Getting Started

Table of Contents

Overview

Welcome to Tonal Balance Control! If you have never used an iZotope product or want to know more about TBC, then this is the right chapter for you.

Authorization

The first time you open the plug-in an authorization wizard will appear. The Authorization window allows you to:

  • Trial: Allows you to evaluate TBC over a 10 day trial period. The trial period starts the first time you open TBC in your DAW/NLE. The Authorization window will display the number of days remaining in your trial period. Click the Continue button to exit the Authorization window.
  • Demo: After your 10 day trial period expires, you have the option to operate TBC in Demo mode. To continue evaluating TBC in demo mode, click the Demo button.
  • Authorize: To disable Trial or Demo mode, you must authorize the product with a valid serial number. You can use the following methods to authorize TBC:
    1. Online Authorization
    2. Offline Authorization
    3. iLok Authorization

Additional help with licensing and installation

Visit the iZotope Support website for additional information about licensing, authorization and installation.
support.izotope.com/hc/en-us/sections/360004410134

The following image outlines the main areas of the Tonal Balance Control interface:

TBC Interface Overview

  1. Target Meter View selector: Toggles the target meter view type between Broad and Fine.
  2. Target Curve selector: Displays the name of the currently selected target curve. Click to open the target curve selection menu.
  3. Custom Target Curve Menu: Includes options for creating, saving and managing your own target curves.
  4. Options: Opens the TBC options window.
  5. Help: Opens the help documentation in your default web browser.
  6. Reset: Resets the meter calculation.
  7. Target Meter: Displays your track (white) against the range of spectral variation for the selected target curve (blue). You can also monitor Low End Crest Factor and momentarily solo frequency bands in this view.
  8. IPC Source panel: Allows you to select an IPC compatible source plug-in to make adjustments to from the Tonal Balance Control plug-in window.

Working with IPC

Tonal Balance Control can connect to other iZotope plug-ins using Inter Plug-in Communication (IPC) technology. When an IPC source plug-in is selected you can view the selected plug-in output spectrum, adjust output gain, and make adjustments to EQ parameters (if the selected plug-in includes EQ controls). This can be useful for making adjustments to your mix to better match your selected target curve without leaving the Tonal Balance Control window. For more information about working with IPC sources, see the IPC Sources chapter.

Minimum Version Requirements for IPC Source Plug-ins

In order to support improvements to the TBC metering framework, earlier versions of IPC compatible iZotope plug-ins will not appear as available IPC sources in the source selection menu. The following minimum versions are required for IPC compatibility: Nectar 3.1.0, Neoverb 1.0.0, Neutron 3.1.0, Ozone 9.0.0, Relay 1.0.3.

Tips

Tonal Balance Control can be used to help guide your mixing decisions. Here are some tips to get the most out of using it in your sessions:

  • Add Tonal Balance Control as the last insert on your master bus (post-fader). This ensures that TBC is metering your track after all other processing is applied.
  • Tonal Balance Control was designed to be used on a full mix, rather than individual tracks. The target meter may not provide the same results when used on individual tracks.
  • Use IPC compatible plug-ins in your session to make the most of the IPC functionality in TBC.

Tonal Balance Control 2.6.0