Comparison

MIDI Layers vs PanDualay

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

MIDI Layers

This app allows musicians to intelligently route MIDI data, enabling complex keyboard splits, layered instruments, and seamless scene switching for live performances. Create up to 12 scenes with numerous layers, each with customizable MIDI output and note remapping.

Highlights
  • Up to 127 layers per scene
  • 12 scenes per preset
  • 16 output ports and channels
  • Remote scene switching
  • Layer mutes and mute groups
  • Scales per scene
  • Per-layer velocity curves
Features
Read full description

MIDI Layers is an AUv3 MIDI plugin designed to allow sophisticated routing of MIDI data in hosts such as AUM or Cubasis. Have you ever wanted to play multiple instruments from a single master keyboard during a live performance? Would you like to be able to set up keyboard splits, crossfade layers or create an ensemble of layered instruments? If you answered yes to either of those questions, then MIDI Layers may be your solution. Layers allows you to create up to 12 scenes, each with up to 127 layers, spanning your entire master keyboard. These scenes allow you to seamlessly switch between various layer mappings at any time during a performance. Each layer controls the MIDI output, which can be routed to one of MIDI Layers 16 output ports and 16 channels. So if you have 5 layers in your scene, each layer is able to divert MIDI key input to 5 destinations, allowing you to control 5 instruments from one master keyboard. Layers can overlap, meaning you can create an ensemble of two or more instruments. Layers can also have cross fades so that you can fade from one instrument to another across a specified range. You can also control the velocity curves of a layer if you need to emphasize note velocity at a certain set of octaves. Each layer can also be remapped so that you can target a different key range on the destination instrument. This allows you to have several single note layers that can target specific drum machine samples for instance. You can assign a song per scene, or have several scenes containing parts of the same song. Switching scenes is simple, using the on screen scene buttons, via AU parameters, or you can even add a special control layer to a scene which can then be triggered via your master keyboard. It is also possible to assign a Program Changes to a layer. When you switch scenes, each layer can fire off its own program change to your destination instruments. Each scene can be assigned its own scale, which enables you to play using only the white notes so say goodbye to wrong notes. Finally, layers can be assigned to mute groups, allowing you to quickly turn on/off groups of layers with a single key or button press. Features: ○ Up to 127 layers per scene. ○ 12 scenes per preset. ○ Supports 16 output ports and 16 channels. ○ Remote switching of scenes using MIDI or AU. ○ Supports layer mutes and mute groups. ○ Named scenes with large scene selection mode. ○ Supports scales per scene which can be played using white notes only. ○ Each layer can define a Program Change that is sent when scenes are switched. ○ Supports per layer velocity curve. ○ Supports per layer remapping of notes on output. ○ Each layer can have a cross fade settings assigned. ○ Definable Master Keyboard size (6, 7, 8 or 10 octave). ○ Scene and mute control layers. ○ Provides default custom layouts. Please Note: This product will not work with GarageBand since it cannot load AUv3 MIDI plugins.

About

PanDualay

This audio effect plugin offers a stereo delay with a variable left/right delay time ratio. It features independent auto-panning on delayed repeats for enhanced stereo movement and an analog-flavored sound.

Highlights
  • Stereo delay with variable left/right time ratio
  • Independent auto-pan on delayed repeats
  • Analog-flavored sound
  • Low-pass filter on delay repeats
  • Stereo modulation
  • Adjustable regeneration (feedback)
Read full description

