What ARE Layers in Synth programs? What do they DO?

[ulrichburke]

Dear Anyone.

Downloaded legit, free DSK software synths and saw each of them has 3 layers. I couldn't find out what layers were so I thought it meant you could use 3 instruments at once via 3 MIDI tracks, but I can't work out how to line up each track to each instrument! They might be for that, but there doesn't seem to be a way of lining them up.

So. What ARE Layers in synth programs? What do they do and how do you use them?

This MUST be a dumbass question because everyone assumes you know the answer and nobody explains it to you.

Yours respectfully

Chris

[The Elf]

There's no generic meaning of 'layer'. Every manufacturer has their own nomenclature. From what I can see of DSK they use 'layer' to mean a synth sound that can be played in unison with another synth sound. It's a bit like having a synth with multiple oscillators, but in this case also with separate filters, envelopes, etc.

So nothing particularly mysterious or clever. To use more than one MIDI channel, just create a second instantiation of the synth in your DAW.

[hollowsun]

'Layers' just allow you to play different instruments simultaneously typically on the same MIDI channel. So, for example, Layer 1 could have a piano in it and Layer 2 could have strings in it. When you play, you will hear piano AND strings together.

There are all sorts of ways to use layers... the aforementioned piano and strings, marimba and organ (add some attack to an organ sound), 'real' sampled strings and synth strings (thicken up the maybe 'scrapey' real strings), tubular bells and breathy voice (an old Roland D50 cliché). You can typically tune and detune the for a thicker, more ensemble sound. You can usually pan the different layers (piano on the left, strings on the right) and so on.

Layers are used to make composite sounds out of different sounds.

I imagine there must be some presets with the synths that demonstrate some layers.