FabFilter Timeless 3 offers the possibility of feeding an external signal
to its side chain, so that you can make it trigger on a different signal than
the audio it is actually processing.
Feeding a signal to a plug-in's side-chain inputs works slightly different in
various hosts. This topic describes the procedure for some of the most popular
hosts around: Pro Tools, Studio One,
Ableton Live, Logic Pro and
Cubase.
To explain how it works, we use a scenario with two tracks. The first one
contains the audio that we want to process with Timeless 3, which we'll call
the main track from now. The second track contains the audio that we
want to route to Timeless 3's external side-chain input and use as trigger
signal. We'll call this track the side chain track.
After setting up everything according to the instructions below for your host,
any envelope generators or
envelope followers that are set to trigger on
the external side chain, will now respond to the side chain signal. You can
check whether everything is routed correctly: play the audio, open an EG of
EF interface and confirm it's set to trigger to the external side-chain. Then
use the Audition button to listen to the side-chain signal.
Pro Tools
Open Pro Tools and start a new empty session.
Create two audio tracks that we'll use as main track and side chain track. Add audio files
to both track.
Open the Mix window to display the tracks with their Insert slots and Sends slots.
In the first 'Sends' slot of the side chain track, choose 'Bus 1'. The track view for Bus 1 will open: set
its level slider to 0.0 dB so the bus actually produces audio!
In the first 'Inserts' slot of the main track, choose Delay > FabFilter
Timeless 3.
Now, in the 'Key Input' menu of the plug-in interface (just above the FabFilter logo),
choose bus > Bus 1 instead of the default 'no key input'. Now, the audio from the side chain
track is routed to Timeless 3's external side chain input via Bus 1.
Studio One
Open Studio One and choose 'Create a new song'.
Add two audio tracks (via Track > Add Tracks...) that we'll use as main track and side chain track.
Add audio files on both the main track and the side chain track. You can simply drag audio files from a Finder/Explorer window onto a track.
Access the mix window via "Mix" in Studio One's bottom right corner.
Insert FabFilter Timeless 3 on your main track via the '+' button next to the Insert tab.
In the right top corner of the plug-in interface header, in the 'Side Chain' menu, choose
the side chain track. Now, the signal from the side chain track is sent to FabFilter
Timeless 3's external side-chain input.
Cubase
Open Cubase and create a new empty project.
Add two audio tracks that we'll use as main track and side chain track.
Add audio files on both the main track and the side chain track. You can simply drag audio
files from a Finder/Explorer window onto a track.
Open the Mixer. In the main track, click on an empty insert slot and select the VST 3
version of FabFilter Timeless 3 in the Delay menu (note the VST 3 icon which looks like
///).