FX System
The FX System is designed and inspired by a combination of some modern DAWs (such as Bitwign or Ableton), in combination with Eurorack modules and guitar pedals. The idea is simple: to allow the user to decide how and when the signal is affected by a signal in whatever order they choose.
Most modern plugins feature a fixed FX network because they want a fixed sound with a limited range. However, the FX system of Layers is designed to give full creative control to the user, allowing them to craft the sound however they see fit.
The FX System is crafted with 35 different Effects for the user to choose from. These range from different styles of delay units, dynamic processors for attenuating the signal, wave shaping algorithms for saturation and distortion, several filter types of filters for coloring the sound, numerous modulators for adding character, powerful reverbs for crafting sonic atmospheres, and utility units for fine-tuning and processing the signal.
Structure
The macro-structure of the FX-system has been designed to be straightforward so you can get instant sonic results with maximum flexibility. On the FX Page, there are two subpages:
1. Layer FX,
2. Master FX.
The Layer FX page hosts effects which apply separately to each individual sampler (A, B, and C). The Master FX Page is a bus channel which hosts effects that apply to all layers, as well as the texture and release trigger generators.
On the Layer FX Page, there are three Send knobs (Send A, Send B, Send C) which will send the signal to the Master FX Page. You can use these to set how much you want each layer to pass through the Master FXs. For the Texture Generator and Release Trigger, there are separate send channels on their respective panels.
Each page is divided into 6 separate slots which host the effects. On the Layer FX Page, these slots are further sub-divided, so that two slots apply to each layer separately (Layer A – Slots 1 and 2, Layer B – Slots 3 and 4, Layer C – Slots 5 and 6). These effects are processed in descending order, so that Slots 1, 3, and 5 are processed first (in parallel), followed by Slots 2, 4, and 6. On the Master FX Page, the 6 Slots are processed in series from left to right.
How To Use
To load effects into the slots, simply click on the slot you want to load the effect into. A menu will appear at the top of the page which will allow you to select which effect you would like to add. If you need more information on the effect, there is an information bar on the bottom of the plugin which will describe to you what the effect is and what each knob does. After you select an effect, it will load into the slot and you are ready to start effecting your sound. If you want to change the effect, simply click that effect slot again. If you want to remove the effect there is a trash can icon which will remove it.
Additional Notes
- Almost every effect’s first knob is a Dry/Wet knob for mixing the affected sound with the original, unaffected signal.
- For all time based effects (so modulators and delays, as well as a few others), there is a syncing function to match the tempo of your project. In order to use this feature, set the “Sync” knob to 1. Note that there will always be two knobs, one which is labeled as “Rate/Time” and one as “Tempo”. If the Sync knob is set to 0, only the “Rate/Time” knob will work. If Sync is set to 1, then only the “Tempo” knob will work.
- Whatever effect system you have designed will be saved in your project!
- To avoid phase distortion: The Master FX Page is a bus channel, meaning the signal is duplicated when sending your Layers to it. That means it should only be used if there are FX on the Master FX Page. If you do not have any FX on it, it is recommended to turn all the Send signals to -100 dB.
