OPERATION MANUAL
The information in this document is subject to change without notice and does not represent a commitment on the part of Propellerhead Software AB. The software described herein is subject to a License Agreement and may not be copied to any other media except as specifically allowed in the License Agreement. No part of this publication may be copied, reproduced or otherwise transmitted or recorded, for any purpose, without prior written permission by Propellerhead Software AB.
Table of Contents
Introduction 23 Welcome! 24 General window techniques 43 Resizing 43 Scrolling 44 Zooming in the Sequencer 45 Scrolling and zooming using a wheel mouse 46 About this chapter 24 Editing parameters 47 About this manual 24 About the Reason operating system versions 24 Conventions in the manual 24 Knobs 47 Faders and sliders 48 Buttons 48 Fold/Unfold buttons 49 Multi Mode selectors 49 Numerical controls 50 Alpha-numeric controls 50 Numerical segment displays 51 The Authorization system 26 Registering Reason
System signal paths 73 Naming tracks 100 Folding tracks 100 Muting tracks 101 Soloing tracks 101 Audio Track signal paths 73 Instrument Track signal paths 74 Lane details 102 Audio settings 68 About audio levels 70 General information about audio and computers 75 About latency 75 About processors 76 About RAM 76 Sequencer Functions 77 Audio lane 102 Note lane 103 Parameter automation lane 104 Pattern lane 105 Creating/adding lanes 106 Deleting lanes 108 Moving note lanes 109 Copying (duplicating) not
Audio recording details 132 Clip handling 164 Setting up the audio track 132 Recording audio 137 Recording audio in Loop mode 139 Overdubbing audio using the “Dub” function 140 Duplicating audio tracks using the “Alt” function 140 Recording over or into an existing audio clip 141 Recording audio from Mix Channel outputs 142 Recording a mixdown of several audio tracks 144 Creating Clips 164 Selecting clips 164 Setting audio clip Level and Fades 167 Deleting clips 168 Resizing (masking) clips 169 About mas
Split at Slices 197 Bounce Clip to REX Loop 197 Revert Slices 198 Note and Automation Editing 231 Editing audio in the Comp Editor 199 About this chapter 232 Audio clip elements in the Comp Editor 199 The relationship between Clips, Comp Rows and Recordings 203 Comp Editor window handling 205 Comp Editor audio editing tools 205 Selecting a Comp Row for playback in a Single Take clip 206 Selecting Comp Rows 207 Deleting Comp Rows 208 Moving Comp Rows 208 Duplicating Comp Rows 208 Cutting, copying and pas
Note and automation editing in the Inspector 277 Editing notes and events in the Inspector 277 Matching notes or events using the “Match Values” function 277 Working with Blocks in the Sequencer 281 Creating devices 302 Selecting devices 304 Deleting devices 306 Re-ordering devices 306 Re-routing devices 308 Creating new rack columns 308 About the “Sort Selected Device Groups” function 308 Replacing devices 309 Duplicating devices 310 Cut, Copy and Paste devices 310 Naming devices 311 Folding and unfoldin
About ReFills 327 Using CV and Gate 360 Using the Browser 328 Routing CV and Gate signals 360 About CV Trim knobs 360 Opening the browser 329 Browser elements 330 Navigating in the Browser 334 Using Locations and Favorites 336 Favorites Lists 336 Selecting and auditioning samples and REX loops 339 Selecting multiple files 339 Cross-browsing patch files 340 Create Instrument/Create Effect 341 About patch formats and sampler devices 341 Using the “Search” function 342 Loading files 342 About browse lists
Automating mixer parameters 391 Working with effects 391 Insert FX 391 Send FX 396 Output Busses 399 Creating an Output Bus 399 Deleting an Output Bus 401 Recording a sub-mix onto an audio track 402 Parallel Channels 403 Creating Parallel Channels 403 Deleting Parallel Channels 406 Naming Parallel Channels 406 Solo, Mute and Send FX logic 407 Saving Songs 425 Saving a Song 425 Saving and optimizing a Song 426 Including Song Information 426 About Self-Contained Songs 427 Making a Song appear as a Templat
Sampling 451 The Sample buttons 451 Sampling procedure 451 The Song Samples location 454 Remote - Playing and Controlling Devices 491 About the various MIDI inputs 492 Editing samples 456 The Edit Sample window 456 Setting Sample Start and End 458 Cropping samples 460 Normalizing samples 460 Reversing samples 460 Fading in/out samples 461 Looping samples 462 Saving edited samples 464 Renaming samples 464 Sample management 465 About Assigned and Unassigned samples 465 Saving samples in a song 466 Deleting
How does it work? 510 Terminology 511 About system requirements 511 About synchronization 511 Launching and quitting applications 511 Using the Transport and Tempo controls 512 Routing audio 512 Preparations in Reason 512 Routing in the ReWire host application 513 Optimizing Performance 523 Introduction 524 Checking Processing Power 524 Optimization and latency reduction 524 About Latency Compensation 525 Optimizing your computer system 526 Optimizing Songs 528 RAM requirements 530 Routing MIDI via ReW
Adding devices using drag and drop 544 Adding devices using copy/paste 545 Adding a Combi to a Combi 545 Combining two Combis 545 Combining devices in a Combi with devices in the rack 545 The Line Mixer 6:2 565 Combi handling 545 The Auxiliary Return section 566 Moving the entire Combi 545 Moving devices within a Combi 546 Moving devices out of a Combi 546 Deleting devices in a Combi 546 Uncombining devices 546 Sequencer tracks and playing Combis 546 Introduction 566 Channel parameters 566 Master lev
Filter Keyboard Track (Kbd) 586 Filter 2 587 LFO 1 620 Envelope sections 621 Global section 622 Envelopes - General 588 Amplitude Envelope 589 Filter Envelope 589 Mod Envelope 590 Modulation bus routing section 624 Step Sequencer 633 Basic operation 633 LFO Section 591 LFO 1 Parameters 591 LFO 2 Parameters 592 Connections 637 Play Parameters 593 Velocity Control 593 Pitch Bend and Modulation Wheels 594 Legato 595 Retrig 595 Portamento (Time) 595 Setting Number of Voices - Polyphony 596 About the Low B
Sequencer Control 661 Gate Input 662 Modulation Input 662 Modulation Output 662 NN-19 synth parameters 676 The Oscillator Section 676 The Filter Section 677 Envelope Section 678 LFO Section 679 Routing external audio to the filters 663 Play Parameters 681 NN-19 Sampler 665 Introduction 666 General sampling principles 666 Background 666 Multisampling vs.
Overview of the Remote Editor panel 695 The Key Map display 695 Sample parameters 696 Group parameters 696 Synth Parameters 697 Using Automap 716 About Samples and Zones 697 Layered, crossfaded and velocity switched sounds 717 Selections and Edit Focus 698 Creating layered sounds 717 About velocity ranges 717 Setting velocity range for a Zone 719 About Crossfading Between Zones 719 Setting crossfading for a Zone 721 Selecting Zones 699 Moving Edit Focus 701 Adjusting parameters 701 Adjusting Synth pa
Dr. Octo Rex Loop Player 739 ReCycled Loops 740 Envelope section 758 LFO section 759 Pitch Bend Range 760 Setting number of voices - polyphony 761 Audio Quality settings 761 About REX file formats 741 Connections 761 Introduction 740 Loading and saving Dr. Octo Rex patches 741 About the Dr. Octo Rex patch format 741 About opening songs that previously used Dr.
Using Redrum as a sound module 780 Connections 781 Kong Drum Designer 783 Introduction 784 Overview 784 The Pad Section 784 The Drum Control Panel 785 The Drum and FX Section 785 About using custom backdrops 785 About file formats 785 The FX modules 815 Using CV modulation of Bus FX and Master FX parameters 815 Drum Room Reverb 816 Transient Shaper 816 Compressor 817 Filter 818 Parametric EQ 818 Ring Modulator 819 Rattler 820 Tape Echo 820 Overdrive/Resonator 821 Connections 822 Sequencer Control 822 Mo
The MClass Effects 837 The MClass effects 838 The MClass Equalizer 839 The MClass Stereo Imager 840 The MClass Compressor 841 The MClass Maximizer 844 Line 6 Amps 845 Introduction 846 About the Amp Tones patch format 846 Basic usage 846 Front panel 847 Using the Line 6 Amps 848 Selecting Patches (Amp Tones) 848 Selecting Amp and Cabinet model 849 About the Amp/Cabinet models 850 Amp Parameters 850 Additional parameters 850 Additional Line 6 Amp Models 851 Connections 852 Parameters 862 Common effect devi
Methods and Tips 884 Playing the Alligator live 884 Playing the gates from Matrix patterns 884 Controlling other sounds and effects 884 The Color section 906 The Modulation section 907 The Output section 908 CV/Gate inputs 909 RV7000 Mk II Advanced Reverb 887 Overview 888 About the Patch format 888 Connections 888 The main panel 889 The Remote Programmer 889 The Breakout Jacks 909 Tips and Tricks 910 Using the Roll function 910 Creating “pitched” delay 910 Distorted external feedback 910 BV512 Vocoder
Overview and basic concepts 931 Sections overview 931 The display 932 Setting up for pitch processing 932 Setting up for pitch processing of recorded audio tracks 932 Setting up for pitch processing of “live” audio 933 Half-Rack Effects 953 Common effect device features 954 DDL-1 Digital Delay Line 956 CF-101 Chorus/Flanger 957 Using pitch correction 933 Spider Audio Merger & Splitter 959 Basic settings for pitch correction 934 Using automatic pitch correction 935 Using manual pitch correction 939 Spi
Example usage 989 Using the Matrix for modulation 989 Programming “Acid Style” lead lines 990 Triggering samples 990 Preferences – Advanced 1044 Preferences - Language (Windows only) 1046 Create menu 1047 Options menu 1048 RPG-8 Arpeggiator 991 Window menu (Windows version) 1052 Introduction 992 Window menu (Mac OS X version) 1054 Using the RPG-8 993 Help menu 1056 Setting up 993 Recording MIDI note data for the RPG-8 - simple tutorial 995 Rendering arpeggio notes to track 997 RPG-8 Parameters 998
Chapter 1 Introduction
Welcome! This is the Operation Manual for Propellerhead’s Reason Version 8.3 music production software. The information in this manual is also available as html files in the on-line Reason Help system. If you haven’t already, don’t forget to check out the Video Tutorials web site, which can be accessed from the Reason Help menu. Also, be sure to regularly check out the Propellerhead web site at www.propellerheads.
References to context menus Whenever the manual instructs you to select an item from the “context menu”, it means that you should right-click (or [Ctrl]-click if you’re using a Mac with single-button mouse) on the specific area, section or device, and then select the item from the pop-up menu that appears - the context menu. The item list in context menus varies depending on where in the application you click. See “Context menus” for an overview of the context menus in Reason.
The Authorization system Reason uses an authorization system designed to be as flexible as possible, while at the same time providing the best possible copy protection for the product. Here's how it works: • The core of the authorization system is your license number, which is registered to your user account on the Propellerhead web site. • If you have a working Internet connection you can run Reason with Internet Verification.
Running Reason with Internet Verification When you launch Reason on an unauthorized computer, or without an authorized Ignition Key hardware connected, the following window appears: ! Note that this procedure requires a working Internet connection (and that your Reason license has been registered to your user account as described in “Registering Reason”). D Enter the User name and Password for your Propellerhead account and click the Log in button. Reason launches in Authorized Mode.
2. Click on the “More Options” link. Your default web browser starts up and takes you to the More Options page on the Propellerhead web site, where the whole authorization process is described in detail. 3. Follow the link on the web page to download and install Codemeter. If you are updating from a previous version of Reason, you may already have Codemeter installed on your computer. However, it's a good idea to download and install the latest version of the Codemeter driver. 4.
Running Reason in Demo Mode If you don't have a Reason license, or if you don’t have an authorized computer or your optional Ignition Key hardware at hand and don’t have a working Internet connection, you can run Reason in Demo Mode: 1. Launch Reason. The following window appears: 2. Click on the "Demo Mode" button. Reason launches in Demo Mode.
Reassigning the Function Keys in Mac OS X When you work with Reason, you will do a lot of navigating between the three main areas - the main mixer, the rack and the sequencer. The quickest way to switch between these areas is to use the function keys F5, F6 and F7 (see “Navigating between the areas” for details). Also, the F2, F3, F4 and F8 keys are shortcuts for showing and hiding the Spectrum EQ window, Browser, On-screen Piano Keys window and the Tool Window, respectively.
4. Scroll down to the "Turn VoiceOver on or off" item in the Accessibility group and either remove the tick from the checkbox or assign it to another keyboard shortcut. 5. Now, you’re finished with the settings and can close the “Keyboard” window. From now on, the function keys and keyboard shortcuts will perform their intended functions in Reason. About automatic program updates As from Version 8.2, Reason supports automatic program updates.
If you click “Download” the update is downloaded and prepared for installation. A download progress bar appears in the update bar: D If you want to abort the download, click “Cancel”. D If you want to hide the download progress bar, click “Hide”. When the download is ready, two options are available: 32 D Click “Restart and Install Now” to install the update and launch the updated version of Reason.
Chapter 2 Common Operations and Concepts
About this chapter This chapter gives a basic overview of the Reason application and describes general methods and techniques employed throughout the Propellerhead Reason software. It also explains the terminology used throughout the program, manuals and help files. Areas, windows and basic navigation Song window overview Main Mixer Rack Sequencer Browser Transport Panel A Reason Song window with its Browser, Main Mixer, Rack and Sequencer areas.
The Browser The Browser to the left in the Song window (and also in the Rack window, if the Rack is detached) features shortcuts for creating devices, loading patches and songs, and sample management functions. By pressing [F3] you can toggle between Show and Hide Browser. The Browser with the Instruments palette selected. • See “About using the Browser in the detached rack” and “Creating devices” for information on how to use the “Device” functions.
Channel Strip Navigator The Main Mixer Mixer scrollbar The Main Mixer with the Fader sections currently scrolled into view. In the Main Mixer, all channel strips of the Reason song are visible. You can scroll vertically in the Main Mixer by clicking and dragging inside the frame in the Channel Strip Navigator to the right. This way you will be able to access all channel strip parameters.
The Rack Rack Navigator The Rack with two rack columns next to each other, and the Rack Navigator to the right. In the Rack, all instruments, effects and mixer channel devices of the Reason song are visible. You can scroll vertically and horizontally in the Rack by clicking and dragging the frame in the Rack Navigator. You could also click anywhere outside the frame in the Rack Navigator to immediately jump to the desired position.
The Sequencer Toolbar Track scrollbar Ruler Track List Edit/Arrangement Pane Song Navigator The Sequencer with a number of recorded audio tracks. To the left in the Sequencer, all tracks in the Reason song are listed in the Track List. By clicking on a track in the Track List you select the track for playback from a connected MIDI master keyboard and/or for recording. At the top to the left is the Toolbar, with various sequencer editing tools.
The Transport Panel At the bottom of the Reason Song window is the sequencer Transport Panel. From here you control the sequencer transport functions, such as Rewind, Fast Forward, Stop, Play and Record. You can also set Tempo and Time Signature and various other parameters. The Transport Panel is always available together with the Sequencer. If you have detached the Rack, a duplicate of the Transport Panel will be also present in the Rack window.
Navigating between the areas By using the functions keys [F5], [F6] and [F7] you can quickly and easily navigate between the Main Mixer, Rack and Sequencer areas of the Reason window. D Press [F5] to toggle between a maximized Main Mixer area and the previous view. D Press [F6] to toggle between a maximized Rack area and the previous view. D Press [F7] to toggle between a maximized Sequencer area and the previous view.
The Tool Window The Tool Window is a floating window which features two tabs that contain functions for editing in the sequencer and for editing grooves for the ReGroove mixer. The Tool Window can be accessed from the Window menu. D Open the Tool Window by selecting “Show Tool Window” from the Window menu. Alternatively, press [F8]. The [F8] key can be used for toggling between showing and hiding the Tool Window. The Tool Window.
The On-screen Piano Keys window The On-screen Piano Keys floating window features a virtual keyboard which lets you play instrument devices without needing to have a MIDI master keyboard connected to your computer. The On-screen Piano Keys window can be accessed from the Window menu. D Open the On-screen Piano Keys window by pressing [F4], or by clicking the “Keys” button to the left on the Transport Panel. Alternatively, select “Show On-screen Piano Keys” from the Window menu.
General window techniques Resizing Adjustable headers in the Reason Song window. Between each area in the Reason Song window are gray headers that separate the areas from each other. Some of the headers can be adjusted, making it possible to resize the areas. The horizontal dividers between the Main Mixer and Rack, and between the Rack and Sequencer can be adjusted, as well as the vertical dividers between the Browser and the other areas - and the divider to the left of the Rack Navigator in the Rack.
Scrolling Reason offers a few different options for scrolling in the different areas. Scrolling with the Navigators and scrollbars Navigators/scrollbars in a Reason Song window. Whenever there is information “outside” the visible screen area, you may want to scroll to the desired destination. The Reason Song window features a number of Navigators that can be used for scrolling. Navigators are present in the Main Mixer, in the Rack and in the Sequencer.
Scrolling with the Hand tool Scrolling with the Hand tool in the Rack. In the Rack and Sequencer, you can also use the Hand tool for scrolling the view. 1. In the Rack, place the pointer on either of the wooden side panels of a rack column. The pointer will switch to a hand symbol. 2. Click and drag the rack vertically and/or horizontally to scroll in the rack, as shown in the picture above. If you are using only a single rack column, it’s only possible to scroll vertically.
Waveform Zoom Mode D Choose between three zoom modes for the audio recording(s) inside all Audio Clips. Using the Small Waveform Zoom Mode is especially useful if you have recorded with the Clip Safe function (see “Recording using the Clip Safe function in Propellerhead Balance”) where the dynamic range can be quite wide. ! The zoom modes only affect the visual presentation of the waveform, not the audio levels.
D Press [Shift] and spin the scroll wheel to scroll horizontally in the Rack. Note that the Rack must have at least two rack columns next to each other for this to work. Scrolling in the Sequencer with a wheel mouse D Spin the scroll wheel to scroll vertically on the Edit/Arrangement Pane. D Press [Shift] and spin the scroll wheel to scroll horizontally on the Edit/Arrangement Pane. ! Note that scrolling horizontally cannot be done when the Song Navigator frame is fully expanded.
Faders and sliders D To move a fader or slider, click on the handle and drag in the fader/slider direction. D You can also click anywhere on the fader/slider to instantly move the handle to that position. D If you press [Shift] and drag, the fader/slider will move more slowly, allowing for higher precision. D To reset a fader/slider to its default value (usually zero, 100, center pan or similar), press [Ctrl](Win) or [Cmd](Mac) and click on the fader/slider handle.
Fold/Unfold buttons Fold/Unfold buttons are distinguished by a small triangle at the top to the left on a device. Clicking on a Fold/Unfold button will unfold the device panel so that more controls are visible and can be accessed for editing on the screen. On some devices, such as the RV7000 Advanced Reverb, there are more than one Fold/Unfold button.
Numerical controls In Reason devices, numerical values are often displayed in numerical displays with “spin controls” (up/down arrow buttons) on the side. Some parameter values, such as oscillator and LFO waveforms, are displayed graphically in the displays. There are two ways of changing values in these types of controls: or D By using the up and down buttons on the spin controls. To adjust a value in single steps, click on its up or down arrow button.
Numerical segment displays In the numerical segment displays on the sequencer Transport Panel and in the sequencer Inspector, values can be edited in a number of different ways. The editing principle is exactly the same for the Transport Panel and Inspector displays, which is shown in the two examples below. Transport Panel segment displays The segment displays of the Transport Panel can be edited as shown in the following Tempo display examples.
Inspector segment displays The segment displays in the Inspector can be edited as shown in the following Position display examples. The Position display segments show (from left to right) Bars, Beats, 1/16th Note and Ticks: Click the up/down buttons to change the value in steps of 1 Bar (the leftmost segment). Click in the display to select either the Bar, Beat, 1/16th note or Ticks segment. Then, click the up/down buttons to change the value of the selected segment in steps of 1 unit.
Context menus Context menus are “tailored” to contain only menu items that are relevant to the current circumstances. Using the various context menus allows you to work more quickly and more efficiently with Reason. D To bring up a context menu, right-click (Win) or [Ctrl]-click (Mac) on the desired object, section or area in Reason.
Device context menus If you click anywhere on a device in the Rack (but not on a parameter or display), the context menu will contain the following items: The Mixer 14:2 device panel context menu • Cut, Copy, Paste, Delete and Duplicate Device and Track items, allowing you to rearrange and manage the devices in the rack. • Commands for managing Device Groups. • A duplicate of the Create menu, allowing you to create new devices. • A “Go To” submenu, listing all devices connected to the current device.
Main Mixer channel strip context menu If you click anywhere on a channel strip in the Main Mixer (but not on a parameter or display), the context menu will contain the following items: The Channel Strip context menu. • Cut, Copy, Paste, Delete and Duplicate Channels and Track items, allowing you to rearrange and manage the channel strips in the Main Mixer. • Commands for managing Device Groups.
• The “Lock Control Surface to this Device” lets you lock a connected control surface to the selected channel strip. • The “Channel Color” item lets you select color for the Main Mixer channel strip (and the associated Sequencer Track, if the selected channel has a track in the sequencer). Rack “background” context menu If you click in an empty area of the rack, the context menu will contain the following items: • A Paste Devices and Tracks item, allowing you to paste any copied or cut devices and tracks.
Undo and Redo Virtually all actions in Reason can be undone. This includes creation, deletion and reordering of devices in the rack, parameter value adjustments, recording and editing in the sequencer etc. You can undo hundreds of actions. D To undo the latest action, select “Undo” from the Edit menu, or hold down [Ctrl](Win) or [Cmd](Mac) and press [Z]. The action to be undone is indicated next to the Undo command on the Edit menu.
Selecting Undo again undoes the next action in the list (the panning adjustment): | UNDO | REDO 3. Adjust Attack 2. Create Synth Device 4. Change pan 1. Create Mixer Device 5. Adjust tempo If you now select Redo, the most recently undone action will be redone. In this case, your panning adjustment will be performed again (and added to the Undo History again): | UNDO | REDO 4. Change pan 3. Adjust Attack 2. Create Synth Device 1. Create Mixer Device 5.
Chapter 3 On-screen Piano Keys
About this chapter This chapter describes the functions of the On-screen Piano Keys window. The On-screen Piano Keys window enables you to play instrument devices using either your mouse or computer keyboard. This provides a simple and convenient way to input notes or chords when using the program without an attached MIDI master keyboard.
The Keyboard Navigator This is present in both modes and shows the total key range. The green area indicates the key range available in the On-screen Piano Keys window. Keyboard Navigator Keys that produce sound are indicated by a gray strip above the keyboard in the Keyboard Navigator. This is useful when playing a patch where only certain keys or key ranges produce sound, e.g. a REX file or a sampler patch.
D The keys are velocity sensitive. The higher up on the key you click, the lower the velocity and vice versa. The velocity range is between 40 and 127. Velocity=40 Velocity=127 Low and high note velocities. D The keyboard octave range can be set using the arrow buttons at each side of the navigator keyboard. Each C key is labeled with the octave number. You can also simply drag the green key range area to where you want. It will snap to octave ranges.
D In Computer Keys Mode you can play notes and chords using your computer keyboard. The Computer Keys keyboard range is fixed to 18 notes (from C to F), although the octave range will give you access to any notes within the ten octaves shown in the navigator. You can also click on the keys with your mouse to trigger notes. The numerical keys in the top row are not used to enter notes but to set velocity, see “Velocity”.
Velocity Variation This feature will randomly vary the velocity values for the notes you enter. There are four modes; None (default), Light, Medium and Heavy. The degree of velocity variation is as follows.
Chapter 4 Audio Basics
About this chapter This chapter contains some useful information about how audio is handled by Reason and how the audio is routed. Some of it may seem a bit technical, but we recommend that you read it to get the most out of Reason. How Reason communicates with your audio hardware Reason receives, generates and plays back digital audio - a stream of numerical values in the form of ones and zeroes.
Manual audio routing In most cases, you will want to have the Main Mixer Master Section device connected to outputs 1 and 2 of the Hardware Interface. This connection is made automatically as soon as you create a new Song document. However, there might be situations where you want to manually route audio to other outputs of the Hardware Interface. For example if you want to use the Control Room Outputs of the Main Mixer (see “Control Room output section”).
Audio settings Sample rate and resolution are properties of digital audio which determine the quality of the sound. Generally, higher sample rate and resolution result in better audio quality (but also larger audio files and higher demands on computer performance and audio hardware). The table below shows some common sample rate/resolution combinations: | Sample rate: | Resolution: | Comment: 44.1 kHz 16 bit This is the format used on standard audio CDs. 44.
Buffer Size settings The Buffer Size can be adjusted on the Audio tab in the Preferences dialog (accessed from the Edit menu (Win) or Reason menu (Mac)): D Select Buffer Size by clicking and dragging the slider sideways. The trick here is to find the optimum relationship between audio quality, DSP Load and latency. Experiment with different Sample Rate settings in combination with different Buffer Size settings to get the best result.
Master Tune setting By default, Reason plays back a “middle A” at 440 Hz, which is the standard tuning in most instruments. However, if you are playing Reason together with other instruments, you may want to adjust the tuning: 1. Select “Preferences...” from the Edit menu (Win) or Reason menu (Mac). 2. Click the “Audio” tab. 3. Adjust the global tuning with the Master Tune slider or button controls. D If you like, you can also adjust the Master Tune during playback.
! Note that the Main Mixer Master Section Clip indicators will only work if there are no other devices connected between the Master Section device and the Hardware Interface! The “Show Big Meter” button Channel Selection buttons for the “Big Meter” Reset button Channel Selection knob for the “Big Meter” Clip indicators The Big Meter on the Hardware Interface. D To remedy Audio In clipping, adjust the level at the input source, i.e.
If you are using multiple outputs If you are using an audio interface with more than two outputs, you might want to have different devices connected to different outputs. If the Audio Out Clip indicator on the Transport Panel lights up, you should play back the section again while checking the Reason Hardware Interface. Each output socket has a level meter - if the red meter segment lights up, the output is clipping. Output 7 indicates audio clipping.
System signal paths Depending on the track types in the sequencer, the default signal chain varies. In this section we’re going to describe the default audio signal paths for Audio Tracks and Instrument Tracks. Audio Track signal paths When you’re recording and playing back audio that originates from an external source, like a guitar or a vocalist, the audio signal must first travel from the source, via a hardware audio interface, into the Reason application.
Instrument Track signal paths When you’re recording and playing back audio from an instrument device, like the ID8 Instrument device, the audio signal only has to travel only in one direction: from the Instrument device, via the hardware audio interface, to a speaker system or similar.
General information about audio and computers About latency On any personal computer system, there is a delay between the moment you input a sound, or “tell” the hardware to play a sound, and when you actually hear it. This delay is referred to as the “latency” of the design. This imposes a problem for any system where you want real-time user input to affect the sound. Why is there latency? All audio applications receive and generate their audio in chunks.
ReWire and Latency When you run Reason as a ReWire slave, it is the other program, the ReWire master, that is responsible for actually rendering the audio and playing it back via the audio card. It means that any latency is present in the ReWire master.
Chapter 5 Sequencer Functions
About this chapter This chapter describes the layout and general functions of the main sequencer. Recording, editing clips and events, arranging and working with Blocks in the sequencer are described in detail in the chapters “Recording in the Sequencer”, “Audio Editing in the Sequencer”, “Note and Automation Editing”, “Arranging in the Sequencer” and “Working with Blocks in the Sequencer”. Introduction The sequencer is where you record your songs.
Song View and Edit Mode The Song View is the “normal view” where you are working with your song arrangement. This mode gives a good overview of the contents of the tracks in your song. If the Enable Blocks function on the Options menu is active, the Blocks track is also visible at the top in the Track List. If the Enable Blocks function is off, there is no Blocks track in the Track List.
Edit Mode In Edit Mode, you get a close-up look at the recordings on a track. In Edit Mode, the Edit Pane can be divided into several horizontal edit rows, showing different types of events (notes, velocity, audio, parameter automation, etc.). This is the view mode of choice for fine editing the content of your recorded clips, and for drawing notes, performance controllers and other events manually.
Tracks overview Tracks Most rack devices in a song automatically get their own dedicated track in the sequencer when you create the device. Each track can feature one or several lanes on which audio, note, performance controller, pattern and parameter automation events can be recorded - in clips. See “Track details” for more details about tracks. ! If the Blocks button on the Transport Panel is on, the Blocks Track is also shown at the top in the Track List.
Clips overview (Single Take) Audio Clips Note Clips Automation Clips Note, audio, performance controller, pattern and parameter automation events are always contained in clips. A clip is basically a “container” for recorded data. Audio clips are displayed in the Edit/Arrange Pane as a rectangular box with one or two graphical audio waves inside (mono or stereo). Note events are displayed in a “piano roll” fashion in the clip.
Track scrollbar overview To the far right in the sequencer is the Track scrollbar. With the Track scrollbar you can scroll vertically on the Edit/ Arrange Pane. See “Scrolling” and “Zooming in the Sequencer” for more details. Song Navigator overview Below the Edit/Arrangement Pane is the Song Navigator. With the Song Navigator you can scroll and zoom horizontally on the Edit/Arrangement Pane.
Track details Track definition The tracks in the sequencer are where you record your audio, note and automation to create your songs. A track is always associated with a device in the rack (except for the Transport track and Blocks track). An icon with a picture of the associated device is shown in the Track List on the left hand side in the sequencer. In the Track List, the name of the associated device is shown, as well as icons and buttons related to the specific track.
The relationship between the track, the rack and the Main Mixer A track in the sequencer is always associated with a device in the rack; i.e. there can never be a sequencer track without an associated rack device (except for the Transport track and Blocks track). Audio Track devices and Mix Channel devices in the rack also have their corresponding channel strips in the Main Mixer. Mixer channel strips can be considered “remote controls” for their corresponding rack devices.
Audio track relationships Audio Track Channel strip An audio track is always associated with an Audio Track device in the rack and its corresponding Audio Track channel strip in the Main Mixer. An Audio Track device can also house insert effects. Control Audio Track device Audio and mixer automation Audio Track In the figure above, the audio track is associated with the Audio Track device in the rack, which in turn is controlled from the Audio Track channel strip in the Main Mixer.
Instrument track relationships (for internal instruments) ID8 Mix Channel strip An instrument track is always associated with an instrument device in the rack. The instrument device in the rack is, in most situations, connected to a Mix Channel device in the rack. The Mix Channel device in the rack is controlled from the corresponding channel strip in the Main Mixer. A Mix Channel device can also house insert effects.
Instrument track relationships (for external MIDI instruments) If you want to control an external MIDI instrument from the Reason sequencer you have to use the External MIDI Instrument device (“External MIDI Instrument”). The device works as a MIDI router in which you can define which MIDI Out Port and MIDI Channel you want the MIDI signals to be sent to from Reason. Since there is no internal audio involved in this setup, there is no Audio Track device or Mix Channel device present in the configuration.
Automation (non-instrument) track relationships Mix Channel strip A pure automation track is always associated with a “non-instrument” device, i.e. a device which can’t receive MIDI Note information. Consequently, an automation track can only consist of parameter automation lanes. Examples of non-instrument devices are Mix Channel devices with their corresponding Mix Channel strips, effect devices, mixer devices and Spider Merger & Splitter devices.
Master Keyboard Input The standard way of routing MIDI from a connected MIDI master keyboard or control surface to a device in the rack is to set the Master Keyboard Input in the sequencer. When MIDI is routed to a selected track in the sequencer, the notes and controller data are automatically echoed to the associated device in the rack. However, it is also possible to set Master Keyboard Input from the rack, see “Playing devices from the rack”.
The relationship between tracks, lanes, clips and events A track is the top level in the sequencer Track List hierarchy. A track can consist of one or several parallel lanes. A lane can contain clips, which in turn can contain audio recordings, note events, performance controller events, parameter automation events or pattern events, depending on track type. Clip Lane Lane Clip Track Clip Clip Lane Lane Note Events An instrument track with four note lanes featuring clips with note events.
• Audio tracks An audio track can only have a single audio lane containing clips with mono or stereo audio recordings. However, each audio clip can contain several recordings, i.e. different "takes". You can view and comp these takes in the Comp Editor. See “Audio Editing in the Sequencer” for more details. An audio track can also have parameter automation lanes containing automation for the Audio Track Channel strip parameters in the Main Mixer.
Track List elements In the picture below, a Track List with four different tracks is shown. From the top down are the Transport Track (which is always present and cannot be moved or deleted), an Audio Track associated with an Audio Track device, an Instrument Track associated with an ID8 Instrument device and an Automation Track associated with the Mix Channel device.
1. Hold down [Ctrl](Win) or [Cmd](Mac) and press [T]. Alternatively, select “Create Audio Track” from the “Create” menu or from the context menu in the Track List, rack or Main Mixer. D Alternatively, double click the Audio Track device in the Utilities palette in the Browser. 2. An audio track is created in the sequencer and the associated Audio Track device is created in the rack. The Audio Track device’s channel strip is created in the Main Mixer.
Creating an instrument track To create an instrument track, you need only create the instrument device. An instrument track is automatically created when you create a device which can receive MIDI notes: 1. Drag and drop or double click the desired instrument device from the Instruments palette in the Browser. D Alternatively, select the desired instrument type from the “Create” menu.
Creating a parameter automation track for a non-instrument device For non-instrument devices, such as effects devices and Mix Channel devices, you need to manually create a track if you want to record parameter automation. You can do that either by following the description below or by following either of the two last descriptions in “Creating/adding parameter automation lanes”.
Short-cut for creating a Mix Channel track or Audio track A faster way of creating a track for a Mix Channel device, or to create a new audio track (if you deleted the original one), is to go via the corresponding mixer channel strips in the Main Mixer: 1. Scroll to the Main Mixer and locate the channel strip you want to create a track for. 2. [Shift]-click the SEQ (Goto Sequencer Track) button at the bottom of the channel strip.
Moving tracks D To move a track to another position in the Track List, click on the track handle (the leftmost area of the track) and drag the track up or down. A red insertion line is shown, indicating where the track will be placed after releasing the mouse button. All clips on all lanes of the track will be moved along with the track. You can use the same technique to move several selected tracks at once. Use standard [Shift]-select or use [Ctrl](Win) or [Cmd](Mac) to select non-adjacent tracks.
! If you delete an audio track, all recordings on that track will be removed! If you have deleted a track for a device and want to create a new track for the device, follow the descriptions in “Creating a parameter automation track for a non-instrument device” or “Short-cut for creating a Mix Channel track or Audio track”. Duplicating/copying tracks and devices As it is not possible for a specific instance of a device to have more than one track, you cannot copy or duplicate only a track.
Coloring tracks A track can be assigned a color in the sequencer as follows: D To assign a new color to a selected track, select “Track Color” from the Edit menu or from the track’s context menu and then select color from the palette. The track color is shown in the track background in the Track List. The associated Audio Track device or Mix Channel device in the rack and its corresponding channel strip in the Main Mixer will also be assigned the new color.
D Basic clip operations (selecting, moving, copying etc.) are available also for folded tracks, although it is generally better to unfold a track if you want to edit its contents, as this gives you a better overview. D To fold/unfold all tracks in the sequencer in one go, press [Alt](Win) or [Option](Mac) and click on a track handle triangle. q It’s also possible to fold/unfold only the parameter automation lanes on a track by clicking the triangle on the parameter automation tab.
Lane details A track consists of one (default) or several parallel lanes. Depending on track type, the clips on the lanes can contain various types of events. A lane can also contain clips with performance controller and parameter automation events or pattern selection for pattern based devices. Audio lane Audio Lane The audio lane is not distinguished by a separate lane tab in the Track List like the other lane types. This is simply because an audio track can only have a single audio lane.
• Select Audio Input drop-down list To the right of the Tuner button is the Select Audio Input drop-down list. Here, you select which audio input(s) to use for the track. See “Selecting audio input(s) and defining mono or stereo” for more info. • Input Meter The Input Meter shows the level(s) of the input signal(s). If the selected audio input is mono, the Input Meter displays a single LED bar. If the audio input is in stereo, the Input Meter displays two parallel LED bars.
• Record Enable button Below the note lane name is the “Record Enable” button. Make sure this button is on (red) before recording on the lane. By default, the “Record Enable” button on the latest created/added note lane is automatically activated when you select an instrument track. • Groove Select drop-down list To the right of the “Record Enable” button is the “Groove Select” drop-down list. Here you can select a ReGroove channel for all clips on the lane.
