A magnetoresistance element deposited upon a substrate, comprising: an even number of free layer structures (410, 420), the even number of free layer structures comprising a first free layer structure and a second free layer structure; an even number of spacer layers (408, 412, 1702, 1704, 1708, 1710, 2008, 2010), the even number of spacer layers comprising a first spacer layer and a second spacer layer; an even number of pinned layer structures (406, 1102), the even number of pinned layer structures comprising a first pinned layer structure and a second pinned layer structure, wherein the even number of free layer structures, the even number of spacer layers, and the even number of pinned layer structures are disposed in a stack of layers, wherein the first spacer layer has a first thickness, the first thickness selected to result in a first selected one of an antiferromagnetic coupling or a ferromagnetic coupling between the first pinned layer structure and the first free layer structure, and wherein the second spacer layer has a second thickness, different than the first thickness, the second thickness selected to result in a second selected one, different than the first selected one, of an antiferromagnetic coupling or a ferromagnetic coupling between the second pinned layer structure and the second free layer structure; and an odd number of pinning layers (404, 416, 1706, 2006) comprising at least a first pinning layer, a second pinning layer, and a third pinning layer, the first and second pinning layers magnetically coupled to the first and second pinned layer structures, respectively, wherein annealed magnetic directions of the first and second pinning layers are parallel to each other, characterised in that an annealed magnetic direction of the third pinning layer is ninety degrees relative to the annealed magnetic directions of the first and second pinning layers, wherein the even number of pinned layer structures further comprise a third pinned layer structure and a fourth pinned layer structure, wherein the third pinning layer is a common pinning layer magnetically coupled to both of the third and fourth pinned layer structures. an even number of free layer structures (410, 420), the even number of free layer structures comprising a first free layer structure and a second free layer structure; an even number of spacer layers (408, 412, 1702, 1704, 1708, 1710, 2008, 2010), the even number of spacer layers comprising a first spacer layer and a second spacer layer; an even number of pinned layer structures (406, 1102), the even number of pinned layer structures comprising a first pinned layer structure and a second pinned layer structure, wherein the even number of free layer structures, the even number of spacer layers, and the even number of pinned layer structures are disposed in a stack of layers, wherein the first spacer layer has a first thickness, the first thickness selected to result in a first selected one of an antiferromagnetic coupling or a ferromagnetic coupling between the first pinned layer structure and the first free layer structure, and wherein the second spacer layer has a second thickness, different than the first thickness, the second thickness selected to result in a second selected one, different than the first selected one, of an antiferromagnetic coupling or a ferromagnetic coupling between the second pinned layer structure and the second free layer structure; and an odd number of pinning layers (404, 416, 1706, 2006) comprising at least a first pinning layer, a second pinning layer, and a third pinning layer, the first and second pinning layers magnetically coupled to the first and second pinned layer structures, respectively, wherein annealed magnetic directions of the first and second pinning layers are parallel to each other, characterised in that an annealed magnetic direction of the third pinning layer is ninety degrees relative to the annealed magnetic directions of the first and second pinning layers, wherein the even number of pinned layer structures further comprise a third pinned layer structure and a fourth pinned layer structure, wherein the third pinning layer is a common pinning layer magnetically coupled to both of the third and fourth pinned layer structures.