC WORKS SOFT & HARDWARE GMBH/TC ELECTRONIC, AS 1998 - 2003.ALL PRODUCT AND COMPANY NAMES ARE
TRADEMARKS OF THEIR RESPECTIVE OWNERS. NATIVE BUNDLE IS A TRADEMARK OF TC WORKS, GmbH,VST IS A
TRADEMARK OF STEINBERG A.G., AUDIO UNITS IS A TRADEMARK OF APPLE COMPUTER.ALL SPECIFICATIONS SUBJECT
TO CHANGE WITHOUT NOTICE.ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
TC WORKS IS A TC GROUP COMPANY.
ABOUT THE COMPANY... 4 TC SUPPORT INTERACTIVE
LATEST VERSION GUARANTEE!
When you purchase a TC Computer Recording Product, you can rest assured that we
stand by our guarantee to provide you with the version available at the time of purchase,
regardless of what is contained in the box! Check www.tcelectronic.com today to make sure
that you are using the latest version available.

KEYBOARD CONTROLS 7
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In most host applications,TC30 supports keyboard commands for certain functions.The
following key commands are available for all Plug-In parameters:
KEY COMMANDS IN MAC OS X:
Fine Adjust = Apple
Reset To Default = Alt
KEY COMMANDS IN WINDOWS:
Fine Adjust = Alt
Reset To Default = Shift and Control
INTRODUCTION 6
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The need for an amp modeler Plug-In is self-evident: the guitarist can achieve the warm,
distorted tone of a beloved amplifier while keeping the sound pressure level to a minimum. In
this respect,TC30 is an exclamation of “less is more.” TC30 neither claims to emulate a slew
of popular amplifiers nor does it aim to: it was the goal of the TC30 development team to
precisely model a classic amplifier favorite, the VOX AC30. First introduced in the early
nineteen sixties, the AC30 has become the most trusted and revered amplifier for guitar
enthusiasts all over the world. In fact it was the devotion of a fan that brought the TC30 to
life.
TC30 HISTORY & BACKGROUND
Inspired by Brian May, guitarist for the legendary band Queen, Stephan Müller began his
lifelong pursuit of attaining the perfect guitar sound from the age of 15, when he began
experimenting with different guitars, pickups and amplifiers. Referencing everything from
interviews with May on technique to close analysis of May’s highly customized rig, Stephan
Müller systematically uncovered the components of the guitar sound that he was looking for.
The process of reproducing this unique sound has been a labor of love involving the
duplication of May’s handmade guitar, retracing and modeling the schematics of the custom
Treble Booster, and eventually retracing and modeling the schematics of the amplifier itself.
The attention that May lavished on his guitar rig is unquestionably reflected in the attention
that Stephan Müller invested in the TC30 Plug-In itself.
After spending years coming to a unique understanding of the rich interaction of the VOX
AC30 hardware components, Stephan Müller then took to the challenge of recreating the
amplifier and its components mathematically.This research led to the algorithm used in the
TC30 – an achievement that is comparatively identical to the original upon which it is based.
Get yourself a guitar and try out our TC30. Compare it to a VOX AC30, if you can get your
hands on one.There is no question about it:TC30 will rock you!
Enjoy!
The TC WORKS Team

OVERVIEW 9
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OVERVIEW 8
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Preset Manager
INPUT
(mono/stereo)
MIDI LED
Expand/Minimize View