• M (Mute) button Clicking the “M” button will mute the parameter automation playback from the lane. Muting a parameter automation lane will freeze whatever value the parameter had when you muted the lane. Deactivating the Mute button reactivates the automation. • Delete Automation Lane (X) button To the far right is the “Delete Automation Lane” (X) button. Clicking this button will delete the lane (and all clips on it). If there are clips on the lane, a dialog appears prompting you to confirm deletion.
Creating/adding lanes Adding note lanes You can add additional note lanes on an instrument track. This can be useful under the following circumstances: • If you want to overdub notes or performance automation but don’t want to record in existing clips. • If you want to record a series of takes on separate note lanes, to later decide which take is the “best” (or to edit together a composite).
Creating/adding parameter automation lanes Parameter automation lanes can be created for all track types. • During recording of a track, changing any parameter values on the device/channels strip will automatically create a new parameter automation lane for each unique parameter. See “Recording parameter automation” for more details.
Deleting lanes Deleting note lanes A note lane can be deleted as follows: D Click the “Delete Note Lane” (X) button on the lane tab in the Track List. This will delete the lane (and all clips on it). If there are clips on the lane, a dialog appears prompting you to confirm deletion. D To delete the lane without the dialog, hold down [Ctrl](Win) or [Cmd](Mac) and click the Delete Note Lane button.
Deleting pattern lanes There are two ways of deleting a pattern lane: D Click the “Delete Pattern Lane” (X) button on the lane tab in the Track List. This will delete the lane (and all clips on it). If there are clips on the lane, a dialog appears prompting you to confirm deletion. D To delete the lane without the dialog, hold down [Ctrl](Win) or [Cmd](Mac) and click the Delete Pattern Lane button.
Muting lanes Muting a note lane D To mute a note lane, click its “M” (Mute) button. The note lane’s “M” (Mute) button. Muting a parameter automation lane D To mute a parameter automation lane, click its “M” (Mute) button. The parameter automation lane’s “M” (Mute) button. Clip basics Only the basic properties and functions pertaining to clips are described here. See “Arranging in the Sequencer” for in-depth details about what you can do with clips.
Toolbar details The Sequencer Toolbar can be found to the top left in the Sequencer Area. From the Sequencer Toolbar you can select various sequencer editing tools. Toolbar tools Selection Tool The Selection (arrow) Tool is the main tool for selecting and moving tracks, note lanes, clips and events and recordings in clips. It’s also used for resizing clips and events in clips. It is selected by default when a song is opened.
D You can also select the Razor Tool by pressing [R] on the computer keyboard. D Press [Alt](Win) or [Cmd](Mac) to momentarily switch from the Razor Tool to the Pencil Tool - or to the Selection Tool when editing an open audio clip on the Edit Pane. Mute Tool The Mute Tool is used for muting clips in the arrangement - or lanes in Block automation clips (see “Muting lanes in Block Automation Clips”). D You can also select the Mute Tool by pressing [T] on the computer keyboard.
D You can also select the Magnifying Glass Tool by pressing [Y] on the computer keyboard. D Press [Alt](Win) or [Cmd](Mac) to momentarily switch from the Magnifying Glass Tool to the Hand Tool. q It’s also possible to zoom in the Arrangement Pane by using the Sequencer Area Navigators and Zoom To Selection function as described in “Zooming in the Sequencer” and “Zooming to selection”. Hand Tool The Hand Tool is used for scrolling in the Edit/Arrangement Pane.
| Selected tool | Alternate Mute tool Razor tool Magnifying Glass tool Hand tool tool Hand tool + Magnifying Glass tool Hand tool - Magnifying Glass tool by pressing [Alt]-[Ctrl](Win) or [Option]-[Cmd](Mac) Snap The Snap function in the sequencer toolbar is used for “restricting” editing of clips and events to a user-selectable note value grid. When moving clips or events, the Snap function always works relative to the original position(s) of the clip(s) or event(s).
• Nudging clips, events and recording. When you nudge clips, events or recordings with Snap activated, they will keep their relative distance to the Snap value positions. • Creating Comp Row cuts The Snap value determines the absolute grid to which you could add cuts in open Comp audio clips. • Creating and Moving Slice Markers The Snap value determines the absolute grid to which you could add and move Slice Markers in open Single Take audio clips.
You can change the positions of the Song Position Pointer, Locators and Marker in the Ruler by clicking and dragging them to desired positions in the Ruler. Note that you have to click and drag the “flags” in the Ruler - not the lines. The Song Position Pointer and Loop Locators can also be moved by typing in new positions in the respective Position displays in the Sequencer Transport Panel (see “Song Position” and “Left and Right Locator Positions”).
Song Position The current song position is shown in the display. The song position is where the Song Position Pointer in the Ruler (see Ruler details) is at the moment. The display is divided into Bars, Beats, 1/16th Note and Ticks (there are 240 Ticks for each 16th note) segments. You can edit the position of the Song Position Pointer, and thus change the song playback position, according to the descriptions in “Transport Panel segment displays”.
Tap Tempo Instead of setting the Tempo with the Tempo control (see above), you can manually tap in the desired tempo in realtime. D Click the Tap button repeatedly to set desired sequencer tempo. The tempo is defined by averaging the time between a minimum of two clicks and a maximum of 16 clicks. The more clicks, the more “steady” the tempo. The time-out between two series of clicks is 2 seconds. The detectable tap tempo range is 30-999.999 BPM.
Dub and Alt Clicking on any of these buttons will add additional audio tracks or note lanes for overdub purposes. Refer to “Overdubbing audio using the “Dub” function” and “Recording notes using the “Dub” and “Alt” functions” for more details about these functions. Loop On/Off D Click the Loop button or press [L] to activate the Loop function. When the loop function is activated, recording and playback will be continuously looped between the Left and Right Locators.
| Function | Key command Tempo down [-] on the numeric keypad Loop On/Off [/] on the numeric keypad or [L] Click On/Off [C] or [9] on the numeric keypad Pre-count On/Off [Ctrl](Win) or [Cmd](Mac)+[P] Set the Left and Right Loop Locators to [Ctrl](Win) or [Cmd](Mac)+[L] encompass selected clips. Set the Left and Right Loop Locators to [P] encompass selected clips and start playback in Loop Mode.
About the Inspector Inspector (context sensitive) The Inspector, located above the Edit/Arrangement Pane, can be used for a number of different editing purposes pertaining to clips, events and recordings. The Inspector is context sensitive, meaning it will have different content and functionality depending on what is currently selected.
SEQUENCER FUNCTIONS
Chapter 6 Recording in the Sequencer
About this chapter This chapter describes the different recording techniques that you can use in Reason. The chapter covers both audio, notes and parameter automation recording. Before you read this chapter, it’s recommended that you are familiar with the basic sequencer functions and definitions described in the “Sequencer Functions” chapter. A lot of functions are common for all types of recording methods. These will be described first in this chapter.
Record enabling an audio track Record Enable button (On) D To record enable an audio track, click on the Record Enable button on the audio track. The Record Enable button goes red.
Record enabling an instrument track Record Enable Parameter Automation button Record Enable buttons D To record enable an instrument track, click on the Record Enable button on a note lane on the instrument track. The Record Enable button lights up red and the track has Master Keyboard Input.
Record enabling several instrument tracks If you have locked additional MIDI keyboard controllers to specific instrument devices in the rack (see “Locking a surface” in the Remote chapter), the corresponding tracks for all these locked devices are automatically record enabled - if the Manual Rec button in the Track List is Off, see “About the Manual Rec function”.
Record enabling parameter automation Parameter automation can be recorded on all track types, on one track at a time or on multiple tracks simultaneously. Record Enable Parameter Automation button D Click on the Record Enable Parameter Automation button(s) on the desired track(s) in the Track List to enable parameter automation recording. All tracks enabled for parameter automation recording will be indicated by red Record Enable Parameter Automation buttons.
D Select the number of pre-count bars by choosing “Number of Precount Bars” in the Options menu. You can choose between 1 to 4 bars. Selecting number of pre-count bars. q Feel free to experiment with different pre-count settings. For up-tempo (faster) songs it’s generally more convenient to have a little longer pre-count (3 or 4 bars) whereas for slower songs it’s often sufficient with 1-2 bars. Click Level Click Level slider.
Loop mode In loop mode, the song is automatically looped between the Left and Right Loop Locators on the Edit/Arrangement Pane during playback and/or recording: Loop mode activated by clicking the Loop button on the Transport Panel. The behavior when recording in loop mode differs depending on what you’re recording - audio, MIDI or parameter automation. Refer to “Recording audio in Loop mode”, “Recording notes in Loop mode” and “Recording parameter automation in Loop mode”.
General recording procedure The following description applies to all types of recording: audio, MIDI and parameter automation. For specific details of audio, MIDI and parameter automation recording, refer to “Recording audio”, “Recording notes”, “Recording performance controller automation” and “Recording parameter automation”. 1. If desired, select Click and/or Pre-count according to the descriptions in “Click and Pre-count”. 2.
Undoing a recording D If you’re not satisfied with the finished recording, you can select “Undo Record Track” from the Edit menu or select the clip on the Edit/Arrangement Pane and press [Delete] or [Backspace]. This will delete the clip and its contents. Undoing while recording a note clip D If you’re not satisfied with your ongoing recording of a note clip, press [Delete] or [Backspace].
Setting input level(s) Before you start recording audio on the track it’s very important to set correct input level(s). The input signal should be loud enough to minimize noise and provide high quality, but not so loud that it causes clipping and distortion. If you’re using a 24-bit audio interface (recommended), aim at having the level of the input signal around -12dB on the track Input Meter according to the picture below. For 16-bit audio interfaces you may want to raise the level another couple of dB’s.
Proceed as follows to activate the Clip Safe function: 1. Select “Mono Input” in the Audio Input drop-down list on the Audio Track and then select either “Balance 1/L” or “Balance 2/R”. The CS (Clip Safe) symbol appears to the right of the level meter on the Audio Track. 2. Press the Clip Safe button on the Propellerhead Balance front panel. The Clip Safe button on the Propellerhead Balance audio interface. A Clip Safe request signal is sent from the Balance interface to Reason.
Depending on the technical specifications and/or settings in your hardware audio interface, the latency of the monitored input could become a problem. If this is the case, it’s probably better to monitor the input signal before it reaches the Reason program, i.e. directly on the external audio interface/mixer/preamp.
The Recording Meter Window The main purpose of the Recording Meter floating window is to provide a good overview of recording levels and/or tuner values when you are located some distance away from the computer screen. The Recording Meter mirrors the information from the input level meter and Tuner of the currently selected record enabled Audio Track. D Toggle the Recording Meter window on and off by selecting “Show/Hide Recording Meter” from the Windows menu.
Recording audio ! To minimize the song saving time, we strongly recommend saving the song before recording many or large audio recordings. 1. Set up the audio track according to the descriptions in “Setting up the audio track”. 2. Record the track according to the descriptions in “General recording procedure”. 3.
! We recommend that you aim at -12dB maximum recording level, even if you are using the Clip Safe function. Recording high input levels will result in very loud audio on the track, which could be problematic to mix with the rest of the instrument tracks in your song. When the Clip Safe function is active, the Input Meter on the Audio Track, as well as the level meter in the Recording Meter window get their red LEDs replaced by yellow ones.
Recording audio in Loop mode Recording audio in Loop mode is very useful if you want to record alternative takes of the same part of the song. For example, let’s say you want to sing a couple of takes of the chorus part of your song to later create the perfect chorus by selecting the best parts of the different takes. ! To minimize the song saving time, we strongly recommend saving the song before recording many or large audio recordings. Proceed as follows to record audio in Loop mode: 1.
• If the last loop cycle was recorded throughout the entire clip length, the clip opens for editing inline. If so, open the clip in the Comp Editor by clicking the “Open in Comp Edit” button in the Track List. Otherwise, it opens in the Comp Editor right away.
D Select the audio track you want to duplicate and then click the “New Alt” button on the Transport Panel. This will create a new audio track with a duplicate of the original audio track settings, including the channel strip settings (with insert etc.). Now, you can continue recording on the new audio track as described in “Recording audio” and “Recording audio in Loop mode”. Afterwards, you can edit the new track completely independently of the original track.
Now, let’s double-click the clip to open it in the Comp Editor: New recording Incorporated part of the original recording The new and original recordings (takes) in Edit Mode. The new recording has incorporated bars 5-6 of the original recording. However, the original recording in bars 5-6 has been left totally unaffected. The entire original audio recording now resides on the “Take 1” Comp Row and the latest recording resides on the “Take 2” Comp Row.
3. In the rack, locate the Mix Channel device connected to the ID8 instrument device and click its “Rec Source” button. The “Rec Source” button on Mix Channel devices is used for real-time audio recording of devices connected to the Mix Channel device. The “Rec Source” button on Audio Track devices are used for real-time re-recording of audio tracks. Enabling the Rec Source button on the Mix Channel device in the rack. 4.
7. Play the master keyboard and set the input level to the audio track by adjusting the Level Fader on the ID8 1 Mix Channel strip in the mixer. Adjusting the instrument’s level to the audio track. ! A Volume setting of -0.0 dB on the instrument device and a Level Fader setting of -0.0 dB on its corresponding Mix Channel strip in the mixer is often the optimal setting to avoid audio signal clipping. As when recording external audio, it’s the track’s Input Meter that should be observed for any clipping.
3. Locate the four backing vocal Audio Track devices in the rack, or their corresponding channel strips in the mixer, and click their “Solo” buttons. The four backing vocal Audio Track devices soloed. Since we’re going to record the four backing vocal tracks through the outputs of the Master Section, we only want the backing vocal tracks to sound. All other tracks in the song should therefore be muted. 4.
6. Select the “Mixdown” track in the sequencer and click the “Rec” button on the Transport Panel to start recording the mixdown. Recording the mixdown of the four backing vocal tracks to the “Mixdown” track. q During recording, you might want to perform real-time adjustments of the backing vocal tracks’ channel strip parameters to create a “live” mix. 7. When you have recorded the mixdown, click “Stop” on the Transport Panel.
8. Before you play back the song with the mixdown track, remember to un-solo the four backing vocal Audio Track devices/channel strips. Also, mute the four original backing vocal tracks in the sequencer to avoid “double” sounds. Playing back the Mixdown track with the original backing vocal tracks muted in the sequencer. q Another alternative, if you want to record several Audio Tracks or Mix Channels onto a single audio track, is to create a sub-mixer setup - see “Output Busses”.
Note recording details Note events can be recorded for instrument devices and are contained in note clips. Performance controller events, such as Mod Wheel, Pitch Bend and Aftertouch events, can also be recorded for instrument devices, and be contained in note clips, but they are described separately in “Parameter automation recording details”.
3. Enable the Loop function by pressing [L] or by clicking the Loop On/Off button on the Transport Panel: Loop mode activated on the Transport Panel. 4. Click the L button on the Transport Panel to move the Song Position Pointer to the Left Locator. 5. Record the track according to the description in “General recording procedure”. When the Song Position Pointer has reached the Right Locator, the recording starts over from the Left Locator again and you can record additional notes.
Recording notes using the “Dub” and “Alt” functions A practical way of recording additional MIDI events on an instrument track is to use the “Dub” and “Alt” functions. The “Dub” function The “Dub” function creates additional record enabled note lanes on which you can record “overdubs”. This is the function to use when you want to add new notes in the same section of the instrument track but want the notes to end up in new clips on additional note lanes instead of in the original clip.
The “New Alt” function The “Alt” function creates additional record enabled note lanes on which you can record alternative takes. At the same time, the previous note lane will be muted. Only the most recently added note lane will play back. ! Note that if Loop is activated and the Song Position Pointer is between the Locators, the clips between the Locators will be muted (instead of the lanes).
Parameter automation recording details In Reason, you can automate virtually any device and channel strip parameters and create completely automated mixes if you like. This is done by recording parameter events in the sequencer. It’s also possible to record sequencer Tempo automation (see “Tempo automation recording”). Performance controllers vs.
Recording performance controller automation If you use any MIDI performance controllers when recording on a note lane, these are automatically added to the recorded clip. This makes sense as performance controllers are usually recorded at the same time you record notes, as a part of the performance. Standard MIDI performance controllers are Pitch Bend, Modulation Wheel, Sustain Pedal, Aftertouch, Breath Control and Expression.
q Note that you can record notes and performance controllers separately. I.e. you can first record notes on one note lane and then record performance controllers on another note lane on the same instrument track. The automation will be contained in note clips placed on a separate lane and can also be moved or muted separately. ! If several note lanes contain performance controller automation, the topmost lane has priority (see “About performance controller automation on multiple lanes”).
About performance controller automation on multiple lanes If you have several active (un-muted) note clips with performance controller automation on different lanes of the same track, and these note clips overlap position-wise, the following rule applies: • Performance controllers in clips on the topmost lane override performance controllers of the same type in other overlapping clips on lanes below: The clip on Lane 2 has Mod Wheel automation, and the clip on Lane 1 also has Mod Wheel automation - plus Pi
Parameter automation recording procedure 1. Make sure there is a sequencer track for the device you’re going to record parameter automation for. For audio track devices and for instrument devices, a sequencer track is automatically created together with the device.
Recording parameter automation over or into an existing clip Recording parameter automation events over or into an existing automation clip will simply replace the previously recorded automation events. However, If the new recording should start before the start position of the original automation clip, and expand into the original clip, the new clip will merge with the original clip. After the new clip ends, the parameter automation in the original clip will “take over”.
Adjusting automated parameters during playback - “Live mode” Even if you have automated a device/channel strip parameter, you can still “grab it” and adjust it during playback, overriding the recorded automation: 1. During playback, adjust an automated parameter. The Automation Override indicator lights up on the Transport Panel. From this point onward, the recorded automation for the parameter is temporarily disabled. 2.
Pattern automation recording details If your song contains pattern based devices such as the Redrum Drum Computer, Matrix Analog Pattern Sequencer or Dr. Octo Rex, you probably want to use more than a single pattern throughout the song. To facilitate this you can record pattern changes in the sequencer. Recording pattern automation 1. Before you start recording on the track, make sure the “Record Enable Parameter Automation” button is on (red).
• Each pattern change will be recorded on a downbeat (at the start of a new bar in the sequencer). You can move pattern changes to other positions by moving or resizing the pattern clips, see “Editing pattern automation”. • You can “punch in” on recorded pattern changes, to replace a section of the pattern lane with new pattern automation events. This can be done the same way as described in “Recording parameter automation over or into an existing clip”.
3. Start recording in the sequencer and record the tempo changes by changing the value in the Tempo display. Click and drag up/down in either of the display segments to change tempo in BPM steps or 1/1000 BPM steps. or q You can also manually draw Tempo automation events in the parameter automation clip, using the Pencil tool - see “Drawing tempo automation events”.
RECORDING IN THE SEQUENCER
Chapter 7 Arranging in the Sequencer
About this chapter This chapter describes how you can arrange and work with the clips in your song. The chapter covers both audio, note and parameter automation clip arrangement. Special arrangement techniques pertaining to the Blocks View are described in the separate chapter “Working with Blocks in the Sequencer”. Before reading this chapter, it’s recommended that you are familiar with the sequencer functions and definitions described in the “Sequencer Functions” and “Recording in the Sequencer” chapters.
Inspector displays for selected clips In the sequencer Inspector, the Position and Length displays shows the start position and length of the selected clip. For selected audio clips, four additional displays are shown: Fade In, Fade Out, Level and Transpose. If several clips are selected, the displays show the values for the earliest (or topmost) selected clip in the song. The Inspector displays for selected Audio Clips.
D Draw a selection rectangle with the Selection Tool (arrow) on the Arrange Pane background. Click, hold and draw a rectangle with the Selection Tool to select multiple clips. All clips that are touched by the selection rectangle will be automatically selected when the mouse button is released. D If you hold down [Shift] when you select clips with the selection rectangle technique, any previously selected clips will remain selected.
Setting audio clip Level and Fades Besides the Clip Resize handles, a selected audio clip also has Fade In and Fade Out handles plus a Clip Level handle. These can be edited at any time, either by using the handles as described below, or using the Inspector as described in “Fade In and Fade Out displays (audio clips only)” and “Level display (audio clips only)”: Clip Level handle Clip Fade handles A selected audio clip in Arrange Mode.
Deleting clips D To delete a clip, select it and press [Delete] or [Backspace] or select “Delete” from the Edit or context menu. You can also draw selection rectangles with the Selection tool, encompassing several clips and delete them all at once. The same rules apply as when selecting clips (see “Selecting clips”).
Resizing (masking) clips All clip types can be resized by clicking and dragging either of the Clip Resize handles on the selected clip(s). This can be done both in the Song View and in Edit Mode. In Edit Mode, the Clip Resize handles appear in the Clip Overview area. Clip Resize handles A selected note clip. If you resize a clip and make it smaller, any recordings or events that now lie outside the clip boundaries will not sound, or have any effect, when played back.
About masked recordings and events A note or parameter automation clip which contains masked events is indicated by white corners on the left, right or both clip boundaries: The position of the white corners indicate on which side of the clip boundary the masked events exist: Masked events to the right of the clip Masked events to the left of the clip Masked events on both sides of the clip ! Audio clips don’t have any indication if they contain masked recordings.
Masked events in note and parameter automation clips In the picture below is an open note clip in Edit Mode with notes and performance controller events, before and after resizing the clip: Clip start Clip end Clip start Clip end Masked events An 8-bar note clip with notes and performance controller events. The same note clip resized to 4 bars After resizing the clip from 8 to 4 bars, all events that begin in bars 5-8 are now masked and won’t play back.
About masked performance controllers and automation events Masked performance controller and parameter automation events just outside a clip can still affect the clip, since they affect the curve shape. The example below shows a masked note clip with Mod Wheel performance controller. Masked event which still affects the clip The first Mod Wheel automation event to the right of the masked part of the clip determines the direction of the automation curve from the last event in the unmasked area.
Below, we will describe how to use the “scale tempo” tool to manually stretch clips. Numerical tempo scaling in the Tool Window is explained in “Scale Tempo” in the “Note and Automation Editing” chapter. 1. Select one or several clips, either on the arrangement pane in Song/Blocks View, or in the Clip Overview in Edit Mode. 2. With the Arrow Tool selected, hold down [Ctrl](Win) or [Option](Mac) and place the mouse cursor over one of the Clip Resize handles.
Moving clips Moving clips on the same lane D To move a clip, drag and drop it to the desired destination on the lane. It’s also possible to select and move several clips by dragging and dropping them at the desired destination. If the Snap function is selected (see “Snap”), you will only be able to move the clip(s) in steps of the selected Snap value.
Moving clips between lanes You can move clips between lanes, either on the same track or between lanes on different tracks: D Click and drag the clip(s) to the desired position on the new lane. The set Snap value is taken in to account if the function is activated (see “Snap”). It’s also possible to move several selected clips in one go. D Hold down [Shift] when you drag the clip(s), to restrict the clips to vertical movement.
• If you have only recorded standard performance controllers (Pitch Bend, Mod Wheel and Sustain pedal) in the note clip, these will usually translate without any problems when moved to another device track. Be aware that all devices do not respond to all performance controllers - the Malström device, for example, does not respond to Aftertouch, Expression or Breath performance controller data.
Using Cut/Copy and Paste to repeat clips When you cut or copy clips, the song position will automatically move to the end of the selection (or, if Snap is activated, to the closest Snap value position after the end of the longest clip). This allows you to quickly repeat a section of clips in the following way: 1. Make sure the sequencer is stopped. 2. Activate Snap (see “Snap”) and set the Snap value to “Bar” (or to the length of the section you want to repeat). 3. Select the clips you want to repeat.
Splitting clips You can split clips using the Razor Tool in Arrange Mode. To split a single clip, proceed as follows: 1. Select the Razor Tool and place it where you want to split the clip. On the Razor Tool’s left edge is a cross-hair which indicates where the split will take place. If activated, the Snap setting is taken into account (see “Snap”). 2. Click with the Razor Tool to split the clip at the cross-hair’s position. The clip is now split into two separate clips.
If you want to “cut” out a section of all clips on all tracks in the song, this can be done as follows: 1. Place the Razor Tool’s cross-hair on the Ruler where you want to split the clips on all tracks of the song. 2. Click and drag the Razor Tool in either direction on the Ruler to make a range selection. 3. Release the mouse button to split the clips on all tracks and lanes in the song. ! Clips on tracks and lanes that might be scrolled out of view on the Arrange Pane will also be split.
• You can also join selected clips that have other non-selected clips in-between them. The non-selected clips in-between will then overlap and mask the joined clip at their current positions. ! If you join note or parameter automation clips that contain masked events in the area(s) between the clips, the masked events will be permanently deleted! This is to make the resulting clip play back the same as the original clips did before joining. (See “Masked events in note and parameter automation clips”).
Muting clips Clips can be muted as follows: D Select the Mute Tool from the Toolbar and click on the clips you want to mute. Muted clips are indicated with gray stripes, borders and events: Muted clips. D Select the clips and then select “Mute Clips” from the Edit menu or from the clip context menu. Alternatively, select the clips and press [M] on the computer keyboard to mute them. Unmuting clips Muted clips can be unmuted as follows: D Click on muted clips with the Mute Tool.
2. Select “Merge Note Lanes on Tracks” from the Edit menu or from the context menu. The clips on all note lanes will be merged on the topmost note lane. The same instrument track after merging. • If there are time gaps between the clips on the lanes, several clips will be created on the merged note lane. • Muted note lanes or muted clips on the track will not be included in the merge. • It’s also possible to select several tracks and merge the note lanes on each individual track, all in one go.
Matching clip lengths Another Match Value function in the Inspector can be used to match the lengths of several selected clips to the length of the topmost (or leftmost if on the same lane) selected clip: 1. Select a couple of clips on the Arrange Pane. 2. Click the “Match Values” button to the right of the Length display to resize all selected clips to the length of the topmost clip - or leftmost clip, if the clips are on the same lane.
Inserting bars The “Insert Bars Between Locators” function on the Edit menu, or context menu, can be used for inserting empty bars between the Left and Right Locators. All clips that intersect the locator positions on all tracks after the Left Locator are split and moved to the Right Locator to make room for the inserted bars. Different tracks with lanes before and after insertion of 4 extra bars between bars 13-17.
About removing bars that contain audio recordings As opposed to note and parameter automation events, audio recordings in removed bars will not be deleted. Instead, they will be placed on a Comp Row and masked. If we open the second audio clip in the previous example in Edit Mode, we can see that the audio recording in the removed bars has been moved forward and masked: The audio clip in the Comp Editor after removal of four bars.
ARRANGING IN THE SEQUENCER
Chapter 8 Audio Editing in the Sequencer
About this chapter This chapter describes how to edit audio clips after you have recorded them in the sequencer. General sequencer functions, recording, note and automation editing, and arranging in the sequencer are described in detail in the chapters “Sequencer Functions”, “Recording in the Sequencer”, “Note and Automation Editing” and “Arranging in the Sequencer”. Clip Modes and Editing After you have recorded your audio clips, you might want to adjust levels, trim starts and ends, add fades etc.
• A Comp Mode clip is built up by segments from several recordings on multiple Comp Rows in the clip. If you have recorded (or imported) several takes in the same audio clip - or recorded several loops in Loop Mode - and then compiled segments of the various Comp Rows in the Comp Editor, the clip is in Comp Mode.
Closing a Single Take clip D To close a Single Take clip which is open inline, press [Esc] or [Return]. Alternatively, click outside the open clip on the Arrange Pane, but not on the same track. Opening a Comp clip If the audio clip is in Comp Mode (see “Clip Modes”), you can open the clip as follows: D Open a Comp clip by double-clicking it, or by selecting it and pressing [Return]. The sequencer automatically opens the clip in the Comp Editor (Edit Mode).
! For the audio stretching to work, make sure the Enable Stretch function is active on the clips you are working with, see “Enable/Disable Stretch (Audio Clips)”. ! To get the best sound quality when you are stretching and quantizing audio it’s important that you have selected the correct Stretch Type for the audio track, see “Selecting Stretch and Transpose Type”.
Speaker Tool It’s possible to audition individual Slices without needing to start playback of the sequencer: D Select the Speaker Tool in the Toolbar and click in the waveform area on the Slice you want to audition. The Slice is played back once in its entirety, from the start Slice Marker to the end Slice Marker of the desired Slice, each time you click. q With the Selection Tool (Arrow) selected, pressing [Alt](Win) or [Cmd](Mac) will momentarily switch to the Speaker Tool.
D To select a range of Slice Markers, draw a rectangle with the Selection Tool (Arrow), in the Slice Marker Handles area or in the waveform area, that touches the desired Slice Markers: Draw a rectangle over the desired Slice Markers to select a complete range. As you release the mouse button all touched Slice Markers are selected. The range of Slice Markers can then be moved as a group by clicking and dragging the Slice Group Handle sideways.
! If you delete Slice Markers that were previously moved, the stretched audio will revert to the original timing. ! You cannot delete the first Slice Marker or the end Slice Marker in the clip. Repositioning Slice Markers To reposition a Slice Marker without stretching the audio, proceed as follows: ! You might want to turn off Snap to be able to position the Slice Marker more precisely (see “Snap”). 1. Place the Selection Tool (Arrow) on a Slice Marker or Slice Marker Handle.
Moving several Slice Markers If you need to adjust the timing of several notes or beats (e.g. move all snare hits a little later in the beat), proceed as follows: 1. Select the desired Slice Markers as described in “Selecting Slices and Slice Markers”. 2. Click and drag the Slice Group Handle to move all selected Slice Markers. As you hover over the Slice Group Handle, the arrow switches to a double-arrow Slice Group Handle All selected Slice Markers will be moved as a group.
Nudging Slices You can nudge the Slice Marker(s) by using the following standard key commands: D Hold down [Ctrl](Win) or [Cmd](Mac) and press the left/right arrow keys to nudge in Snap value steps. D Hold down [Ctrl]+[Shift](Win) or [Cmd]+[Shift](Mac) to nudge in Beat steps. D Hold down [Ctrl]+[Alt](Win) or [Cmd]+[Option](Mac) to nudge in Ticks steps. Quantizing audio Audio quantizing can be made in the Quantize section on the Transport Panel, in the Tool Window or from the context menu or Edit menu.
D Alternatively, select Quantize Value and click the Quantize button on the Transport Panel. This alternative is very handy if you only want to quantize to a set quantization value, and don’t need the extra options featured in the Tool Window. Quantizing one or several selected Single Take audio clips in the Arrange View This will quantize all Slice Markers that are closest to the quantization grid in the selected clip(s).
4. Select “Bounce > Bounce Clip to REX Loop” from the context menu or Edit menu. The bounced REX file ends up in the “All Self-contained Samples” folder in the Song Samples location in the Browser, and is named after the original clip name: 5. To load the bounced REX file in a new Dr Octo Rex device, either double click the REX file or select the REX file and click the “Create” button at the bottom of the Browser.
Editing audio in the Comp Editor In this section we will describe audio editing procedures that are common for Single Take clips and Comp clips when edited in the Comp Editor. Comp clip specific procedures are described in “Comping audio”. Audio clip elements in the Comp Editor When an audio clip is open for editing in the Comp Editor, its contents are shown on the Edit Pane below the Clip Overview area. An open audio clip can have one or several Comp Rows on which the audio recordings reside.
• Fade In and Fade Out handles Click and drag these handles horizontally to introduce a fade in and/or fade out of the audio in the clip. The fading is non-destructive and can be changed at any time. If Snap is activated (see “Snap”), the set (Arrange Mode) Snap value is taken into account when moving the Fade Handles. • Close button Click this button to close the audio clip and exit to the Arrange View.
Comp clips in the Comp Editor A Comp clip consists of several Comp Rows, with one recording on each Comp Row. If you have recorded several takes in an audio clip and want to cut out sections of the various takes and comp into a final clip, this can be done in the Comp Editor (see “Creating a comped audio clip”).
• Cut Handles and Cut Lines Each cut in a comped audio clip is indicated by a Cut Handle and a Cut Line. The Cuts indicate where the playback changes from one segment to another (in most situations from one Comp Row to another). You can edit the Cut positions by clicking and dragging any of the Cut Handles or Cut Lines sideways. • Silence Row The Silence Row can be used for inserting silent segments in the comped audio clip, e.g. for removing breath noise between vocal phrases.
The relationship between Clips, Comp Rows and Recordings In the Comp Editor, the contents of an open clip are displayed on the Comp Row(s) on the Edit Pane: Audio Clip in the Clip Overview area Comp Rows with one Recording each A Single Take clip with four Comp Rows, with the topmost Comp Row manually selected for playback. Audio Clip in the Clip Overview area Silence Row Comp Rows with one Recording each A Comp clip with alternating playback from four Comp Rows.
• Only one Comp Row can play back at a time. In a Single Take clip with more than one Comp Row, only the Comp Row you have selected by clicking the Single Take Mode button will play back. In a Comp clip, you can alternate the playback between the Comp Rows by assigning regions of the different Comp Rows to different Segments in the Clip. What you hear when you play back an audio clip is displayed in the Clip Overview area at the top on the Edit Pane.
Comp Editor window handling Resizing, zooming and scrolling D The Magnifying Glass tool can be used for zooming in and out (see “Magnifying Glass Tool”). D The Hand tool can be used for scrolling the view in any direction (see “Hand Tool”). D Use the Song Navigator to scroll and zoom horizontally (see “Areas, windows and basic navigation”). D Click on a Song Navigator Handle and drag horizontally to zoom in and out horizontally (see “Areas, windows and basic navigation”).
1. Make sure the Speaker Tool is selected and place the cursor at the position on the Comp Row you would like to audition. The cursor switches to a speaker symbol with crosshairs next to it. Auditioning a recording on a Comp Row. 2. Click and hold the mouse button depressed for as long as you want to listen. The playback starts at the current crosshairs position and proceeds for as long as you keep the mouse button depressed.
If you want to change which Comp Row should play back in a Single Take clip: D Click the Single Take Mode button for the Comp Row you want to play back. The “Take 2” Comp Row is now manually selected for playback throughout the clip. Now, the “Take 2” Comp Row will play back instead when the sequencer is started. Selecting Comp Rows D To select a Comp Row, e.g.
Deleting Comp Rows D Select one or several Comp Rows (see “Selecting Comp Rows”) and then press [Backspace] or [Delete], or select “Delete” from the Edit menu or context menu. D Alternatively, select the Eraser Tool and click anywhere on the Comp Row you wish to delete. Moving Comp Rows Moving Comp Rows up or down on the Edit Pane can be useful to make it faster and easier and to access the desired Comp Rows when editing a comped clip.
Cutting, copying and pasting Comp Rows To move recordings between clips, you can cut or copy and paste Comp Rows as follows: 1. Select one or several Comp Rows and then hold [Ctrl](Win) or [Cmd](Mac) and press [X] to cut or [C] to copy the Comp Rows to the clipboard memory. Alternatively, select “Cut” or “Copy” from the Edit menu or context menu. 2. Open the audio clip into which you want to paste the Comp Row(s). This can be in the same song or a different one. 3.
Adjusting the Recording Offset In some situations you might want to move, or nudge, the entire recording on a Comp Row to make it play back exactly when you want. Maybe you just need to fine tune the position by a couple of Ticks: 1. Click on the Comp Row to select it. 2. Either click and drag the recording horizontally, or adjust the position in the Recording Offset display in the Inspector. The Recording Offset display is divided into Bars, Beats, 1/16th notes, Ticks and Subticks.
Bounce Clip(s) to New Sample(s) You can bounce one or several Audio Clips to new Song Samples. You could then edit the samples in the Edit Sample window and then load into a sampler device for playback. Proceed as follows: D Select the clips in the Clip Overview area in the Comp Editor, or select them in the Arrange View, and then select “Bounce > Bounce Clip(s) to New Sample(s)” from the Edit menu or context menu.
Normalizing Clips Normalizing means increasing the overall audio level so that the loudest peak in the sound touches 0 dB. Normalizing can be made on any audio clips, regardless of if they are Single Take clips or Comp clips. 1. Select the Audio Clip(s) in the Arrange View, or in the Clip Overview in the Comp Editor. A comped audio clip selected in the Clip Overview in the Comp Editor. 2. Select “Normalize Clips” from the Edit menu or context menu.
Reversing Clips Reversing an audio clip means playing it backwards, from the end to the start. Reversing can be made on any Audio Clips, regardless of if they are Single Take clips or Comp clips. 1. Select the Audio Clip(s) in the Arrange View, or in the Clip Overview in the Comp Editor. A comped audio clip selected in the Clip Overview in the Comp Editor. 2. Select “Reverse Clips” from the Edit menu or context menu.
