What is Trilian?
Trilian is an amazingly versatile new software instrument plug-in designed for world-class Acoustic, Electric and Synth Basses. Trilian is based on the same in-house "STEAM engine" technology that Spectrasonics uses for the flagship Omnisphere synthesizer. Trilian features a massive 34 GB core library (ten times the size of Trilogy!), extensive sound creation and performance capabilities, a fully featured arpeggiator with a unique Groove-Lock system for syncing with Stylus RMX grooves, over thirty built-in effects and much, much more!

What is the STEAM engine?
STEAM™ is a new, in-house core technology that is the foundation of Trilian as well as a whole new generation of Spectrasonics instruments.

What's the difference between Trilogy and Trilian?
Virtually everything!

Trilian is a completely new bass instrument. It's the second instrument to use our state-of-the-art STEAM Engine, with a completely different interface and many new and innovative features for Bass. In addition to the sample-based sounds found in Trilogy, and a greatly expanded selection of new basses, many additional sampling techniques have been added, such as Round Robin, Dynamic Legato, Release noises, Multichannel Soundsources and a whole range of new articulations like multisampled slides. The core library in Trilian is over 34Gb in size – 10 times the size of Trilogy!

So does Trilian replace Trilogy?
Yes, Trilian is Trilogy’s successor.

How large is the core library?
The Trilian core library is ten times the size of Trilogy - over 34 Gigabytes! There are many hundreds of different Soundsources and Patches, some containing many thousands of samples each, and with more new patches and sounds being added over time.

Does it contain all the samples from the original Trilogy?
Yes!
All the original core library samples and enhanced versions of all the classic Trilogy sounds are included.

Does Trilian include “classic samples” from libraries such as Bass Legends?
Yes!
Bass Legends was Spectrasonics' very first product, and was released in 1994. It features Abraham Laboriel, Marcus Miller and John Patittucci. The Bass Legends sounds have also been remastered, enhanced and added to Trilian as a special bonus.

There are a wide variety of basses included, and because they are smaller files, they will load quickly. If you are composing and need a quick bass sound, these provide a great starting point.

All the Bass Legends sounds have been enhanced using the STEAM engine FX, and we even added release noises and other improvements, so they sound even better than ever!

How much of the Core Library is from the original sample libraries?
A very small percentage. The vast majority of the 34 Gigabytes is brand new. And of course, all the new Patches have never been presented before.

How fast of a computer will I need to run Trilian?
As with all virtual instruments - the faster the better. Trilian is designed to run optimally on modern computers. See the System Recommendations for more information.

Does Trilian need as much CPU power as Omnisphere?
No.
Bass sounds require far less polyphony than most of the sounds in Omnisphere, and as a result typically require significantly less CPU power to run. However, Trilian's largest sounds contain upwards of 10,000+ samples, so it can take much more memory resources and we recommend having a 4gb system.

Is there an upgrade for Trilogy users?
Yes! All registered Trilogy customers can upgrade to Trilian through the Spectrasonics Techshop. If you purchased Trilogy anytime in 2009, you will receive a free upgrade to Trilian. Our Intel Mac users will also receive a free upgrade to Trilian.

Is Trilogy currently still available?
No. Trilian has now replaced Trilogy.

Is Trilian expandable?
Yes!
We have many plans to extend Trilian in lots of different ways in the future.

Is Trilian native Universal Binary for Intel Macs?
Absolutely.
The STEAM Engine™ is Universal Binary, just like with Omnisphere and Stylus RMX.

Is Trilian 64 bit?
The Windows version of Trilian is 64-bit native.

The Mac version is not 64-bit yet. However, this is in development and is planned for a future release more as music software transitions to 64 bit on the Mac.

Does Trilian use disc-streaming?
Yes! Trilian streams from the disc for quick previewing of the sounds. Disc streaming is configurable as well.

Is there a DEMO version of Trilian I can try?
Because of the size of our instruments, we don't offer Demo versions. However, you can contact one of our local dealers in your area in order to arrange a live demo of Trilian. To find a local dealer in your area, please contact your local Spectrasonics Distributor

Will there be Trilian video tutorials like there are for Omnisphere?
Yes.
We are in the process of producing several Trilian-specific video tutorials right now. These will be available for all registered Spectrasonics users to view and download in the Support Knowlegebase.

