LayR - Multi Timbral Synthesizer
By Living Memory Software
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Description
LayR is a massively polyphonic, multi-timbral synthesizer for iPad and iPhone, optimized for modern 64 bit devices delivering up to 256 voices of rich, multi-layered and textured sounds.
LayR's primary sounds are called Performances: A Performance is a set of Instruments where each instrument is a set of Layers and each Layer is a complete synthesizer. A performance can consist of over 100 instruments each with it’s own MIDI channel and crossfading keyboard span. Voices are assigned to each layer in each instrument until the audio engine runs out of available voices. This means that with normal playing technique it is possible to create extremely complex texture on each note or even to have a single insane monophonic instrument equivalent to 100 synths all playing at once!
Every Layer has a dual oscillator which can morph with modulation between two shapes and phase states, two rich and warm state variable filters and a mixer to blend the oscillator with filters in any serial/parallel combination. For modulation (Frequency, Amplitude and Phase) there are two aux oscillators ranging from DC to audio frequency switchable to optionally follow keyboard pitch and restart phase when a note is started. 2 loopable ADSR envelopes ranging from fractions of a millisecond to 100 seconds, a volume level ADSR and a random level generator with a smoothing filter. With stereo delay, reverb and EQ on the output section LayR excels at not only emulating normal analog synth sounds but also at creating ambient textures with extremely long evolution cycles.
Focused at keyboard players looking for a mobile synth that can be reliably used live on stage it is equally at home in the studio. LayR is provided with an extensive selection of usable instrument and performance presets which can be loaded using MIDI bank select and program change messages in the same manner as hardware synths. There is also an 8 channel arpeggiator with a 16 step event sequencer for creating exciting polyrhythmic patterns. Full IAA and Audiobus compatibility means LayR can be used with hosts and other music apps on iOS.
FEATURES
- Optimised 32 bit Audio Engine.
- Up to 128 Voices ( 256 on iPad Pro ).
- Multi-Timbral with 8 individual stereo instrument outputs + full mix output.
- Multi Channel Arpeggiator with 16 step event sequencer.
- Stereo Delay, Reverb and EQ on output section.
- Ranged MIDI control for all parameters.
- AudioBus and Inter-App Audio compatible.
- Performance and Program preset import & export via iTunes.
- Performance and Program preset sharing via iCloud Drive.
- Built-in Help
LayR is tested as thoroughly as possible and we hope there are no bugs left! If you do find one, rather than writing a negative review because of it, please report it to us either on our forum or by contacting support from our website. We hate bugs too and we're always ready to stamp them out quickly!
www.livingmemorysoftware.com
What's New in Version 1.0.3
NEW FEATURES:
- New preset banks created by Red Sky Lullaby and Brice Beasley.
- FX sends added to Layer Strips.
- An option to select an alternative dials view for Envelope, allows assigning MIDI to A,D,S and R.
- Added IAA transport buttons and time display when hosted in IAA.
- Improved IAA beat Sync for Arpeggiator. ( in preparation for Live Link and Audiobus 3).
- Slightly improved reverb with a pre-delay parameter.
- You can now assign MIDI and link controls in Layer Strips by long pressing.
- New shortcut in MIDI Assign View: Repeatedly double tap range dial to set various default ranges.
- Added a toggle switch to enable/disable Pitch Bend in Layer Strips
- Added a Reset Factory Presets button to Settings for updating/restoring latest presets.
- Small improvement to note stealing algorithm.
- Increased threshold for closing FX view with a swipe.
- Arpeggiator: Hold mode can now be set by a Sustain Pedal message over MIDI.
- Settings option to save state on quit and restore on launch.
- Settings option to ignore all notes off over MIDI
- Settings option to not reset master volume when loading performance.
- Settings option for iPad UI: swipe left or right on background to change layers
- Settings option for iPad UI: swipe down on background to exit layer editor
FIXED:
- No longer crashes when using MIDI controller with LFOs in Tempo mode.
- No longer crashes when attempting to assign MIDI controller to Envelope Time Mode buttons.
- Fixed a small glitch when releasing looped envelopes in tempo mode.
- Fixed a potential crash when starting legato notes which are transposed out of MIDI range.
- Fixed an issue with CME Air keyboards that caused stuck notes.
- Fixed a bug in reverb damping filters.
- Lowest note of a key span is no longer ignored if key span has a fade.
- Settings view is now scrollable, Background Audio switch no longer scrolls up to be unavailable on iPhone SE
- “Open In” now works when using sources other than iCloud Drive via iOS Documents Picker.
- Onscreen keyboard no longer scrolls back to middle after scrolling to low notes.
- iPhone onscreen keyboard no longer jiggles around while dragging.
- Keyboard Edit view is now rendered correctly on small screen phones.
- Text and notes are now saved with exported presets.
- LFOs for AM modulation are no longer incorrectly inverted.
- Improved solo/muting behaviour.
- Fixed a rare bug where a high random smoothing value could cause an effect similar to a long portamento.