Comping audio In this section we will describe procedures that are specific to audio editing in Comp clips. At the end of this section is a detailed example on how to use the various procedures to create a complete comped audio clip - see “Creating a comped audio clip”. General audio editing procedures are described in “Editing audio in the Comp Editor”.
Adding Segments The Razor Tool can be used for assigning a complete Segment, with a start and end Cut, by clicking and dragging (swiping) the Razor Tool horizontally on the desired Comp Row. D Swipe (click-hold and drag) with the Razor Tool to assign a part of a Comp Row to a new segment. Place the Razor Tool on the desired start position on a Comp Row and swipe... D ...and release where you want the segment to end.
Deleting Cuts D To delete a Cut, click on the left Cut Handle and press [Backspace] or [Delete], or select “Delete” from the Edit menu or context menu. The segment to the right of the deleted Cut will be deleted. The segment to the left of the deleted Cut will expand and replace the deleted segment: Click on a Cut Handle to select it. D Press [Backspace] or [Delete] to delete the segment to the right of the Cut Handle. Alternatively, select the Eraser Tool and click on the Cut Handle.
Changing Comp Row assignments When you have created a comped audio clip, you might later want to change which Comp Rows are assigned to play: D Choose the Selection Tool and double-click on the Comp Row that contains the recording you want to assign to the Segment. Make sure you double-click in the area between the desired Segment’s Cut Lines. Double-click on the Comp Row you want to assign to the segment. The segment will now play back this recording instead.
Bounce Clip(s) to New Recording(s) ! The function described below is exactly the same as clicking the “Bounce” button to the left in the Clip Overview, see “Bounce button”. A very nice way to “clean up” among the recordings in a comped audio clip is to bounce the clip to a new recording. Bouncing to a new recording is also a prerequisite to be able to edit the clip inline and stretch and quantize the audio.
Creating a comped audio clip If you have recorded more than one loop cycle of audio in Loop Mode (see “Recording audio in Loop mode”), or recorded over or into an existing audio clip (see “Recording over or into an existing audio clip”), each recording has been placed on a separate Comp Row. If you like, you can now select the best parts (segments) of the recordings on the various Comp Rows and create a final “comped” audio clip.
3. Double-click with the Selection Tool on the Comp Row you want to use first in the clip. In this example, we decide to use the recording on the “Take 2” Comp Row: Double-click on the “Take 2” Comp Row to assign it to the first segment of the clip. 4. Select the Razor Tool in the Sequencer Toolbar - or, with the Selection Tool still selected, hold down [Alt](Win) or [Cmd](Mac). We want the recording on the “Take 2” Comp Row to play until beat 3 of Bar 7.
6. Assign a complete segment by swiping with the Razor Tool. Swipe with the Razor Tool on the “Take 4” Comp Row from beat 3 and 4 of bar 8 until beat 1 of bar 11: Place the Razor Tool between beat 3 and 4 of bar 8 on the “Take 4” Comp Row and swipe... ...and release at beat 1 of bar 11. Now the recording on the “Take 4” Comp Row is assigned to a third segment in the clip. Two new Cut Handles have been added: one at the beginning of the swiped segment and one at the end. 7.
8. To eliminate any clicks that might occur between the recordings in the different segments of our clip, let’s introduce some crossfades. Crossfades can be applied by first selecting a Cut Handle and then clicking with the Selection Tool and dragging the Cut Crossfade Handles that appear above the selected Cut Handle: Click and drag the Cut Crossfade Handle... ...to introduce a crossfade between the segments. The crossfade slopes are indicated by curves on the assigned Segments.
Turning Comp clips into Single Take clips After you have comped your clip in the Comp Editor you might want to continue working with it inline, to stretch individual slices, quantize the audio, etc. To be able to open the Comp clip for inline editing you need to turn the clip into a Single Take clip. Here is how: 1. In the Comp Editor, click the “Bounce” button. This will render a bounced recording of your comped audio on a new Comp Row.
1. Open an audio clip in the Comp Editor. In this example we use a Comp clip with four Comp Rows and a number of Cuts. The tempo scaling works exactly the same way, regardless if the clip is a Single Take clip or Comp clip. 2. With the Arrow Tool selected, hold down [Ctrl](Win) or [Option](Mac) and place the mouse cursor over one of the Clip Resize handles (in the Clip Overview). When you reach any of the Clip Resize handles, the arrow symbol switches to a “scale tempo” arrow. 3.
Transposing Audio Clips Audio clips can be transposed. That is, all the audio recordings in a selected audio clip can be transposed up or down 12 semitones, in steps of 1 Cent, relative to their original pitch. The transposition can be applied to all types of audio - including polyphonic material. ! The transposition is non-destructive, i.e. the original audio is always preserved and left unaffected.
Transposing Comp Rows Besides the Audio Clip Transpose function described above, individual Comp Rows in a Comp clip can be individually transposed: 1. Open a comped audio clip in the Comp Editor and select a Comp Row to be transposed. The selected Comp Row is shown in a darker color. 2. Change the Transpose value in the Inspector as desired. 3. Select another Comp Row and change its Transpose value in the Inspector as desired. Now the Comp Rows will have individual transposition values.
Audio and tempo matching Matching an imported audio clip to the song tempo Audio files created by the Export or Bounce functions in Reason include information about their original tempo. When you import such an audio file, it will automatically be stretched to fit the tempo in the new song. However, if you have imported an audio clip which has a steady, but unknown, tempo, you can adjust the imported clip to the song tempo.
Editing audio using the Inspector The Inspector can be used for editing audio recordings numerically.
Matching Recording Offsets Matching Recording Offsets is useful if you want to make sure that the Recordings on multiple Comp Rows start at the exact same position. 1. Select more than one Comp Row and then place the Selection Tool on the Recording Offset Match Value button. Three selected Comp Rows (the three topmost). The topmost Comp Row has the Recording Offset set to 2 beats. 2. Click the Match Value button to the right of the “Recording Offset” display.
Matching Comp Row Levels Here’s an example showing how to match Comp Row Levels: D Select several Comp Rows and then click the Level Match Value button. The Levels on the three selected Comp Rows are matched and adjusted to -19.90 dB. Matching Comp Row Transpose values D Select several Comp Rows and then click the Transpose Match Value button. The transposition is matched to the Transpose value of the topmost selected Comp Row.
Chapter 9 Note and Automation Editing
About this chapter This chapter describes how to edit note and parameter automation events after they have been recorded in the sequencer. It also describes how to manually create note and automation events in clips.
Selecting what to edit The Edit Mode shows the contents of a single track at a time on the Edit Pane. On instrument tracks, only one note lane can have edit focus at a time. • If a track is selected when you enter Edit Mode, the contents of the note lane with edit focus will be shown. Also, all parameter automation lanes will be shown at the bottom of the Edit Pane. If a single clip was selected on the note lane with edit focus when you switched to Edit Mode, it will automatically be opened.
D To edit the events in a note clip, open the clip by double-clicking it, or select it and press [Return]. Opening a note clip in the Song/Block View automatically switches the sequencer to Edit Mode. Double-clicking a note clip in the Song/Block View... ...opens it for editing in Edit Mode. An open clip in Edit Mode is highlighted. D Double-click on a closed (grayed out events) note clip in Edit Mode to open it for editing in Edit Mode.
D Double-click on a parameter automation clip in Edit Mode to open it for editing in Edit Mode. A parameter automation clip before and after opening it in Edit Mode. D To close an open parameter automation clip in Edit Mode, press [Esc] or click anywhere on another lane. See “Editing parameter automation in Edit Mode” for information on how to edit parameter automation events in Edit Mode.
From the top down in the picture above, the Edit Pane contains the following elements: • Close button Click the Close button to exit Edit Mode and return to the Song/Block View. • Clip Resize Handles By clicking and dragging either of the handles, you can change the position and length of the clip. • Clip Overview The Clip Overview shows the note clips of the note lane which has edit focus. You can select one or several clips in the Clip Overview and perform clip-based editing (e.g.
Edit Mode window handling Resizing, zooming and scrolling D You can resize or hide Edit Lanes by dragging the dividers between them. Where applicable, individual zoom controls and scrollbars are available to the right of each Edit Lane. D The Magnifying Glass tool can be used for zooming in and out (see “Magnifying Glass Tool”). D The Hand tool can be used for scrolling the view in any direction (see “Hand Tool”).
D You can manually change Note Edit Mode by clicking the Note Edit Mode button in the upper right corner of the Note Edit Lane and selecting another mode from the pop-up menu. Selecting Note Edit Mode. The selected Note Edit Mode is automatically remembered for each note lane on a track. The next time you switch to Edit Mode, the correct Note Edit Mode will be recalled for that note lane. Key Edit Mode Key Edit Mode.
Drum Edit Mode is best suited for viewing and editing notes recorded for a Redrum device. In Drum Edit Mode the keyboard has been replaced by a list showing the corresponding Redrum drum sound channel names. If the track is associated with another type of instrument device, the list shows MIDI note numbers (0-127) instead. By clicking on any of the names (or note numbers) in the list, you can audition the sounds. REX Edit Mode REX Edit Mode. REX Edit Mode is designed for viewing and editing Dr.
Creating empty clips When you record in the sequencer, clips are automatically created on the record enabled lane when necessary. However, there might be situations when you want to manually draw empty clips in the Song/Block View to record or edit in later on: D To create an empty clip, double click with the Selection (Arrow) Tool on a track. This will create an empty clip with the length of the current Snap value setting (e.g. 1 bar).
Tool Window editing tools The Sequencer Tools tab in the Tool Window is very useful when you want to perform various note and parameter automation editing tasks. Here is how you access the Tool Window and the contents of the Sequencer Tools tab: 1. Open the Tool Window by selecting “Show Tool Window” from the Window menu. Alternatively, press [F8]. The [F8] key can be used for toggling between showing and hiding the Tool Window. 2. Click the Sequencer Tools tab.
Note editing Notes can be edited using the mouse in Edit Mode. It’s also possible to edit notes by using the functions on the Tools tab in the Tool Window. Notes can also be numerically edited in the Inspector, as described in “Note and automation editing in the Inspector”. Selecting notes To select notes in an open clip in Edit Mode, use one of the following methods: D Click on a note event with the Selection (Arrow) Tool. The Selection tool.
Drawing notes Notes are usually drawn and edited in Key Edit Mode on the Note Edit Lane, but the actions described below also apply to the Drum Edit Mode and the REX Edit Mode. ! If you want to restrict note input to certain note values (e.g. 1/16th notes), activate Snap (see “Snap”) and set the snap value accordingly. D Double click with the Selection (Arrow) tool in the open clip to insert a note with a length of the current Snap value.
About drawing notes outside an open clip If you draw notes outside the boundaries of an open clip, the result depends on the setting "Keep Events in Clip While Editing" on the Options menu: • If the “Keep Events in Clip While Editing” option is active, the notes will belong to the open clip after they have been drawn, but become masked since they are drawn outside the clip boundaries. The clip position and length will remain unchanged.
Deleting notes You can delete notes by doing any of the following: D To delete individual notes, double click the note with the Selection (Arrow) tool. D Select one or several notes with the Selection (Arrow) tool and press [Backspace] or [Delete], or select “Delete” from the Edit or context menu. D Select the Eraser tool and click on the notes you want to delete. The Eraser tool. D You can also draw a selection rectangle with the Eraser tool to delete several notes in one go.
Resizing notes with the “Note Lengths” function The Note Lengths pane in the Tool Window. The “Note Lengths” function on the Sequencer Tools tab in the Tool Window allows you to add or subtract length values to the selected notes. Note length resizing can be applied to: • Individual (selected) note events in a note clip. This has to be done in Edit Mode. • All note events in one or several selected note clips. This is done in Arrange Mode.
• All note events in one or several selected note clips. This is done in the Song/Block View. If the clips are on the same lane, it can also be done in Edit Mode. ! In Edit Mode, select clip(s) by clicking on it/them in the Clip Overview. • All note events in all note clips on one or several selected instrument tracks. This has to be done in the Song/Block View.
Moving notes Moving notes manually D To move a note, click and drag it to a new position, or new pitch (note number), using the Selection Tool. If several notes are selected, all will be moved. If Snap is on (see “Snap”), the moved events will keep their relative distance to the Snap value positions. For example, if the Snap value is set to “Bar”, you can move the selected notes to another bar without affecting their relative timing.
About moving notes outside or between clips If you want to move notes outside the boundaries of an open clip, the result depends on the setting "Keep Events in Clip While Editing" on the Options menu: • If the “Keep Events in Clip While Editing” option is active, the notes will belong to the open clip after they have been moved, but become masked since they are moved outside the clip boundaries. The clip position and length will remain unchanged.
Nudging note positions with the arrow keys You can use the left or right arrow keys to “nudge” the positions of selected note events: D Hold [Ctrl](Win) or [Cmd](Mac) and use the left or right arrow key to move the position back or forward by the set Snap value. D Hold [Ctrl]+[Alt](Win) or [Cmd]+[Option](Mac) and use the left or right arrow key to move the position back or forward in Tick increments. There are 240 ticks per 1/16 note so this allows for very fine editing.
Moving notes in the Inspector You can also edit the note positions and pitches numerically in the inspector. See “Note and automation editing in the Inspector”. Duplicating notes Duplicating notes manually D To duplicate selected notes, hold down [Ctrl](Win) or [Cmd](Mac) and press [D]. This will duplicate the selection and place it after the selection, at the closest Snap value after the last note in the selection. Repeat the command to continue the duplication for as many times as you like.
Using Cut, Copy and Paste You can move or duplicate events using the Cut, Copy and Paste commands on the Edit menu or context menu. • When you use Cut or Copy, the Song Position Pointer is automatically moved to the end of the selection. This is very useful for repeating events, i.e. pasting the selection several times one after another in the song. Pasting events outside an open clip When you use the Paste command, the events will appear at the Song Position Pointer, on the original lane.
Quantize The “Quantize” function on the Transport Panel and on the Sequencer Tools tab in the Tool Window is normally used for applying quantization to notes - but can also be used for quantizing recorded audio. Clicking the Quantize or Apply button will automatically align the start positions of the selected notes or audio slices to a pre-defined, absolute grid. You can also choose to automatically quantize notes as they are being recorded - see “Quantizing notes during recording”.
Quantizing after recording 1. Select the note(s)/audio slices, note clip(s)/Single Take audio clips or instrument and audio track(s) you want to quantize. Only the notes/audio slices in the clip(s) will be affected - not any parameter automation events. 2. Select a quantize value from the Quantize Value drop-down list on the Transport Panel, or from the Value drop-down list in the Tool Window. This determines to which note value grid the notes/audio slices will be moved when you quantize.
4. Click the Quantize button on the Transport Panel or the Apply button in the Tool Window. The selected notes are quantized. A sloppily recorded hi-hat pattern is quantized to straight 1/4 notes (Quantize Value 1/4, Amount 100%). D Quantization can also be applied to note(s), audio slice(s), clip(s) and track(s) by right-clicking(Win) or [Ctrl]clicking(Mac) and selecting “Quantize” from the context menu.
Quantizing notes during recording It’s also possible to quantize input notes directly during recording. Activation of this function can be made in the Tool Window and/or on the Transport Panel: D Enable note quantization by ticking the “Quantize Notes During Recording” check box. The Quantize Notes During Recording check box on the Sequencer Tools tab. D Alternatively, click the Q Rec button on the Transport Panel. The Q Record (Quantize Notes During Recording) button on the Transport Panel.
! In Edit Mode, select clip(s) by clicking on it/them in the Clip Overview. • All note events in all note clips on one or several selected instrument tracks. This has to be done in the Song/Block View. • All audio recordings in all audio clips on one or several selected audio tracks. This has to be done in the Song/Block View.
The “Extract Notes to Lanes” function can be applied to: • Notes of defined pitches in one or several selected note clips. If the clips are on the same lane, this can be done in Edit Mode. If the clips are on separate lanes, this has to be done in the Song/Block View. ! In Edit Mode, select clip(s) by clicking on it/them in the Clip Overview. • Notes of defined pitches in all note clips on one or several selected instrument tracks. This has to be done in the Song/Block View.
4. Click the “Move” button on the “Extract Notes to Lanes” pane. The open and closed hi-hat notes are now moved to a new clip on a new note lane. If we click in the Note Edit lane and scroll, we can see the moved hi-hat notes in the new clip: New note lane Original note lane The moved notes in a new clip on a new note lane.
Scale Tempo The Scale Tempo pane in the Tool Window. The “Scale Tempo” function in the Tool Window can be applied to selected notes and/or automation events. It can also be applied to selected note, audio and automation clips. The Scale Tempo function will make the selection play back faster (Scale factor above 100%) or slower (Scale factor below 100%).
Editing note velocity Editing note velocity manually The velocity values of notes can be edited manually on the Velocity Edit Lane: The velocity values are shown as bars, with taller bars indicating higher velocity. Note also that the color intensity of the notes and velocity bars reflect the velocity values. D To change the velocity of a note, click on its velocity bar with the Pencil tool and drag the bar up or down.
D If you hold down [Shift] when you edit velocity values, only selected notes will be affected. This can be very useful, especially in “crowded” sections with lots of notes. Consider for example if you have a busy drum beat, and want to adjust the velocity of the hi-hat notes only.
Automation editing Overview Automation in Reason is vector-based. This means that automation is stored in clips as automation events (points), connected by lines. Automation lanes for a Mixer 14:2 Level slider (top), Mute button (middle) and Aux Send slider (bottom) in Edit Mode. The Aux Send automation clip at the bottom is open for editing. • Parameter automation is contained in automation clips on Parameter Automation Lanes (see “Edit Mode elements”).
Here you can edit the parameter’s Static Value (see “Static Value Handles”) with the up/down arrow buttons to the left of the open clip. Alternatively, double-click and type in a new Static Value in the box. In the open parameter automation clip, it’s possible to move, add and delete automation events in the same way as in Edit Mode using the Selection (Arrow), Pencil and Eraser tools - see “Editing parameter automation in Edit Mode”.
Editing parameter automation in Edit Mode 1. Open the parameter automation clip in Edit Mode. D If the parameter automation clip is on an Instrument Track, just double-click a Note clip to enter Edit Mode. D If the parameter automation clip is not on an Instrument Track, first double-click the automation clip and then click the “Open In Edit Mode” button. Use the dividers if necessary to locate the automation clip to edit - these are located at the bottom of the Edit/Arrange Pane (not in the note clip).
3. When a parameter automation clip is open, you can select, move, copy or delete automation events, using the Selection (Arrow) Tool. When moving automation events with the Selection (Arrow) Tool, Snap (see “Snap”) is taken into account if enabled. You can also resize the clip by dragging the clip handles.
Deleting automation events D Deleting automation events is done in the same way as when deleting note events. I.e. click on events to select them or draw selection rectangles and then press [Backspace] or [Delete] - or use the Eraser tool (see “Deleting notes”). D To clear all automation events in a clip, hold down [Ctrl](Win) or [Cmd](Mac) and press [A] to select all events, then press [Backspace] or [Delete].
Creating new performance controller automation lanes If you want to manually draw performance controller automation events for a controller which hasn’t already been automated, you have to create a new Performance Controller Edit Lane for that parameter. Proceed as follows: 1. Open the note clip in Edit Mode. 2.
About Automation Cleanup Automation Cleanup is a function for controlling the amount of parameter automation events that should be created during recording and/or manual drawing. The Automation Cleanup function applies to parameter automation events as well as to performance controller automation events. The Automation Cleanup level can be set in the Preferences menu and will apply to all new recorded automation events. You can also use the function on previously recorded parameter automation events.
Editing pattern automation Pattern automation clips are viewed and edited in the Pattern Select lane, which is available on Dr. Octo Rex, Redrum and Matrix tracks: Pattern (group and number) Pattern Selector Clip Resize handles Pattern changes are shown as clips with a Pattern Selector at the top (when the clip is selected). A single pattern automation clip can only contain data for a single pattern. In practice this means that each pattern automation clip only contains one pattern automation “event”.
Drawing pattern automation You can draw pattern automation clips on a Pattern Select lane as follows: 1. Activate Snap and set the Snap value to the note position where you want to insert the pattern change clip (see “Snap”). It is probably a good idea to set the Snap value to “Bar”, at least if you are working with patterns of a length corresponding to the time signature (e.g. 16 or 32 step patterns and 4/4 time signature).
Moving, resizing and duplicating pattern automation clips • You can move, resize and duplicate pattern automation clips in the same way as with note or automation clips. However, it is recommended that Snap is activated (and in most cases set to “Bar”) when you do this (see “Snap”). ! If you resize a pattern automation clip by clicking and dragging the left resize handle, and thus change the start position, the clip will be masked (just like a note clip).
The “Convert Pattern Automation to Notes” function If you have recorded or drawn pattern automation on a Redrum or Matrix track, you can automatically convert the whole pattern automation lane into note events on an additional note lane. Proceed as follows: 1. Select the track with the pattern automation. 2. Select “Convert Pattern Automation to Notes” from the Edit menu or the track’s context menu.
About tempo changes and tempo automation of audio tracks The built-in Stretch function allows you to change the tempo of the song without affecting the pitch of the recordings on the audio tracks. This is great if you want to adjust the tempo after you have recorded your audio tracks. In Reason, the Stretch is enabled by default for all audio clips. ! The Stretch function also affects the sonic result when transposing audio clips using the Transpose function (see “Transposing Audio Clips”).
Automating time signature Time signature automation events can only be manually drawn with the Pencil tool - not recorded like tempo automation, parameter automation or performance controller automation. A single time signature automation clip can only contain a single time signature value. In practice this means that each time signature automation clip can only contain one time signature automation “event”. All time signature changes in the song will require a unique clip. 1.
D If you want to add single time signature clips, you can also double click with the Selection (Arrow) tool on the Time Signature lane. The clip gets the length of the currently selected Snap value. D You can change the time signature for the automation clip at any time by simply double-clicking the clip with the Selection (Arrow) Tool and changing the value on the pop-up that appears. Alternatively, select the clip and then click the small triangle in the clip to bring up the time signature pop-up.
Note and automation editing in the Inspector In the Inspector you can edit note and automation events numerically using the displays.
The “Match Values” function in the Inspector can be used for matching the positions, lengths and velocities of several selected note events to the position/length/velocity of the selected event with the earliest start position in the song. It’s always the values of the earliest event that are shown in the displays. Similarly, automation events can be matched to the position and/or value of the earliest selected automation event in the song.
Matching parameter automation events Matching parameter automation event values is useful if you want an automated device parameter to be modulated to the same value throughout the clip. • Let’s say you want to modulate a parameter to a maximum value of 80 several times throughout the clip. Then, just select all “max value” events, click the “Match Values” button and then adjust the Value to 80 for the selected events.
NOTE AND AUTOMATION EDITING
Chapter 10 Working with Blocks in the Sequencer
About this chapter This chapter describes how to work with Blocks and Block Automation Clips in the main sequencer. Basic sequencer functions, recording, editing clips and events and arranging in the sequencer are described in detail in the chapters “Sequencer Functions”, “Recording in the Sequencer”, “Audio Editing in the Sequencer”, “Note and Automation Editing” and “Arranging in the Sequencer”.
Arrangement Views Song View (with Blocks disabled) The sequencer in the Song View. This is the Song View, which is the same as “Arrange Mode” in older versions of the program. Here you work with your song in a linear fashion, by recording and arranging your clips from the start of the song to the end. Songs created in previous versions of the program will automatically open up in the Song View, so it will all look very familiar.
Block View D Click the Block button on the Blocks Track to switch to the Block View. A colored area appears on the arrangement pane with the Block name at the top on the Blocks Track. By default, the Blocks are named “Block n” where “n” is a number between 1 and 32. If you like, you can rename your Blocks to more suitable names (see “Renaming Blocks”). The Block View is where you record the clips you want to include in a specific Block.
Renaming Blocks If you don’t want to use the default Block names you can easily rename them: D Double-click the Block name on the Blocks Track in the Block View, type in a new name and press [Return]. Defining the Block length The length of a Block is defined using the End Marker in the Blocks view: 1. Select desired Block in the Block View as described in “Selecting a Block for editing”. 2. Adjust the End Marker to the desired position by clicking and dragging it in the Ruler.
Arranging clips in the Block View Arranging clips in the Block View is done in the same ways as when arranging clips in the Song View. ! Any clips, or parts of clips, to the right of the End Marker in the Block View will be ignored when the Block is played back in the Song View. Refer to “Arranging in the Sequencer”. Arranging Blocks in the Song View Once you are finished with your clips on the tracks and lanes in the Block View, it is time to arrange the Blocks to build up your song in the Song View.
4. Draw a clip on the Blocks Track. This creates a Block Automation Clip which instructs the sequencer to play back the events you have previously recorded in Block 1: Block Automation Clip Block contents A Block Automation Clip drawn on the Blocks Track in the Song View. The contents (clips and events) of Block 1 are displayed on the respective sequencer tracks in a ghosted fashion on a colored background. This way you will see what events and/or recordings the Block will play back.
Resizing Block Automation Clips As with other clip types Block Automation Clips can be resized by clicking and dragging the clip handle(s) with the Selection (Arrow) tool or by editing the Position and Length values in the Inspector. • If you resize a Block Automation Clip by clicking and dragging its left clip handle, and thus changing its start position, the Block Offset will change. This means that the Block Automation Clip could start playing in the middle of the Block, i.e. not from the beginning.
Muting lanes in Block Automation Clips When you have arranged your Block Automation Clips as desired on the Blocks Track, it is possible to mute individual lanes contained in any Block. These lanes will remain muted until the end of the Block Automation Clip. This way you can use the same Block to create a song intro, by gradually introducing more and more sequencer tracks/lanes. The example below shows how to mute lanes in individual Block Automation Clips to create a song intro.
We begin by copying and pasting the Block Automation Clip twice. Then we resize (expand) the last Block Automation Clip to 16 bars: The Block Automation Clip assigned to Block 1 copied and pasted twice, with the last Block Automation Clip resized to 16 bars. Now, we want to mute individual lanes for the duration of each Block Automation Clip to create our intro.
Converting Block Automation Clips to Song Clips After you have arranged your Block Automation Clips in the Song View, you might want to convert the content of the Block(s) to “regular” clips on the sequencer tracks and lanes. There are a few ways of doing this: Converting single Block Automation Clips to clips in the Song View 1. Choose the Block Automation Clip(s) you want to convert by selecting it on the Blocks Track. 2.
Converting all Block Automation Clips to clips in the Song View D Select “Convert Block Automation to Song Clips” from the Track List context menu. All unmuted clips in all Block Automation Clips are automatically converted to regular clips on the tracks. The Block Automation Clips and their referenced Block contents still are preserved but the Blocks Track is automatically muted.
Combining Block Automation Clips with Song Clips It’s possible to combine Block Automation Clips with regular clips in the Song View. The general rule is that clips in the Song View have priority over Block data. This means that if a clip in the Song View overlaps a (ghosted) clip on the same lane in a Block, the Song Clip will play back and the clip in the Block “underneath” will be silent (masked): Song Clips Song clips and Block Automation Clips in combination in the Song View.
Practical tips on combining Blocks and Song Clips A nice way of working with Block Automation Clips and Song Clips is to first create a couple of Blocks in the Block View and then arrange Block Automation Clips in the Song View. When you have arranged your Block Automation Clips, you could record a couple of shorter Song Clips with variations in the Song View.
About Performance Controllers and Parameter Automation Since the sequencer tracks and lanes are shared between the Blocks and the Song arrangement, the following rules apply regarding Performance Controller and Parameter Automation: • Performance Controller and Parameter Automation data in the Song View arrangement always overrides automation in Blocks. • If a sequencer track uses Parameter Automation in the Block, the automation will also affect all clips on the corresponding lanes in the Song View.
WORKING WITH BLOCKS IN THE SEQUENCER
Chapter 11 Working with the Rack
About this chapter This chapter describes the procedures and techniques for managing devices and Device Groups in the rack. Rack device procedures The rack is where you create and configure your devices, and make parameter settings. This section describes all the procedures for managing the rack, that is, procedures and techniques common to all devices. Navigating in the rack Rack Navigator Rack Column 3 Rack Column 2 Rack Column 1 The rack, here with three rack columns visible.
Resizing and detaching the rack D Resize the rack area by clicking and dragging either of the gray horizontal headers above or below the rack area, or by dragging the vertical Browser divider. This will shrink the Main Mixer and/or sequencer areas and make more of the rack visible. D You can also resize the Rack Navigator area by clicking and dragging the vertical divider to the left of the Rack Navigator.
About using the Browser in the detached rack When the rack is detached, it also features a second instance of the Browser. The Browser is available to the left in the detached rack. D Click the Show/Hide icon, or press [F3] to bring up the Browser (or to hide it): The Show/Hide icon on the Browser header in the detached rack. • The Browser in the detached rack can be navigated independently from the Browser in the Song window, except only one can have browse focus at a time (see “Setting browse focus”).
If you want to keep all devices in a Device Group physically together in the rack (e.g. if you want to move all devices in the group), there is an option “Auto-group Devices and Tracks” on the Options menu. The “Auto-group Devices and Tracks” option.
Creating devices Devices can be created in a number of different ways. These first methods apply to any device types: D Use drag and drop, or double-click a device in any of the device palettes in the Browser. The devices are sorted in three different groups: Instruments, Effects and Utilities. The Utilities group contains device types such as mixers, modulation devices, etc.
Instrument device specifics The following additional methods can be used for creating Instrument devices: D Select “Create Instrument...” from the Create menu. This will show the Instruments palette in the Browser. Here you can choose the Instrument device you want to create - see “Create Instrument/Create Effect”. • If you have created an Instrument device, a new sequencer track will be automatically created. Also, a new (or unused) Mix Channel device will be connected to the Instrument device.
Mixer device specifics • If you hold down [Alt](Win) or [Option](Mac) when you create a mixer device, a sequencer track will be created for the mixer device. • If you hold down [Shift] when you create a mixer device, it will not be connected to a Mix Channel device. Selecting devices Some operations, e.g. cutting, copying, moving and deleting devices (see “Cut, Copy and Paste devices” and “Deleting devices”), require that you select one or several devices in the rack.
When you select a device in the rack it is surrounded by a colored border. At the top left of the border is a Master Keyboard Input tab: The Master Keyboard Input tab on a selected ID8 device in the rack. D Click the Master Keyboard Input tab to automatically set Master Keyboard Input to the device. Master Keyboard input is automatically switched in the sequencer as well and you can now play the device from your MIDI keyboard: Master Keyboard Input set from the ID8 1 device in the rack.
About selecting all devices in a Device Group To select all devices in a Device Group, do as follows: 1. Select any device in the desired Device Group. 2. Select “Select All in Device Group” from the Edit menu or context menu. All devices in the Device Group will be selected as indicated by the colored borders around the devices. Deleting devices To delete one or several devices, select them in the rack and use one of the following methods: D Press [Backspace] or [Delete].
q It’s also possible to move devices to a new rack column to the left or right of the original rack (see “Creating new rack columns”). In this example an RV-7 reverb device is moved to two different destinations: In this case, the line indicates that the RV-7 reverb device will be placed to the left of the phaser. This is the result. Note that the filter device is moved to the left, to fill out the gap.
Re-routing devices D If you hold [Shift] and drag a device to a new position in the rack, it will be re-routed (as if you deleted it and created it in its new position). This allows you to e.g. change the order of effect devices in a signal chain by Shift-dragging them. See “Automatic routing” for more info on auto-routing. Creating new rack columns It’s possible to move devices, or Device Groups, to new rack columns.
1. Select a track in the sequencer Track List rack and choose “Select All” from the Edit menu or track context menu. Tracks are marked with darker colors to indicate they’ve been selected. 2. Select “Sort Selected Device Groups” from the Edit menu or track context menu. Now all Device Groups and channel strips in the Main Mixer will be automatically re-ordered according to the current track configuration in the sequencer.
D You can also drag other device patches from the Browser, Windows Explorer or Finder (Mac) and drop on a device in the rack or Sequencer Track List to replace existing devices, see “Loading patches”. ! Note that Instrument devices can only be replaced by other Instrument devices. The same goes for Effect devices.
Naming devices Each device has a “tape strip” which shows the name of the device. When you create a new device it is automatically named according to the current patch in the device. Devices that don’t use patches are automatically named according to the device type, with an index number (so that the first ID8 device r you create is called “ID8 1”, the next “ID8 2” and so on). If you like, you can rename a device by clicking on its tape strip and typing a new name (up to 16 characters).
Folding and unfolding devices If you don’t need to edit the parameters for a device, you can fold the device to make the rack more manageable and to avoid having to scroll a lot. D Click the “Fold/Unfold” button to the left on the device panel to fold the device. The “Fold/Unfold” button on an RV7000 device. D To unfold the device, click the “Fold/Unfold” button again.
Chapter 12 Working with Rack Extensions
About this chapter This chapter describes the procedures and techniques for managing Rack Extension devices. What are Rack Extensions? Rack Extensions are additional rack devices that can be purchased in the Propellerhead web shop at shop.propellerheads.se and used together with the internal devices in the rack. Rack Extensions can be instruments, effects or utility devices, such as mixers and CV processors. Rack Extension devices are developed by Propellerhead as well as by 3rd party companies.
If you move to another computer, you can download and install all your Rack Extensions by going to your user account on the Propellerhead web site (Your Products page, Rack Extensions tab) and clicking the "Sync All" button. This function is also excellent for making sure you got the latest versions and updates of all your Rack Extensions. Only files that are missing on your computer will be downloaded and installed. Rack Extensions can be updated, with fixes and additions.
Using Rack Extensions in Reason Rack Extensions behave just like internal Reason devices, and are listed together with the Reason devices in the Create menu subgroups and on the Device Palette in the Browser: The Radical Piano Rack Extension is available from the Create menu and on the Instruments device palette in the Browser. The installed Rack Extension devices are sorted in the appropriate subgroups and are listed, per manufacturer, in alphabetical order.
If a Rack Extension supports patches, you will find the included patches in the Rack Extension itself. To get there: 1. In the Browser, click "Rack Extensions" in the locations list to the left. This lists all available Rack Extensions in alphabetical order: 2. Double click a Rack Extension folder (or click the expansion triangle) in the list to browse its patch content.
About missing Rack Extensions When you open a Reason song from another user, it may have been created with Rack Extensions that you don't have. It might be a song from a friend, or a song that you have made using a Rack Extension with a trial license (that has since expired). When you open such a song, the following alert appears: Now, you can choose to open the song without the Rack Extension(s), or go to the Propellerhead web shop and Try or Buy the missing Rack Extension(s).
Chapter 13 Sounds, Patches and the Browser
About this chapter This chapter deals with the following topics: • Handling Patches. See “About patches”. • Using the Patch Browser. See “Using the Browser”. • ReFills and Reason file formats. See “About ReFills”. About patches A patch contains settings for a specific device. Patches can be either separate files on your hard disk or files embedded in a ReFill (see “About ReFills” for info about ReFills). The devices that use patches are described below.
About the “Load Default Sound in New Devices” preference On the “General” page in Preferences, there is an option (on by default) to load a default patch when creating a device. For some devices, there are a number of patches that exist outside category folders in the main Sound Bank folder for the device. These will be available on the browse list (see “About browse lists”) directly after creating the device, which allows you check out a few sounds for a device without opening the browser.
D Click the Select Patch buttons on the device panel: Save Patch button Browse Patch button Patch Name display Select Patch buttons The Patch section of the Subtractor device. D Click on the Patch Name display on the device panel to bring up a a pop-up menu which lists all patches in the currently selected folder. D Click the Browse Patch button on the device panel. This is useful mainly if a device doesn’t already have browse focus. Clicking the Browse Patch button sets browse focus to the device.
The Revert function A soon as you have loaded a new patch into a device that has browse focus, the Revert button becomes available at the bottom of the browser list: The Revert button appears as soon as you load new patches into a device that has browse focus. The Revert function makes it possible to get back to the patch which was originally in the device - before you started loading new patches. This is very handy if you should change your mind and want your original patch back in your device.
Clearing browse focus To clear browse focus for a device, use one of the following methods: D Click anywhere in the rack background. D Click the X symbol to the right on the orange browse focus label at the top in the Browser. D Select another sequencer track (if the rack is not detached). Setting browse focus Apart from when creating and loading patches into a device, browse focus can be set anytime you like. This is very useful if you're working in the sequencer where there are no browse buttons.
