Layered - Global Effects & Overall Mix Control

In addition to per-voice shaping, Layered provides a set of global controls that affect the entire patch at once. These tools are located on the Main Page and let you adjust the overall mix, dynamics, tone, and space of your layered sounds.

This article explains the difference between per-voice effects (covered here), global effects on the Main Page, and the separate FX Page (which is covered here).

Per-Voice Effects vs. Global Effects vs. FX Page

• Per-Voice Effects

  Each voice has its own EQ, compression, delay, pan, and width controls. These apply only to a single instrument slot. (See Article 2 for details.)

• Global Effects (Main Page)

  Located on the Main Page, these affect all voices together and provide a quick way to shape the overall sound of a patch.

• FX Page

  A dedicated page with additional creative effects, linked to the Big Knob on the Main Page. This will be covered in a separate article.

Global Controls on the Main Page (Top Right)

These global tools appear in the upper-right corner of every page in Layered:

• Global EQ – Adjusts the tonal balance of the entire patch.
• Global Compression – Smooths and evens out the overall dynamics.
• Global Pan – Shifts the entire patch left or right in the stereo field.
• Global Pitch – Raises or lowers the pitch of all voices together.

• Global Mute – Silences the patch instantly.

  

Global Controls on the Main Page (Bottom Right)

These shaping tools are found in the lower-right corner of the Main Page. The title can be clicked to open up additional controls.

• Attack/Release (Envelope) – Adjusts how quickly the overall patch fades in (attack) and fades out (release).
• Filter – Apply a global low-pass/high-pass filter to shape the tonal spectrum of the whole patch.
• Drive – Adds warmth, grit, or saturation across all voices.
• Reverb – Places the entire patch into a shared space, from subtle ambience to big halls.

• Master – Controls the overall output level of the patch.

  

Why Use Global Controls?

Global controls are best for:

• Making quick adjustments to the entire patch without editing each voice individually.
• Balancing dynamics and tone across a large stack of instruments.
• Shaping the “final polish” before adding external effects in your DAW.