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Got it shortly after it came out and never gelled with it. Might like it better if you could load samples into it. Maybe. Just seems like a very limited Rompler. Anybody persuade me to give it another try?

Layers and Layers Wave are great for synthwave-y stuff. I tend to grab them when I need some obviously eighties sound. I didn't put in time to do some sound design with them myself yet, but I grabbed SKP's Layered Cake refill a few weeks back (on sale) as it has several sounds that are better than the factory sounds.

The fact that each of the four layers have their own envelopes, makes it possible to do some Roland D50-ish sounds.

I can't persuade you. Never been a fan of the Layers synths. Got them with R11 Suite. I mean they have a couple of decent presets that are useful. But for the most part I've always found them to sound kind of cheap and "dead" for lack of a better word. That's the problem with some sample based instruments. If you play the same note several times in a row you get the exact same start and it just sounds cheap to me. Running oscillators doesn't have the same problem imo. There have been a couple of times where I've intentionally looked for cheap sounding / sample based sounding patches. And in those cases the Layers synths have worked nicely.
Layers filter and distortion is nothing to write home about either.
RS can make some really nice instruments when they want to. These aren't in that category imo.

For me it's in a large pile of stuff that came with 11 Suite that I never use.

I bought the wave version but only used it 4 times. I tried to make sounds with it, I but the layout doesn't inspire me. I think most of the sounds were sourced from a Pink Noise refill.

I got the wave layers addition but hardly ever use it. Just seems a bit dull to me.

Might have to record a few patches and run them through novum to add some interest but I think it's probably one of my worst buys (after hydronexius)

I use them for pads. I think I've used them both on several of my tracks ‍♂️

They have some nice sounds, but programming them would be a lot less tedious if you could copy/paste between the layers.

I have both. Never connected with them. Have started many times and always ended up switching to another synth! I think it's one of the few stuff from propellerhead that hasn't been used in my song writings.

They are… OK. Essentially a rompler with some decent pads and synth brass/strings sounds. It’s possible to do some programming in each layer to make things more interesting but there is limited functionality overall. Fine for a quick bit of padding, 80s strings etc but IME limited to what you can find in the presets that works for the track. Kind of a software Roland JV1080 in that sense but with fewer patches and easier editing.

Loading up a couple of Malstroms into a combi and adding modulation and reverb effects gets to a similar place but with massively more flexibility. Or a couple of Thors or Europas.

I never use them. I'm thinking of deleting them.

This thread actually came at a perfect time. I'm currently working on a track based on early 90s dance / rave / Prodigy nostalgia. And right after making my first comment I found two Layers patches that worked really well for the track. One is the chord stabs and the other is the 16 note sound running up and down. Both can be heard at 0:23. For this type of track some sample based sounds fit right in.

I quite like Layers' pluckier sounds - xylophone, vibraphone, glockenspiel, kalimba etc - and sometimes use it for those. But never as an upfront instrument, more as a plink plonk sort of background decoration powered by a player like Quad. It's pretty limited, audio outs for each layer would make a big difference. But I don't hate it, and the UI is great

Layers is still missing the rear rack rails (like Malstrom). Yes I’m nit-picking

I have fun with it, especially with the four step sequencers. They provide lots of bubbly motion with good timbral complexity.

I find it easy to use and really useful for what it says 'layers' and 4 of them with their own sequencer lane and effects in the device. There's a lot of LFO available all over the device for great shift/movement + trigger delay/time knob/shift start x 4. You can also use the 'layer range' and set each sound to their own key range e.g. So layer A is on - C1 to - B1 and layer B is on C0 to B0 etc. This has 4 x CV trigger out.
Also, the sequencer is useful and the reverb is very good. I sometimes will add the Juno 60 chorus when I use this device.

A heads up for good rhythmic Techno would be to use the 'Robot Accompaniment' patch from the Arps and Sequences folder.

For me this is a little hidden gem, easy to use device to get good patterns going in any electronic genre and can layer ALL tones in a track.
This is not necessarily a JMJ - Oxygen II/IV Lead and Pad making device as such, it just doesn't cut it for those exquisite sounds but it will certainly add layers/tones to music like that and will do it quick and well with the on board LFO/movement, sequencer and reverb.

freshkidblaze wrote: ↑

06 Jan 2023

I think most of the sounds were sourced from a Pink Noise refill.

That’s my understanding too. Pink Noise refills on the other hand are great.

I guess if you're looking for a creative instrument both Layers aren't for you. But they have lots of tweakable nice presets. The samples sound good and they do what I expect, albeit within the limits of a rompler. Glad I got them with R11 suite.

I think Pink Noise only did the first Layers, not Wave Edition. Or at least their logo is only on the back of the first one.

MrFigg wrote: ↑

07 Jan 2023

freshkidblaze wrote: ↑

06 Jan 2023

I think most of the sounds were sourced from a Pink Noise refill.

That’s my understanding too. Pink Noise refills on the other hand are great.

I agree

TritoneAddiction wrote: ↑

06 Jan 2023

This thread actually came at a perfect time. I'm currently working on a track based on early 90s dance / rave / Prodigy nostalgia. And right after making my first comment I found two Layers patches that worked really well for the track. One is the chord stabs and the other is the 16 note sound running up and down. Both can be heard at 0:23. For this type of track some sample based sounds fit right in.

Sounds like the Streets of Rage soundtrack

Got them with Reason+ Gave them a quick go. Thought they were a bit like the audio plug-in equivalent of those photo filter type Apps. I suppose if you wanted to do a quick Com Truise impersonation, they'd be a perfect place to start. They're not bad, just not that great either. Even the promo video wasn't serious;

TritoneAddiction wrote: ↑

06 Jan 2023

This thread actually came at a perfect time. I'm currently working on a track based on early 90s dance / rave / Prodigy nostalgia. And right after making my first comment I found two Layers patches that worked really well for the track. One is the chord stabs and the other is the 16 note sound running up and down. Both can be heard at 0:23. For this type of track some sample based sounds fit right in.

Sounds interesting any chance you can share the actual patch names and or project file

I'm sure that I have a leftfiels sound a like that I also used layers in but can't find it for love nor money.

By the way really cool sounding can't wait to hear it completed.

Billy+ wrote: ↑

11 Jan 2023

TritoneAddiction wrote: ↑

06 Jan 2023

This thread actually came at a perfect time. I'm currently working on a track based on early 90s dance / rave / Prodigy nostalgia. And right after making my first comment I found two Layers patches that worked really well for the track. One is the chord stabs and the other is the 16 note sound running up and down. Both can be heard at 0:23. For this type of track some sample based sounds fit right in.

Sounds interesting any chance you can share the actual patch names and or project file

I'm sure that I have a leftfiels sound a like that I also used layers in but can't find it for love nor money.

By the way really cool sounding can't wait to hear it completed.

Thanks. I can share some patch names. Raving Stab in Layers lead category. Also Cheezy organ in Layers Wave Edition, lead category.

Pepin wrote: ↑

07 Jan 2023

I think Pink Noise only did the first Layers, not Wave Edition. Or at least their logo is only on the back of the first one.

Yes, propellerheads licensed the sample content of Analog Monsters refill, and the samples of Layers were selected from AM. That's why you can see the PinkNoise logo on the back panel.

In those days I still had no idea about RE programming, Layers was programmed by Kristoffer... my first Rack extension was Luna (released a year later), and yes... you can find some inspirations from Layers