Saving patches Saving device settings in a song When you save a Reason song, all settings for all devices are automatically included in the song file - there is no need to save the patches separately. ! It’s important to realize that it’s the actual settings that are saved in the Song - not references to patches on disk. The next time you open the song, all devices will be set as they were when you saved it (regardless of whether you have removed or edited any patches on disk).
Copying and pasting patches between devices A quick way to copy device parameter settings between devices of the same type is to use the “Copy Patch” and “Paste Patch” functions. The result is exactly the same as if you had saved a patch from one device and opened it on another device of the same type - this is just a quicker method. ! Copying and Pasting settings is possible with all device types that can use patches. Proceed as follows: 1.
About ReFills A ReFill is a kind of component package for Reason which can contain sounds and effects patches, samples, REX files, SoundFonts and demo songs. If you like, you can compare ReFills to ROM cards for a hardware synthesizer. On your computer, ReFills appear as large files with the extension “.rfl”. All sounds included with Reason are embedded in a ReFill named “Factory Sound Bank” which was copied to the hard disk during installation. Additional Propellerhead ReFills are available for purchase.
Using the Browser The Browser when using the File|Open... command. The Browser is used when you open songs or load patches, samples, audio files, MIDI files and REX files, from regular file folders or from a ReFill. D Open and close the Browser by pressing [F3] or by selecting Show/Hide Browser from the Windows menu. ! If you have the rack detached in a separate window, you can have a second Browser in the rack window, see “About using the Browser in the detached rack”.
Besides standard file folder browsing, the Browser offers several useful functions: • Search for files by name and/or type - see “Using the “Search” function”. • Use “cross-browsing” to search for patches belonging to any type of device. For example, set browse focus from a Subtractor device by clicking its Browse Patch button. Instead of limiting the Browser to show only Subtractor patches, you can choose to browse for any type of instrument patch.
Browser elements The Browser when using the Browse Patch button/function on a Subtractor device. Regardless of what command you used for opening the Browser (Open/Browse Patch/Import Audio etc.
Browse focus field This field shows the name of the currently selected device in the rack - or the currently selected sequencer track. The Browse Focus field is orange when a device or track has browse focus - and gray when no focus is set. See “Setting browse focus” and “Clearing browse focus” for more information. Root Folder drop-down list This field displays the name of the currently selected root folder.
Locations and Favorites list This list contains shortcuts to various locations. You can manually add any locations (on any local drive) to the bottom section of the list. The locations in the upper part of the list are default and cannot be changed. Selecting an item in the “Locations and Favorites” list will open the corresponding folder/ReFill as the root in the main files and folder list - see “Navigating in the Browser”.
Browser list This is the Browser list, showing the contents of a selected folder - see “Navigating in the Browser”. Patch Load section At the bottom of the Browser list are a buttons for selecting and loading patches: D Click a patch in the Browser list and then click the Load button to load the patch in the device. D Click the triangular Load Pervious/Load Next buttons to automatically load the previous/next patch in the device. Alternatively, press the up/down arrow keys on the computer keyboard.
The “Info” section at the bottom of the Browser can show Song/ReFill splash images and also information about the item currently selected in the “Files and Folders” list. Exactly what information is shown here depends on the selected file type. For example, samples or REX files contain information about the file format and length of the selected file, while a selected song file can display comments from the author (see “Including Song Information”) etc.
D Click on the triangular symbol next to a closed folder to expand it. If the folder contains files of the relevant type, these will be shown. D Double-clicking a folder in the list opens it as the root folder in the Browser. • The “Name”, “Type”, “Modified” and “Size” columns show the name of the folder or file, the file/folder type, the modification date and the size (files only), respectively. • Clicking on a column header sorts the files accordingly (i.e.
Using Locations and Favorites To help you to find your files quickly, you can add shortcuts to the folders where you store your samples and patch files etc. By default, the Locations list contains five fixed locations; the Reason Factory Sound Bank, the Reason Orkester Sound Bank, the Rack Extensions location, the (your) User folder, the Song Samples location and the Recent Patches location. You can easily add your own locations below this list if you like.
This is particularly useful for handling patches. By adding the patches you need for a given situation to a Favorite List, you can determine exactly which patches will be selectable for a device, and in what order. You can then sequentially step through these patches using patch select buttons on your MIDI keyboard or control surface device. See “Using Favorites - a practical example”. ! We strongly recommend not to put ReFills in Favorite Lists.
Using Favorites - a practical example Here follows a practical example of how you can use Favorites for patch files: You are preparing for a live gig as a keyboard player. You know the songs, and you have chosen suitable patches (in various device formats) for each song. You want to use Reason, but you want to be able to switch to the correct patch for each song using your MIDI keyboard, and not have to worry about fiddling with the computer during your performance.
Selecting and auditioning samples and REX loops For audio files, samples and REX loops you can use the Audition controls in the Browser to preview the audio. This is done in the following way: D Select the audio or REX file in the Browser list and click the triangular Play button. The file is played back. During playback, the Play button in the Audition section switches to a square “Stop” button - click this to stop playback.
Cross-browsing patch files Cross-browsing patches is a powerful feature of the Browser. It allows you to browse for any type of instrument patches or effect patches, regardless of which instrument or effect device you opened the Browser from. About instrument and effect patches Patches are internally divided into two patch categories in the Browser; instrument patches and effect patches (the Browser “knows” what type of patch it is).
D You can continue to browse and load patches and play your keyboard to try them out. Each time you load a patch that belongs to a different device, this device automatically replaces the previous device in the rack. • Cross-browsing for an effect patch it works in the same way - loading an effect patch of a different format will replace the current effect device in the rack.
Using the “Search” function The Search function allows you to search for patches, songs, audio files etc. The Search field is always available at the top of the Browser. D Type in a search text and click the Search button. • The search happens in the currently shown folder/location (shown above the Search field) - and in all its sub folders (if any). The Root folder popup above the Search field shows "Searching " where location is the current search folder.
About browse lists When you click the Open/Load/Create/Import button to open a file from the Browser, the file and folder list shown at that time is memorized for that device. This is called a “browse list”. For patches (and to a certain extent samples) this list provides a specific functionality: • The browse list is what applies when changing patches using the Next/Previous Patch buttons on the front panel of a device (or from patch selectors on a control surface).
Handling Missing Sounds Sampler patches, drum machine patches, Dr. Octo Rex patches, and SoundFonts contain references to samples files on your hard disk. The same is true for songs that contain samples (in sampler or drum machine devices) or REX files. If any of these files have been moved, renamed or removed when you try to open the patch or song, Reason will alert you that files are missing by showing the “Missing Sounds” window.
! If you have a lot of ReFills and folders in your Locations, the search could take a while. If you want to abort the search, click the Cancel button in the “Searching...” window: When you have found the sound you want to replace the missing sound with, double click it or select it and click the Replace button in the Browser: Replacing a missing sound. The selected missing sound in the Missing Sounds window now disappears from the window and you can select the a new missing sound to replace.
Reason file formats The following table lists the file formats that you can browse and open using Reason’s browser: | File 346 type | Extension | Description Reason Song .reason or .rns This is the main document format in Reason.
| File type | Extension | Description Malström Patch .xwv This is a patch for the Malström synth device, containing all panel settings. You store your synth sounds by saving Malström patches. NN19 Sampler Patch .smp This is a patch for the NN19 Sampler device, containing references to and settings for all used samples, along with panel settings. NN-XT Sampler Patch .
| File 348 type | Extension | Description SoundFont Bank .sf2 The SoundFont format was co-developed by E-mu Systems and Creative Technologies and is used with many audio cards and software synthesizers. SoundFont banks store wavetable synthesized sounds, allowing users to create and edit multi-sampled sounds in special Soundfont editing programs.
Chapter 14 Routing Audio and CV
About this chapter This chapter describes the various signals used in Reason and how you can route them. Signal types The following signal types are used in Reason: Audio signals Besides the Spider CV, Matrix Pattern Sequencer and the RPG-8 Arpeggiator, all Reason devices have audio connectors on the back. The audio connectors carry audio signals to or from devices via virtual cables. D Audio connectors are shown as large quarter inch jacks.
P-LAN signals P-LAN is the internal system used for routing audio signals from Mix Channel and Audio Track devices to the Main Mixer Master Section device - and from Mix Channel/Audio Track devices to other Mix Channel devices that are used as Output Busses (sub-mixers).
• With “Reduce Cable Clutter” selected, the cable appearance depends on the settings in the “Appearance” section on the “General” page in Preferences: D Select “Show for selected devices only” to only display the cables for selected devices. All other (non-selected) devices will have “transparent” cables to make it easier to distinguish the cables of selected devices. D Select “Hide auto-routed cables” to only display manually routed cables.
Cable color To allow for a better overview of the connections in the rack, the cables have different colors: Green cables indicate effect device connections. Yellow cables indicate CV connections. Red cables indicate connections between instrument and mixer devices. • Audio connections between instrument and mixer devices are different shades of red. • Connections to and from effect devices are different shades of green. • CV connections are different shades of yellow. • Combinator connections are blue.
Auto-routing of Instrument devices Routing to the Main Mixer • When you create an instrument device, it is automatically connected to a new Mix Channel device in most situations. However, if the instrument device is created directly below an unused (no inputs connected) Mix Channel device in the rack, it will be connected to this instead.
Routing as a Main Mixer Master Section send effect • When you have the Master Section device selected and create an effect device, it will be automatically connected as a send effect to the first available Send FX connectors on the Master Section device. See “Creating Send effects”. q It’s also possible to use the “Add Send FX” function to add effect devices or Effect Combi patches as send effects in the Master Section - see “Creating Send effects”.
• When you move a device in the rack, the connections are not affected. • When you duplicate devices by dragging and dropping, or using copy and paste, the devices are not autorouted. If you would like them to be auto-routed, hold down [Shift] while performing the operation. ! If you are duplicating a complete Device Group (see “Duplicating devices”), this will often include a Mix Channel. In this case, the Mix Channel will also be duplicated, with no need for further auto-routing.
Manual routing To connect devices manually, you need to flip the rack around to see the back. This is done by pressing [Tab] or by selecting “Toggle Rack Front/Rear” from the Options menu. Note that routing cables can be done regardless of the “Reduce Cable Clutter” setting on the Options menu. This means that you can connect cables even though they are hidden (see “Cable appearance”).
Connecting cables 1. Click on the desired input or output jack on one of the devices, and drag the pointer away from the jack (with the mouse button pressed). A loose cable appears. 2. Drag the cable to the jack on the other device. When you move the cable end over a jack of the correct type (audio/CV, input/output) it will be highlighted to show that a connection is possible. 3. Release the mouse button. The cable is connected.
Disconnecting cables There are two ways of manually disconnecting cables: D Click on one end of the cable, drag it away from the jack and drop it anywhere away from a jack. D Click and hold (or right-click (Win) or [Ctrl]-click (Mac)) on a connector and select “Disconnect” from the popup menu that appears.
Using CV and Gate CV/Gate is used for modulating and triggering device parameters. Each separate Device chapter lists the available CV/Gate connections and the parameters that can be modulated or used for modulation outputs for that device. Routing CV and Gate signals There are not really any hard and fast “rules” applicable to CV/Gate routing.
Chapter 15 The Main Mixer
About this chapter This chapter describes the various procedures, parameters and functions in the Main Mixer as well as the relationship between mixer channels and the Audio Track/Mix Channel devices in the rack. The chapter also covers how to set up and use Insert and Send effects, as well as some advanced routing tips and tricks. Overview The Main Mixer is a fully equipped mixer with pro features to meet the most demanding mixing needs.
The Audio Track, its device and mixer channel strip Audio Tracks and their associated rack devices are for recording/playing back audio. When you create a new Audio Track, a corresponding Audio Track device is added to the rack and an Audio Track channel strip is added to the Main Mixer. The track, device and channel strip all belong together. If you delete the device, the corresponding track and channel strip are also deleted.
The Mix Channel device and channel strip A Mix Channel device acts as a host to a source device (e.g. an instrument device). When you create an instrument, a Mix Channel device is added automatically to the rack and a corresponding Mix Channel strip is added to the Main Mixer. You can also create Mix Channels manually from the Devices tab in the Tool Window or from the Create menu. This is useful if you need to make manual mixer routings - see “Advanced routing tips and tricks” at the end of this chapter.
The Master Section device and mixer strip The Master Section device is always present and is fixed in the rack, just below the Reason Hardware Interface. This is where all your Audio Track and Mix channels are summed and mixed to stereo, and where you set up your Send effects and Master Insert effects. For descriptions of how to set up and use effects, see “Insert FX” and “Send FX”. The corresponding Master Section mixer strip is also fixed and is always visible to the right in the Main Mixer.
Navigating in the Main Mixer Viewing the Main Mixer area There are several ways to bring the Main Mixer area into view: • By dragging the gray Rack header downwards to reveal the mixer area. • By pressing [F5] on your keyboard or selecting “View Main Mixer” from the Windows menu. • By clicking the Show/Hide icon on the gray Mixer header.
Showing and hiding channel strip sections Channel strips are divided into sections, which can be globally shown or hidden in the mixer. This enables you to hide sections that you don’t need to tweak or to focus on specific sections. Hiding a section does not alter the mixer functionality in any way, sections are still active when hidden. Each section has a section name header in the channel strip. The sections are as follows (from the top down): Input, Dynamics, EQ, Inserts, FX Sends and Fader.
Differences between the channel strips and the Master Section strip Showing/hiding mixer strip sections also affects the Master Section strip. There are a few differences in the Master Section and the channel strip sections when using the Show/Hide buttons: • There is no Input section in the Master Section. If the Input section is shown, the Master Section will display a blank panel. • The “EQ” Show/Hide button affects the FX Send section in the Master Section.
Managing mixer channels Creating and deleting channels Mixer channel strips are automatically created when you create Audio Track and Mix Channel devices. In most situations, a Mix Channel device (with its channel strip) is also automatically created when you create an instrument device (see “Creating devices”). To delete a channel, proceed as follows: D Select the channel strip in the Main Mixer, or select its device in the rack, and press [Delete] or [Backspace].
Moving channels To move channels in the Main Mixer, simply select them and use standard drag and drop method. A red insertion line will show the insertion point, exactly like when moving devices in the rack or tracks in the sequencer. Moving a channel. The thicker red line indicates where the moved channel will be inserted. Displaying channels, devices and tracks in the same order Channel strips in the mixer, Audio Track and Mix Channel devices and tracks can be independently re-ordered.
Duplicating channels D To make a duplicate copy of a mixer channel, with its settings and Insert FX (if any), hold down [Ctrl](Win) or [Option](Mac) and drag the channel to where you want it. Several selected channels can be duplicated. You can also select “Duplicate Channels and Tracks” functions on the Edit menu or mixer context menu.
If you want the source device and Mix channel to have different names, change the name of the Mix channel. To return to the default state (and use the source device name for the Mix channel), just delete the Mix channel name. ! There are special naming conventions when you are using Parallel Channels, see “Naming Parallel Channels”. Coloring mixer channels Mixer channels are shown with the same color as their corresponding rack devices and tracks.
The channel strip The channel strip is divided into sections, each marked with a section header. Mix Channel and Audio Track channel strips have identical parameters. Here is a detailed rundown of the parameters and functions in each section. Input section Input Gain | Parameter | Description Gain This sets the input gain for the channel. Range is +/- 18 dB.
Dynamics section Each channel strip has a powerful dynamics section featuring compression/limiting and gating/expansion. The upper part of the section (with a white background) is the compressor/limiter, and the lower part (gray background) is the gate/expander. The compressor and gate processing can be independently switched in or out of the circuit. Compressor/Limiter Compressors reduce dynamic range by evening out the difference between loud and quiet signals.
Gate/Expander Gating or expansion will attenuate signals below a set threshold; the opposite of compression. It can be used to reduce or eliminate unwanted background noise that may be present when there is no signal to mask it. Gating is also commonly used to reduce microphone “bleeding”, e.g. when recording a close-mic’ed drum kit you can use gating to silence the tom microphones when the toms aren’t being played to tighten up the sound, and for special effects like “keying” (see below).
The Key button and the Dynamics Sidechain inputs You can use external signals to trigger the Dynamics section. This is done by connecting an external signal output to the Sidechain inputs on the back of the Mix Channel or Audio Track rack device. The Sidechain inputs. When a cable is connected to the Sidechain inputs the “KEY” button is activated automatically and the Dynamics section for the channel will now be “keyed” i.e. triggered by the external signal instead of the channel signal.
EQ section This is a four-band EQ with parametric midrange controls and high and low frequency shelving bands. The EQ can be switched between two operating modes, each with slightly different curve characteristics. There is also a filter section with low pass and high pass filters. The EQ can be placed before or after Dynamics in the signal path - see “Signal Path section”.
| Parameter | Description HF Gain/Frequency The HF section provides high frequency shelving equalization. Frequencies above the set corner Frequency will be cut or boosted by the set HF Gain amount. The HF Gain control can cut or boost the selected frequency range +/- 20dB and the HF Frequency can be set between 1.5kHz - 22kHz. HF BELL mode When this button is activated, the HF EQ will switch to peaking characteristics.
! If “Master Section” is selected, no controls are available in the window, since the Master Section lacks these. • If the “Follow Selection” checkbox is ticked, changing sequencer track, Mix Channel/Audio Track device in the rack, channel strip, or editing parameters on other channel strips will automatically change the Spectrum EQ Window focus to show the signal of the corresponding mixer channel. 2. Tick the “EQ On” box to activate the EQ in the channel strip and bring up the parameters in the window.
D Click and drag any of the points in the window to change the frequency (and gain for the EQ points) value(s). Dragging sideways changes the frequency value and dragging vertically changes the gain (of the EQ points). As you edit the points, the corresponding channel strip parameter(s) are updated in real-time - and vice versa. The white line in the window shows the resulting EQ (and Filter, if activated) curve. • Hold down [Shift] and drag to constrain the movement to vertical and/or horizontal.
Insert FX section The channel strip Insert FX section allows you to load an Effect Combi patch, which can in turn contain any number of effects and other devices. Insert effect devices that belong to the patch are added to the Audio Track or Mix Channel device in the rack. The main parts of this section are the assignable Rotary knobs and buttons.
FX Sends section Send effects, which are global for all channels in the Main Mixer, are connected to the Master Section rack device. Up to 8 Send effects can be used simultaneously. For a description of how to use Send effects, see “Send FX”. The FX Sends section contains the following parameters: | Parameter 382 | Description FX Send On 1-8 Activates the Send for the channel.
Fader section The Fader section is used for controlling the level of the channel and its stereo placement in the mix. The section has the following parameters: | Parameter | Description Pan L/R Use this control to set the left/right position of the channel in the stereo field. [Ctrl]-click (Win) or [Cmd]-click (Mac) the Pan knob to reset to the default “0” (center position). Width Width will only be available on stereo channels. It allows you to control the width of the stereo field for the channel.
Channel Header section The Channel Header is always visible at the bottom of the channel strip. It contains the following items: The Edit Focus indicator - When you select a channel, the horizontal strip at the top of the Channel Header lights up red to indicate Edit Focus. The channel most recently clicked will have edit focus, regardless of how many channels are selected.
The Master Section strip The Master Section is where all your audio track and mix channels are mixed down to the Master Out bus. The Master Section strip contains a bus compressor and Insert FX section, both of which process the master bus, as well as send/return master level and pan controls for the eight FX Sends. Any processing applied to the master bus affects all channels that are routed to the Master Section.
Master Compressor section The Master Compressor is perfect for providing the final “fairy dust” to your mix. It can add punch and cohesion, and generally make the mix sound bigger and more powerful. The compressor is very straightforward in operation and features make-up gain as well as program-adaptive Release. The Master Compressor can be applied pre or post Master Insert section - see “Master Inserts section”.
FX Send section This section controls the master levels of the FX Sends. Send effect devices are connected to the Master Section via the eight FX Send and eight FX Return connectors on the back of the rack device. See “Send FX” for a description of how to set up an use Send FX. The Send bus can be monitored via the Control Room output - see “Control Room output section”. The section contains the following items: | Parameter | Description Level 1 - 8 Adjusts the FX Send master level.
Master Inserts section The Master Inserts Section is identical to the Insert FX section in the channel strips, except that it affects the master bus, i.e. the whole mix. You can load Combinator effect patches, which can include anything from a single device to a complex array of multiple devices, to process the master bus. The Master Insert slot is ideally used to apply mastering effects for finalizing the mix.
| Parameter | Description Edit Inserts This will bring the Master Section device into view in the rack, with its Insert FX container opened, allowing you to edit the effect devices. Signal Path button If activated, the “Inserts Pre Compressor” button will place the Inserts before the Master Compressor in the signal chain. If the Master Insert effects contain a maximizer or limiter, the inserts should normally be last (this button should be left in the off position).
Master Fader section The Master Fader controls the final output level of the mix to be recorded or exported to a file. It should normally be set to 0dB. The Master Fader should never be used to adjust the monitoring level - this is what the Control Room bus is for (see below). The section contains the following items: | Parameter | Description Master Fader Adjusts the level of the Master Out bus. Meter Shows the level of the Master Out bus.
The section contains the following items: | Parameter | Description Control Room Out Level Adjusts the level of the Control Room bus. This parameter is what you use to change the overall monitor level. Master/FX Send/FX Return buttons These buttons allow you to switch monitoring between the Master bus, the Send bus and the Return bus. Control Room FX Select buttons When monitoring Send/Return busses, you use these buttons to set which Send/Return bus to monitor. One bus can be monitored at a time.
Adding Insert effects To add an effect device as an insert effect, proceed as follows: 1. Select a channel strip in the Main Mixer, a Mix Channel or Audio Track device in the rack, or an audio track or Mix Channel track in the sequencer. 2. Select the desired effect device from the Create menu or from the context menu. The effect device is created and automatically routed in the Insert FX container in the channel's rack device. A Line 6 Guitar Amp device created as Insert FX in an Audio Track device. 3.
To load an Effect Combi patch in the Insert FX section of a channel strip, proceed as follows: 1. Click on the “Browse Insert FX Patch” button (with the folder icon). The Patch browser opens. 2. Navigate to an Effect Combinator patch and select it. Effect Combinator patches can be found in the Effect Patches folder in the Reason Sound Bank. 3. Click “OK” to load the selected patch in the Insert FX section.
D To edit the parameter assignments on the Insert FX Programmer panel, click the “Show Programmer” button on the Mix Channel/Audio Track device. The parameter assignments are made in the same way as when creating/editing regular Combinator devices (see “The Combinator”). The parameters you assign to the Insert FX Programmer panel in the rack are automatically mirrored on the four knobs and buttons in the Insert FX section on the channel strip. 2.
Another way of deleting Insert FX is by manually removing them from the Insert FX container in the Mix Channel or Audio Track device in the rack: 1. Unfold the Mix Channel/Audio Track device and click the “Show Insert FX” button. 2. In the Insert FX container, select the device(s) you want to remove. 3. Press [Backspace] or [Delete], or select “Delete Devices and Tracks” from the Edit or context menu. An alert appears asking you to confirm the deletion. (See “Deleting devices” for more details).
Send FX Send effects are routed in parallel with the signal chain, and the effect balance can be adjusted - as opposed to Insert effects, which are inserted in the signal chain and process the whole channel signal (see “Insert FX”). Typical Send effects include reverbs and delays. The Main Mixer can hold up to eight separate Send effects per Song. These eight Send effects can be used simultaneously by any or all mixer channels in the Song, at individually adjustable levels per mixer channel.
• Each FX Send and FX Return in the Master Section strip has a display that shows the name of the last effect in that send's signal path: The names of three added Send effects are displayed in the Master Section strip. 3. If you need to re-route any connections, press [Tab] to flip the rack around. The Send FX connections on the Master Section device. ! Note that the Master Section device must be unfolded to show the connections.
Editing and saving Send effects D Click the “Edit” buttons in the FX Send or FX Return sections to get to the corresponding Send effect device(s) in the rack. The Edit buttons for the Send effects in the FX Send and FX Return sections. The corresponding Send effect devices are scrolled into view in the rack. • Send effects can be edited from their device panels according to standard editing procedures. Any edits you make will be automatically stored when you save the Song document.
Output Busses Output Busses allow you to create sub-mixers. Sub-mixers can be very useful for pre-mixing a multi-mic’ed drum kit, or a horn section, for example. You can also use a sub-mixer configuration to route several external input signals (from separate microphones, for example) for recording onto a single audio track (see “Recording a sub-mix onto an audio track”). You can have as many mix busses as you like in a Reason song.
D Alternatively, select the Kick channel strip and press [Ctrl]+[G](Win) or [Cmd]+[G](Mac). A new Mix Channel is created in the Main Mixer and its corresponding Mix Channel device is created in the Rack. The Kick channel is now routed to the new Mix Channel via the internal P-Lan network.
4. If you like you could now rename the Output Bus channel, e.g. to Drum Mix, and drag the channel strip to the right of the individual drum channels for better overview: The changed Output Bus name is automatically displayed in the colored Output area on all channels routed to that Output Bus channel. If you look in the rack, you can see that the Audio Output display on the Audio Track devices for the individual drum channel now show “Drum Mix” instead of the default “Master Section”.
Recording a sub-mix onto an audio track The example below shows an Output Bus (sub-mixer) configuration with four microphones connected to one input each on the audio interface and then routed from the Reason Hardware Interface to the Direct Inputs on four Mix Channel devices. The four Mix Channel devices are routed to the “Drums SubMix” Output Bus for sub-mixing: Direct routing of individual Audio Inputs to Mix Channels which, in turn, are routed to an Output Bus for sub-mixing.
Parallel Channels A very flexible way of working with insert effects is to use parallel channels that host the effects, while keeping the dry signal of the source channel intact. This way you can freely control the levels of the dry signal and the separate effects - and also control the sound of each effect individually from each of the parallel channels. You could, for example, have one parallel channel with a compressed distortion effect, another parallel channel with a Delay, and so on.
D If you want to add more parallel channels to your source channel, select the last created parallel channel and select “Create Parallel Channel” from the Edit menu or context menu. This adds another parallel channel to your source channel: Another Parallel Channel created for Audio Track 1. In the rack, the Parallel out jack(s) of the source Mix Channel/Audio Track device are automatically connected to the Direct Input jack(s) of the first parallel Mix Channel.
1. [Shift]-select all drum channels in the mixer. 2. Press [Ctrl]+[G](Win) or [Cmd]+[G](Mac) to create a new Output Bus to automatically route the drum channels to. A new Output Bus channel, named “Bus 1”, is created to the right and the selected channels are automatically routed to it as indicated on the channels’ Output labels. 3. Select the “Bus 1” channel in the mixer and select “Create Parallel Channel” from the Edit menu or context menu.
5. Raise the Level fader on the “P1: Bus 1” channel to gradually introduce the heavily compressed sound (in parallel with the dry signal of the “Bus 1” channel). Deleting Parallel Channels D To delete a Parallel Channel, select its mixer channel strip - or its device in the rack - and press [Delete] or [Backspace]. Confirm the deletion in the alert that appears.
Solo, Mute and Send FX logic The Solo, Mute and Send FX functions in the channel strips are very straight-forward when you work with mixer channels that are routed straight to the Master Section. However, when you are using Output Busses for sub-mixing and/or Parallel Channels for parallel processing, the Solo, Mute and Send FX functions need to work intelligently to provide the desired result. This has been carefully taken care of in the Main Mixer in Reason.
The examples in the figure below show how Solo and Mute work in different mixer channel configurations: The Snare channel has been manually soloed. Since the Snare channel is routed to the Drums SubMix Output Bus, the Drums SubMix bus is automatically soloed to let the Snare signal through to the Master Section. All other mixer channels are automatically muted. Parallel The Snare channel has been manually soloed.
Below is another example of the Solo and Mute logic: Parallel The Drums Dist parallel channel is manually soloed. Its output bus, the Drums SubMix, is automatically soloed, as are the Kick, Snare and Overhead channels that are routed to the Drums Dist channel via the parallel connection from the Drums Clean channel. The Drums Clean channel is automatically muted, as are the other remaining channels in the mixer.
Send FX mute examples The example in the figure below shows how the Send FX behave when an Output Bus channel is muted: The Send FX outputs of all channels that are routed to the Drums SubMix Output Bus are automatically muted if you manually mute the Drums SubMix Output Bus channel. The examples in the figure below show how the Send FX behave when you mute a Parallel Channel as well as a Parallel Channel plus an Output Bus: Parallel The Drums Clean Output Bus is manually muted.
Remote controlling the Main Mixer There are two ways of Remote controlling the Main Mixer: one channel at a time, for detailed control of the parameters of one mixer channel at a time, or multiple channels simultaneously, for balancing levels etc. Remote controlling a single mixer channel You can control a single mixer channel, either by locking your control surface to the mixer channel, or by setting Master Keyboard Input to the mixer channel’s track in the sequencer.
Remote controlling multiple mixer channels - an example If you want to remote control several channel strips at once from your control surface, you can proceed as follows: D Select the Master Section device in the rack or the Master Section Strip in the Main Mixer. If you want to lock your control surface to the Master Section, select “Lock Xxxxx to This Device” from the Edit menu or context menu. (“Xxxxx” represents the name of your connected control surface.
On our control surface it’s possible to select next and previous Remote Base Channel in steps of 8 channels. If we click the “Next” button on our control surface, the Remote Base Channel is set to Audio Track 9 and we can now control Audio Track 9 through Audio Track 12, plus the Master Section: Remote Base Channel Remote controlled channels Controlling Audio Track 9 through Audio Track 12 and Master Section from the connected control surface.
Advanced routing tips and tricks Chaining Send effects from Redrum or Mixer devices The Redrum Drum Module and the Mixer 14:2 and 6:2 devices have separate Send FX connectors where you can add send effects individually for each device. The Redrum and Mixer devices also have separate Send FX level pots for each drum/mixer channel so that you could set the send effect levels individually for each drum/mixer channel in the device.
4. Connect the Send Out 1 and 2 of the Redrum device to the Left inputs of each of the “FX 1 Chaining” and “FX 2 Chaining” Mix Channel devices. Now, you should have a setup that looks something like this: The Redrum Effect Sends chained to one Send FX bus each of the Master Section, via two new Mix Channel devices. 5. Set individual Send levels for each of Redrum’s internal channels.
Using compression sidechaining Compression sidechaining is a feature which lets you control the Compressor, not from the internal channel signal, but from an external signal. A typical use case would be to let the signal from a kick drum channel control the compression of the bass channel. The result would be that the bass signal is compressed each time the kick drum signal is present on the sidechain input, allowing the kick sound to momentarily suppress the bass sound.
About compression sidechaining of several channels from one source channel If you want to use compression sidechaining of several (destination) channels from a single source channel, there are some options of doing that: • If you are already using both Parallel outputs for sidechaining, tap an additional sidechain signal from one of the Insert FX “To Device” outputs of the source channel. This is useful if you are not using both “To Device” outputs for insert effects in the source channel.
The example below shows how to route the Direct Outs of a number of Audio Track devices to separate outputs of the Reason Hardware Interface: Direct routing of individual channel outputs to individual outputs on the Reason Hardware Interface. ! Using the Direct Outs will break the internal P-LAN routing to the Master Section device. This is indicated by the red dashes (---) in the Audio Output display on the Audio Track/Mix Channel devices.
3. Connect one of the Audio Ins of the Reason Hardware Interface to the “Input L” of the Mix Channel device. This manual patching from the Hardware Interface is made to route the input signal directly to the Mix Channel device, where we have our effects. Direct routing of an Input signal from the Reason Hardware Device to the Mix Channel device. 4. Flip the rack around to view the front. 5. Click the “Rec Source” button on the Mix Channel device.
6. Finally, select the Mix Channel device as Input on the Audio Track in the sequencer (or in the Audio Input selector on the Audio Track device in the rack). This will route the signal from the Mix Channel device’s output directly to the input of the Audio Track. The Mix Channel device selected as audio input on the Audio Track in the sequencer. Now, you can begin recording on the Audio Track according to the standard recording procedures described in “General recording procedure”.
Chapter 16 Song File Handling
About this chapter This chapter describes how to open, create and save songs in various ways. It also describes how to save a song as a Template and how to import and export songs as Standard MIDI files. Opening Songs Opening a Reason or Record Song ! To be able to open a Reason Song (or a Record Song), you need to run Reason in Authorized mode. If you’re using Reason in Demo Mode (unauthorized), the “Open” item on the File menu is removed and replaced by “Open Demo Song”.
About opening Reason Version 5 (or earlier) Songs in Reason Version 8 If you run Reason in Authorized mode, it’s also possible to open older Reason (.rns, .rps and .rsb) songs. A Reason Song created in Reason Version 5 or earlier will end up in a separate Song document, just like an ordinary Reason Version 8 Song. All Rack device and sequencer track configuration will be preserved as well as all cable connections.
Closing Songs Closing a Song D To close a Song, hold down [Ctrl](Win) or [Cmd](Mac) and press [W], or select “Close” from the File menu. Alternatively, click the close button in the upper corner of the Song document window. If you have unsaved changes, you will be asked if you want to save the song before closing. ! Note that when you’re closing the last open Song document in the Windows version of Reason, the Reason application will quit.
Creating a new Song from a template D To create a new song from a Template, select “New from Template” from the File menu and then select one of the Template Songs that appear in the sub-menu. The selected Template Song appears in a new document window. On Windows platforms, the document will be named “Document n” where “n” is an incremental number. On Mac OS X platforms, the document will be named “untitled n” where “n” is an incremental number. You can then save your Song with a new name.
Saving and optimizing a Song When you record audio in the Sequencer, the recordings are stored in your Song document. If you remove recordings in your song while editing, there might be “empty” areas left in the document, similar to a fragmented hard disk. To “defragment” the Song document, and thus reduce the file size, you can use the “Save and Optimize” command on the File menu. Note that the “Save and Optimize” command can only be used on previously saved Song documents.
• Song splash: This allows you to add a picture to the song. The picture will be displayed when the song is opened. D To add a splash picture, click the folder button at the upper right corner, locate and open the picture file in the file dialog that appears. ! Splash pictures must be JPEG files (Windows extension “.jpg”) with a size of 256 x 256 pixels. D To remove the splash picture from the song, click the “cross” button at the upper right corner.
2. Tick the checkboxes to the left of the “Name” column for the files you want to contain in the song. Note that samples and REX files from ReFills can also be self-contained (but not un-self-contained, see below). D You can use the “Check All” button to tick all checkboxes in one go. Similarly, the “Uncheck All” button unchecks all checkboxes. 3. When you have marked the desired sounds, click “OK” to exit the dialog.
Audio data and Scratch Disk settings About audio data in Song files If you record or import audio into an unsaved Song document, the audio is written to the “Scratch Disk folder” on your computer. As soon as you save (and name) the Song document, the audio is moved from the Scratch Disk folder to the Song document. From here on, all new recorded and/or imported audio is stored in the Song document.
About “Orphan Audio Streams” If your computer should malfunction (due to power loss etc.) during recording into a previously saved Song document, there is a good chance that your last unsaved audio recordings can be (at least partly) recovered: 1. Restart your computer and launch Reason. 2. Open one of the Song documents that was open during the computer malfunction.
Exporting Standard MIDI Files To export all Instrument Tracks and Automation Tracks from the Reason sequencer as a Standard MIDI File (SMF), do like this: 1. Set the End Marker in the sequencer to where you want your song to end. The MIDI file will contain all MIDI events on all tracks from the start of the song to the End marker. 2. Select “Export MIDI FIle...” from the File menu. The standard file browser appears. 3. Type in a new file name (if desired) and select location for the file to be exported.
SONG FILE HANDLING
Chapter 17 Importing and Exporting Audio
About this chapter This chapter describes the various techniques you can use to import and export audio to and from Reason. It also describes how you can drop songs and loops to Propellerhead. Importing audio Audio formats, sample rates and tempo matching The Reason sequencer supports import of mono and stereo audio files of various formats, sample rates and resolutions. Reason also supports import of REX (ReCycle rcy, rex and rx2) files.
Importing audio to the sequencer ! To minimize the song saving time, we strongly recommend to save the song before you import many or large audio files. To import one or several audio files to tracks in the sequencer, proceed as follows: 1. Select “Import Audio File...” from the File menu, or hold down [Ctrl]+[Shift](Win) or [Cmd]+[Option](Mac) and press [I]. The “Import Audio File” function gets browser focus: 2. Browse and select the audio file(s) you want to import.
! If you select a REX file, this will be rendered to audio when imported and all information about slice positions etc. will be lost. The Song Tempo and any Tempo Automation starting at the Song Position Pointer will be taken into account during the import. After the import, the REX file will behave just like any imported audio file. ! If you are going to edit the imported REX file inline, and work with slices, audio quantizing, stretching etc.