FX Networks
| Type | Name | Description |
| Delay | Multiband Delay | The signal is processed into 8 (4 left, 4 right) bands, each with a delay, filter and feedback line. The user can adjust the time of the first (L/R) delay line as well as the cutoff frequency. Two additional knobs allow the user to spread the distance in time and frequency cutoff (using either a LPF, HPF, or BPF) of the remaining 6 bands. |
| Delay | PingPong Delay | A classic interpolated, stereo delay effect that sends the feedback of the left and right signals to the opposite channel using the cross-mix knob. |
| Delay | Reverse Delay | A delay with a user-adjustable buffer length, that reverses the incoming signal. Also features feedback and cross-mixing. |
| Delay | Twist Delay | An overly-interpolated delay line which causes large modulations in the delay signal. |
| Dynamics | Auto-Swell | A processor which attenuates the attack and fades the signal upwards to the release. |
| Dynamics | Compressor | A standard RMS compressor unit, for attenuating signals above the threshold. |
| Dynamics | Gate | A standard gate, which completely cuts signals above the threshold. |
| Dynamics | Up/Down Compressor | A mix of a compressor and expander, which can either attenuate or amplify the signal above or below the threshold |
| Colour | Digital Saturator | Two different algorithms for waveshaping (wavefolding and quadratic) with the option to “blend” between them. |
| Colour | Haze Distortion | A distortion effect emulated from a classic “fuzz” pedal. |
| Colour | Modern Saturator | Two different clipping algorithms (soft and hard) with the option of blending between them. |
| Colour | Pixelate | A combination of classic bitcrusher and downsampler, with optional filtering (LPF, HPF, BPF). |
| Colour | Shred Distortion | A distortion algorithm designed to emulate the effects of an overworked amplifier. |
| Colour | Vintage Saturator | Two different waveshaping algorithms designed as emulations of the effects of tube and tape saturation, with the option to blend between them. |
| Filter | Filters | One of the most powerful effects in the tool kit, this effect is a combination of 7 different filter algorithms, some standard and some based on analog emulations (one-pole, ladder, biquad, svf, Moog, Korg, Oberheim). Optional filter mode of LPF, HPF, or BPF. |
| Filter | EQ-3 | A standard 3-band EQ effect for attenuating lows, mids and highs. |
| Filter | Vocalizer | A filtering effect which sweeps the peak response several different filters up and down creating spectral glide. The spacing of the filters mimic the resonances of human vowels, thus creating the famous “talk-wah” effect. |
| Filter | Wow Filter | A spectral glide that sweeps the peak response of a signal filter up and down, mimicking the famous “Wah” pedal. Optional automatic or manual mode for setting the filter sweep in motion. |
| Modulator | Auto-panner | A standard L/R autopanner which attenuates the signal of the L/R channels according to the rate and waveshape. |
| Modulator | Chorus | A standard chorus effect with a modulated-delayed signal causing the pitch to alter and the signal to thicken. |
| Modulator | Flanger | A feedback-flagner with an adjustable delay signal, |
| Modulator | Grains | A granulator effect which samples small windows of the input signal. |
| Modulator | Phaser | A phase shifting effect based on a series of all-pass filters. |
| Modulator | Pitch Reflections | A granular-based pitch shifting effect which windows the input signals and pitch-shifts up or down within a 4 octave range. |
| Modulator | Tremolo | A standard tremolo effect which modulates the signal’s gain. |
| Modulator | Vibrato | A standard vibrato effect which modulates the signal’s pitch. |
| Reverb | Hall Reverb | A Dattorro style, IIR feedback delay network based on a combination of all-pass and low-pass filters, which allow the user to control the diffusion, decay, and spread response of the reverb. |
| Reverb | Glisten Reverb | An all-pass loop reverb designed with low-pass filters and pitch reflections in the feedback in order to create a “shimmer reverb” effect. |
| Reverb | Infinite reverb | A reverb with modulated delay lines and infinite response, designed to sound unrealistic but great with synthetic sources. |
| Reverb | Simple Reverb | A standard all-pass reverb design. |
| Reverb | Plate Reverb | A forward delay network reverb with allpass and comb filters in each delay line to add damping filters. |
| Utility | Detuner | A real-time pitch shifting effect for shifting the pitch up or down 100 cents (1 semitone, or note). Useful for adding depth and character to a signal. |
| Utility | Looper | An audio buffer which will record the input signal and play it back on a loop. The size of the loop is user-adjustable. |
| Utility | Mid-Side | A standard unit for processing the middle and sides (far left and right) portions of the signal. |
| Utility | Widener | A standard processor for widening or thickening the signal by pushing the signal either to the middle or the sides. |