OPERATING PARAMETERS 11
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INPUT JACKS (“NORMAL”)
Not an actual parameter to change, the two input jacks will indicate whether TC30 is fed
with a mono or stereo signal. Fed by a mono signal, there will be just one cable plugged in;
accordingly there will be two cables, if the input is stereo.
The processing of TC30 is always mono!
TC30 is simulating the “NORMAL” input of the AC30.
TRIM
The TRIM affects the input gain of TC30. As a general rule, you want to set this so to the
point where the last LED occasionally becomes active.Trim responds to MIDI Continuous
controller number ‘20’ when MIDI Receive is active.
NO LATENCY
By default, the NO LATENCY switch is disabled. Engaging NO LATENCY mode will eliminate
DSP latency when performing with TC30 in the signal chain.While mixing or during playback,
we advise you to disable NO LATENCY mode. Switching to NO LATENCY will increase the
host CPU load.
OVERSAMPLING
The OVERS. switch engages and disengages the OVERSAMPLING.This parameter should
generally be set to “ON” to prevent aliasing in the higher frequency domains as noted with
some common amplifier modelers.As an example, with a high-energy guitar solo with a lot of
bends and ‘fireworks’, OVERS. should be switched “ON”.
By setting OVERS. to “OFF”, you will reduce the amount of DSP required by the Plug-In,
freeing processing resources on your PowerCore for use with other Plug-Ins.
As the host CPU load in NO LATENCY mode is directly related to the amount of DSP
required by the plug-in, switching OVERS. off will also reduce the CPU load in NO LATENCY
mode!
VOLUME
VOLUME controls the gain at the final output stage of the Plug-In. Changing the VOLUME will
alter the tonal characteristics of the amplifier.
VOLUME responds to MIDI continuous controller number ‘7’ when MIDI Receive is active.A
value of ‘0’ will essentially disable the output of TC30, while a value of “127” will result in
maximum gain.
SETUP PARAMETERS 10
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The SETUP section of TC30 defines the overall behavior of the Plug-In.When selecting the
SETUP button, a popup dialog will appear with some general Plug-In controls and their
current settings.These settings are not part of the plug-in preset: Speaker animation and
visibility are “global” Plug-In parameters, that are valid for all TC30 that will be opened after
you changed the settings.The MIDI parameters will be stored with your session.
MIDI SEND
By default, MIDI SEND is set to “OFF.” Set this to “ON” to send out on screen automation
data as MIDI information.
MIDI RECEIVE
By default, MIDI RECEIVE is set to “OFF.” Set this to “ON” to receive MIDI data from an
external device such as a foot controller.
GLIDING
Setting the GLIDING switch to “OFF” will change the behavior of how the knobs respond to
external input, such as from a controller or mouse. Setting this to “OFF” will slightly improve
CPU performance.
SPEAKER VISIBLE
Generally, the speaker is entirely visible. If you wish to conserve screen space, set this to
“OFF”. Setting this to “OFF” will improve CPU performance.
SPEAKER ANIMATION
Through a bit of graphics magic, the speaker grill responds to the output gain of your signal.
Under some circumstances—such as when using a G3 or older Pentium — turning this
parameter “OFF” can significantly improve CPU performance.