Import audio file(s) to an open Audio Clip It’s also possible to import audio files to open Audio Clips in the Comp Editor in the sequencer. Proceed as follows: 1. Open the Audio Clip you wish to import the audio file(s) to in the Comp Editor. 2. Select “Import Audio File...” from the File menu, or hold down [Ctrl]+[Shift](Win) or [Cmd]+[Option](Mac) and press [I]. The “Import Audio File” function gets browser focus. 3. Browse and select the audio file(s) you want to import.
Exporting audio You can export audio from Reason in some different ways. Besides exporting songs or parts of songs, it’s also possible to export (bounce) audio from separate Mixer Channels, with or without the mixer settings. It’s also possible to export (bounce) individual Audio Clips. You can choose a variety of sample rates for the exported/bounced audio, and also various audio file formats and resolutions.
D Tick the “Dither” check box to improve the audio quality of exported audio at 16-bit resolution. Select Sample Rate, Bit Depth and Dithering of the audio to be exported. About Tempo data in exported audio files In addition to the audio data, tempo data is automatically included in the exported audio file. The tempo data contains information about the song Tempo and any Tempo Automation used in the song/loop.
Bouncing Mixer Channels Bouncing Mixer Channels basically means “recording” the audio outputs from Audio Track Channels and/or Mix Channels and then automatically creating separate audio files. The audio files can then be saved to disk or placed on new Audio Tracks in your song. If you choose to bounce to disk, the audio files will be automatically saved to disk as separate audio files.
2. Tick the check boxes for the Mixer Channels you want to bounce. Note that you can also bounce the Mixer Master Section and any FX Returns at the same time if you like. The Mixer Channels in the list appear in the order they are placed in the Main Mixer, i.e. not necessarily in numerical or chronological order. The color tags in the list correspond to the Channel Strip colors in the Main Mixer.
D Select “New Tracks in Song” to bounce the Mixer Channels to new Audio Tracks in the song. When “New Tracks in Song” is selected, the File Format settings in the dialog are disabled (as is the "Export Tempo Track (.MID)" setting). The audio will be rendered at the current song’s sample rate (i.e. what you have previously set up in the hardware audio interface), at full 32-bit float resolution.
2. Choose location, File Name and File Format (AIFF or WAV) for the bounced audio clip at the bottom of the dialog and click “Save”. (The default name in the dialog is the Clip name + extension, or (if there's no name label on the clip) the track name + extension.) Choose a file name and select file format. 3.
Drop to Propellerhead A special audio export feature is the “Drop to Propellerhead” function. This lets you export a song, or part of a song (loop), in a proprietary Propellerhead format and automatically upload it to your Propellerhead account. The dropped (uploaded) audio can then be imported into other applications, such as the Propellerhead Take iOS app, and you can also share your exported files with others if you like.
3. Select what range to export in the “Range to Export” section. D Select “Song” to export the entire song, from the beginning of the song to the End Marker. D Select “Loop” to export the range between the Left and Right Locators. (If Loop mode is on in the sequencer, the “Range to Export” setting defaults to “Loop”.) q If you plan to use your exported Loop in other applications, for example as a backing Beat in the Propellerhead Take iOS app, you will want to make sure that your Loop loops smoothly.
IMPORTING AND EXPORTING AUDIO
Chapter 18 Sampling
About this chapter This chapter describes how you can sample, edit samples and manage your samples in your songs. For more information about the specific devices that can sample and play back samples, please refer to the “NN-XT Sampler”, “NN19 Sampler”, “Redrum Drum Computer”, “Kong Drum Designer” and “RV7000 Mk II Advanced Reverb” chapters.
About sample format, rate and resolution Whenever you sample in Reason, the resulting audio files are stored in WAV format. The sample rate is determined by the settings on the Audio tab in Preferences (see “Audio settings”). The resolution (bit depth) is defined in the setup application for your specific audio hardware (consult the manual for your audio hardware for information). Actually, Reason is totally agnostic about what sample rate and resolution you use.
Setting audio input level Once you have made the desired connections to the Sampling Input(s) on the Hardware Interface, it’s important to check the audio input level to avoid clipping. If you are going to sample external audio via the audio hardware of your computer, you have to adjust the level at the source, i.e. on the pre-amp of the audio hardware (or connected instrument). A good suggestion is to use the Big Meter on the Hardware Interface to be able to monitor the input level(s) more easily.
Sampling The Sample buttons The NN-XT, NN19, Redrum, Kong and RV7000 Mk II devices feature one or several Sample buttons. The Sample buttons are located on the devices as follows: Sampling buttons on NN-XT, NN19, Redrum and Kong respectively. Sampling procedure 1. Make sure you have made the necessary connections and set the levels according to the descriptions in “Setting up for sampling”. 2. Click the Sample button on the device you want to sample to.
D If you want to restart the sampling manually, click the Restart Sampling button: The “Restart Sampling” button. This will erase any sampled audio and force the play head to restart from the beginning. ! Note that you cannot restart sampling this way if you use the “click and hold” sampling method. 4. When you’re satisfied with your recording, click the Stop Sampling button in the waveform display. The “Stop Sampling” button.
Besides ending up in the device, the sample is also placed under the corresponding device icon in the Assigned Samples folder in the Song Samples location in the Browser: Here, all samples you use in your song are listed (see “The Song Samples location”). Here is also where you can open samples for editing (see “Editing samples”).
The Song Samples location The Song Samples location in the Browser is where all samples in your song are listed and can be accessed for preview and editing purposes. Besides your own samples, all Factory samples and any ReFills samples used in the song are also accessible for previewing and editing! The Song Samples location in the Browser.
The Song Samples location in the Browser contains the following items: • Assigned Samples folder Here, all samples that are assigned to devices in the song are listed. All devices that contain assigned samples are listed as “sub-folders”. Each device “sub-folder” shows the samples currently assigned to it. See “Assigned Samples” for more details.
Editing samples The Edit Sample window Any sample present in the All Self-contained Samples folder in the Song Samples location in the Browser can be edited. D Select a sample in the Browser list and click the Edit button to open the sample in the Edit Sample window: The Edit Sample window with an open sample.
The Edit Sample window can be resized in all directions by clicking and dragging the window frame. If you resize the window vertically, the displayed waveform will be resized vertically as well. • Undo and Redo buttons The Undo and Redo buttons work like the regular undo and redo functions in the main window menu, but these are used locally only for the Sample Edit window. The number of Undo and Redo steps in the Sample Edit window are limited to 10.
• Play button, Solo checkbox and Volume slider Click the Play button to play back the sample from the current position of the play head until the end of the sample. As soon as playback is started the button switches to display Stop instead, giving you the option of stopping playback. This is especially useful if your sample is looped. As an alternative to clicking the Play/Stop button you can press [Spacebar] to toggle between Play and Stop. Tick the Solo checkbox to solo sample playback.
2. If necessary, adjust the Start locator by clicking and dragging it back or forth in the Edit Sample window ruler. Play back the sample by clicking the Play button, or by pressing the [Spacebar]. q To make it easier to fine adjust the locators, it could be wise to magnify the waveform pane horizontally using the Waveform Navigator. The Waveform Navigator works exactly as the Song Navigator in the Sequencer - see “Zooming horizontally in the Sequencer” and “Scrolling and zooming using a wheel mouse”.
Cropping samples Cropping a sample means deleting parts you don’t want to keep, e.g. any silence in the beginning and/or in the end of a sample. The Crop function in the Edit Sample window deletes everything except what’s in between the Start and End locators, or everything outside any highlighted part of the sample. To crop a sample, proceed as follows: 1. Set the Start and End locators where you want them - see “Setting Sample Start and End”.
• If you highlighted a section of the sample, the highlighted part gets reversed. • If you didn’t highlight a section of the sample, the entire sample gets reversed regardless of any Locator settings. After the Reverse operation, the waveform is redrawn with the reversed shape. Fading in/out samples Using short fades is useful if you want to remove clicks or pops in the beginning and/or end of the sample. You can also create longer fades to make a sound fade in and/or out nice and smoothly. 1.
Looping samples Looping a sample means playing back the sample from the start and then playing back a defined zone in the sample over and over again (usually for as long as a key is depressed on the MIDI master keyboard). In practice, looping samples can be used to create “longer” sounds out of shorter ones. For example, if you have a flute sample you may want to loop the middle part of it so that you could make the sound sustain as for long as you like.
The Set Loop function Another way of defining a sample’s loop positions is by using the Set Loop function: 1. Set the desired loop zone by clicking and dragging on the waveform pane. The defined zone is highlighted in blue color. 2. Click the Set Loop button. The Left and Right Loop locators are automatically placed at the beginning and end of the defined zone. 3. Click anywhere on the Waveform pane to remove the highlight.
The Crossfade Loop function Crossfades are useful for evening out clicks or transients at the loop points, especially in sounds with fairly constant volume throughout the loop zone. The Crossfade Loop function creates smooth volume crossfade around the Loop Locators. D Tick the Crossfade Loop box to automatically introduce a crossfade in the loop. • When the Crossfade Loop function is active, moving the Left and/or Right Loop Locators will force them to automatically “snap” to suitable loop positions.
Sample management About Assigned and Unassigned samples Assigned Samples Samples can be assigned to devices that support sample playback, such as the NN-XT, NN19, Redrum and Kong. Samples that are assigned to a device can be found in the Assigned Samples folder in the Song Samples location in the Browser: The Assigned Samples folder can contain various sub folders, one for each sampler device used in the current song.
Saving samples in a song When you have recorded a sample, by clicking a Sample button on a sampler device, the sample is automatically stored in the All Self-contained Samples folder in the Song Samples location in the Browser: The samples you have recorded are automatically named “Sample ‘n’” where ‘n’ is a serial number. You can rename a sample by selecting it in the All Self-contained Samples folder, clicking the Edit button, then renaming it in the Edit Sample Window and then clicking the Save button.
Loading samples into a device To load samples into a sampler device (NN-XT, NN19, Redrum, Kong and RV7000 Mk II) proceed as follows: 1. Click on a Browse Sample button on the device. Browse Sample buttons on NN-XT, NN19, Redrum and Kong respectively. 2. Navigate to the desired location in the Browser.
3. Select the sample you want to load into your device. You can select a sample in any of the folders. If you like to audition a sample, click the Play button below the Browser list. To make samples automatically play upon selection, click the Auto button. 4. Click the Load button (or double click the sample) to load the selected sample into the device.
2. Select “Duplicate Sample(s)” from the context menu. The duplicated sample appears - with its original name followed by the word “Copy” - in the All Self-contained Samples folder. The sample also appears in the Unassigned Samples folder: To edit and/or rename the duplicated sample, refer to “Editing samples” and “Renaming samples”. Exporting samples If you like you can export samples that you have recorded in your song and save them as separate WAV or AIFF files to disk. Proceed as follows: 1.
• If your sample(s) are not cropped, or use a Crossfade Loop, the Lossy Sample Export dialog appears: The following options are available: • Crop selected sample(s) and render loop crossfades This item shows up if you have edited the Start and/or End Markers and use a Loop with Crossfades. The sample will be cropped at the Start and End Markers and the crossfaded loop will be rendered into the sample.
About self-contained samples All samples you record in a song automatically become self-contained. Self-contained means that the samples are automatically stored within the song when you save it. A great advantage with this is that you never have to keep track of any “loose” custom samples you use in your song - they are always included in the song document.
SAMPLING
Chapter 19 The ReGroove Mixer
Introduction The ReGroove Mixer combines all the benefits of quantization, shuffle, and groove templates into a single integrated environment, giving you real-time creative control over the feel and timing of individual note lanes. The ReGroove Mixer, which extends from the top of the Transport Panel puts 32 channels of interactive groove control at your fingertips. If you're familiar with mixing, you're already well on your way toward understanding the ReGroove Mixer.
The ReGroove Mixer D Open the ReGroove Mixer by clicking the Groove button to the left on the Transport Panel. The ReGroove mixer is divided into two sections. On the left are the Global parameters, and on the right are the Channel parameters. Global parameters Channel parameters Global parameters These parameters operate globally, rather than channel-by-channel. Channel Banks The ReGroove mixer consists of 32 channels, grouped into 4 banks (labeled A through D).
Anchor Point Normally, all groove patterns start at Bar 1 and repeat themselves throughout a song. For example, a 4-bar groove pattern will begin at Bar 1 and repeat its pattern every four bars. Many times, however, songs begin with blank measures, pickup measure or, perhaps, a short introduction. In these cases, you probably don't want the groove pattern to begin at Bar 1, but at some later bar.
On Button This is an On/Bypass button for the channel. When the button is lit, the groove channel is active and any note lane assigned to this groove channel will be affected. When the button is not lit, the channel is disabled and any note lanes assigned to this groove channel will play back straight, without being “grooved.” q This can be used for comparing the groove with the original, ungrooved beat.
Slide Use this knob to slide notes forward or backward in time. Musicians will frequently add energy and urgency to a track by “rushing” a particular beat or instrument a little. Similarly, they may “drag” a note a little in order to create a more laid back, shuffle-like feel. The Slide knob has a range of ±120 ticks, which allows you to slide notes up to a thirtysecond note in either direction. Setting negative values makes notes play earlier in time (rushing the feel).
Groove Amount Use this fader to adjust how intensely the selected groove patch will modify your notes. At 0%, the groove patch will have no effect. At 100%, the groove patch will have its maximum effect. Obviously, values between these extremes will produce some amount of groove effect, but less than maximum. As discussed in “Groove Settings”, later in this chapter, several additional parameters are associated with groove patches and how they modify your notes.
Copy, Paste and Initialize ReGroove channels To copy one ReGroove channel configuration into another: 1. Decide which ReGroove channel you want to copy from, then right-click (Win) or [Ctrl]-click (Mac) on the Groove Patch Name (or anywhere else in that channel, except directly on a parameter). A context menu appears. 2. Select “Copy Channel” from the context menu. 3. Right-click (Win) or [Ctrl]-click (Mac) on the destination channel's Groove Patch Name, then select “Paste Channel” from the context menu.
Groove Settings A groove patch consists of a groove template, which contains timing and dynamics information extracted from a performance, plus a collection of Impact parameters, which determine how strongly the groove patch applies the template settings. This section discusses the settings on the Groove tab in the Tool window, which is where all the Groove Patch settings are viewed and edited. Groove channel The Groove Settings display one mixer channel at a time.
Groove patch Load/Save These buttons allow you to load and/or save groove patches, just like device patches in the Reason rack. ReGroove patches have a .grov extension. To learn more about the types of groove patches included with Reason, see “ReGroove patches in the Factory Sound Bank”. Groove patch Length This displays the groove's length, which is import for determining how often the groove repeats.
Velocity impact This determines the extent to which velocity information embedded in the groove template affects the velocity of your notes. Grooves modify only the relative differences between note velocities, not their absolute values. This way, soft passages remain soft and loud passages remain loud-the groove simply accents the notes differently. A 100% setting means that the feel is more or less exactly transferred from the template to your music.
Working with grooves Applying grooves to your music Follow this example to learn basic ReGroove mixing techniques and hear the effect that various groove parameters have on your music. 1. If it's not already visible in either the Sequencer or Rack, open the ReGroove Mixer by clicking the Groove button to the left on the Transport Panel in the Sequencer. 2. Decide which note lane you are going to apply the groove to.
5. To hear some of the different possibilities, start by turning up the channel's Shuffle knob while you play the sequence. The music on that note lane (and any other note lane assigned to the same ReGroove channel) will start playing with a shuffle feel. 6. Turn down Shuffle to its middle position (50%), and turn up the channel's Slide knob to hear its effect.
7. Turn the Slide knob back to its middle position (0 Ticks), then click the channel's Browse button to set Browse focus to the ReGroove Patches folder in the Factory Sound Bank. 8. Open the Vinyl folder, select the first groove patch in the list and click Load to load the groove patch. 9. Pull up the Groove Amount fader on the channel, to about 80%. 10.Click the Next Patch button to step through the groove patches in the folder and hear what they do to your music. 11.
Commit to Groove - making the grooves “permanent” When you assign a ReGroove channel to a note lane, this will only affect how the notes play back. The notes will still be shown with their original, ungrooved positions if you open the note clip. If you want to edit grooved notes (e.g. adjust timing and velocity manually), it’s useful to first actually move the notes to the grooved positions, permanently. This is done with the “Commit to Groove” function: 1. Select the track with the grooved note lane(s). 2.
Creating your own ReGroove patches To create your own ReGroove Patch, proceed as follows. 1. Create a clip containing notes with the desired timing and dynamics (velocity). Alternatively, you could import a MIDI File with the desired effect, or use the “Copy Loop To Track” function on a Dr. Octo Rex device to extract the notes from a REX loop. D Note that some MIDI clips will make better grooves than others.
Groovy tips & tricks • Because you can route each note lane to any of the 32 ReGroove channels, the key to creating really dynamic grooves is to spread your instrumentation across multiple note lanes. For instance, where you might normally create a Redrum sequence with kick, snare, and hi-hat all on the same track, putting these elements into different lanes will let you apply different grooves to them.
ReGroove patches in the Factory Sound Bank Reason ships with a ready-made assortment of groove patches, arranged in a number of different folders: Bass-Comp, Drummer, and Percussion Grooves in these categories were created by session musicians. Their performances were captured and analyzed, and the timing and velocity information was then extracted from the performances. The Bass-Comp patches also contain note length information, though the other categories do not.
Chapter 20 Remote - Playing and Controlling Devices
About the various MIDI inputs This chapter describes how you use Remote to set up your master keyboard and control surfaces, allowing you to play Reason devices, adjust parameters and control various Reason functions. This is the main way of sending MIDI to Reason, but there are also some additional methods: D Using ReWire 2. ReWire allows you to run Reason together with another application, such as a sequencer or another DAW.
Setting up Adding a control surface or keyboard This is how you add your control surfaces - including the master keyboard. 1. Open the Preferences dialog and click the Control Surfaces tab. 2. If your control surface is connected via USB (or if you have made a two-way MIDI connection), try clicking the Auto-detect Surfaces button. Reason scans all MIDI ports and tries to identify the connected control surfaces. Note that not all control surfaces support auto-detection.
7. Use the MIDI Input pop-up to select the input port to which you have connected the surface. If in doubt, you can click the Find button and then tweak a control or play a key on the control surface to have Reason find the correct input port for you. D Some control surfaces may have more than one MIDI Input pop-up menu. You need to select ports on all MIDI Input pop-up menus. D Some control surfaces will have a MIDI Output pop-up menu.
• MIDI Multichannel Control Keyboard Select this is you have a MIDI keyboard with programmable controls that use multiple MIDI channels (different controls send the same MIDI CC but on different MIDI channels). With this model there is no automatic mapping to device parameters - you need to use Remote Overrides to map each control to a parameter on a device.
A basic MIDI keyboard and an additional control surface The keyboard and the control surface should be connected to separate MIDI ports (or use separate USB connections). Here, the basic MIDI keyboard is your master keyboard - it is used for playing and recording via the sequencer. You can have the control surface follow the master keyboard - this lets you tweak the parameters of the device you are playing (just like in the example above).
About Standard vs Remote Override mapping Reason parameters are “standard-mapped” to supported control surface devices. There is nothing the user needs to set up to remote control any Reason device. You can, however, use Remote Override mapping to map a specific parameter to a specific control if you should want to. D By using standard mapping, the remote mapping for each device will be the same for any new song created in Reason, given you have the same set of control surfaces connected.
Locking a surface to a device You can lock a control surface or an additional MIDI keyboard/controller to a specific device so that it is always “tweakable” and record enabled, regardless of which track has Master Keyboard input in the sequencer. This enables you to play and record notes for several devices simultaneously from multiple control surfaces/keyboards.
2. Pull down the Surface pop-up from at the top of the dialog and select the control surface you wish to lock to a device. 3. Next, open the “Lock to device” pop-up menu. On this pop-up, all devices in the current song are listed. The “Follow Master Keyboard” item which is selected by default, means that the control surface isn’t locked (it instead follows the Master Keyboard Input in the sequencer). 4. Select the device you wish to lock to the selected control surface from the list.
Using the context menu D A quick way to lock devices is by right-clicking (Win) or [Ctrl]-clicking (Mac) on a device panel to bring up the context menu. On the context menu, all installed control surfaces (apart from the master keyboard) are listed with the text “Lock to” plus the name of the control surface. Selecting one will lock the device to the control surface. On the context menu the control surface that is currently locked to this device will be ticked.
Remote Override Remote Override allows you to map parameters and functions to controls on your control surface device, overriding the standard mapping. Activating Remote Override Edit mode 1. Select “Remote Override Edit Mode” from the Options menu. All unselected devices in the rack are grayed out, indicating Edit mode. Each selected device (including the Transport panel) will show a blue arrow symbol on every parameter that can be mapped to a control on a control surface.
D Note that you can select the Transport Panel as well! Most items on the Transport panel can be mapped to controls. Note that by selecting the Transport panel any standard mapping will be shown automatically, unlike other devices where you have to first direct Master Keyboard input to the device from the sequencer. D If you point on a standard mapped parameter, a tooltip appears showing which control on the control surface device the parameter is mapped to.
3. Click OK to exit the dialog. The mapped parameter now shows a lightning bolt icon, indicating it uses Remote Override mapping. Any overrides are always shown in Remote Override Edit mode. The device does not have to be selected or have Master Keyboard Input in the sequencer. 4. To exit Remote Override Edit Mode, deselect it from the Options menu. You can also leave this mode by pressing [Esc]. Method 2: 1. Double-click the parameter you wish to map.
Removing Remote Overrides This can be done for a selected parameter in the following way: 1. In Remote Override Edit Mode, select the parameter you wish to remove Remote Override for. The lightning bolt changes to orange, indicating it is selected. 2. Select “Clear Remote Override Mapping...” from the Edit menu. You can also right-click (Win) or [Ctrl]-click (Mac) on the parameter to select the same item from the context menu.
Additional Remote Overrides... On the Options menu there is an item named “Additional Remote Overrides...”. Selecting this opens a dialog with remote functions that cannot be assigned using Remote Override Edit mode, such as switching target tracks, Undo/ Redo etc. Although most of the items in this dialog are self-explanatory, some need to be described. These are as follows: Target Track Delta and Target Previous/Next Track D Target track is the track with Master Keyboard Input.
Select Keyboard Shortcut Variation (Delta)/Select Previous/Next Keyboard Shortcut Variation By mapping controls to these, you can use your control surface to change which keyboard shortcut variation is selected in Reason. • The "Select Previous/Next” functions are typically mapped to buttons, allowing you to step between keyboard shortcut variations. • The Delta function must be mapped to a delta-type control to work. • The keyboard shortcut variation selection is a global setting in Reason.
Keyboard Control Assigning computer keyboard remote commands does not involve MIDI, so there is no special setting up required. Keyboard commands can be assigned to parameters just as when using Remote Override mapping, but the functionality differs in one central aspect: • Keyboard Control commands can only be used to toggle on/off or min/max values for an assigned parameter.
D If you click on an assignable parameter to select it, you can then select “Edit Keyboard Control Mapping” from the Edit menu. This opens a dialog allowing you to select a key command for that parameter. You may use any key except the [Space bar], [Tab], [Enter], the Numeric keypad keys (which is reserved for Transport functions) and the function keys (except [F2] and [F3]) - or a combination of [Shift] + any key (with the same aforementioned exceptions). The Keyboard Control dialog.
Chapter 21 ReWire
About this chapter This chapter describes how to use Reason as a ReWire slave; that is with Reason delivering audio to another ReWire compatible application. Using ReBirth and Reason together is described in “ReBirth Input Machine”. Why use Reason with ReWire? While Reason is a complete music tool in its own right, you might want to use other elements in your music, such as special software synthesizers and effect plug-ins.
Terminology In this text we refer to Reason as a ReWire slave and the application receiving audio from Reason (this could be Steinberg Cubase, Apple Logic Audio or MOTU Digital Performer, for example) as the host application. About system requirements To run Reason together with another audio application of course raises the demands on computing power. However, adding ReWire to the equation does not in itself require a more powerful computer.
1. First launch Reason. 2. Then launch the host application. You may get a warning message in the host application, regarding ReWire, but you can safely ignore it. Please also note that the two programs now compete for system resources such as audio cards, just as when running either with other, non-ReWire, audio applications. Using the Transport and Tempo controls Basic Transport controls When you run ReWire, the transports in the two programs are completely linked.
Routing in the ReWire host application The following description is based on using Reason with Cubase as the host application. For descriptions on how to activate and route ReWire channels in other host applications, please go to www.propellerheads.se/rewirehelp. 1. Pull down the Devices menu in Cubase and select the menu item with the name of the ReWire application (in this case Reason). All recognized ReWire compatible applications will be available on the Devices menu. The ReWire panel appears.
Converting ReWire channels to audio tracks Most often, there is no need to convert individual ReWire channels to regular audio tracks. The channels already appear in the host application’s Mixer, and you can typically perform the same kind of real-time processing as with regular audio channels (effects, EQ, volume, pan and mute automation, etc.). Still, you may need to convert the ReWire channels to audio tracks, for example if you want to continue working in Cubase only.
Chapter 22 Synchronization and Advanced MIDI
About this chapter This chapter describes how to synchronize Reason to external MIDI Clock and how to sync external equipment from Reason’s internal MIDI Clock. The chapter also describes how to use the External Control Bus inputs for advanced MIDI routing when you’re not using ReWire. Synchronization to MIDI Clock ReWire users – read this! This section is about synchronization via MIDI Clock, and does not apply to users of ReWire.
2. Close the Preferences window. 3. Select “Sync -> Send MIDI Clock” from the Options menu. Now, you have set up Reason as a MIDI Clock sync master. When you start the Reason sequencer, MIDI Clock is sent out on the selected MIDI Out Port. D If your synced MIDI equipment is not in phase with the Reason sequencer, you might have to change the Output Offset in the “MIDI clock sync” section on the Sync tab in Preferences. D If the external MIDI equipment lags, set the Output Offset to a negative value.
Slaving Reason to an external MIDI application or instrument This example assumes that you have an external device, such as a drum machine, hardware sequencer, another computer, tape recorder etc., that transmits MIDI Clock signals to which you want to synchronize Reason. 1. Connect the device via USB/MIDI to the computer running Reason. 2. Set up the other device so that it transmits MIDI Clock signals to the MIDI Out you just connected to the computer running Reason. 3.
External synchronization considerations Adjusting for Latency Because of the MIDI latency problem described in “ReWire and Latency”, you might need to adjust Reason’s playback in relation to the sync master, so that they are in perfect time. The tempo will not differ between the two, but Reason might play ahead or behind the other application. You might need to adjust this. However, this is something you only need to do once.
About the beginning of the Song Due to the latency phenomenon, described in “About latency”, Reason needs some time to correct its playback speed when it first receives the Start command. This can be noted as a small glitch in the audio playback, when the program starts. If this is a problem, you need to insert a couple of empty measures at the beginning of the Song. Proceed as follows: 1. Set the Left Locator to “1. 1. 1.0” and the right Locator to “3. 1. 1.0“. 2.
Advanced MIDI - The External Control Bus inputs About the External Control Bus inputs The External Control Bus inputs allow you to receive MIDI from external equipment/applications directly to Reason devices. • These MIDI inputs are for controlling Reason devices from an external sequencer. This could be an external hardware sequencer or a sequencer application running on another computer.
Routing MIDI to devices Each External Control Bus can control up to 16 different Reason devices, one for each MIDI channel. To route a MIDI channel directly to a Reason device, proceed as follows: 1. Locate the Reason Hardware Interface at the top of the rack and click the ADVANCED MIDI button. The Advanced MIDI Device panel is unfolded. 2. On the Advanced MIDI Device panel, click the Bus Select button for the External Control Bus you want to use (A, B, C or D). 3.
Chapter 23 Optimizing Performance
Introduction Reason is a program of infinite possibilities. You can create extremely complex songs, with a vast number of audio tracks and rack devices. While this is one of the most exciting properties of the program, it does have a drawback – it means that you must be careful with how you manage your computer processing power. Each audio track and device you add in your song uses up a bit of computer processing power – the more audio tracks and devices, the faster the computer has to be.
! Raising the buffer size to eliminate audio artefacts on playback is mainly effective if you are currently using very small buffers, 64 to 256 samples. If the buffers are already big (1024 or 2048 samples) you will not notice much difference.
Reason compensates for this by moving the recorded audio earlier by the sum of the input+output latencies. This compensation is also done in "Manual Monitoring" mode, if Monitor was Off for the recorded track (when you started recording). If Monitor is On, there is no Recording Latency Compensation. This is because the monitored sound will also be delayed, and numerous tests have shown that the performer will actually play slightly ahead to compensate for this.
If you are working with a song document which has one single, very long and processor-heavy serial audio chain and only a few devices that process the audio in parallel - you could try and deactivate the multi-core audio rendering option. This might enhance the performance in these special situations. However, under normal circumstances multicore audio rendering is always the best option performance-wise.
Optimizing Songs Below follows things you can check and change to make sure your song uses as little computer processing power and memory as possible: Global • To reduce the Song file size, delete unused recordings on Audio Tracks. This won’t affect the processing power but will reduce the Song file size, which might be desirable in many situations. See “Delete Unused Recordings”. • Use the “Save and Optimize” function when you’re finished editing your song.
Polyphonic Devices – Subtractor, Thor, Malström, NN19, NNXT, Dr. Octo Rex and Redrum • Try making the device play fewer voices. This can be done for example by lowering the release and setting the Polyphony setting to exactly the maximum number of notes played simultaneously by this device. ! Note that just lowering the polyphony setting has no effect. Unused voices do not consume processing power. • Where applicable, try the Low Bandwidth (Low BW) setting.
Distortion • The D-11 Foldback Distortion will use up less CPU power than the Scream 4 Distortion device. Reverb • The RV-7 uses much less power than the RV7000. For some applications the RV-7 might do just fine, and will use up much less power. • If you are running out of processing power, try the Low Density algorithm for the RV-7. This uses up much less power than other algorithms.
Chapter 24 Hardware Interface
Introduction The Hardware Interface device is where you connect Reason to the “outside world”. This is where MIDI is received, and where audio signals are routed from physical inputs and to physical outputs of your audio hardware. Here is also where audio output signals are routed to ReWire channels. The Hardware Interface is always present at the top of the rack, and cannot be deleted. This chapter is meant to serve as a panel reference, describing the various sections of the device.
• By clicking the “BIG METER” button at the top on the panel, a panel with bigger audio level meters is shown: Refer to “The Big Meter” for more information. About using ReWire If you are running Reason together with a ReWire compatible host application, you can route any Reason device output to a ReWire channel by connecting the device to any of the audio out connectors at the back of the Hardware Interface.
Advanced MIDI Device This is opened by clicking the “ADVANCED MIDI” button on the Hardware Interface panel. The Advanced MIDI device is only used if you are controlling Reason from an external sequencer, using the External Control Bus inputs. Normally, you send MIDI to a track via the sequencer, by selecting the sequencer track. You can select MIDI ports for up to four External Control Busses (on the Sync page in Preferences). Each bus can host 16 MIDI channels, for a total of up to 64 MIDI input channels.
The Big Meter The “Show Big Meter” button Meter Mode button Channel Selection knob for the “Big Meter” Channel Selection buttons for the “Big Meter” Clip indicators Reset button To get a better overview of the levels of a particular channel pair you can bring up the Big Meter on the Hardware Interface. 1. Click the “Big METER” button on the front panel. The “Big Meter” panel shows up. 2.
• VU+PEAK In VU+PEAK Mode, the meter response is according to the VU Mode, plus a peak segment. • PPM+PEAK In PPM+PEAK Mode, the meter response is according to the PPM Mode, plus a peak segment. If the audio level for the selected is, or have been, too high, the Clip indicators on the Big Meter will stay lit until you click the “Reset” button, or select new audio channels for the Big Meter. See “About audio levels” for more information on how to use and work with the Big Meter.
Chapter 25 The Combinator
Introduction The Combinator is a special device that allows you to save and recall any combination of Reason and/or Rack Extension devices (instruments, effects, mixers etc.) and their internal connections. A saved Combinator setup can be loaded as a patch, called a “Combi”. The Combinator device itself acts as a container for the devices in a Combi. The basic idea behind the Combinator device is simple, but very powerful.
Creating Combinator devices Creating an empty Combinator device D Add a Combinator device from the Utilities palette in the Browser. Either double click the device or drag and drop from the device palette to the rack. D Select “Combinator” from the Create menu. This will create an empty Combinator. Empty Combinator devices can be used as a starting point when creating new Combi patches. It also allows you to browse for existing Combi patches.
Combinator elements In the picture below an unfolded Combinator device is shown. The front of the Combinator consists of the following elements (from the top down): D The narrow panel at the top is always shown, even when the whole Combinator is folded. It contains a display which (amongst other things) shows the name of the currently loaded Combi, and standard Select/Browse/Save patch buttons. D Next is the Controller panel, which is always shown if the Combinator is unfolded.
About internal and external connections Unlike other devices, the Combinator contains both external and internal audio connections. D External connections are used to connect a Combinator to devices outside the Combi. D Internal connections are how devices within the Combi are connected. External connections D The “Combi Output L/R” connectors carry the audio output of the Combinator. This output connects with a device outside the Combi, normally a mixer.
How to avoid external routing connections As explained previously, all connections to/from a Combinator device should pass via the To/From Device connectors in order to make the Combi self-contained. Therefore you need to include a mixer device for Combis with more than 2 device outputs. Say you were to combine three instrument devices (each with stereo outputs connected to a mixer) in order to create a layered or split instrument Combi.
Adding devices to a Combi About the Insertion line When the Insertion line is shown, new created devices will be added to the Combinator device. D To be able to select the Insertion line you have make sure that the “Show Devices” button is lit on the Combinator Controller panel. D The Insertion line is shown in the empty space at the bottom of the Combinator holder (below any devices currently in the Combi).
About auto-routing The auto-routing of devices in a Combi is similar to devices in the rack: • If a device in a Combi is selected, the new created device will appear below the selected device according to standard rules. • If an effect is selected and you create a new effect device, these will be connected serially. • If an instrument device is selected and you create an effect it will be connected as an insert effect to the instrument device.
Adding devices using copy/paste You can copy devices and paste them into a Combi. 1. Select the devices you wish to copy as usual. 2. Select “Copy Device” from the Edit (or context) menu. 3. Select a device in the Combi or click the empty space to show the insertion line. 4. Select “Paste Device” from the Edit (or context) menu. D When pasting, the devices will be added below the currently selected device or the Insertion line in the Combi. No auto-routing takes place.
D If you press [Alt](Win) or [Option](Mac) while dragging, a copy of the Combi is created. No Auto-routing takes place. If you press [Alt](Win) or [Option](Mac) + [Shift] the copied Combi will be auto-routed according to standard rules. Moving devices within a Combi Just as for devices in the rack, an outline of the devices is shown when you drag, and a red line shows the insert position. All connections are kept.
The Controller panel This is the main Combinator panel. Like standard instrument devices it features Pitch and Mod wheels and various controls. About the virtual controls D The four Rotary knobs and buttons in the middle of the Controller panel are “virtual” controls that can be assigned to parameters and functions in devices contained in the Combi. These controls are by default not assigned to any parameters in new Combis.
Select backdrop... This function allows you to change the “skin” of the Controller panel. You can design your own labels for the assignable controls, and change the color and look of the whole panel. D Select the Combinator and choose “Select Backdrop...” from the Edit menu. The Image browser opens, allowing you to select image file in the JPEG (.jpg) format. D The dimensions of the image file should be 754 x 138 pixels. D The knobs, buttons, patch name display and patch buttons cannot be redesigned.
Using the Programmer The Programmer is used for key mapping and setting velocity ranges for instrument devices, and for Modulation Routing; assigning device parameters to the knobs and buttons on the Controller panel. D To show the Programmer panel, click the “Show Programmer” button on the Controller panel. The Programmer appears below the Controller panel. D To the left on the Programmer panel the devices in the current Combi are listed in the same order they appear in the Combinator holder.
Key Mapping instrument devices Each instrument device can have its own separate key range, the lowest and the highest key that will trigger the device. This allows you to create splits and layers for instrument devices in a Combi. 1. Make sure the Combinator track has Master Keyboard Input. 2. Select an instrument device in the Device list to the left (non-instrument devices, e.g. effects and mixers do not have key ranges).
