Propellerhead introduces Layers synth.

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avasopht
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16 Sep 2017

nooomy wrote:
16 Sep 2017

Are they losing their flame after they were sold to the venture capitalist??
This RE is this (with the same samples from the same sound creators) with some extras:
Image

I think it's less about losing their flame and more about just bringing out quality from other sound producers. It's why there many samples and patches from eLab and Loopmasters in the FSB.
Last edited by avasopht on 17 Sep 2017, edited 2 times in total.

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EnochLight
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16 Sep 2017

nooomy wrote: Are they losing their flame after they were sold to the venture capitalist??
They weren't "sold to the venture capitalist". There is still ownership by the original owners; Verdane just owns a controlling share. Regardless, their mission/plans haven't changed. They just have more money to get it done.

Not every RE release is going to blow everyone's skirt up. Wait until the next Reason update for that... ;)
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davidvilla
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16 Sep 2017

EnochLight wrote:
16 Sep 2017

Not every RE release is going to blow everyone's skirt up. Wait until the next Reason update for that... ;)
Yeah, but this one is so overwhelmingly underwhelming that it makes you wonder.

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EnochLight
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17 Sep 2017

davidvilla wrote:
16 Sep 2017
Yeah, but this one is so overwhelmingly underwhelming that it makes you wonder.
I'm more interested in their DAW as a whole, and to date - every version of Reason has introduced features that I rather enjoy. YMMV.
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jayhosking
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17 Sep 2017

Spent a bunch of time with Layers tonight, finally. I was surprised how few sounds/samples there actually are in the thing (only ~60), and how many of the preset patches are built from standard sine/square/etc. waves (presumably not sampled from one of these old synths). So a repository of classic sounds this isn't, although the sounds on offer are good.

BUT what this RE gets exceptionally right (for me, anyway) is its workflow. It's set up in many ways like Solaris or Kraft, and reminds me of those REs, only it's much faster to use. Having a dedicated ADSR for each layer is an advantage over those two synths, and playing with filters/distortion/LFOs in each layer is really quick and requires zero searching. The sequencer is fun and allows for some neat ideas (e.g. triggering different layers at different panning locations by stepping through rather than running a sequence) that aren't simple in Reason otherwise, but this is more a nice bonus than a selling point. There are some features I wish it had, like a spread option for each layer (as in Kraft), but mostly it has what I'd want. Shame other samples can't be dropped in, eh? That would really make this one next-level.

In sum, its collection of sounds isn't necessarily mindblowing (I guess i was expecting a wider variety of samples that resembled vintage synth patches) but as a synth, I like its design and workflow a lot. For me, getting a patch ready quickly is highly valuable, so Layers has a lot to offer.

Ostermilk
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17 Sep 2017

I've tried it and I liked it's ease of use and it reminded me of how much work Pink Noise have put into making quality sounds for Reason over the years, and I think it's nice to have some of that content being put together in new ways.

I hear ReFill devs lamenting the demise of sales for their products. Hopefully some stuff like this will keep those devs interested in producing content for Reason over the coming years.

Is this RE for me? No but as Justen (via Peter) showed earlier in the thread it will appeal to some perhaps even because of it's simplicity and perceived lack of 'innovation' as someone put it.

I can't see a downside to any of this, I'm not going to be out of pocket, nor is anyone that doesn't pull the trigger on it, so I can't see any requirement to put a downer on it for those folk that may get a lot of mileage out of it. Perhaps the 'innovation' here is actually just putting good stuff out there in a neat package rather than trying to break new ground to appear to be 'ahead' of the game all the time.

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theshoemaker
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17 Sep 2017

davidvilla wrote:
16 Sep 2017
EnochLight wrote:
16 Sep 2017

Not every RE release is going to blow everyone's skirt up. Wait until the next Reason update for that... ;)
Yeah, but this one is so overwhelmingly underwhelming that it makes you wonder.
Its the same with the Piano REs ... or the other things not Synths or Tools. It's just a far more convenient way of creating music. Not every Reason user is interested in endless tweaking. Some just want to get inspired. By using patch and presents and just tweak them a little
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sdst
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17 Sep 2017

I would like to hear the same track but with a synth like Expanse or Legend.

sorry, i don't like the sound of this sample,
CaliforniaBurrito wrote:
15 Sep 2017

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CaliforniaBurrito
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17 Sep 2017

sdst wrote:
17 Sep 2017
I would like to hear the same track but with a synth like Expanse or Legend.

sorry, i don't like the sound of this sample,
The whole point of his project was to showcase a retro vibe. We all like sounds to blow our trousers off but let's not forget this kind of production is for vocal-based music. ;)

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davidvilla
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17 Sep 2017

Seriously, the free version of Syntronik is way better than this. Get over your anti-vst ridiculousness and try it. Do not pay $69 for Layers. I hate seeing people get ripped off. Too bad you missed out on the Analogue Monsters refill sale price of $46 - but even at its current price it's a WAY better value.

Syntronik - you can layer 4 sounds just like in Layers. You've got that retro sound in here, plus you can easily map 4 sounds across the keyboard any way you want. And the gui is resizable!

http://www.ikmultimedia.com/products/syntronik/
Screen Shot 2017-09-17 at 12.04.37 PM.png
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CaliforniaBurrito
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17 Sep 2017

davidvilla wrote:
17 Sep 2017
Get over your anti-vst ridiculousness and try it.
Not sure what VST's have to do with this. I'm a u-he Diva fanboy. Get over your free VST ridiculousness and try it. :lol:

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davidvilla
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17 Sep 2017

CaliforniaBurrito wrote:
17 Sep 2017
davidvilla wrote:
17 Sep 2017
Get over your anti-vst ridiculousness and try it.
Not sure what VST's have to do with this. I'm a u-he Diva fanboy. Get over your free VST ridiculousness and try it. :lol:
Thanks but I'm an Omnisphere fanboy - I'm good.