NOTE:
Because Trilian is also based on the STEAM Engine, many of our Omnisphere tutorial videos are still applicable. You will find reference to those throughout this reference guide. In those cases, although they use Omnisphere as reference, the same terms and workflow will often apply.

Can I download the upgrade?
No.
Since the library is over 30 Gigabytes in size, it's not available as a download.

Does Trilian have the same FX as Omnisphere?
Yes, it contains all the same Effects as Omnisphere and RMX.

What are the multi-point envelopes like in Trilian compared to other synths?
Multipoint envelopes have always been extraordinarily useful for creating sounds. However, they've traditionally been rather tedious to program. Our goal with the envelopes in Trilian was to offer the expressive power of multipoint envelopes while making them easy, and even fun, to work with!

You even can do cool things with them without getting into the details of patch programming. There are many simple and flexible ways to get sophisticated envelope shapes in Trilian!

Does Trilian include a written manual or pdf?
Like Omnisphere, the Trilian Reference Guide is accessible directly through the plug-in. The comprehensive, integrated Reference Guide, has many benefits:

1. Saves paper and trees. 2. It's searchable 3. We can keep it up to date with the software releases.

And of course, hours of free Trilian and Omnisphere video tutorials are provided for registered users on our site.

Can I use Trilian on my G5? What kind of performance can I expect? Could I at least run Trilian in a minimal mode and bounce to audio?
Yes.
Although we recommend using Trilian on more up to date computers.

Can I selectively install parts of the Trilian library since it is so large?
Because of patch compatibility, Trilian must always be installed with the complete library. However, you can install the almost 35 Gigabyte library to a secondary or external drive if you wish.

Will Trilian's streaming benefit from a faster hard drive?
Fast drives are a smart way to go of course. There's a chapter in the Reference Guide devoted to optimizing Performance with Trilian.

Can I run Trilian side by side with Trilogy?
Trilian and Trilogy can be run side by side, since they are separate instruments. Keep in mind that Trilian is a completely new instrument that also includes the Trilogy library. Trilogy is no longer supported on the newest operating systems and hardware, so may not perform as expected.

Do I need to uninstall Trilogy before installing Trilian?
No, this isn't necessary unless you are no longer going to use Trilogy. All of Trilogy is included in Trilian, so you can uninstall if you like. However, it's useful to keep Trilogy installed to recall older projects.

Will I still be able to open my old sessions using Trilian? Does Trilian load Trilogy patches? Does it replace Trilogy on those sessions with all of their settings automatically?
Trilian will not automatically replace Trilogy in older sessions. You can reselect the same Trilogy patches in Trilian, since it includes the original Trilogy library and patches.

Will I be able to open custom patches that I made in Trilogy?
No. Since Trilian is a completely new instrument, it's not possible to open custom saved Trilogy patches in Trilian.

However, you will be able to recreate your custom patches with much more choice and flexibility, and also trade and share patches with other users! This is possible because Trilian is based on our own technology, and will allow for song compatibility with future updates, just like all the updates with Omnisphere and RMX have been song compatible since their introduction.

Will I still be able to upgrade to Trilian if I purchase Trilogy after October 26nd, 2009?
Yes,
as long as you are a Trilogy customer, you will be able to upgrade. To qualify for the special upgrade pricing or terms, you must have purchased the products from an authorized dealer and registered them prior to upgrading to Trilian.

Where do I order the upgrade from? Can I get the upgrade through my local dealer?
Upgrades are available exclusively through the Spectrasonics Techshop.

Do I need to have Trilogy installed before purchasing the upgrade to Trilian?
No, but you will need to have authorized and registered Trilogy.

Can I install Trilian on a different drive?
Yes, you can definitely install the library to a secondary or exernal drive.

Can I order Trilian directly from Spectrasonics?
No. Unless you are upgrading from Trilogy, you will need to purchase Trilian through an authorized Spectrasonics dealer. To find a dealer in your area, please contact one of our distributors.

Can I upgrade if I bought a used copy of Trilogy?
Only if that copy of Trilogy has been properly license transferred through Spectrasonics.

Will Trilian run on the Muse Receptor?
This hasn't been tested yet, but the MUSE team are big Spectrasonics users themselves.

We are confident that Muse will be working on getting the Receptor ready for Trilian soon.

Is there a student discount price for Trilian?
Spectrasonics doesn't offer student discounts, however qualifying school's and institutions can participate in our EDU program.


Please contact Spectrasonics directly if you have any questions regarding sampling Trilian®: info@spectrasonics.net