About the keyboard You can use the keyboard to audition selected instrument devices by pressing [Option] (Mac) or [Alt] (Windows) and clicking on the keys. About the Receive Notes/MIDI Performance Controller checkboxes In the lower left corner of the Programmer there is a Receive Notes field with a corresponding checkbox, and below there are checkboxes for all standard MIDI Performance controllers (Pitch Bend/Mod Wheel/Breath/Expression/ Sustain Pedal/Aftertouch).
About overlapping Velocity Ranges You can set overlapping velocity ranges. Here’s an example of how this can work: D Device 1 has a velocity range from 1-60. D Device 2 has a velocity range of 41-100. D Device 3 has a velocity range of 81-127. 127 100 80 60 40 Device 3 20 Velocity Velocity 0 Device 2 Device 1 Device 3 Device 2 Device 1 Now, velocity values between 41 and 60 will trigger notes from both Device 1 and Device 2.
D A Button control will switch between two set values like an on/off switch. Worth noting is that there are buttons on several Reason devices that will step through a series of values, for example LFO Waveform buttons. If LFO Waveform is assigned to one of the virtual Buttons you will only be able to switch between two of the six LFO waveforms (which waveforms is determined by the Min/Max range). D The available range for each selected parameter is shown in the Modulation Routing Min/Max fields.
2. Click in the Target column for the Rotary or Button control you wish to assign a parameter. On the pop-up that appears, all the available parameters for the device are listed. 3. Select the parameter you wish to assign to the control. The parameter is now assigned, and the name of the parameter is shown in the Target column for the corresponding control. 4. If you wish the selected device to receive notes this option should be checked. 5.
Naming a control When you make modulation routing assignments, you should give the associated control a descriptive name that reflects what it does, for example Vibrato On/Off or the name of the parameter that it controls. This is done by clicking the label on the Controller panel and typing in new name. CV Connections CV connections between devices in the Combi are saved with the Combi patches. This is also true for CV connections between devices in Combi and the Combi itself - e.g.
THE COMBINATOR
Chapter 26 Mixer 14:2
Introduction The Mixer 14:2 allows you to control the level, stereo placement (Pan), tone (EQ) and effect mix (AUX Sends) of each connected audio device. If you have ever used a conventional hardware audio mixer, you will most likely find the Mixer very straightforward to use. It is configured with 14 (stereo) input channels, which are combined and routed to the Left and Right Master outputs.
Channel Strip Controls | Item | Description | Range Channel Fader The channel fader is used to control the output level of each correspond- 0 - 127 ing channel. By adjusting the faders, you can set the desired mix (balance) between different devices connected to the Mixer. Channel Label Each channel in the mixer that has a device connected to it, displays a read-only label with the name of the device to the left of the fader.
The Mixer signal flow The basic signal flow for a channel in the Mixer 14:2 is as follows: Aux 4 pre-fader mode Input EQ Pan Mute AUX Returns Solo Fader AUX Sends Effects Devices Master L/R Output Note that the Solo function is true “in-place” solo, meaning that if the channel uses Auxiliary sends routed to effect devices, the soloed output signal will also include the soloed channel(s) including any Aux Send effects.
The Auxiliary Return Section The Auxiliary Returns provide an “extra” four stereo inputs in addition to the Mixer 14:2’s 14 stereo channels. The main function of Return channels is to provide inputs for connected Send effects devices. Each Aux Return channel has a level control, and a read-only tape label that display the name of the device connected to the Return channel. The Master Fader The Master L/R fader controls the summed output level of all channels in the Mixer 14:2.
Auxiliary (AUX) Send Out D There are four stereo Send Out connectors, which normally are used to connect to the inputs of effect devices. To connect a send to a mono-input device, use the Left (Mono) output. When a Send is connected to an effects device, the corresponding AUX Send knob determines the level of the signal sent to the effect device for each channel. The Send Output is taken post-channel fader but you have the option of selecting pre-fader mode for AUX Send 4.
Chaining several Mixer 14:2 devices Two chained Mixer 14:2 devices are connected like this, the top Mixer being the “Master” Mixer. If you want more Mixer channels, you can chain several Mixer 14:2 devices. D Select the existing Mixer 14:2 device and choose “Create:Mixer 14:2” from the Create menu or context menu. The new Mixer is automatically connected via the “Chaining Master” and “Chaining Aux” connectors of the selected Mixer.
MIXER 14:2
Chapter 27 The Line Mixer 6:2
Introduction The Line Mixer 6:2 allows you to control the level, stereo placement (Pan) and effect mix (AUX Send) of each connected audio device. The Line Mixer is configured with 6 (stereo) input channels, which are combined and routed to the Left and Right Master outputs.
Connections All input and output connectors are as usual located on the back panel of the Line Mixer. Mixer Channel Connections D Each mixer channel features stereo left/right inputs for connecting audio devices. Use the left input when manually connecting a mono signal source. D In addition, there is a Control Voltage (CV) input, for voltage controlling channel Pan from other devices. Auxiliary (AUX) Send D The Send connectors are used to connect to the inputs of effect devices.
THE LINE MIXER 6:2
Chapter 28 ID8 Instrument Device
Introduction The ID8 Instrument device is a synth module packed with great sounds - ideal for quickly creating nice complete arrangements. The sounds have been extracted from various Reason devices and ReFills to guarantee supreme audio quality. The Sounds The ID8 contains 36 presets divided into nine categories, with four sounds in each category. The categories are these: • Piano The Piano category features a grand piano, an upright piano, a dance oriented piano sound and vibes.
Using the ID8 Selecting Sounds D Select Category by clicking the Up/Down buttons to the left of the Display. D Select Sound in the selected Category by clicking on any of the A-D buttons, or by clicking on the Sound name in the Display. D Click on the Category name in the ID8 Display to bring up a pop-up where you can select Category or replace the ID8 device with another device. At the bottom of the pop-up, you can also choose “Browse Instruments...”.
Pitch Bend and Mod Wheel To the left on the ID8 front panel are the standard Pitch Bend and Mod Wheel. The Pitch Bend range is +/- 2 semitones and is the same for all sounds. The Mod Wheel is assigned a little differently depending on the selected Sound, but usually controls vibrato. In the Drums Category, however, the Mod Wheel has no effect, except on the Electronic Drums where it controls the cutoff frequency of a lowpass filter.
Chapter 29 Subtractor Synthesizer
Introduction Subtractor is an analog-type polyphonic synthesizer based on subtractive synthesis, the method used in analog synthesizers. This chapter will go through all parameters of each section of Subtractor. In addition to the parameter descriptions, the chapter also includes a few tips and tricks to help you get the most out of the Subtractor synthesizer.
The Oscillator Section Subtractor provides two oscillators. Oscillators are the main sound generators in Subtractor, the other features are used to shape the sound of the oscillators. Oscillators generate two basic properties, waveform and pitch (frequency). The type of waveform the oscillator produces determines the harmonic content of the sound, which in turn affects the resultant sound quality (timbre).
Here follows a brief description of the Subtractor waveforms: Please note that the descriptions of the waveforms sound or timbre is merely meant to provide a basic guideline, and shouldn’t be taken too literally. Given the myriad ways you can modulate and distort a waveform in Subtractor, you can produce extremely different results from any given waveform. ! | Waveform 576 | Description Sawtooth This waveform contains all harmonics and produces a bright and rich sound.
| Waveform | Description 28 Similar to 27, but with a slightly different character. 29 This waveform has complex, enharmonic overtones, suitable for metallic bell-type sounds. 30 Similar to 29, but with a slightly different character. By using FM and setting the Osc Mix to Osc 1, this and the following two waveforms can produce noise. 31 Similar to 30, but with a slightly different character. 32 Similar to 30, but with a slightly different character.
Adding a second oscillator enables many new modulation possibilities which can produce richer timbres. A basic example is to slightly detune (+/– a few cents) one of the oscillators. This slight frequency offset causes the oscillators to “beat” against each other, producing a wider and richer sound. Also, by combining two different waveforms, and adding frequency or ring modulation, many new timbres can be created. Oscillator Mix The Osc Mix knob determines the output balance between Osc 1 and Osc 2.
There are three Noise Generator parameters. These are as follows: | Parameter | Description Noise Decay This controls how long it takes for the noise to fade out when you play a note. Note that this is independent from the Amp Envelope Decay parameter, allowing you to mix a short “burst” of noise at the very beginning of a sound, i.e. a pitched sound that uses oscillators together with noise. Noise Color This parameter allows you to vary the character of the noise.
When phase offset modulation is activated, the oscillator creates a second waveform of the same shape and offsets it by the amount set with the Phase knob. Depending on the selected mode, Subtractor then either subtracts or multiplies the two waveforms with each other. The resulting waveforms can be seen in the illustration below. 1. The two offset waveforms: Ampl. t. 2. The result of subtraction: Ampl. t. 3. The result of multiplication: Ampl. t.
Frequency Modulation (FM) In synthesizer-speak, Frequency Modulation, or FM, is when the frequency of one oscillator (called the “carrier”) is modulated by the frequency of another oscillator (called the “modulator”). Using FM can produce a wide range of harmonic and non harmonic sounds. In Subtractor, Osc 1 is the carrier and Osc 2 the modulator. To try out some of the effects FM can produce, proceed as follows: 1. Select an Init Patch by selecting “Initialize Patch” from the Edit menu. 2. Activate Osc 2.
Ring Modulation Ring Modulators basically multiply two audio signals together. The ring modulated output contains added frequencies generated by the sum of, and the difference between, the frequencies of the two signals. In the Subtractor Ring Modulator, Osc 1 is multiplied with Osc 2 to produce sum and difference frequencies. Ring modulation can be used to create complex and enharmonic, bell-like sounds. 1. Select an Init Patch by selecting “Initialize Patch” from the Edit menu.
The Filter Section In subtractive synthesis, a filter is the most important tool for shaping the overall timbre of the sound. The filter section in Subtractor contains two filters, the first being a multimode filter with five filter types, and the second being a low-pass filter. The combination of a multimode filter and a lowpass filter can be used to create very complex filter effects. Filter 1 Type With this multi-selector you can set Filter 1 to operate as one of five different types of filter.
• 12 dB Lowpass (LP 12) This type of lowpass filter is also widely used in analog synthesizers (Oberheim, early Korg synths etc.). It has a gentler slope (12 dB/Octave), leaving more of the harmonics in the filtered sound compared to the LP 24 filter. The darker curve illustrates the roll-off curve of the 12dB Lowpass Filter. The lighter curve in the middle represents the filter characteristic when the Resonance parameter is raised.
• Highpass (HP12) A highpass filter is the opposite of a lowpass filter, cutting out lower frequencies and letting high frequencies pass. The HP filter slope has a 12 dB/Octave roll-off. The darker curve illustrates the roll-off curve of the Highpass Filter. The lighter curve in the middle represents the filter characteristic when the Resonance parameter is raised. • Notch A notch filter (or band reject filter) could be described as the opposite of a bandpass filter.
Filter 1 Frequency The Filter Frequency parameter (often referred to as “cutoff”) determines which area of the frequency spectrum the filter will operate in. For a lowpass filter, the frequency parameter could be described as governing the “opening” and “closing” of the filter. If the Filter Freq is set to zero, none or only the very lowest frequencies are heard, if set to maximum, all frequencies in the waveform are heard.
Filter 2 A very useful and unusual feature of the Subtractor Synthesizer is the presence of an additional 12dB/Oct lowpass filter. Using two filters together can produce many interesting filter characteristics, that would be impossible to create using a single filter, for example formant effects. The parameters are identical to Filter 1, except in that the filter type is fixed, and it does not have filter keyboard tracking. D To activate Filter 2, click the button at the top of the Filter 2 section.
Envelopes - General Envelope generators are used to control several important sound parameters in analog synthesizers, such as pitch, volume, filter frequency etc. Envelopes govern how these parameters should respond over time - from the moment a note is struck to the moment it is released. Standard synthesizer envelope generators have four parameters; Attack, Decay, Sustain and Release (ADSR).
If you wanted to emulate the volume envelope of an organ, you theoretically only really need to use the Sustain parameter set to full level, as a basic organ volume envelope instantly goes to the maximum level (Attack “0”) and stays there (Decay “0”), until the key is released and the sound instantly stops (Release “0”).
Filter Envelope Invert If this button is activated, the envelope will be inverted. For example, normally the Decay parameter lowers the filter frequency, but after activating Invert it will instead raise it, by the same amount. Mod Envelope The Mod Envelope allows you to select one of a number of parameters, or Destinations, to control with the envelope.
LFO Section LFO stands for Low Frequency Oscillator. LFO’s are oscillators, just like Osc 1 & 2, in that they also generate a waveform and a frequency. However, there are two significant differences: • LFOs only generate waveforms with low frequencies. • The output of the two LFO’s are never actually heard. Instead they are used for modulating various parameters. The most typical application of an LFO is to modulate the pitch of a (sound generating) oscillator, to produce vibrato.
Sync By clicking this button you activate/deactivate LFO sync. The frequency of the LFO will then be synchronized to the song tempo, in one of 16 possible time divisions. When sync is activated, the Rate knob (see below) is used for setting the desired time division. Turn the knob and check the tooltip for an indication of the time division. Rate The Rate knob controls the LFO’s frequency. Turn clockwise for a faster modulation rate.
q If the LFO is set to modulate the phase offset, LFO keyboard tracking can produce good results. For example, synth string pads and other sounds that use PWM (see “Phase Offset Modulation”) can benefit from this. Rate The Rate knob controls the LFO’s frequency. Turn clockwise for a faster modulation rate. Amount This parameter determines to what degree the selected parameter destination will be affected by LFO 2. Raising this knob’s value creates more drastic results.
The following parameters can be velocity controlled: | Destination | Description Amp This let’s you velocity control the overall volume of the sound. If a positive value is set, the volume will increase the harder you strike a key. A negative value inverts this relationship, so that the volume decreases if you play harder, and increases if you play softer. If set to zero, the sound will play at a constant volume, regardless of how hard or soft you play.
Modulation Wheel The Modulation wheel can be set to simultaneously control a number of parameters. You can set positive or negative values, just like in the Velocity Control section. The following parameters can be affected by the modulation wheel: | Parameter | Description F. Freq This sets modulation wheel control of the Filter 1 Frequency parameter. A positive value will increase the frequency if the wheel is pushed forward. Negative values invert this relationship. F.
Setting Number of Voices - Polyphony This determines the polyphony, i.e. the number of voices a Subtractor Patch can play simultaneously. This can be used to make a patch monophonic (=a setting of “1”), or to extend the number of voices available for a patch. The maximum number of voices you can set a Subtractor Patch to use is 99. In the (unlikely) event you should need more voices, you can always create another Subtractor! ! Note that the Polyphony setting does not “hog” voices.
| Destination | Description Amp This let’s you control the overall volume of the sound with external modulation. If a positive value is set, the volume will increase with higher external modulation values. A negative value inverts this relationship. FM This sets External modulation control of the FM Amount parameter. If a positive value is set, the FM amount will increase with higher external modulation values. A negative value inverts this relationship.
Modulation Inputs ! Remember that CV connections will not be stored in the Subtractor patch, even if the connections are to/from the same Subtractor device! These control voltage (CV) inputs (with associated voltage trim pots), can modulate various Subtractor parameters from other devices, or from the modulation outputs of the same Subtractor device. These inputs can control the following parameters: • Oscillator Pitch (both Osc 1 & 2). • Oscillator Phase Offset (both Osc 1 & 2).
Chapter 30 Thor Polysonic Synthesizer
Introduction Thor is an advanced synthesizer with many unique features. The design could be described as semi-modular, in that the oscillator and filter sections are open slots that allow the user to select between various different oscillator and filter types, each with a distinct character. Some of these designs were inspired by selected vintage equipment. As a result, Thor is capable of producing an astounding array of sounds.
Thor elements In the picture below an unfolded Thor device is shown. Thor’s user interface consists of the following elements (from the top down): • The Controller panel, which is always shown if Thor is unfolded. See “The Controller panel”. • The main Programmer panel contains all the synth parameters. The Programmer can be shown/hidden by clicking the “Show Programmer” button on the Controller panel. See “Using the Programmer”. • The Modulation bus routing section.
The Controller panel The Controller panel contains standard Master Volume and Pitch and Mod controls, Keyboard Mode/Note Triggering sections and four virtual (freely assignable) controls. The panel also has a patch display and standard Select/ Browse/Save patch buttons (these are always shown even if Thor is folded). The Keyboard Mode section In this section you make basic keyboard related settings for a patch.
About the assignable controls • The rotary knobs and buttons in the Controller panel are assignable controls that can be assigned to multiple parameters and functions in Thor. • You assign parameters to the knobs and buttons in the Modulation Routing panel (these are located on the “Modifiers” sub-menu - see “Modulation bus routing section”). • Movements of the assignable controls can be recorded as automation. • Each control can be assigned to any number of parameters.
Using the Programmer The Programmer contains the main synth parameters. D To show the Programmer panel, click the “Show Programmer” button on the Controller panel. The Programmer appears below the Controller panel. D The Programmer panel is divided into two sections; the Voice section to the left and the Global section to the right. The Global section has a separate brown panel to differentiate it from the Voice section.
Basic connections - a tutorial There are certain pre-defined connections available between the Oscillator 1-3 slots and the Mixer, Filter 1/Shaper, Filter 2 and Amp sections. On the panel itself, lines with arrows are shown to indicate the standard signal paths. q Note that you can also connect sections using the Modulation bus section (see “Modulation bus routing section”).
With a basic connection setup, the Oscillator outputs are internally connected to the “Mix” section. To pass the output signal onwards in the signal chain, you first have to activate a connection. This is done using the two vertical rows of routing buttons labelled 1, 2 and 3 to the right of the Oscillator section. • The upper row of routing buttons determine which of the Oscillators 1 to 3 are routed to Filter 1, and the lower row which of the Oscillators 1 to 3 are routed to Filter 2.
4. Next, click the arrow pop-up in the upper left corner of the Filter 2 slot. A pop-up menu with the four available Filter types appears. For a description of the filter types, see “Filter slots”. 5. Select a type of filter, e.g. a Comb filter for the Filter 2 slot. Now that the Filter 2 slot in the Voice section is active, you can connect the oscillators to it by using the lower row of routing buttons. 6.
Other pre-defined routing assignments There are other sections in Thor which are pre-defined and can be used without having to make any prior assignments: D The Amp Envelope and the Filter Envelope control the volume level and frequency of the Filters (1 & 2), respectively. The amount of filter envelope control is controllable by using the “Env” parameter in each Filter section. D The effects (Delay/Chorus) in the Global section are part of the signal chain and can simply be switched on and used.
• Phase Modulation • FM Pair • Multi Oscillator • Noise You can also select Off mode (no oscillator). Common parameters The specific parameters of the various oscillator types are described separately, but there are also common parameters that apply to all oscillator types. These are: D Octave (OCT) knob - this changes the pitch of the oscillator in octave steps. The range is ten octaves. D The Semi knob changes the pitch of the oscillator in semi-tone steps. The range is 12 semitone steps (1 octave).
Wavetable oscillator Wavetable oscillators has been the basis of several vintage synths (PPG, Korg Wavestation and many others). • With the Wavetable oscillator, you select between 32 wavetables, where each wavetable contains several (up to 64) different waveforms. By using an envelope or a LFO you can sweep through a wavetable to produce timbre variations. The parameters are as follows: D Position is the modifier (Mod) parameter and controls the position within the selected wavetable, i.e.
• Pulse • Pulse and Sine • Sine and flat (half sine) • Saw x Sine • Sine x Sine • Sine x Pulse The last three waveforms could be described “resonant”, as these originally were meant to simulate filter resonance. They didn’t really do this very accurately, but nevertheless constituted an important part of the sound. The Second waveform has the same available waveforms except the last three, and it can also be bypassed altogether.
Multi oscillator This versatile oscillator can simultaneously generate multiple detuned waveforms (of a set type) per voice. It is great for producing complex timbres e.g. to simulate cymbal or bell sounds, but can also generate a wide range of harmonic sounds. D The following basic waveforms are available: Sawtooth, Square, Soft Sawtooth, Soft Square, Pulse. You switch waveforms using the button in the lower left corner, or by clicking directly on the waveform symbol.
D The Waveform selector button in the bottom left corner is used to set the Oscillator mode. The following modes are available:’ | Mode | Description Band In this mode, the Oscillator knob controls bandwidth. Turned fully clockwise, the oscillator produces pure noise. Turning the knob counter-clockwise gradually narrows the bandwidth until a pitch is produced. The pitch will track the keyboard normally if the keyboard (KBD) knob is set fully clockwise.
D Switch Oscillator Sync on or off by activating the Sync buttons to the left of Oscillator slots 2 and 3. D The Sync “BW” sliders to the left of Oscillator slots 2 and 3 allows you to adjust the sync bandwidth. This allows you to change the character of the oscillator sync. The parameter basically sets how abrupt the reset is - high bandwidth settings produces a more pronounced sync effect and vice versa.
Mix section The Mix section allows you to adjust the levels and the relative balance of the three oscillators. D The two sliders controls the output levels of oscillators 1-2 and oscillator 3, respectively. D The Balance knob sets the balance between oscillator 1 and 2. The Balance parameter is also a modulation destination, allowing you to modulate the balance of the two oscillators with e.g. an LFO.
• Filters 1 & 2 can be used serially (i.e. the output of Filter 1 goes (via the Shaper) to the input of Filter 2, or in parallel (meaning that one signal goes to Filter 1 and another to Filter 2). The pre-defined routings of the three oscillators into the Filter 1-2 sections is described in the “Basic connections a tutorial” passage. Common parameters As with the open oscillator slots, there are certain parameters which are common for all filter types.
Note that “Self Osc” (see below) must be activated for the shaper to operate. D This filter can self-oscillate and will produce a playable note pitch with high Resonance settings if this is activated. Self-oscillation can be switched on or off by using the “SELF OSC” button. The “KBD” knob governs how the frequency tracks the keyboard, turned fully clockwise will produce 12 semitones/octave tracking.
Comb filter The Comb filter can add subtle pitch variations and phasing-like effects to sounds. D Comb filters are basically very short delays with adjustable feedback (controlled with the Resonance knob). A comb filter causes resonating peaks at certain frequencies. Comb filters are used in various signal processing devices like flangers, and produces a characteristic swooshing sound when the frequency is swept.
Shaper Waveshaping is a synthesis method for transforming sounds by altering the waveform shape, thereby introducing various types of distortion. The Shaper can radically transform the sound or just add a little warmth, depending on the mode and other settings. D The Shaper input is taken from the Filter 1 output. D The Shaper is activated with the button in the top left corner of the section. D The Drive parameter sets the amount of waveshaping.
LFO 1 An LFO (Low Frequency Oscillator) is used for generating cyclic modulation. A typical example is to have an LFO modulate the pitch of an oscillator to produce vibrato, but there are countless other applications for LFOs. D LFO 1 will apply modulation polyphonically. I.e. if LFO 1 modulation of a parameter is assigned, an individual LFO cycle will be triggered for each note you play.
Envelope sections There are three Envelope generators in the Voice section. These are the Amp envelope, the Filter envelope and the Mod envelope. Each voice played has a separate envelope. There is also an additional Global Envelope which is described separately - see “Global Envelope”. D The Filter envelope is pre-wired to control the frequency of Filter 1 and 2.
Amp Envelope The Amp Envelope is also a standard ADSR envelope. D By setting up a Amp envelope you control the how the amplitude or some other parameter should change over time with the four parameters, Attack, Decay, Sustain and Release. Please refer to the Subtractor chapter for a description of these parameters. D The “Gate Trig” button can be used to switch off the envelope triggering from note input (which is the normal mode) and allow the envelope to be triggered by some other parameter.
Effects section There are two global mono in/stereo out effects, a Delay and a Chorus. These effects affect all voices coming from the Amp section equally if activated. The effects are placed after the Global Filter in the signal chain. D There are controls for standard Delay/Time and Feedback parameters. Chorus vs. Delay differ only in the delay time range - Chorus is for chorus effects, i.e. short delays, whereas Delay produces echo effects. D Delay Time can be Tempo Synced.
LFO 2 D The LFO 2 is a standard LFO but is not polyphonic like LFO 1. It is not assigned to any parameter in an “Init” patch so you have to use the Modulation Routing section to use it. • Also the LFO 2 “Delay” and “Key Sync” parameters are single trigger, i.e. the LFO will not retrigger these parameters for legato notes. D You select a LFO waveform by using the spin controls beside the waveform display, or by clicking in the display and moving the mouse up or down.
The upper half of the menu contains Voice section source parameters, and the lower half contains various global play and performance-oriented source parameters and the Global Envelope, as well as the Step Sequencer, CV and Audio inputs. 3. Select “LFO 1” from the pop-up. This means that LFO 1 is the modulation Source, and this can now be assigned to modulate a Destination parameter. 4. Pull down the “Dest” column pop-up in the top row. A pop-up menu appears listing all available modulation Destinations.
7. Pull down the “Scale” column pop-up in the top row. A pop-up menu appears listing all available Scale parameters. The upper half of the menu contains Voice section parameters, and the lower half contains various play and performance-oriented parameters and the Global Envelope, as well as the Step Sequencer, CV and Audio inputs. A typical controller for vibrato is the Mod wheel. 8. Select “Performance” from the menu and then “Mod wheel” from the submenu.
About the three modulation routing types As described in the tutorial, the principal operators of the Modulation bus routing system are as follows: • You have Modulation Source, Modulation Destination and Modulation Amount parameters. • Optionally, you have a Scale parameter controlling the Modulation Amount, and a Scale Amount that governs how much the Scale parameter controls the Modulation Amount.
Modulation Sources - Voice section The following parameters can be used as Voice section modulation Sources: | Parameter Voice Key | Description Voice Key lets you assign modulation according to notes. There are 4 modes selectable from the sub-menus: • Note - this is keyboard tracking. If a positive Amount value is used and the destination is filter frequency, the filter frequency will track the keyboard, i.e. increase with higher notes.
Modulation Sources - Global The following parameters can be used as Global section modulation Sources: | Parameter Global Envelope | Description This allows you to modulate parameters using the Global Envelope. Voice Mixer This allows you to modulate parameters using the Left and Right Mixer inputs. Last Key This will apply modulation according to the last note played (monophonic), either via MIDI, or from the Step Sequencer.
Modulation Destinations - Voice section The following parameters can be used as Voice section modulation Destinations: | Parameter Osc 1 | Description There are four modulation destinations available on the Osc 1 sub-menu: • Pitch - this will affect oscillator pitch (frequency). • FM - this will frequency modulate the oscillator. The difference between Pitch and FM is that if a high frequency audio signal (i.e.
| Parameter Filter Envelope | Description The Filter Envelope mod destinations are as follows: • Gate - this is the gate input of the envelope. A gate signal applied to this input will trigger the envelope. • Attack - this controls the Attack of the envelope. • Decay - this controls the Decay of the envelope. • Release - this controls the Release parameter. Amp Envelope This has the same destination parameters as the Filter Envelope.
| Parameter Delay | Description The Delay effect has the following destinations: • DryWet balance • Time • ModRate • ModAmount • Feedback Step Sequencer This allows you to control various parameters belonging to the Step Sequencer. • Trig - this enables control over the Step Sequencer Run on/off status. • Rate - this enables control over the Step Sequencer Rate. • Transpose - this enables control over the Step Sequencer base pitch. E.g.
Step Sequencer Thor’s Step Sequencer is a further development of the step sequencers which were often present in vintage analog modular systems. It can be used for programming arpeggios or short melody sequences. Alternatively, it can be used purely as a modulation source. You can have up to 16 steps, and each step can be programmed with various values such as Note pitch, Velocity, Step Duration etc.
Setting the direction The Direction parameter is used to set the direction of the step sequence. The following options are available: D Forward - plays the sequence from the first step to the last. D Reverse - plays the sequence from the last step to the first. D Pendulum 1 - plays the sequence from the first step to the last, then from the last step to the first. I.e. the last and first step is played twice when the sequencer reverses direction.
5. Turn one of the step knobs above one of the steps. A tooltip shows you what current note pitch the knob is set to, and when the sequencer repeats you should be able to hear the change in pitch for that step. Turn clockwise to raise the pitch in semitone increments. Turn counterclockwise to lower the pitch. D You can set the knob’s note range by using the Octave lever to the left of the step buttons. Available note ranges are 2 Octaves (i.e.
Setting Rate The Rate knob determines the rate of the step sequence. • You can either use “free running” rates (i.e. not synced to main sequencer tempo) or synced tempo. This is set with the Sync button on/off status. If Sync is active you can set the tempo in various beat resolutions. Setting other values for steps For each step you can also program other parameters with the step value knobs apart from note pitch.
Connections The following Audio and CV connectors can be found at the back of Thor: Sequencer Control Inputs The Sequencer Control CV and Gate inputs allow you to play Thor from another CV/Gate device (e.g. a Matrix or the RPG-8). The signal to the CV input controls the note pitch, while the signal to the Gate input delivers note on/off along with velocity. Modulation Inputs D The Rotary control voltage (CV) inputs (with associated voltage trim pots), can modulate the two virtual Rotary controls.
THOR POLYSONIC SYNTHESIZER
Chapter 31 Malström Synthesizer
Introduction The Malström is a polyphonic synthesizer with a great number of different routing possibilities. It is based on the concept of what we call “Graintable Synthesis” (see below), and is ideally suited for producing swirling, sharp, distorted, abstract special effect types of synthesizer sounds. In fact, you could go so far as to say that the Malström can produce sounds quite unlike anything you’ve ever heard from a synthesizer.
Theory of operation There are a number of different synthesis methods for generating sound, e.g. subtractive synthesis (which is used in the Subtractor), FM synthesis, and physical modelling synthesis to mention but a few. To give you a clear understanding of the inner workings of the Malström, it might be in order with a brief explanation of what we call Graintable Synthesis.
The Oscillator section The two oscillators (osc:A and osc:B) of the Malström are the actual sound generators, and the rest of the controls are used for modulating and shaping the sound. The oscillators actually do two things; they play a graintable and generate the pitch: • A graintable is several short, contiguous segments of audio (see above). • Pitch is the frequency at which the segments are played back.
Setting oscillator frequency You can change the frequency - i.e. the tuning - of each oscillator by using the three knobs marked “Octave”, “Semi” and “Cent”. D The Octave knob changes the frequency in steps of one full octave (12 semitones). The range is -4 – 0 – +4 where 0 corresponds to middle “A” on your keyboard at 440 Hz. D The Semi knob changes the frequency in steps of one semitone. The range is 0 to +12 (one full octave up).
About motion patterns Each graintable has a predefined motion pattern and a default motion speed. When a graintable is looped (i.e. if the Motion knob is not set all the way to the left), it follows one of two possible motion patterns: D Forward This motion pattern plays the graintable from the beginning to the end, and then repeats it. D Forward - Backward This motion pattern plays the graintable from the beginning to the end, then from the end to the beginning and then repeats it.
The Modulator section The Malström features two Modulators (mod:A and mod:B) These are in fact another type of oscillators, called LFOs (Low Frequency Oscillators). They each generate a waveform and a frequency, much like osc:A and osc:B. However, there are a couple of important differences: • Mod:A and mod:B do not generate sound. They are instead used for modulating various parameters to change the character of the sound. • They only generate waveforms of low frequency.
One Shot To put the Modulator into one shot mode, click this button so that it is lit. Normally, the Modulators will repeat the selected waveforms over and over again, at the set rate. However, when one shot mode is activated and you play a note, the Modulator will play the selected waveform only once (at the set rate) and then stop.
Mod:B Mod:B can modulate the following parameters of either oscillator: D Motion Use this if you want Mod:B to affect the motion speed of osc:A, osc:B, or both (see “Controlling playback of the graintable”). D Vol Use this if you want Mod:B to change the output level of osc:A, osc:B, or both (see “Vol”). D Filter Use this if you want Mod:B to offset the cutoff frequency of filter:A, filter:B, or both (see “Filter controls”).
The Filters Both filter:A and filter:B have the exact same parameters, all of which are described below. D To activate/deactivate a filter, click the On/Off button in the top left corner. When a filter is activated, the button is lit. An activated filter.
• Comb + & Comb – Comb filters are basically delays with very short delay times with adjustable feedback (in Reason controlled with the Resonance knob). A comb filter causes resonating peaks at certain frequencies. The difference between “+” and “–” is in the position of the peaks, in the spectrum. The main audible difference is that the “–”-version causes a bass cut. The Resonance parameter in both cases controls the shape and size of the peaks. Comb + Low Resonance. Comb + High Resonance.
• Env (envelope) If you click on this button so that it is lit, the cutoff frequency (see below) will be modulated by the filter envelope. If you leave this deactivated, the Filter Envelope will have no effect. • Freq (frequency) The function of this parameter depends on which filter type you have selected: With all filter types except AM, it is used for setting the cutoff frequency of the filter.
The Shaper Before filter:A is an optional waveshaper. Waveshaping is a synthesis method for transforming sounds by altering the waveform shape, thereby creating a complex, rich sound. Or, if that’s more to your taste, truncating and distorting the sound to lo-fi heaven! A guitar distortion box could be viewed as a type of waveshaper for example. An unamplified electric guitar produces a sound with fairly pure harmonic content, which is then amplified and transformed by the distortion box.
Output Signal Sine Saturate Clip Quant Input Signal Amt (amount) This controls the amount of shaping applied. By turning the knob to the right you increase the effect.
Routing The Malström puts you in total control of how the signal should be routed from the oscillators, through the filters and on to the outputs. Below is first a general description of the routing options, followed by examples of how to route the signal in order to achieve a certain result. D Click on a button so that it is lit, to route the signal correspondingly. See below for descriptions. If this button is lit, the signal from osc:A is routed to filter:A via the shaper.
Routing examples One or both oscillators without filters With this configuration, the signals from the oscillators will bypass the filters and the shaper and go directly to the respective output. Using both oscillators allows you to use the Spread parameter to create a true stereo sound. One or both oscillators to one filter only Both oscillators routed to filter:B only. Both oscillators routed to filter:A only.
Both oscillators to one filter each With this configuration, the signals from osc:A and osc:B will go to filter:A and filter:B respectively, and then to the outputs. Again, this configuration allows you to work in true stereo. Oscillator A to both filters in parallel With this configuration, the signal from osc:A will go to both filter:A and filter:B, with the filters in parallel. ! This configuration is only possible with osc:A.
One or both oscillators with both filters in series Osc:A routed through both filters in series. Osc:B routed through both filters in series. With these configurations, the signal from osc:A and/or osc:B will go to both filter:A and filter:B, with the filters in series (one after the other). Adding the shaper The signal from one or both oscillators can also be routed to the shaper. The signal will then pass through the shaper to the outputs, with or without also passing through the filters.
The output controls These two parameters control the output from the Malström in the following way: Volume This knob controls the master volume out from the Malström. Spread This controls the stereo pan-width of the outputs from Osc:A/B and Filter:A/B respectively. The farther to the right you turn the knob, the wider the stereo image will be. In other words, the signals will be panned further apart to the left and right.
Polyphony - setting the number of voices This lets you set the polyphony for the Malström. Polyphony is the number of voices it can play simultaneously. The maximum number is 16 and the minimum is 1, in which case the Malström will be monophonic. ! The number of voices you can play depends of course on the capacity of your computer. Even though the maximum number is 16 it doesn’t necessarily mean that your system is capable of using that many voices.
The Pitch Bend and Modulation wheels • The Pitch Bend wheel is used for bending the pitch of notes, much like bending the strings on a guitar or other string instrument. • The Modulation wheel can be used for applying modulation while you are playing. Virtually all MIDI keyboards have Pitch Bend and Modulation controls.
• F.env This sets velocity control for the Filter Envelope Amount parameter. Positive values will increase the envelope amount the harder you play, and negative values will decrease the amount. • Atk (attack) This sets velocity control for the Amp Envelope Attack parameter of osc:A and/or osc:B. Positive values will increase the Attack time the harder you play, and negative values will decrease it. • Shift This lets you velocity control the Shift parameter of osc:A and/or osc:B.
Connections Flipping the Malström around reveals a wide array of connection possibilities. Most of these are CV/Gate related. Using CV/Gate is described in the chapter “Routing Audio and CV”. Audio Output These are the Malström’s audio outputs. When you create a new Malström device, they are auto-routed to the first available channel on the audio mixer: • Shaper/Filter:A (left) & Filter:B (right) These are the main stereo outputs.
Gate Input These inputs can receive a CV signal to trigger the following envelopes: • Amp Envelope • Filter Envelope ! Note that connecting to these inputs will override the normal triggering of the envelopes. For example, if you connected a Modulation output to the Gate Amp in-put, you would not trigger the amp envelope by playing notes, as this is now controlled by the Modulator. In addition you would only hear the Modulator triggering the envelope for the notes that you hold down.