PanDualay Stereo Panning Delay (AUv3) PanDualay is an audio effect plugin that can run standalone, or in any AU compatible host application such as Logic or GarageBand. Overview PanDualay is an analog-flavoured stereo delay wih a variable left / right delay time ratio. In addition to stereo modulation and a LPF, PanDualay has an independent auto-pan that's applied to the delayed repeats only, giving an additional sense of stereo movement. PanDualy works especially well on lead / mono synth type sounds and can get pretty spacey! Parameters Active - Toggles the effect On or Off. Note that when you set the effect to Off, you will still hear the delay repeats, but your input signal is no longer fed into the delay processing. This is a similar idea to the "trails" feature in many delay effects units and pedals. Delay - Sets the base delay time between 50ms and 2 seconds. Regen - Sets the regeneration or feedback of the delay repeats up to 100% "endless" repeats. Note that at high Regen levels, the sound will appear to degrade in quality and become "washed-out" or "murky". This is intentional, and an attempt to capture the sound of analog delays with limited fidelity. Compression and limiting are also applied internally to prevent excessive build-up, which can also result in a "crunchy" sound at extreme settings as the repeats are squashed each time they're layered on top of each other. Again, this tends to be a sonic characteristic of analog and tape-based delays. Ratio - Sets a delay time multiplier for the left / right channels between 1 and 2. For example, a base Delay time of 500ms and a ratio of 1.5 : 1, will result in the left channel being delayed by 750ms and the right channel by 500ms. Interesting effects can be achieved by using non-standard ratios. For example, 1.62 is approximately the Golden Ratio, and at high Regen values can produce an almost reverb-like sonic wash! Pan - Sets the frequency of the auto-pan LFO. Note for the effect to be more obvious, the Ratio should be set to something other than 1 : 1. Mod - Applies a variable amount of stereo modulation to the delayed sound. LPF - Sets the cutoff frequency of a lowpass filter applied to the delay repeats. Reduce the LPF control for a darker echo sound. Mix - Sets the level of the delayed signal. Please note the dry / input signal is always present. If the name sounds familiar, PanDualay is an improved version of the PANDUALAY module developed for Voltage Modular by Waverley Instruments. For more info and support please visit: www.waverley-instruments.com/robjackson

Screenshots

MIDI Layers4 screens
PanDualay2 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is price: PanDualay at $1.99 against MIDI Layers's $12.99. PanDualay also leads on review sentiment (100% vs 57%) and update cadence (every 2 days vs fortnightly). On ratings volume, ads, in-app purchases and monetization model there is nothing between them.

Scored on Price · Rating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings · Update frequency · Ads · In-app purchases · Monetization · Best chart rank · Devices · Requires iOS

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

MIDI Layers costs $12.99 and PanDualay $1.99 up front. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

PanDualay holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.7. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 13 and 5 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 57% of MIDI Layers's written reviews are positive against 100% of PanDualay's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

MIDI Layers ships an update fortnightly, PanDualay every 2 days. The most recent releases landed on October 20, 2026 and October 24, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard4 real differences · 6 level
MIDI Layers versus PanDualay: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterMIDI LayersPanDualay
Price$12.99$1.99 — better
Rating4.7 (13 ratings)5.0 (5 ratings) — better
Positive reviews57.1% of reviews100.0% of reviews — better
Number of ratings13 — better5
Update frequencyFortnightlyEvery 2 days — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNoNo
MonetizationPaidPaid
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPodiPhone, iPad, iPod, Mac — better
Requires iOS1312.0 — better
Further details — not scored
Size15 MB12 MB
Age rating4+4+
Developer4Pockets.comRob Jackson

Customer experience

MIDI Layers

All ratings13 ratings
Positive92.3%
Neutral0.0%
Negative7.7%
Written reviews7 reviews
Positive57.1%
Neutral14.3%
Negative28.6%

PanDualay

All ratings5 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%
Written reviews1 reviews
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

In-app purchases

None

MIDI Layers

No in-app purchases

None

PanDualay

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is MIDI Layers free?
MIDI Layers costs $12.99, with no in-app purchases.
Is PanDualay free?
PanDualay costs $1.99, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, MIDI Layers or PanDualay?
PanDualay is rated higher. MIDI Layers averages 4.7 out of 5 from 13 ratings, while PanDualay averages 5.0 from 5 ratings.
Do MIDI Layers or PanDualay have ads?
Neither MIDI Layers nor PanDualay shows ads.
Which is updated more often, MIDI Layers or PanDualay?
MIDI Layers ships an update fortnightly, and PanDualay every 2 days. Most recently, MIDI Layers was updated on October 20, 2026 and PanDualay on October 24, 2026.

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