MIDI PARAMETERS 13
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When MIDI is set to receive MIDI,TC30 will respond to MIDI received on all channels, acting
in MIDI OMNI mode only.To change the MIDI behavior of TC30, make changes by selecting
SETUP on the user interface.
MIDI CONTROLLER GUIDE
Refer to either the graphic MIDI guide, or use the following list for controlling TC30 from an
external device or MIDI sequencer.
CONTROLLER NUMBER PARAMETER
07 Main Volume
20 Trim
23 Treble Booster [1=On/127=Off]
24 Treble Booster Peak
25 Treble Booster Type
TREBLE BOOSTER PARAMETERS 12
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The Treble Booster section of TC30 dramatically changes the tonal characteristics of the
amplifier, allowing everything from the classic creamy leads of the original to the extreme
crunch of a powerful rhythm guitar.
TREBLE BOOSTER ON/OFF SWITCH
When the Treble Booster is engaged, the “ON” switch is lit and the switch is in the up
position.To disengage the Treble Booster, flip the switch towards the bottom until the “ON”
light goes out and the switch is in the down position.
The ON/OFF switch responds to MIDI switch controller number ‘21’ when MIDI Receive is
active.A value of “0” disables the Treble Booster, while a value of “127” engages the Treble
Booster.
PEAK FREQUENCY SELECTOR
TC30’s Treble Booster acts as an Equalizer, and centers the boost at the selected frequency.
• A value of ‘0’ for MIDI Controller ‘24’ sets the Treble Booster PEAK to 4 kHz.
• A value of ‘32’ for MIDI Controller ‘24’ sets the Treble Booster PEAK to 2 kHz.
• A value of ‘72’ for MIDI Controller ‘24’ sets the Treble Booster PEAK to 1 kHz.
• A value of ‘127’ for MIDI Controller ‘24’ sets the Treble Booster PEAK to 500 Hz.
Obviously, the higher you set the PEAK Frequency, the brighter the tonal characteristics you
will hear when boosting with the master Volume.With a setting of 2 or 4 kHz, you will most
likely want to make sure that the OVERS. parameter is enabled, to prevent aliasing in the
higher frequencies, which can be especially noticeable during a very animated solo.
TREBLE BOOSTER TYPE SELECTOR
The TYPE parameter of the Treble Booster switches between three different distortion types.
When set to “Original”, the tone of the Treble Booster will have a very strong distortion.
When set to “Crunch”, the Treble Booster will still have an edge, but is more gentle than
“Original”.When set to “Clean”, the treble booster is most subtle, and is ideal for a preset yet
unobtrusive rhythm guitar track.
• A value of ‘’0’ for MIDI Controller ‘25’ selects the ‘Original’ filter type.
• A value of ‘64’ for MIDI Controller ‘25’ selects the ‘Crunch’ filter type.
• A value of ‘127’ for MIDI Controller ‘25’ selects the ‘Clean’ filter type.

PRESET LOCATIONS 15
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The following locations will describe where you can find the TC30 presets, which are stored
in a folder unique to TC30:
MAC OS X
Files are stored in your user folder:
~ \ Library \ Application Support \ TCWorks \ TC30
~ \ Refers to your user folder: Users \ Your Name
WINDOWS
Files are stored on the Windows OS hard drive.
~ \ TCWorks \ System \ Application Support \ TC30
(~ \ Refers to the path for your System Hard Drive \ Program Files)
• To delete a file, simply move it to the ‘Trash’ or ‘Recycle bin’.
• To create a new subfolder that appears in the Plug-In menu, simply create a new folder in
the TC30 preset folder.
NOTE: A folder will not appear in the Preset File Menu unless it has at least one preset inside!
PRESET MANAGEMENT 14
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TC30’s comprehensive file based preset architecture makes archiving presets a simple
process.This allows you to organize your presets the way you find most comfortable for your
workflow, and to exchange presets with other users, no matter what platform or application
is used. Presets are saved as discrete files on your hard drive. Once a preset is saved into the
default location, it will automatically appear in the ‘File’ menu every time you use the Plug-In.
The files can then be organized into subfolders, where you can delete, rearrange or create
your own sub-folders to accommodate your needs. For example, you could create preset
folders for projects, customers or by application.
NOTE: A folder will not appear in the Preset File Menu unless it has at least one preset inside!
PRESET FILE MENU
Pressing the ‘File’ button will open the File menu.The following options are available from the
File menu:
LOADING A PRESET
By selecting ‘Load’, you can navigate to any folder on the system that you have read access to,
including any shared folder. By default, these will be loaded from the default location for TC30
presets. Only presets located in the default file location will appear in TC30 pop-up preset
menu.
SAVING A PRESET
By selecting ‘Save’, you can save your preset to any folder on the system that you have write
access to, including any shared folder. By default, presets are saved to the default location for
the TC30 presets.
QUICK PRESET COMPARISON
The ‘A/B’ function of the TC30 Plug-In allows for a quick comparison of two different settings.
Select ‘Store’ and then ‘A’ or ‘B’ to save a setting into either the ‘A’ or ‘B’ memory.After
setting up both an ‘A’ and a ‘B’ setting, you can simply select either ‘A’ or ‘B’ to immediately
compare the two settings.As these are meant for a quick comparison, these settings are
LOST when closing the Plug-In. If you love your preset, we advise you to save it.