Routing external audio to the filters The audio inputs on the back of the Malström allows you to connect any audio signal to the filters and Shaper. To use this feature, it’s important to understand the following background: Normally the Malström behaves like any regular polyphonic synthesizer, in that each voice has its own filter. The filter settings are the same, but each filter envelope is triggered individually when you play a note.
Connecting the signals from the Malström itself If you connect one or both oscillator outputs to the audio input(s), the internal signal path from the oscillators to the filters is broken. In other words, no signals will pass internally from the oscillators to the filters, and the three routing buttons for the oscillators are ignored.
Chapter 32 NN-19 Sampler
Introduction A sampler could be described as a device capable of recording and reproducing audio material, like a tape recorder. Unlike a tape or hard disk based recorder, samplers allows you to “play” the recorded sound via MIDI, using a keyboard for example. This way, any reproducible sound can be integrated into the MIDI environment, and be controlled from sequencers etc. like synthesizers. The NN-19 is a sampler capable of recording and reproducing - but not editing - sound files.
To sample real instruments accurately requires a lot of hard work. Firstly, you need the original instrument, which should be in perfect working order. For acoustic instruments you need a couple of good microphones, a mixer or other device with high quality microphone preamps, and a room with good acoustics. You need to be meticulous when recording the different samples, so that levels are smooth and even across the range etc.
Loading REX Files as Patches REX files are music loops created in the ReCycle program or when editing audio clips inline in Reason (see “Bounce Clip to REX Loop”). In Reason, REX files are primarily used in the Dr. Octo Rex loop player, but they can be used in the NN-19 as well. Possible extensions are “.rx2”, “.rcy” and “.rex”. 1. Click the Browse Patch button on the front panel to set browse focus to the NN-19 device. 2.
About Key Zones and samples Loading a Sample into an empty NN-19 1. Create an NN-19 device and select “Reset Device” from the context menu or from the Edit menu. 2. Click on the Browse Sample button. This is located above the keyboard display to the left. q When you browse samples, you can preview them before loading using the Play button in the Browser. If you select the “Autoplay” function, the samples play back once automatically when selected. 3.
Loading SoundFont samples The SoundFont format was developed by E-mu systems in collaboration with Creative Technologies. It is a standardized data format containing wavetable synthesized audio and information on how it should be played back in wavetable synthesizers - typically on audio cards. The SoundFont format is an open standard so there is a vast amount of SoundFont banks and SoundFont compatible banks developed by third parties.
D By [Alt]/[Option]-clicking at a point just above the key zone strip, a new empty key zone is created. The point where you click becomes the lower limit (or boundary) for the original key zone, and the upper limit for the new key zone. The new empty key zone gets selected upon creation. Selecting Key Zones Only one key zone can be selected at a time. A selected key zone is indicated by a light blue (as opposed to dark blue) strip above the keyboard in the display.
D By using the “Lowkey” and “Highkey” knobs to set a lower and upper range, respectively. Deleting a Key Zone D To delete a key zone, select it and then select “Delete Key Zone” from the Edit menu. About Key zones, assigned and unassigned samples When you load samples and rearrange your key mapping, you will often end up with samples that are not assigned to any key zone.
2. Use the Sample knob to dial in the sample you want the key zone to play. The Sample knob. Setting the Root Key Once you have defined a key zone, and added a sample, you should set the root key for the sample. D Select the key zone the sample belongs to, and click on the key you wish to set the root key to. Which key to select is normally determined by the pitch of the sample. For example if the sample plays a F#2 guitar note, click on F#2.
q If all samples originate from different sources, and all or most of them are pitched slightly different (a not uncommon sampling scenario), you could first tune them so that they all match each other, and then, if necessary, use the Sample Pitch controls in the Osc section to tune them globally to the “song” you wish to use the samples in.
Automap Samples If you have a number of samples that belong together, but haven’t mapped them to key zones you can use the “Automap Samples” function on the Edit menu. This is used in the following way: 1. Select all samples that belong together and load them in one go, using the sample browser. One of the samples will be assigned to a key zone spanning the whole range, and the rest will be loaded in to memory but remain unassigned. 2. Select Automap Samples from the Edit menu.
NN-19 synth parameters The NN-19 synth parameters are used to shape and modulate samples. These are mostly similar to the parameters used to shape the oscillators in Subtractor - you have envelope generators, a filter, velocity control etc. Again, it is important to remember that these parameters do not alter the audio files in any way, only the way they will play back. ! These parameters are global, in the sense that they will affect all samples in a sample patch.
! Note that the controls in this section cannot be used to tune samples against each other, as all samples will be affected equally. To tune individual samples, you use the Tune parameter below the keyboard display (see “Tuning samples”). Keyboard Tracking The Osc section has a button named “Kbd. Track”. If this is switched off, the sample’s pitch will remain constant, regardless of any incoming note pitch messages, although the oscillator still reacts to note on/off messages.
Filter Frequency The Filter Frequency parameter (often referred to as “cutoff”) determines which area of the frequency spectrum the filter will operate in. For a lowpass filter, the frequency parameter could be described as governing the “opening” and “closing” of the filter. If the Filter Freq is set to zero, none or only the very lowest frequencies are heard, if set to maximum, all frequencies in the waveform are heard.
Filter Envelope The Filter Envelope can be used to control two parameters; filter frequency and sample pitch. By setting up a filter envelope you control the how the filter frequency and/or the sample pitch should change over time with the four Filter Envelope parameters, Attack, Decay, Sustain and Release. Filter Envelope Amount This parameter determines to what degree the filter will be affected by the Filter Envelope. Raising this knob’s value creates more drastic results.
Waveform LFO 1 allows you to select different waveforms for modulating parameters. These are (from the top down): | Waveform | Description Triangle This is a smooth waveform, suitable for normal vibrato. Inverted Sawtooth This produces a “ramp up” cycle. If applied to an oscillator’s frequency, the pitch would sweep up to a set point (governed by the Amount setting), after which the cycle immediately starts over. Sawtooth This produces a “ramp down” cycle, the same as above but inverted.
Play Parameters This section deals with two things: Parameters that are affected by how you play, and modulation that can be applied manually with standard MIDI keyboard controls. These are: • Velocity Control • Pitch Bend and Modulation Wheel • Legato • Portamento • Polyphony • Voice Spread • External Controllers Velocity Control Velocity is used to control various parameters according to how hard or soft you play notes on your keyboard.
Pitch Bend Range The Range parameter sets the amount of pitch bend when the wheel is turned fully up or down. The maximum range is “24” (=up/down 2 Octaves). Modulation Wheel The Modulation wheel can be set to simultaneously control a number of parameters. You can set positive or negative values, just like in the Velocity Control section. The following parameters can be affected by the modulation wheel: | Destination | Description F.
Setting Number of Voices - Polyphony This determines the polyphony, i.e. the number of voices a patch can play simultaneously. This can be used to make a patch monophonic (=a setting of “1”), or to extend the number of voices available for a patch. The maximum number of voices you can set a patch to use is 99. ! Note that the Polyphony setting does not “hog” voices.
Connections On the back panel of the NN-19 you will find the connectors, which are mostly CV/Gate related. Audio Outputs These are the main left and right audio outputs. When you create a new NN-19 device, these are auto-routed to the first available channel on the audio mixer. Mono Sequencer Control These are the main CV/Gate inputs. CV controls the note pitch. Gate inputs trigger note on/off values plus a level, which can be likened to a velocity value.
Gate Inputs These inputs can receive a CV signal to trigger the envelopes. Note that connecting to these inputs will override the “normal” triggering of the envelopes. For example, if you connected a LFO output to the Gate Amp input, you would not trigger the amp envelope by playing notes, as this is now controlled by the LFO. In addition you would only hear the LFO triggering the envelope for the notes that you hold down.
NN-19 SAMPLER
Chapter 33 NN-XT Sampler
Introduction The basic functions of the NN-XT are very similar to those of its sampler companion in the Reason rack - the NN-19 (see “NN-19 Sampler”). Just like the NN-19, NN-XT lets you load samples and create multi-sample patches by mapping samples across the keyboard. The sound can then be modified by a comprehensive set of synth-type parameters. There are however some major differences between the two. The NN-XT has: D Support for SoundFonts.
Panel overview The main panel When the NN-XT is added to the rack, you will initially only see the main panel. The NN-XT main panel. The main panel is where you load complete sample patches. It also contains the “global controls”. These are controls that affect and modify the sound of entire patches rather than the individual key zones. The Remote Editor panel To show/hide the remote editor panel, use the fold/unfold arrow at the bottom left.
Loading complete Patches and REX files As previously alluded, you can load complete sample patches as well as individual samples into the NN-XT. • A patch is a complete “sound package”. It contains information about all the samples used, assigned key zones, associated panel settings etc. Loading a sample patch is done by using the patch browser on the main panel, and works in the same way as with any other Reason device. The Browse Patch button on the main panel.
Loading SoundFonts The SoundFont format was developed by E-mu systems in collaboration with Creative Technologies. It is a standardized data format containing wavetable synthesized audio and information on how it should be played back in wavetable synthesizers - typically on audio cards. The SoundFont format is an open standard so there is a vast amount of SoundFont banks and SoundFont compatible banks developed by third parties. Loading SoundFonts is no different from loading NN-XT Patches.
Using the main panel All of the controls on the main panel are used for globally modifying certain parameters for all of the samples in a patch, by the same amount. ! Movements of the parameters on the main panel can be recorded as automation. However, controls on the remote editor panel (described later) can not! The following is a description of the controls and parameters on the main panel. The Pitch and Modulation wheels Most MIDI keyboards come equipped with Pitch Bend and Modulation wheels.
• Expression Pedal • Breath Control If your MIDI keyboard is capable of sending aftertouch messages, and/or if you have connected an expression pedal or a breath controller to it, you can use these to modulate NN-XT parameters. Which parameters should be modulated is set in the remote editor panel (see “The Modulation controls”).
Filter These two knobs each control a parameter of the filter (see “The Filter section”). Note that the filter must be on for these to have any effect. • Frequency This changes the cutoff frequency of the filter. • Resonance This changes the resonance parameter of the filter, meaning - the filter characteristic, or quality. Amp Envelope These three knobs control the Amplitude Envelope (see “The Amplitude Envelope”) in the following way: • Attack This changes the Attack value of the Amplitude Envelope.
Overview of the Remote Editor panel It is in the Remote Editor Panel that the main NN-XT action is going on, especially if you’re creating your own patches. The remote editor is dominated by the key map display, and this is also the part on which we will concentrate to begin with. The Key Map display The key map display consists of a number of separate areas that let you do different things. To help you navigate the key map display, these areas are described below.
The Key Range area This area in the middle of the key map display is where you keep track of all the zones and the relationship between them. You can also move and resize the zones just like in the Tab Bar area, as described above. The Scrollbars There are both horizontal and vertical scrollbars that work just like regular scrollbars. Whenever there is more information in the key map display than what fits on a “single screen”, you can use the scrollbars to reveal it.
Synth Parameters The bulk of the parameters on the remote editor are used for adjusting the sound of the samples by applying filtering, envelope shaping, modulation (like vibrato and tremolo) and so on. We call these the synth parameters, since they are to a large extent identical to those on a regular synthesizer.
Selections and Edit Focus Almost all operations in the remote editor are performed on one or more selected zones or on the zone with edit focus. Several zones can be selected at once, but only one zone at a time can have edit focus. This is important since: • Editing operations that can be performed on several zones (like deleting), always apply to the selected zones. • Editing operations that can be performed on one zone only, always apply to the zone with edit focus.
Selecting Zones D To select a zone, click on it. Clicking on a zone will also automatically give it edit focus. You can also select multiple zones in several ways: D By holding down [Shift], or [Ctrl](Win) or [Cmd](Mac) and clicking on the zones you wish to select. This way you can select several non-contiguous zones. You can also deselect a selected zone by clicking on it again. D By holding down [Ctrl](Win) or [Cmd](Mac) and pressing [A]. This will select all of the zones in the key map display.
Selecting zones via MIDI You can also select zones via your MIDI keyboard. By clicking the button marked “Select zones via MIDI” above the key map display so that it lights up, you enable selection via MIDI. This way, you can select a zone and give it edit focus by pressing a key that lies within the zone’s key range (see later in this chapter for information about setting up key ranges). In this case, this zone can be selected by pressing any key between C2 - C3 on your MIDI keyboard.
Moving Edit Focus Moving Edit Focus A zone can be given edit focus independently of selection: D When you click on an unselected zone, it both gets selected and gets edit focus. D When you select several zones using [Shift], or [Ctrl](Win) or [Cmd](Mac), the one you select last always gets edit focus. D To set edit focus to a zone when several zones are already selected, click on it without holding down any modifier keys.
Whenever two or more selected zones have conflicting parameter settings, NN-XT will notify you about this by showing a small “M” (for multiple) symbol, next to the parameter. In this example, Level and Spread have conflicting settings. D The controls on the panel always show the setting for the zone with edit focus. D By clicking your way through the zones within the selection, you can see the settings for each zone.
Managing Zones and Samples Creating a Key Map When you add an NN-XT sampler to the rack and select “Reset Device” from the context menu or Edit menu, its key map display becomes empty. That is, it contains no samples. To create a new key map, proceed as follows: 1. Either click the Browse Samples button, select Browse Samples from the Edit menu or select Browse Samples from the NN-XT’s context menu. The NN-XT device gets browse focus. The Browse Samples button. 2.
4. Select “Automap Zones” from the Edit menu. All selected zones are automatically arranged into a basic key map. You can now proceed with adjusting the synth parameters on the front panel to shape the sound! About file formats and REX slices The audio file format support differs depending on which computer OS you are using. The NN-XT can read audio files in the following formats: • In Windows 7: .wav, .aif, .mp3, .aac, .m4a and .wma. • In Mac OSX 10.7: .wav, .aiff, .3g2, .3gp, .mp1, .mp2, .mp3, .
2. Select one and only one sample in the Sample Browser. If you select more than one sample in the browser the samples you load will not replace the one with edit focus. They will instead be added below it. 3. Click the Load button in the Browser. D Alternatively, drag a sample file from the Browser and drop it on the NN-XT device in the rack. The panel is dimmed in blue and a Sample Replace symbol appears in the center.
Duplicating Zones You can duplicate any number of already existing zones (containing samples or empty). 1. Select the zone(s) you want to copy. 2. Pull down the edit menu or the NN-XT context menu and select “Duplicate Zones”. The selected zones will now be copied and automatically inserted below the last one in the key map display. The duplicated zones will contain references to the same samples as the original zones. They will also have the exact same key ranges and parameter settings.
2. Select “Group Selected Zones” from the Edit menu or the NN-XT context menu. The zones are grouped. Selecting these zones and grouping them... ...will create these two groups instead of the original one large group. Moving a Group to another position in the List D Click on the group in the Groups column and drag up or down with the mouse button pressed. An outline of the group you move is superimposed upon the display to help you navigate to the desired position. Dragging a group to a new position.
Selecting a Group and/or Zones in a Group D Clicking on a group in the groups column selects the group and all the zones in the group. D Clicking on a zone in the samples column selects the group (and that zone). The Group Parameters There are a few parameters on the front panel that apply specifically to groups. see “Group parameters” for details. Working with Key Ranges About Key Ranges Each zone can have its own separate key range, the lowest and the highest key that will trigger the sample.
3. Drag the handle left/right. Dotted lines extend from the edges of the zones up to the keyboard area. These lines give you a visual indication of which keys the key range will encompass. There is also an alphanumerical indication at the bottom left of the display. Clicking and dragging the high key boundary handle of a zone with the default key range of C1 - C6... ...to change the key range to C1 - C2. 4. Repeat the procedure with as many zones as you wish, to create a complete key map.
D If you have three selected zones that each have different high keys and then turn the Hi Key knob, they will all automatically get the same High Key value as the zone with edit focus. In other words, if the selected zone with edit focus has the high key set to C4, and you change this to D4 by turning the Hi Key knob, all other selected zones will also be extended to D4 as the High Key.
• Dragging the boundary handles for that zone will also simultaneously change the key range for a number of surrounding zones if: D The high key or low key (depending on which handle you drag) of the other zones are the same as the zone with edit focus. D The other zones are adjacent to the zone with edit focus. ! Note that it doesn’t matter whether the other zones are selected or not. They will be affected anyway. In the example in the picture above, the zone in the middle has edit focus.
Moving Zones by Dragging the Zone Boxes You can also move entire zones horizontally, thereby changing their key ranges. 1. Select all the zones you want to move. You can move several zones simultaneously. 2. Point on any of the selected zones, and press the mouse button. 3. Drag left/right and release the mouse button. Dragging multiple zones. Moving Zones by Dragging in the Tab Bar You can also move a zone by dragging anywhere between the zone boundary handles on the tab bar.
About the Solo Sample function The Solo Sample function lets you play a selected sample over the entire keyboard and disregarding any velocity range assigned to the sample. All other loaded samples are temporarily muted. This is useful if you for example want to check how far up and down from its root key a sample can be played on the keyboard before starting to sound “unnatural”. The solo sample function can therefore be useful as a guide for setting up key ranges, as described in “Setting up Key Ranges”.
Sorting Zones by Note The Edit menu and the NN-XT context menu contains an item called “Sort Zones by Note”. This option lets you automatically sort the selected zones in descending order according to their key ranges. When you invoke this option, the selected zones will be sorted from top to bottom in the display starting with the one with the lowest range. Note however, that the sorting is done strictly on a group basis.
Setting Root Notes and Tuning About the Root Key All instrument sounds have an inherent pitch. When playing a sample of such a sound on the keyboard, the keys you play must correspond to that pitch. For example, you may have recorded a piano playing the key “C3”. When you map this onto the NN-XT key map, you must set things up so that the sampler plays back the sample at original pitch when you press the key C3. This is done by adjusting the root note.
Setting the Root Note and Tuning using pitch detection The NN-XT features a pitch detection function to help you set the root keys. This is useful if you for example load a sample that you haven’t recorded yourself, and you don’t have any information about its original pitch. Proceed as follows: 1. Select all the zones you want to be subject to pitch detection. 2. Pull down the Edit menu or the NN-XT context menu and select “Set Root Notes from Pitch Detection”.
Layered, crossfaded and velocity switched sounds Creating layered sounds You can set things up so that two or more zones have overlapping key ranges - either completely or partially. This way you can create layered sounds, i.e. different samples that are played simultaneously when you press a key on your keyboard. In the picture above, you can see a set of piano samples at the top, mapped across the key range. Below these are a set of string samples that also span the entire key range.
• Zone 3 has a velocity range of 81-127. The sample in this zone will be triggered by all velocity values above 80. 127 100 80 60 40 Zone 3 20 Velocity 0 Zone 2 Zone 1 Overlapping velocity ranges Let’s change the values above slightly: • Zone 1 has a velocity range from 1-60. • Zone 2 has a velocity range of 41-100. • Zone 3 has a velocity range of 81-127. 127 100 80 60 40 Zone 3 20 Velocity 0 Zone 2 Zone 1 Now, velocity values between 41 and 60 will trigger samples from both Zone 1 and Zone 2.
About full and partial velocity ranges You can see which zones have modified velocity ranges in the key map display: • Zones with a full velocity range (0 - 127) are only shown with an outline. • Zones with any other velocity range are shown as striped.
Crossfading Between two Sounds An example: • Two zones are both set to play in the full velocity range of 1-127. • Zone 1 has a fade out value of 40. This means that this zone will play at full level with velocity values below 40, With higher velocity values, it will gradually fade out. • Zone 2 has a fade in value of 80. This has the effect that as you play velocity values up to 80, this zone will gradually fade in. With velocity values above 80, it will play at full level.
Setting crossfading for a Zone Manually To set up a crossfade for a zone, proceed as follows: 1. Select one or more zones that you want to adjust. 2. Use the knobs marked “Fade In” and “Fade Out” in the sample parameter area, to set the desired values. q You can change the values with finer precision by pressing [Shift] while turning the knobs, and you can reset the standard values by pressing [Command] (Mac)/[Ctrl] (Windows) and clicking on the knobs.
You can layer as many sounds as you will and the algorithm switches between them in a way that provides as little repetition as possible. To set up an alternating set of zones, proceed as follows: 1. Set up the zones so that they overlap completely or partially. 2. Select them all. 3. Set “Alt” to On for all the zones. Now, the program will automatically detect how to alternate between the zones, depending on their overlap. Sample parameters The Sample parameter area is found below the screen.
Play Mode By using this knob you can select one of the following loop modes for each zone: • FW The sample in the zone will play only once, without looping. • FW-LOOP The sample will play from the sample start point to the loop end point, jump back to the loop start point and then loop infinitely between the start and end loop points. This is the most common loop mode.
A Stereo example One possible way of utilizing this would be to create a drum kit. In this case you could load up to eight different stereo drum samples, assign them to separate outputs, route each to a separate mixer channel and then use the mixer to set levels and pan, add send effects etc. Using a stereo output as two mono outputs If, on the other hand, you are using mono samples, you can use one stereo pair as a two separate outputs, effectively giving you a total of 16 separate outputs. 1.
So you can play your open hi-hat repeatedly without the sound cutting itself off. When you play the closed hi-hat, this cuts off the open hi-hat. Note that activating this button is not the same as setting polyphony to 1. E.g., it can not be used for Legato or mono Retrig (see “Legato and Retrig”). Legato and Retrig Legato Legato works best with monophonic sounds. Set Key Poly (see above) to 1 and try the following: D Hold down a key and then press another key without releasing the previous.
Synth parameters The Modulation controls As previously described, the Modulation wheel (and the External Control wheel) can be used for controlling various parameters. These controls allow you to define which parameters the wheels should modulate and to what extent. D Below each of the knobs are the letters “W” and “X”. These are used for selecting the source that should control the parameter, and represent the “Modulation Wheel” and the “External Control wheel” respectively.
LFO 1 Amt This determines how much the amount of modulation from LFO 1 is affected by the Modulation wheel and/or the External Controller wheel. It does this by “scaling” the amounts set with the three destination knobs in the LFO 1 section (Pitch, Filter and Level, see “The LFOs”). We’ll explain this with an example: To use the Modulation Wheel to increase pitch modulation (vibrato), proceed as follows: 1. Turn the Mod Wheel all the way down, so that no modulation is applied. 2.
The Velocity controls Velocity is used for controlling various parameters according to how hard or soft you play notes on your keyboard. A typical use of velocity control is to make sounds brighter and louder if you strike a key harder. By using the knobs in this section, you can control if and how much the various parameters will be affected by velocity. Just like the modulation controls, all of the velocity control knobs are bi-polar, and can be set to both positive and negative values.
The Pitch section This section contains various parameters related to controlling the pitch, or frequency, of the zones. Pitch Bend Range This lets you set the amount of pitch bend, i.e. how much the pitch changes when your turn the pitch bend wheel fully up or down. The maximum range is +/- 24 semitones (2 Octaves). Setting the pitch Use the three knobs marked “Octave”, “Semi” and “Fine” to change the pitch of the sample(s): • Octave This changes the pitch in steps of one full octave.
The Filter section Filters can be used for shaping the character of the sound. The filter in NN-XT is a multimode filter with six different filter types. D To activate/deactivate the filter, click the On/Off button in the top right corner. When the filter is activated, the button is lit.
Filter controls The following filter controls are available: • Freq This is used for setting the filter cutoff frequency. The cutoff frequency determines the limit above or below which frequencies will be cut off depending on the selected filter type. In the case of a lowpass filter for example, frequencies below the cutoff frequency will be allowed to pass through, while frequencies above it will be cut off. The farther to the right you turn the knob, the higher the cutoff frequency will be.
Parameters The following are the available controlling parameters: • Attack When you press a key on your keyboard, the envelope is triggered. The attack parameter then controls how long it should take before the controlled parameter (pitch or filter) reaches the maximum value, when you press a key. By setting attack to a value of “0”, the destination parameter would reach the maximum value instantly. By raising the attack parameter, the value will instead slowly “slide” up to its maximum.
The Amplitude Envelope The Amplitude Envelope parameters let you control how the volume of a sound should change over time - from the moment a note is struck to the moment it is released again. Parameters Most of the Amplitude Envelope parameters are identical to those of the Modulation Envelope.
| Mode | Description Key This will make the pan position shift gradually from left to right, the higher up on the keyboard you play. Key 2 This will make the pan position shift from left to right and then back again from right to left in a sequence of eight keys. Playing 4 adjacent semitones thus makes the pan position gradually go from left to right. The next 4 higher semitone notes will then change the pan position from right to left in the same way, and this cycle will then be repeated.
Rate (LFO 1 and 2) This knob controls the frequency of the LFO. For a faster modulation rate, turn the knob to the right. The Rate knob of LFO 1 is also used for setting the timedivision when synchronizing the LFO to the song tempo (see below). Delay (LFO 1 and 2) This can be used for setting a delay between when a note is played and when the LFO modulation starts kicking in (gradually).
Destinations for LFO 1 The following parameters can be modulated by LFO 1: • Pitch This will make the LFO modulate the pitch, for vibrato, trills, etc. It can be set to -2400 – 0 – 2400 cents which equals 4 octaves. The set pitch will change up and down by this amount, with each modulation cycle. Turning the knob to the right will make the modulation cycle start above the set pitch, while turning it to the left will invert the cycle.
Connections On the back panel of NN-XT are a number of connectors. Many of these are CV/Gate related. Using CV/Gate is described in the chapter “Routing Audio and CV”. Sequencer Control The Sequencer Control CV and Gate inputs allow you to play the NN-XT from another CV/Gate device (typically a Matrix or a Redrum). The signal to the CV input controls the note pitch, while the signal to the Gate input delivers note on/off along with velocity.
The other output pairs are never automatically routed. If you wish to use any of the other output pairs, you have to manually connect them to the desired device - typically a Mix Channel device. The basics on Routing is described in “Routing Audio and CV”. ! 738 Note that when you use any other output pair than the first, you also have to route one or more zones to it if you want it to actually output sound, since all zones by default are routed to outputs 1 & 2.
Chapter 34 Dr.
Introduction The Dr. Octo Rex Loop Player is the successor to the trusty Dr. Rex Loop Player, introduced in Reason Version 1. The Dr. Octo Rex can hold up to eight different REX loops at once, in eight pattern memories, and allows you to switch between loops and slices in very flexible ways. The Dr. Octo Rex Loop Player is fully backwards compatible with the discontinued Dr. Rex device. This means that all REX loops that previously used Dr. Rex devices in your songs will now open and play back in Dr.
About REX file formats Dr. Octo Rex can read REX files in the following formats: • REX (.rex) This is the file format generated by previous versions of ReCycle (Mac platform). • RCY (.rcy) This is the file format generated by previous versions of ReCycle (PC platform). • REX 2 (.rx2) This is the ReCycle file format for both Mac and PC platforms generated internally in Reason (see “Bounce Clip to REX Loop”) or by ReCycle version 2.0.
Playing Loops 1. Make sure the Enable Loop Playback button is on (lit). 2. Click the desired Loop Slot button. 3. Play back the loop by clicking the Run button. The loop in the selected Loop Slot will play back repeatedly in the tempo set on the Transport Panel. If you change the tempo, the loop tempo will follow. D You can also play the loop once via MIDI, by using the D0 key.
Triggering playback and selecting Loop Slots from a MIDI keyboard It’s also possible to control playback, stop and Loop Slot selection in real-time by pressing different keys on a MIDI keyboard. By pressing the keys E0 to B0 you select Loop Slot 1-8 and start playback of the corresponding loop. The loop(s) will play back continuously, one loop at a time, until you press the D#0 key to stop playback, or click the Run button or Stop in the main sequencer.
Loading Loops “On the Fly” Another practical method for checking out loops, is to load them “on the fly”, i.e. during playback. This is especially useful if you want to check out a number of loops against other sequencer data and patterns previously recorded. Proceed as follows: 1. Activate the Enable Loop Playback button on the Dr. Octo Rex device and start sequencer playback. The REX loops and the sequencer are synced. 2. Now load a new REX file by using the Browser in one of the usual ways.
Creating sequencer notes The individual slices in a REX loop can be transferred as separate MIDI notes to tracks in the sequencer. This makes it possible to have detailed control over every single sample in a REX loop. Proceed as follows to create sequencer notes from the slices: 1. Select the sequencer track associated with the Dr. Octo Rex device. 2. Set the left and right locators to encompass the section you want to fill with REX notes. 3.
5. Disable the Enable Loop Playback parameter. This is because you probably don’t want the loop playback to be controlled by the regular Run function but from note playback in the sequencer. If the Enable Loop Playback parameter is on, there will be double notes during playback from the sequencer. Activating playback in the sequencer will now play back the notes on the sequencer track.
! Note that if you have created sequencer notes from a REX file in one Loop Slot, selecting another Loop Slot with another REX loop could make the playback sound awkward. This is because the notes generated from the original REX loop will in most situations not correspond to the slices in the other REX loops. However, in some situations this could produce really interesting results so don’t be afraid to experiment.
Slice handling Selecting Slices A selected slice is indicated by being highlighted in the waveform display. To select a slice, use one of the following methods: D By clicking in the waveform display. If you hold down [Alt](Win) or [Option](Mac) and click on a slice in the waveform display, it will be played back. The pointer takes on the shape of a speaker symbol to indicate this. D By using the “Slice” knob below the waveform display. D Via MIDI.
Editing in the Waveform Display Here you are able to edit several parameters for each slice, by first selecting the slice and then using the knobs below the waveform display. If you want to edit a single parameter for several slices at once, a more convenient way would be to use the Slice Edit Mode, see “The Slice Edit Mode”.
The Slice Edit Mode A very convenient way of editing several slices at once is to work in Slice Edit Mode. In Slice Edit Mode, you can edit one parameter at a time for all slices in the loop. 1. Click the Edit Slice Mode button. The waveform display switches to show the REX loop in Slice Edit Mode. 2. Select the parameter you want to edit by clicking on its name below the REX loop. The parameters that can be selected are: Pitch, Pan, Level, Decay, Reverse, Filter Frequency, Alt Group and Output.
Dr. Octo Rex panel parameters Pitch and Mod wheels The Pitch wheel to the left is used for “bending” the pitch up or down. The Mod wheel can be used to apply various modulation while you are playing the loop(s). Virtually all MIDI keyboards have Pitch Bend and Modulation controls. Dr. Octo Rex also has two “wheels” on the panel that could be used to apply real time modulation and pitch bend should you not have these controllers on your keyboard, or if you aren’t using a keyboard at all.
The Note To Slot parameter can also be automated. This means you could switch between Loop Slots for every single sequencer note if you like. This opens up for very interesting “beat mangling” experiments.
Enable Loop Playback and Run D Click the Enable Loop Playback button to make it possible to play back the REX loops using the Run button or Play function in the main sequencer. If the Enable Loop Playback button is off, clicking Run or Play in the sequencer won’t play back the loops. This can be useful if you only want to control the individual slices of the REX loops from a master keyboard or from recorded notes in the main sequencer.
Dr. Octo Rex synth parameters The Dr. Octo Rex synth parameters are used for shaping and modulating the sound of the REX loops. These parameters are familiar synth parameters, similar to the ones in the synthesizers; The Subtractor and the Malström, and in the samplers; the NN-19 and the NN-XT. It is important to remember that these parameters do not alter the REX files in any way, only the way they will play back.
• The Loop Transpose value can also be controlled via MIDI, by pressing a key between C-2 and C0 (with C-1 resetting the transpose value to zero). This way you can also record transposition changes in the sequencer. ! To control Loop Transpose via MIDI, the Note To Slot parameter must be set to the Loop Slot you want to control, see “Note To Slot”. q It’s also possible to set a global transpose value that affects all REX loops equally, see “Global Transpose”.
Mod. Wheel The Modulation wheel can be set to simultaneously control a number of parameters. You can set positive or negative values, just like in the Velocity Control section. The following parameters can be affected by the modulation wheel: | Parameter | Description F. Freq This sets modulation wheel control of the filter frequency parameter. A positive value will raise the frequency if the wheel is pushed forward. Negative values invert this relationship. F.
The Filter Section Filters are used for shaping the overall timbre of all REX files in all 8 Loop Slots. The filter in Dr. Octo Rex is a multimode filter with five filter modes. D Activate or deactivate the filter completely by clicking the Filter On button. The filter is active when the button is lit. Mode With this selector you can set the filter to operate as one of five different types of filter.
Resonance The filter resonance parameter affects the character of the filter sound. For lowpass filters, raising the resonance will emphasize the frequencies around the set filter frequency. This produces a generally thinner sound, but with a sharper, more pronounced filter frequency “sweep”. The higher the resonance value, the more resonant the sound becomes until it produces a whistling or ringing sound.
Filter Envelope The Filter Envelope can be used to control two parameters for all REX loops in the 8 Loop Slots; filter frequency and overall loop pitch. By setting up a filter envelope you control how the filter frequency and/or the pitch should change over time for each slice. The Amount parameter determines to what degree the filter frequency will be affected by the Filter Envelope. The higher the Amount setting, the more pronounced the effect of the envelope on the filter.
Destination The available LFO Destinations are as follows: | Destination | Description Osc Selecting this makes LFO control the pitch (frequency) of the REX file. Filter Selecting this makes the LFO control the filter frequency. Pan Selecting this makes the LFO modulate the pan position of the REX file, i.e. it will move the sound from left to right in the stereo field. Sync By clicking the SYNC button you activate/deactivate LFO sync.
Setting number of voices - polyphony This determines the polyphony, i.e. the number of voices, or slices, Dr. Octo Rex can play simultaneously. For normal loop playback, it is worth noting that slices sometimes “overlap”. Therefore, it is recommended that you use a polyphony setting of about 3-4 voices when playing REX files. If you are “playing” slices via MIDI, the polyphony setting should be set according to how many overlapping slices you want to have.
On the rear panel of Dr. Octo Rex you will find the connectors. The left part of the panel houses a number of CV/Gate inputs and outputs. Using CV/Gate is described in “Routing Audio and CV”. Modulation Inputs These control voltage (CV) inputs (with trim pots), allow you to modulate various Dr. Octo Rex parameters from other devices (or from the modulation outputs of the Dr. Octo Rex device itself).
Chapter 35 Redrum Drum Computer
Introduction At first glance, Redrum looks styled after pattern-based drum machines, like the legendary Roland 808/909 units. Indeed, it does have a row of 16 step buttons that are used for step programming patterns, just like the aforementioned classics. There are significant differences, however. Redrum features ten drum “channels” that can each be loaded with an audio file, allowing for completely open-ended sound possibilities. Don’t like the snare - just change it.
About file formats Redrum reads two basic types of files: Redrum Patches A Redrum patch (Windows extension “.drp”) contains all settings for all ten drum sound channels, including file references to the used drum samples (but not the actual drum samples themselves). Switching patches is the same as selecting a new drum kit. Drum Samples The audio file format support differs depending on which computer OS you are using. Redrum can read audio files in the following formats: • In Windows 7: .wav, .aif, .
Using patches When you create a new Redrum device it is loaded with a default kit. If you like you can program a pattern and play back using the default kit - or you can load another Redrum patch (or create one from scratch, by loading individual drum samples). A Redrum patch contains settings for the ten drum sound channels, complete with file references to the drum samples used.
Creating a new patch To create a patch of your own (or modify an existing patch), you use the following basic steps: 1. Click the folder button for a drum sound channel. The Redrum sample browser opens. 2. Locate and load a drum sample. You will find a large number of drum samples in the Factory Sound Bank (in the folder Redrum Drum Kits/xclusive drums-sorted). You can also load other samples in any supported format.
Programming patterns Pattern basics Redrum contains a built-in pattern sequencer. Unlike the main sequencer in Reason, the Redrum sequencer repeatedly plays back a pattern of a specified length. The typical analogy in the “real world” is a drum machine which plays drum patterns, usually one or two bars in length. Having the same pattern repeat throughout a whole song may be fine in some cases, but most often you want some variations.
D Pattern changes can be controlled by pattern change events in the main sequencer. In other words, you can record or create pattern changes in the main sequencer, and have them occur at the correct position on playback. D The sound sources can also be played by the main sequencer, or via MIDI. You can combine the built-in pattern playback with playback from the main sequencer or via MIDI. For example, this allows you to add variations or fills to a basic pattern.