I don't know where you've been, but if you've even casually browsed this rack extension forum, it seems like a lot of Reason users here are pro-RE and anti-VST.

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CaliforniaBurrito
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17 Sep 2017

davidvilla wrote:
17 Sep 2017
I don't know where you've been, but if you've even casually browsed this rack extension forum, it seems like a lot of Reason users here are pro-RE and anti-VST.
I actually don't spend too much time reading threads to be honest but I do get caught up in some select spew every now and then. I think you might be confusing anti-VST with just showing support for the platform. Plenty of the Reason fanboys here have VST's from what I read while I was lurking. Anyways, I'm going to sleep. Have fun!

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QVprod
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17 Sep 2017

davidvilla wrote:

I don't know where you've been, but if you've even casually browsed this rack extension forum, it seems like a lot of Reason users here are pro-RE and anti-VST.
Actually there are probably more VST users across the entire forum here than not. I've only seen a select few (IIRC less than 5 no more than 10) that are only interested in RE or Refills.

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jayhosking
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17 Sep 2017

davidvilla wrote:
17 Sep 2017
I don't know where you've been, but if you've even casually browsed this rack extension forum, it seems like a lot of Reason users here are pro-RE and anti-VST.
I doubt many here are explicitly anti-VST. But yeah, all other things considered equal, I would much rather any tools I'm using be in the rack and not an external pop-up. I don't want to have to open up a VST window every time I fiddle with parameters. I want updates to just work (we'll see how that looks in the near future, I'm sure). I want to come back to a track in a year or two and it still work. That said, if all other things aren't equal, I'll use a VST; I'm very happy to be able to use my Waves plugs now, for example.

But thanks for the heads-up. I'll give that free VST a shot.

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Trefor
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17 Sep 2017

For those that don't want to shell out for Layers but want to play around with many of the samples and sounds that make it up. There is always this Refill.
http://www.reasonbanks.com/refill_AM3free.html

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EnochLight
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17 Sep 2017

davidvilla wrote:
17 Sep 2017
I don't know where you've been, but if you've even casually browsed this rack extension forum, it seems like a lot of Reason users here are pro-RE and anti-VST.
Well fancy that - it's a Rack Extension sub-forum, after all. :lol: :roll: The VST sub-forum is much more appreciative of VST's, as one would imagine. And to be clear, Rack Extensions are far more superior to VST when it comes to native Reason rack integration and license management. Anyone who pretends that's not the case is being disingenuous.

But of course there are a plethora of Layers alternatives in VST-land. Thankfully, there's something for everyone these days! :)
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Oquasec
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17 Sep 2017

I see the utility for this thing being well...Being put in combis and the usual smorgas.
As any other module, it'd still have it's use being a tweaking station.
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paulred67
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18 Sep 2017

I noticed one thing. According to PH website, Layers should also include samples/patches of Studio Electronics SE1-X. But there are none in this RE. They're even omitted from the manual. It can mean nothing (simply mistake). Or it can mean that there'll be an update with more samples/patches from the original AM3 refill. Just my speculation.
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ltbrunt00
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18 Sep 2017

I like layers for what it is but at 69/99 dollars seems like there should be more sounds included with this.

This RE would be killer if you could load additional samples in it kind of like NNXT........NNXT lite.

Now only if the legend would go on sale for $49.99 life would be grand.....Wink Wink..
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Heater
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18 Sep 2017

EnochLight wrote:
16 Sep 2017
Wait until the next Reason update for that... ;)
Hi Enochlight.

I'm trying to remember the last time the Props released a new free instrument with a Reason update. Possibly Kong?

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jayhosking
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18 Sep 2017

ltbrunt00 wrote:
18 Sep 2017
I like layers for what it is but at 69/99 dollars seems like there should be more sounds included with this.

This RE would be killer if you could load additional samples in it kind of like NNXT........NNXT lite.

Now only if the legend would go on sale for $49.99 life would be grand.....Wink Wink..
Agreed on all fronts.

BUT if you haven't seen already, VK2 is currently on for exactly that price, and I found it to be comparable in sound to the Legend.

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EnochLight
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18 Sep 2017

Heater wrote:
18 Sep 2017
Hi Enochlight.

I'm trying to remember the last time the Props released a new free instrument with a Reason update. Possibly Kong?
I think so. Not counting effects that were added through 6.0-8.0, I'm pretty sure 5.0's Kong was the last time a new instrument was included by default.
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esselfortium
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18 Sep 2017

EnochLight wrote:
18 Sep 2017
Heater wrote:
18 Sep 2017
Hi Enochlight.

I'm trying to remember the last time the Props released a new free instrument with a Reason update. Possibly Kong?
I think so. Not counting effects that were added through 6.0-8.0, I'm pretty sure 5.0's Kong was the last time a new instrument was included by default.
Almost but not quite! ID8 came in Reason 6 (and/or Record... so, um, almost Reason 5), and Pulsar is arguably an instrument (it does have instrument patches!), though it wasn't always free.
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EnochLight
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19 Sep 2017

esselfortium wrote:
18 Sep 2017
EnochLight wrote:
18 Sep 2017


I think so. Not counting effects that were added through 6.0-8.0, I'm pretty sure 5.0's Kong was the last time a new instrument was included by default.
Almost but not quite! ID8 came in Reason 6 (and/or Record... so, um, almost Reason 5), and Pulsar is arguably an instrument (it does have instrument patches!), though it wasn't always free.
Hah! Oh yeah, totally forgot about ID8. So much so that I've never used them (except for when I'm forced to when opening a MIDI clip). :puf_bigsmile: :lol:
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