- Fixed a case where portamento wasn’t reset when voice is restarted.
- MIDI Volume cc7 for controlling Instrument Volume now uses full range if instrument is saved with zero volume.
- Performance name no longer reverts to "Master” after editing
- In layer help overlay “FM Amount” changed to “Env Pitch Amount”.
- iPad help, "Random mod amount" and "LFO2 mod amount" captions were reversed.
- iPhone help typo in Filter 2 Section.
- Keyboard: increased contrast of playing notes when using coloured keys
- Keyboard: Now correctly uses first key touched to determine range for velocity/mod.
Customer Reviews
Unbelievably Good!!!
I'm addicted to this app. The experimental options are endless. Can't wait for the next update with more LayR's!
Incredible and extremely versatile for sound creation
WOW! This synth app is incredible and extremely versatile for sound creation. If you have any familiarity with subtractive synthesis techniques, you will be quite comfortable from the outset with LayR. And if you are not, once you understand the fundamentals of the user interface (which is explained quite nicely in the built-in manual and help overlays), it is a very user-friendly starter kit for learning and honing your skills. The developer has posted some excellent tutorial videos on YouTube if you want to get a sense of what it is capable of before you buy.
You literally build layer upon layer of synthesizers to construct an "Instrument" and then you combine multiple instruments to create a "Performance". Each synthesizer layer has the same components, so once you know how to program one, you can easily add as many as you need to create your own unique sound. The user interface can be switched between an iPhone-friendly version where the synth engine is split across several screens or an iPad version where all the synth controls are available on a single page.
The features of this synth engine that make it so powerful (IMHO) are: dual morphing oscillators (plus a noise generator), three independent envelope generators - one of which is dedicated to the final layer amplitude with the other two able to control the oscillators and/or filter modulation, two LFOs plus a third "random" modulator (similar to traditional sample-and-hold), dual filters that can be run either in parallel or serial and can be independently set to low-pass, high-pass, band-pass and notch. There is also a quite sophisticated arpeggiator, which I haven’t fully got my mind around so I’m hoping the developer posts a tutorial video soon.
The envelope generators are the usual attack/decay/sustain/release with an optional pre-envelope delay time. What is unique about them is that the delay, attack, decay and release times can be set to anything from instantaneous all the way up to 100 seconds each. So you can have some incredibly long envelopes for evolving drones, pads, etc. Additionally, they can be configured to loop as well as synchronize to the built-in clock.
Similarly, the LFOs are very unique for the iOS synth world. There are 10 different oscillator shapes for each of the two LFOs and the frequency can be set to anything from 0.001 cycles per second (i.e. almost 17 minutes per cycle!) all the way up to 10,000 Hz (i.e. high end of the audio range) plus sync to the clock. The LFOs can be used to modulate oscillator frequency, morphing, phase, filter cut-off, filter mix, pan and amplitude. So, in addition to using them like the envelopes to create very long morphing drones they can also be used to make some wild frequency modulation and similar effects when dialed up to the higher end of their frequency ranges. In the case of LayR, “low frequency” oscillator is quite a misnomer. This is extremely powerful and something that very few iOS synths allow.
Virtually every control can be mapped to a MIDI controller, including via bluetooth software and hardware devices, and also be selectively linked across multiple layers in an instrument so tweaking a control on one layer will simultaneously change the control on any linked layers.
There are some truly outstanding presets included with the app, including a bank of instruments with tutorial examples. All of the presets (almost 200 “instruments” and a similar number of “performances”) can be dissected for a fantastic learning experience and modified to build your own sounds. Presets can be stored either in the app or uploaded (and downloaded) to iCloud (or Dropbox, OneDrive, Google Drive, etc). There is a user forum on the developer’s website where you can get help (the developer is quite responsive), share patches, insight, suggestions, etc.
All in all, while this app is at the upper end of the typical iOS synth price range, it is certainly well worth the cost and a pleasure to work with.
- $19.99
- Category: Music
- Updated: Apr 28, 2017
- Version: 1.0.3
- Size: 42.0 MB
- Language: English
- Seller: Living Memory Software
- © 2016 Living Memory Software
Compatibility: Requires iOS 9.0 or later. Compatible with iPhone 5s, iPhone 6, iPhone 6 Plus, iPhone 6s, iPhone 6s Plus, iPhone SE, iPhone 7, iPhone 7 Plus, iPad Air, iPad Air Wi-Fi + Cellular, iPad mini 2, iPad mini 2 Wi-Fi + Cellular, iPad Air 2, iPad Air 2 Wi-Fi + Cellular, iPad mini 3, iPad mini 3 Wi-Fi + Cellular, iPad mini 4, iPad mini 4 Wi-Fi + Cellular, 12.9-inch iPad Pro, 12.9-inch iPad Pro Wi-Fi + Cellular, 9.7-inch iPad Pro, 9.7-inch iPad Pro Wi-Fi + Cellular, iPad (5th generation), iPad Wi-Fi + Cellular (5th generation), and iPod touch (6th generation).