AudioLayer

iOS multi-sampler that supports velocity layers and zones. Streams samples from disk. It provides a rich array of sampler features associated with desktop samplers. You can make your own instruments and also import EXS format and SFZ format instruments.

App type: App and AUv3

App store link:

Developer: Virsyn

Developer AB Forum Handle:

There are handy helpful AudioLayer tips in the old KnowledgeBase article – which need to be moved into this one!

(These instructions apply to the original AudioLayer release. They may not be necessary for the updated version released in February 2020.)

Importing instruments into AudioLayer (if you are not using the iCloud storage option) is made easier if the AudioLayer folder if visible in the Files app. When you first install AudioLayer, you won't see the AudioLayer folder that is on the iPad. To expose it, follow these instructions provided by TheAudioDabbler:

• In the Files app, select an audio sample and select Move which appears at the bottom of the file browser. It brings up a dialog box to move the item. Select “On My iPad” and you will see an AudioLayer folder. Select it and press copy.
• After that, you will see an “AudioLayer” Folder in the “On My iPad”

These steps are for importing EXS and SFZ instruments when not using the cloud drive option though the steps for importing instruments when using cloud storage are quite similar. (Basically, you use your iCloud Drive's AudioLayer/import folder rather than the On My iPad/AudioLayer folder)

• If your sfz instrument is in a zip file, unzip the file into a folder. We will reference that folder as 'myNewSFZFolder' for the sake of these instructions. I use AudioShare for the unzipping but any app that unzips should work.
• 'myNewSFZFolder' should contain the sfz file and a folder of samples.
• Copy or move 'myNewSFZFolder' directly into On my iPad/AudioLayer
• In the Files app, navigate to be view the contents of 'myNewSFZFolder'.
• Tap on the sfz file and AudioLayer should be launched.
• NOTE: if AudioLayer isn't launched by tapping on the sfz file, long-press the file and use the Share command to Open In AudioLayer.
• AudioLayer will probably ask you where you want to save the instrument. Select your preferred location.
• AudioLayer will then go through the motions of importing the samples. You will see a display of the sample names as it imports them.
• Once AudioLayer has finished importing the samples, you can delete 'myNewSFZFolder' from the AudioLayer folder using Files app as AudioLayer has imported copies of the files to the internal storage area shared by the AudioLayer app and its AUv3.

AudioLayer has an auto-mapping feature that it can apply to create velocity and key zones when importing samples. If your samples are named according to this convention, creating velocity-layered instruments is very fast – and is more consistent than when importing sfz format instruments. See Tutorial/Guide: Creating Samples For a Manually Configured Instrument

AudioLayer allow for a few conventions. The AudioLayer Auto Map test suggests <samplename>_<dynamics>_<notenameAndOctaveNumber> or <samplename>-<dynamics>-<notenameAndOctaveNumer> . The following also works <instrument name>_<note name and octave number>_<velocity level>.<audio file type>. Dynamics can be a three-digit velocity number or a dynamics marking (from quiet to loud): ppp, pp, p, mf, f, ff, fff. For example: “mypiano_c3_110.wav”.

When using numbers for the velocity, make sure to use three digits for all velocities. For example use 080 and not 80. Make sure that the part of the name that precedes the note name and velocity is identical for all samples in the series.

TIP: Experiment with the threshold level setting before doing a complete auto-sampling. If you set it to a very low value (like -80db) there may be some bleed from the tail end of the previous samples release if the release has a very long quiet tail (whose entirety isn't needed.)

Virsyn Import Demo:

PLU Collective's Import Tutorial

Roikat's Import Tutorial