MXR M307 LAYERS - FREEZE

A Modern Approach to "Freeze": Stack, Breathe, Orchestrate

The MXR Layers belongs to the family of "freeze"-type sustain effects, but with a central idea: layer multiple sustain takes instead of freezing a single chord. The result: you can build living pads, introduce notes one by one, and create almost orchestral arrangements without leaving your pedalboard. MXR offers here a compact pedal designed both for immediate inspiration and sound design, with advanced features (stereo, dry/wet split, extended parameters) that give it a unique place in a modern ambient setup.

Who Is the MXR Layers For?

This pedal is ideal if you play styles where space and note holding matter: ambient, post-rock, shoegaze, worship, film music, but also blues and rock whenever you want to "fill" a passage without adding a second guitar. In the studio, it allows you to lay down clean drones and layer voicings impossible to hold by hand. Live, it serves to open a chorus, support a solo, or create a stereo bed behind a more minimalist playing style.

Beginners will find it simple to use (one layer, attack and decay settings), while experienced musicians will appreciate the "layers" logic and routings (stereo, dry/wet split, expression) to integrate the effect into more complex rigs.

Controls, Modes, and Routing: A Pedal Made to Sculpt Your Layers

The Layers lets you finely control how each pad appears and disappears. The ATTACK knob adjusts the fade-in time of the layer: short for immediate sustain, longer for very smooth "violin-like" entries. The DECAY knob controls the duration and fade-out: useful for brief, rhythmic pads as well as long holds.

The MIX knob balances the wet signal level (your layers) relative to your direct signal, to find the right balance between presence and subtlety. The TRIG knob adjusts the sensitivity of automatic triggering: you can make a layer appear at the slightest attack, or require a stronger playing to avoid accidental triggers.

For performance, the footswitch engages a layer with each press, and a sustained press can hold a layer as long as you keep the switch pressed. The SINGLE mode limits the effect to one layer at a time, useful for a simpler and clearer approach. The SUB OCT button adds a lower octave to new layers to instantly thicken the low end.

The connectivity is designed to adapt to your rig: via the CTR jack and its switch, you can connect an expression pedal (to sweep between two preset configurations), an external switch (to trigger layers differently than with the footswitch), or use a dry/wet split to send the direct signal and layers to two separate chains. The Layers also offers stereo capabilities: the stereo input is set via an internal switch (under the pedal), and stereo output is activated by a combination of controls (with routing via 6.35mm TRS Jack cable to splitter).

Sound

The MXR Layers stands out with a rich, organic, and very "musical" sustain that doesn't feel like artificial freezing: your layers retain a sense of texture and blend easily behind the direct signal. The attack/decay behavior allows switching from a sharp and immediate sound to airy and progressive pads that naturally merge with delay or reverb. With the SUB OCT, you get deeper pads, perfect for broadening an arrangement, supporting a guitar-vocal duo, or transforming a simple motif into an immersive atmosphere.

Note: the pedal uses a buffered analog dry signal (buffered bypass), which ensures clean and consistent transitions between bypass and effect, particularly appreciated on long textures.

Technical specifications

Effects	Volume / Expression, Octaver / Harmony, Looper / Sampler, Compressor / Sustainer, Bass	Number of tracks	3
Technology	Digital	EQ	No
Format	Pedal	Type	sector
Inputs	Instrument jack	Use	guitar, Pedalboard
Outputs	1 x jack, Expression (jack TRS)	Color	Black
True bypass	Yes

SINGLE function	limits to one layer at a time	Output	6.35mm Jack (stereo mode possible via TRS output and splitter cable)
SUB OCT function	lower octave on new layers (octaver -1)	CTR jack	compatible with expression pedal, external switch, or dry output (depending on mode)
Mix	wet signal level (layer volume)	Dry/Wet Split mode	separates dry and wet signals into two distinct chains
Trig	automatic trigger sensitivity	Mode setting via CTR switch	TAP/EXP or AUDIO (depending on intended use)
Attack	fade-in time of layers	Power supply	not included
Decay	duration and fade-out of layers	Required power supply	9V DC center negative
Input	6.35mm Jack (stereo mode possible via internal MONO/STEREO switch)	Current consumption	300 mA