1. Load a Redrum patch, if one isn’t already loaded. 2. Make sure an empty pattern is selected. If you like, use the Clear Pattern command on the Edit menu or device context menu to make sure. 3. Make sure that the “Enable Pattern Section” and the “Pattern” buttons are activated (lit). 4. Press the “Run” button. There will be no sound, as no pattern steps have been recorded yet. But as you can see, the LEDs over the Step button light up consecutively, moving from left to right, and then starts over.
D Use the “Steps” spin controls to set the number of steps you wish the pattern to play. The range is 1 to 64. You can always extend the number of steps at a later stage, as this will merely add empty steps at the end of the original pattern. You could also make it shorter, but that would (obviously) mean that the steps “outside” the new length won’t be heard. These steps aren’t erased though; if you raise the Steps value again, the steps will be played back again.
Pattern Shuffle Shuffle is a rhythmic feature, that gives the music a more or less pronounced swing feel. It works by delaying all sixteenth notes that fall in between the eighth notes. You can activate or deactivate shuffle individually for each Redrum pattern by clicking the Shuffle button on the device panel. The amount of shuffle is set globally with the Global Shuffle control in the ReGroove Mixer - see “The ReGroove Mixer”.
The Pattern Enable switch If you deactivate the “Pattern” button the pattern playback will be muted, starting at the next downbeat (exactly as if you had selected an empty (silent) pattern). For example, this can be used for bringing different pattern devices in and out of the mix during playback. q You can also mute Redrum devices in the sequencer using the Mute button for the track connected to the Redrum.
Pattern functions When a Redrum device is selected, you will find some specific pattern functions on the Edit menu (and on the device context menu): | Function | Description Shift Pattern Left/Right These functions move all notes in the pattern one step to the left or right. Shift Drum Left/Right The Shift Drum functions move all notes for the selected drum channel (the channel for which the Select button is lit) one step to the left or right. Randomize Pattern Creates a random pattern.
Converting Pattern data to notes in the main sequencer You can convert Redrum Patterns to notes in the main sequencer. This allows you to edit the notes freely, create variations or use Groove quantizing. The “Copy Pattern to Track” function This function useful when you have created a single pattern in the Redrum device and want to render individual note events on the sequencer track. You could also use this if you e.g.
Redrum parameters Drum sound settings Redrum features ten drum sound channels that can each be loaded with a Wave or AIFF sample or a sample from a SoundFont bank. Although they are basically similar, there are three “types” of drum sound channels, with slightly different features. This makes some channels more suitable for certain types of drum sounds, but you are of course free to configure your drum kits as you like. On the following pages, all parameters will be listed.
D Raising the S1 knob for a drum sound channel will send the sound to the first send effect connected to the mixer. Similarly, the S2 knob governs the send level to the second send effect in the mixer. D Note that there must be send effects connected to the AUX Sends and Returns in the mixer for this to work. D Also note that if Redrum is soloed in the Mixer the effect sends will be muted. D Another way to add independent effects to drum sounds is to use the independent drum outputs.
D In Gate mode (switch up), the sound will play for the set Length, and then be cut off. Furthermore, if a sound set to Gate mode is played from the main sequencer, from a CV/Gate device or via MIDI, the sound will be cut off when the note ends or after the set Length, depending on which comes first. Or in other words, the sound plays for as long as you hold the note, but the Length setting serves as the maximum length for the sound.
Tone The Tone knob determines the brightness of the drum sound. Raising this parameter results in a brighter sound. The Vel knob determines whether the sound should become brighter (positive Vel value) or darker (negative Vel value) with higher velocity. D The Tone and Vel knobs have LEDs that light up when the functions are activated (i.e. when a value other than zero is selected). ! The Tone controls are available for drum sound channels 1, 2 and 10 only.
High Quality Interpolation When this is activated, the sample playback is calculated using a more advanced interpolation algorithm. This results in better audio quality, especially for drum samples with a lot of high frequency content. D High Quality Interpolation uses more computer power - if you don’t need it, it’s a good idea to turn it off! Listen to the drum sounds in a context and determine whether you think this setting makes any difference.
Connections On the back of the Redrum you will find the following connections: For each drum sound channel: | Connection | Description Audio Outputs There are individual audio outputs for each drum sound channel, allowing you to route a drum sound to a separate channel in the mixer, possibly via insert effects, etc. For mono sounds, use the “Left (Mono)” output (and pan the sound using the Pan control in the mixer).
REDRUM DRUM COMPUTER
Chapter 36 Kong Drum Designer
Introduction The Kong Drum Designer gives the visual impression of a pattern-based drum machine, like the legendary MPC units. Indeed, it does have a matrix of 4 x 4 pads that are used for playing the sounds, just like the aforementioned classics. There are significant differences, however. Kong features 16 drum “sound channels” that can host one drum sound each.
The Drum Control Panel The Drum Control Panel at the bottom left of the panel shows the name and “macro parameter” settings for the selected pad in the pad section. From the Drum Control Panel you can also load and save Drum Patches as well as initiate sampling. See “The Drum Control Panel”. The Drum and FX Section By clicking the Programmer button below at the bottom of the Drum Control Panel you can bring up the Drum and FX Section.
• Any sample rate and practically any bit depth. See “NN-Nano Sampler” for details. REX Files The Nurse Rex Loop Player module in Kong can read and play back files of the following formats: • REX files (.rx2, .rex, .rcy) REX files are music loops created in the ReCycle program or when editing audio clips inline in Reason (see “Bounce Clip to REX Loop”). See “Nurse Rex Loop Player” for details. Using patches When you create a new Kong device it is loaded with a default kit.
Checking the sounds in a Kit Patch There are three ways you can listen to the sounds in a patch without using the main sequencer: D By clicking the Pad buttons on the front panel. ! Note that the vertical click position on the pad determines the Velocity value. If you click towards the bottom of a pad, the velocity is low and at the top of each pad the velocity value is high. Velocity = 127 Velocity = 4 This will give you a good idea about the dynamics behavior of each drum sound.
2. Click the folder button on the Drum Control Panel. D Alternatively, right-click (Win) or [Ctrl]-click (Mac) on the Pad and select “Browse Drum Patches...” from the context menu. The Patch Browser opens. 3. Locate and open a Kong Drum Patch (extension ‘.drum’) or a sample or REX file. You will find a selection of Kong Drum Patches in the Factory Sound Bank (in the Kong Drum Patches folder).
Pad Settings In the Pad Settings section to the right of the Pad section you can perform various assignments and tricks pertaining to how the Drum channels should be controlled from the Pads. Assigning Drums to Pads Kong features 16 pads and 16 Drum channels, as described earlier. Each pad can control a separate Drum sound channel. You can also assign several pads to control a single Drum sound channel.
Assigning Drums to Pads using the Quick Edit function If you want to assign several Drums to several pads quickly, you can do this by using the Quick Edit function. 1. Click the Quick Edit button in the Drum Assign section. Each Pad now shows the current Drum assignment. 2. Change the Drum assignment clicking on the desired Drum channel number on each Pad. 3. When you are done, click the Quick Edit button or press [Esc] to exit to normal mode.
D To assign a Hit Type to a pad, select the pad and then select Hit Type by clicking the Hit Type button (or on the name in the display). The Hit Type assignment is saved when you save your Kong Kit Patch and/or song. Assigning Hit Type to Pads using the Quick Edit function A quicker way of assigning Hit Type to several pads is by using the Quick Edit function. 1. Click the Quick Edit button in the Hit Type section. Each Pad now shows the current Hit Type assignment. 2.
Working with Pad Groups Kong features 9 Pad Groups, divided into 3 Mute Groups, 3 Link Groups and 3 Alt Groups. Each Pad can be assigned to one or more of these 9 Pad Groups independently. Pad Groups are useful if you, for example, want to trig several pads from a single pad, have one pad mute another, or randomly trig other pads from one pad. Mute Groups Mute Groups can be used if you want one pad to automatically mute another sound in the same Mute Group.
The Drum and FX section Drum Control Panel Drum Module Slot Bus FX Slot FX1 Slot FX2 Slot Master FX Slot The Drum and FX section in Kong is built up of the Drum Control Panel and the Drum and FX section. D Click the Show Drum and FX button below the Drum Control Panel to unfold the Drum and FX section. The Drum and FX section consists of five slots: • The Drum Module Slot. • The FX1 Slot. • The FX2 Slot. • The Bus FX Slot. • The Master FX Slot.
Signal flow The output signal from a Drum module is sent via the FX1 and FX2 Slots to the Bus FX, Master FX or to a pair of the individual outputs on the back of the Kong panel. There is also an internal Bus FX Send that can be used to send an audio signal from the Drum via the FX1 and FX2 Slots to the Bus FX. The Bus FX Slot can the hold e.g. a reverb module which can be used a send effect for all the Drum channels.
Bus FX Drum Output When the Drum Output is set to “Bus FX”, the signal flow is according to the picture below. Note that the Bus FX is now routed both as an Insert effect and as a Send effect at the same time. Therefore, it might be a good idea to set the Bus FX Send knob on the Drum Control Panel to zero in this configuration. Bus FX Drum Module FX1 FX2 Master FX Main Out L & R Signal flow when Drum Output is set to “Bus FX”.
Separate Out Drum Output When the Drum Output is set to any of the separate output pairs “3-4” to “15-16”, the signal flow is according to the picture below. The signals to the selected separate output pair are taken directly after the FX2 via the Master Level knob. Note that the signal via the Bus FX and Master FX is still available on the Main Out L & R and can be controlled with the Bus FX Send knob on the Drum Control Panel.
• The Decay Offset knob affects the amplitude Decay or Release parameters in all Drum modules plus any FX modules that feature a Decay parameter. For example, the reverb decay time in the Room Reverb FX module is affected by the Decay Offset parameter. • The Bus FX Send knob affects the signal level sent to the Bus FX Slot. Depending on current Drum Output setting, the effect will be a little different - see the examples in “Signal flow”.
Loading and Saving Drum Patches Loading and Saving Kong Drum patches (“.drum”) are done in the same way as with any other Reason device - see “Creating a new Kit Patch”, “Loading patches” and “Saving patches”. A Kong Drum patch contains all parameter settings on the Drum Control Panel, including modules and parameter settings in the Drums and FX section - with references to any used samples. It’s also possible to load samples and REX loops in the Drum Control Panel section.
D Select Drum Module type by clicking the button to the right of the On button and selecting the module from the pop-up. the following Drum Module types can be selected: NN-Nano Sampler, Nurse Rex Loop Player, Physical Bass Drum, Physical Snare Drum, Physical Tom Tom, Synth Bass Drum, Synth Snare Drum, Synth Tom Tom and Synth Hi-Hat. See “The Drum modules” for details about each Drum module.
The Drum modules ! Note that only four pre-defined parameters per Drum Module can be automated! NN-Nano Sampler The NN-Nano Sampler is based on the NN-XT Sampler and was designed to be ideal for drums and percussion sounds. The NN-Nano can handle samples or sets of samples for each of the four different Hit Types described in “Assigning Hit Type to Pads”. Each Hit Type can contain one or several samples which can be layered and/or altered and controlled individually via velocity. Loading samples 1.
1. Select the Hit and then click the Add Layer button. An additional space is created in the Hit. 2. Select the empty Layer in the display and load a new sample according to the description in “Loading samples” above. The NN-Nano Sampler module in Kong can read and play back sample files of the following formats: • In Windows 7: .wav, .aif, .mp3, .aac, .m4a and .wma. • In Mac OSX 10.7: .wav, .aiff, .3g2, .3gp, .mp1, .mp2, .mp3, .mpeg, .mpa, .snd, .au, .sd2, .ac3, .aac, .adts, .amr, .caf, .m4a .m4r and .
D To sample your own sound and automatically load it into the NN-Nano, click the Sample button. Refer to the “Sampling” chapter for details on how to set up and use the sampling feature. The Edit Sample button If you click the Edit Sample button with a sample selected in the display, the sample will open in the generic Edit Sample window. In this window you can edit the sample and save as a self-contained Song Sample.
Global parameters The parameters located on the panel, outside the display, are global and affect all samples in all Hit groups equally. • Polyphony “Full” is, as the word implies, full polyphony. This means that all Hits can sound with full polyphony. Several Hits can also sound together if controlled from separate Pads that are assigned to different Hit Types. “Exclusive Hits” means that when one Hit plays it will automatically mute any other sounding Hits.
Nurse Rex Loop Player The Nurse Rex Loop Player is based on the Dr. OctoRex Loop Player but has been modified to be ideal for playing and triggering drum and percussion sounds. The Nurse Rex can load standard REX files and play back the loops and/or slices in a variety of ways depending on the selected Hit Type (see “Assigning Hit Type to Pads”). Loading REX files 1. Click the Browse Samples (folder) button. 2. Select a REX file and click the Load button in the Browser.
D Set Start and End slice, either by clicking and dragging the S and E numerical values up/down in the boxes, or by clicking and dragging the handles sideways in the “ruler” above the REX loop in the display. Different ways of editing the Start and End Slice values. • Chunk Trig In Chunk Trig mode, you can assign several pads to play back shorter sections - chunks - of the REX loop. The number of chunks is determined by the number of pads you have assigned to the REX loop using the Chunk Trig Hit Type.
D Change the Start position of the first chunk and the End position of the last chunk by changing the REX loop Start and End values. In effect, this is the same as setting the overall REX loop start and end position. Editing the start position of the first chunk and end position of the last chunk. • Slice Trig In Slice Trig mode, you can assign a pad to play back one single slice of the REX loop - or several slices alternatingly.
• Stop The fourth Hit Type is named “Stop”. The Stop mode can be used if you want to use a pad for immediately stopping the currently playing REX loop or Chunk. The Stop mode should be used in combination with any of the Hit Types “Loop Trig” or “Chunk Trig”, otherwise it won’t be useful. “Stop” selected as Hit Type for a pad assigned to a Nurse Rex module. 1. Assign one pad to a REX loop in Nurse Rex and select any of the Hit Types “Loop Trig” or “Chunk Trig”. 2.
Editing Slice Parameters In the REX loop display you can edit parameters that are unique to each separate slice: Slice parameters Slices parameters for a loaded REX loop. D To select a slice for editing, click on the desired slice in the REX loop display. Alternatively, click and drag up/down in the Slice number box or use the Slice Select knob below the Slice item. The Slice Parameters are: • Trig Click the Trig check box for the slices you want to alternate between using the Slice Trig Hit Type.
• Release with Velocity and Modulation controls Sets the release time for the amplitude envelope when ADSR is selected as Env Type. The release time can also be velocity controlled according to the sensitivity set with the Vel knob. You can also control the release time from the Mod Wheel with the amount set with the Mod knob. In Gate mode, the Release parameter has no effect. • Pitch with Velocity control Sets the overall pitch of all slices in the REX loop.
Drum head and shell parameters The Physical Modelling Drums feature the following drum head and shell parameters: • Pitch Sets the overall pitch of the drum. The Pitch parameter can be considered the total size of the drum and affects all other head and shell parameters. • Tune 1 and Tune 2 (PM Bass Drum and PM Tom Tom) The Tune 1 and Tune 2 parameters set the drum’s harmonic character, similar to the effect of individually adjusting the rim tension screws of the top drum head.
Synth Bass Drum, Snare Drum and Tom Tom The Synth Bass Drum, Snare Drum and Tom Tom use analog modelling to generate classic synth drum sounds. The Synth Tom Tom was faithfully modelled after a famous hexagonal shaped analog drum system from the 80’s. General parameters • Level This controls the overall output level of the Drum module to the FX1 and FX2 Slots (see “Signal flow”). The Level is also affected by velocity.
• Bend Time (Synth Bass Drum and Synth Tom Tom) Sets the time it should take to change the pitch from the Bend Amount value (se below) back to the original pitch. • Bend Amount (Synth Bass Drum and Synth Tom Tom) Sets the upper pitch to bend from. The Bend Amount is also affected by velocity. • Noise Tone (Synth Snare Drum and Synth Tom Tom) This is a filter which sets the frequency content of the noise. • Noise Decay (Synth Snare Drum and Synth Tom Tom) This sets the decay of the noise in the sound.
The Support Generator modules There are two types of Support Generator modules in Kong, one for generating noise and another one for generating a tone. The Support Generator modules can be used as companions to any of the Drum modules, or stand-alone. The Support Generators can be loaded into the FX1 and/or FX2 slots.
Tone Generator • Hit Type buttons These buttons allow you to choose for which Hit Type(s) the Tone generator should be active. By default, the Tone generator is active for all Hit Types (see “Assigning Hit Type to Pads”). • Pitch This sets the pitch of the oscillator. • Attack This sets the attack time of the tone. • Decay This sets the decay time of the tone. • Bend Decay This sets the decay time for the Bend. • Bend This sets the upper start pitch of the bend range.
The FX modules The FX modules can be used in any of the FX1, FX2, Bus FX and Master FX slots. ! Note that only two pre-defined parameters per FX Module can be automated! Using CV modulation of Bus FX and Master FX parameters When the FX modules are used in the Bus FX and/or Master FX slots, it is possible to route external CV signals to the first two Effect module parameters for modulation.
Drum Room Reverb The Drum Room Reverb is a reverb with a room-type reverb algorithm. It’s perfect for adding ambience to single drum sounds or to the entire mix of all 16 drum channels. The parameters are as follows: • Size This sets the “size” of the room, from small to large. • Decay This sets the reverb decay time. • Damp This sets the high frequency damping amount of the reverb effect, from none to heavy. • Width This sets the stereo effect of the reverb, from mono to wide stereo.
• Decay This sets the decay time from amplification/attenuation back to normal amplitude level. • Amount This controls the amplification amount. A high Amount in combination with a positive Attack value will produce a very pronounced attack/transient in the sound. Compressor The Compressor levels out the audio, by making loud sounds softer. To compensate for the volume loss, the Compressor has a make-up gain control for raising the overall level by a suitable amount.
Filter The Filter is a state variable filter with a switch for selecting Lowpass, Bandpass or Highpass state. It has controls for cutoff/center frequency and resonance amount and can also be controlled from a built-in MIDI controlled envelope generator for sweeping the frequency. When used in the Bus FX Slot, MIDI Note E2 (#52) trigs the envelope. When used in the Master FX Slot, MIDI Note F2 (#53) trigs the envelope.
• Frequency Sets the center frequency of the equalizer. • Gain Sets the amplification (positive Gain value) or attenuation (negative Gain value) around the center Frequency. • Q Sets the bandwidth around the center Frequency, from wide to a narrow peak. Ring Modulator The Ring Modulator takes the input signal and multiplies it with an internal sinewave signal. The result is often a synthetic metallic sound.
Rattler The Rattler adds the effect of a snare “attached” to whatever sound is fed through it. Using the Rattler in combination with other types of sounds than “usual” snare drum sounds can produce really interesting results! Ever played a snare bass drum, or a snare hi-hat, for example? The parameters are as follows: • Snare Tension This sets the tension of the snare.
• Time This sets the time between the delays, from short to long. • Feedback This sets the number of delay repetitions, from one to... many. • Wobble This sets the tape speed wobbling effect. Since it emulates a magnetic tape, a wobbling speed also automatically produces a wobbling pitch of the signal. • Frequency This sets the change in frequency of the delay repetitions. For every delay, the frequency content will shift according to the Frequency setting.
Connections On the back panel of Kong are a number of connectors. Many of these are CV/Gate related. Using CV/Gate is described in the chapter “Routing Audio and CV”. Sequencer Control The Sequencer Control CV and Gate inputs allow you to play Kong from another CV/Gate device (typically a Matrix or a Redrum). The signal to the CV input controls the note pitch, while the signal to the Gate input delivers note on/ off along with velocity.
Gate In and Out • The Gate Inputs can receive a CV signal to trigger each of the 16 pads individually. You are still able to control the pads from the panel and/or via MIDI even when the Gate Inputs are being used. • The Gate Outputs send out a CV Gate signal each time the corresponding pad is played. The Gate signals can be used for triggering sounds in other devices. Audio Out 3-16 There are 14 separate audio output jacks on Kong’s back panel - arranged as seven separate stereo pairs.
2. Play a couple of notes on your other device. The audio is now routed via Kong’s Bus FX slot and further via the Master FX slot, to the Main Audio Outputs of Kong. 3. Select suitable FX devices for the Bus FX and Master FX slots in Kong according to the descriptions in “The FX modules” and tweak the parameters to your liking.
Chapter 37 External MIDI Instrument
Introduction The External MIDI Instrument is a device designed for controlling external MIDI instruments, i.e. instruments that live outside of Reason. These could be other software synths or external hardware instruments that are hooked up to a MIDI interface on your computer. The External MIDI Instrument is treated like any other instrument device in the Reason sequencer, including Note Lanes and automatable controls.
4. Click the up/down MIDI Channel arrow buttons to select the MIDI Channel your external MIDI instrument is set to receive on. The selected MIDI Channel number is shown in the display. 5. Select the External MIDI Instrument track in the sequencer. Now, you should be able to play your external MIDI instrument from your Master Keyboard. ! If you get problems with “hanging” notes, press [!] to send out an “All Notes Off” command on the MIDI port.
Automating MIDI Program Change If you like, you can automate the Program parameter to change sound/program/preset of your external instrument during playback of your Reason song. 1. Right-click the Program up/down buttons, or the display, and select “Edit Automation”. This creates a separate Program Change automation lane in the sequencer track. 2. Now, you can edit the Program Change lane in the sequencer and insert Program Change automation points wherever you like in your song.
3. Click Record in the sequencer and record the automation by turning the CC Assign knob. An automation lane, named according to the selected MIDI CC#, is created on the sequencer track and automation points are inserted as you turn the CC Assign knob. When you stop the sequencer, the CC Assign knob displays a green automation frame. 4. To record automation of another MIDI CC# parameter, select the desired MIDI CC# by clicking the up/down CC Assign arrow buttons.
4. Move a knob or slider on your controller. Reason automatically detects which knob/slider you move and assigns this to the selected MIDI CC#: Fader 3 on the control surface keyboard assigned to MIDI CC#7. 5. Click OK. You have now mapped that knob or slider to the MIDI CC# you selected in step 2. 6. Repeat the procedure from Steps 2-5 to assign other MIDI CC# to other knobs/sliders of your keyboard controller.
5. Select from the Manufacturer drop-down list: Selecting “” as Manufacturer automatically activates the generic MIDI map, which is designed to detect standard MIDI Note and Controller data, regardless of instrument model. D If your MIDI instrument has a keyboard, select “MIDI Control Keyboard” from the Model: drop-down list. This way, you will be able to play MIDI Notes from your instrument as well as sending MIDI Controller data.
7. Click OK. Now, your MIDI instrument is shown in the “Attached surfaces:” list along with your other assigned control surfaces (if any): ! Make sure the “Use with Reason” check box is selected and that the green check mark is present. 8. Now, select the External MIDI Instrument track in the sequencer and click the Record button on the Transport Panel. If you turn or press a panel control (knob, slider, button, etc.
Connections Sequencer Control The Sequencer Control CV In and Gate In inputs allow you to play the External MIDI Instrument device from another CV/Gate device (typically a Matrix or an RPG-8). The signal to the CV In controls the note pitch, while the signal to the Gate In delivers note on/off along with velocity. There are also inputs for modulating the Pitch Bend and ModWheel parameters. Assignable CC This CV input (with associated trim pot) can modulate the CC Assign knob.
4. Play back the song and adjust the audio level on your external MIDI instrument and/or the audio interface gain. To be on the safe side, leave around 12dB of headroom below the clipping level (first yellow LED lit on the Input Level Meter on the Audio Track): q You might also have to move (or nudge) the MIDI clips on the External MIDI Instrument track back slightly to compensate for any MIDI latency.
q If quantizing the audio clip isn’t applicable (e.g. due to playing style or type of sound), open the clip inline, select all Slice Markers and move them slightly to the left in the clip (with Snap off) so that the first note/beat aligns with the clip start. See the last example in “Selecting Slices and Slice Markers” for info about selecting and moving Slice Markers.
! Note that the Ticks value you set with the Slide knob is tempo dependent. This means that if you raise the Tempo in the sequencer you will have to set the Slide knob to a lower (more negative) value to maintain the sync - and vice versa. 6. Before you begin recording onto the audio track there is one important thing to keep in mind: ! If there are MIDI notes present exactly on the note clip start position you have to begin the audio recording before the note clip’s start position.
Chapter 38 The MClass Effects
The MClass effects The MClass effects package consists of four effect devices, which are available as separate devices from the Create menu and from the Devices tab in the Tool Window. There are also a number of Mastering Combi patches available in the Effects folder in the Factory Sound Bank. These mastering patches consist of all four MClass device types, patched together and organized as Combinator patches.
The MClass Equalizer The MClass Equalizer consists of two independent, fully parametric bands plus high and low shelving bands and a lo cut switch. This is most often used as an insert effect, in mono or stereo. Activating the separate EQ bands The separate bands are organized as vertical strips on the panel, in the following order (from left to right): Lo Cut/Lo Shelf/Parametric 1/Parametric 2/Hi Shelf.
Lo/Hi Shelf parameters A shelving equalizer will boost or cut frequencies below or above the selected frequency. The following parameters are available for the Lo/Hi Shelf bands: | Parameter | Description Frequency Frequencies below (Lo Shelf) or above (Hi Shelf) the selected frequency will be boosted or cut. • The Lo Shelf range is 30 Hz to 600 Hz. • The Hi Shelf range is 3 kHz to 12 kHz. Gain Specifies how much the level should be boosted or cut. The gain range is ±18 dB.
Connections Apart from standard L/R inputs and outputs, there are also “Separate” L/R outputs on the back panel. The Separate outputs can either carry the Lo or Hi band output, which is set by the switch beside the outputs. These outputs can be used to apply processing separately to either the Lo or Hi band.
About the Sidechain inputs D When a signal is connected to the Sidechain inputs, it is this signal that will trigger the compression. This signal is not passed to the compressor output, and will thus not be heard (unless Sidechain Solo is activated). D The signal connected to the normal L/R inputs is the signal that will be processed by the compressor (as usual).
6. Route one pair of the split outputs of the Spider to the MClass Equalizer inputs. 7. Route the Equalizer outputs to the Sidechain inputs on the MClass Compressor. 8. Route another pair of the split outputs of the Spider to the MClass Compressor. Now, the compressors normal audio inputs are fed the unprocessed signal, and the sidechain inputs are fed the equalized signal. 9. Next, route the outputs of the Compressor to inputs on a mixer device. 10.
The MClass Maximizer This is a loudness maximizer, a special type of limiter which can significantly raise the perceived loudness of a mix without risk of hard clipping distortion. Features include a 4 ms look ahead function for “brick wall” limiting and a Soft Clip function. The MClass Maximizer should be used as an insert effect, and is designed to be placed at the end of the signal chain between the mixed final output and the Hardware Interface.
Chapter 39 Line 6 Amps
Introduction The Line 6 Guitar Amp at the top and the Line 6 Bass Amp at the bottom The Line 6 Guitar Amp and Bass Amp are amplifier and speaker cabinet simulators based on the renowned modelling algorithms developed by Line 6. The two devices feature accurate simulations of five of the most coveted vintage amplifier and cabinet models, that you can freely mix and match. Setting up a great amp tone for your guitar or bass is easy, regardless of what type of sound you are looking for.
Using a “real” amp requires that you set up the amp tone exactly right prior to recording, as you have very limited means of changing it afterwards. But as Insert FX are transparent in Reason (i.e. they are not a part of the recorded signal) you can tweak the tone, change Amp model etc., as much as you like after recording, right up to the creation of the final mixdown audio file (or Mixer Channel bouncing).
Using the Line 6 Amps Selecting Patches (Amp Tones) Amp Tones contain all panel settings as saved. There are many available Amp Tones in the Sound Bank Effects folder, divided into Guitar Amp Tone and Bass Amp Tone categories. As mentioned previously, these are different patch types and are not compatible. 1. To load an Amp Tone, click on the Browse Patch button to set browse focus and open the Browser. 2. Select the desired Amp Tone patch and click the Load button in the Browser.
Selecting Amp and Cabinet model There are five basic Amp models to choose from; three Guitar Amp models and two Bass Amp models. Each Amp model has an associated “matching” Cabinet model, although this relationship is not fixed - you can use any amp with any cabinet. For general model descriptions see “About the Amp/Cabinet models”. Selecting Amp model D To switch Amp model, click in the middle row of the display and select a model from either the Guitar Amp or Bass Amp model sub-menus.
About the Amp/Cabinet models The Amp models are listed together with the default Cabinet models but remember that amps & cabs can be combined in any configuration. And don’t feel bound by the Guitar/Bass categories - e.g. try a guitar amp with a bass cabinet for a bass, or use any other mix of Amp/Cab/instrument you like! The following Amp and Cabinet models are available: | Amp Model | Description | Cabinet 1x12 1964 Blackface ‘Lux/ Single speaker combo cabinet.
Compressor (Bass Amp only) This is a fixed ratio compressor optimized to “tighten up” the bass sound, i.e. to even out levels and increase punch and sustain. The Threshold control sets the level at which the onset of compression occurs. In practice, this means that the lower the Threshold setting, the more compression will be applied. D Activate the Compressor by clicking the “On” button.
About “Missing Models” and the “Replace” function If you’re opening a patch or a Song where additional Line 6 Amp Models are used, and you don’t have any Line 6 hardware connected to your computer - or if you have Line 6 hardware connected, but the Patch or Song uses models from an optional Model Pack that haven't been installed in your hardware - the “Missing Line 6 Models” alert is shown: D Click “OK” to open the Song with the additional Amp Model temporarily replaced by a default Amp Model.
Chapter 40 Scream 4 Sound Destruction Unit
Scream 4 Sound Destruction Unit Scream 4 is a very versatile stereo in/out sound destruction device, capable of warping any sound literally beyond recognition, but also capable of producing more subtle musical effects. Scream 4 features a wide range of algorithms for distortion and sound mangling which can be combined with an EQ and a resonant “Body” section to provide everything you need to add an edge to your sounds. This effect is most often used as an insert effect.
There are five controls in this section, with the following functions: | Parameter | Description Damage button This switches the Damage section on or off. Damage Control knob This controls the input gain which in turn determines the amount of damage inflicted. The higher the value, the more destruction! When raising the Damage Control you may need to lower the Master level to maintain the same output level (and vice versa).
| Type | Description Warp Warp distorts and multiplies the incoming signal with itself. - The P1 knob controls Sharpness. Lower values will produce a soft, compressed distortion, while higher values produces more harmonics and a sharper sound. - An effect of multiplying a signal with itself is that the fundamental pitch is removed from the signal, leaving overtones only. The P2 knob controls Bias - raise this to reintroduce the fundamental pitch in the sound.
The Body parameters are as follows: | Parameter Body button | Description This switches the Body section on or off. Body Type knob This is used to select one of the five available Body types (A-E). Body Reso knob This simulates the resonance of the selected Body. Turning the knob clockwise gives a more resonant effect. Body Scale The Body Scale parameter could be said to control the “size” of the Body. Note that this is “inverted” - turning the knob clockwise reduces the emulated size.
CV inputs and outputs On the back of the Scream 4 you will find CV inputs for controlling the following four parameters: D Damage Control Use this for dynamically changing the amount of damage effect. D P1 The use for this depends on the selected Damage Type. For example, if the Feedback effect is selected, this will control the Size parameter - connect it to the CV Out on a Matrix or synth LFO for strange, flanger-like sweeps. D P2 The use for this depends on the selected Damage Type.
Screamy tips and tricks Don’t restrict yourself to using Scream 4 as a basic distortion stompbox, but try it in as many ways as possible - you may be surprised to find how often Scream 4 can add power, warmth and color to your sounds. Here are some examples: Creating a heavy drum sound Scream 4 is ideal for processing drums. Try connecting it as an insert effect to a Redrum device and experiment with the Damage Types and settings. • For classic distorted drums, try the Tube, Tape or Distortion algorithms.
Emulating vintage digital gear The first generations of digital instruments (drum machines, synths and samplers) used 8 or 12 bit sampling and processing, at low sample rates. This “lo-fi” sound is still in high demand, e.g. in hip-hop and R’n’B. Try this: 1. Connect a Scream 4 as an insert for a Redrum, with a suitable kit selected. 2. Set Damage Type to Digital and turn P1 and P2 fully right. 3. Play back and lower P1 (bit depth) and P2 (sample rate) to get the sound you want.
Chapter 41 Pulveriser
Introduction Pulveriser is a very versatile stereo in/out compression+distortion+filter device, capable of mangling any sound literally beyond recognition, but also capable of producing more subtle musical effects. Pulveriser features a wonderful compressor, coupled with a nice warm distortion, plus a multi-mode filter. The different sections of Pulveriser can be modulated by an LFO and by an Envelope Follower to allow for really organic modulation effects.
Signal Routing selector With the Signal Routing selector to the bottom left on the front panel you determine the signal flow through Pulveriser: • Squash > Dirt > Filter This setting puts the compressor before the distortion and filter sections in series: Input signal Output signal Dry signal Mixed signal Wet signal In this configuration the compressor and distortion affect the entire unfiltered input signal.
The Squash section The Squash section is where you set the compression of the signal - from subtle compression to heavily “pumping” effects. Squash The Squash knob affects compression ratio, threshold and make up gain in a nice and musical way. Release The Release knob controls the compressor release time. If you set this to a fairly low value and have the Squash amount fairly high, you will get that nice “pumping” compression effect.
The Filter section The Filter section features five different filter types. Each filter type has controls for Frequency and Peak (resonance amount). Filter selector Select one of the following different filter types (or bypass): • Bypass This will let the input signal through the Filter section unaffected. • Lowpass 24 This is a lowpass filter with a slope of 24dB/octave, similar to the LP24 lowpass filter in the Subtractor (see “24 dB Lowpass (LP 24)” in the Subtractor chapter).
The Tremor section The Tremor section in Pulveriser is an LFO which can modulate the Filter Frequency parameter and/or the main output Volume parameter. The Tremor section features the following parameters: Rate Controls the LFO rate. The Rate range in Pulveriser is very wide and can reach way up in the audio frequency range. The rate can also be synced to the sequencer tempo by clicking the Sync button to the right (see “Sync” below). In sync mode, the Rate knob controls the sync resolution.
The Follower section The Follower section features an envelope follower which analyzes the amplitude of the incoming signal and outputs a modulation (CV) signal that corresponds to the incoming audio level. The modulation signal can then control the Frequency parameter in the Filter section and/or the LFO Rate parameter in the Tremor section. The Follower section features the following parameters: Trig Click/hold the Trig button to manually trig/gate the envelope follower.
D Turn the lower left knob to control the modulation amount of the Frequency parameter of the Filter section. If the modulation knob is in the “+” sector the Filter Frequency will raise according to increased audio level. If the modulation knob is in the “-” sector Filter Frequency will drop according to increased audio level. Blend With the Blend knob you control the mix between the dry and wet signal. With the knob set somewhere in between the Dry and Wet position you will have parallel processing.
Modulation inputs and outputs CV Modulation inputs On the back of Pulveriser you will find CV inputs for controlling the following parameters: Squash Use this for dynamically changing the amount of compression in the Squash section. Dirt Use this for dynamically changing the amount of distortion in the Dirt section. Filter Frequency Use this for dynamically changing the Frequency parameter in the Filter section. Tremor Rate Use this for dynamically changing the LFO Rate parameter in the Tremor section.
Filter Frequency Use this for dynamically changing the Frequency parameter from an external audio signal. The result of this modulation is Filter FM. Volume Use this for dynamically changing the output volume from an external audio signal. The result of this modulation is amplitude modulation (AM) of the Pulveriser output signal. CV Modulation outputs Follower On this output the control signal from the Follower is present. Tremor Here, the LFO CV signal from the Tremor section is present.
Chapter 42 Alligator Triple Filtered Gate
Introduction The Alligator is a three-channel gate effect with a built-in pattern player. It can chop up audio in a wide variety of ways and process it with three parallel filters, distortions, a phaser and a delay. The Alligator can be used for processing sustaining sounds like strings and pads, adding rhythms and accents. It can also be used on loops and other rhythmic material, changing the feel and sound.
You normally connect the Alligator as an insert effect, so that all of the audio signal passes through the effect device. The incoming signal is split into three, parallel channels. For each channel, there is a separate gate - when that gate is open the signal passes through and when it's closed, the channel is silent. The gates can be opened in four ways: • By the built-in patterns. There are 64 patterns, each with three "tracks" independently controlling the three gates.
Parameters Common effect device parameters Like all effect devices, Alligator features a Bypass/On/Off switch and an input level meter. These are described in “Common effect device features”. Pattern section Pattern On When this is on, the built-in pattern player will run in sync with the song tempo, controlling the three gates. Turn it off if you want to control the gates manually or with MIDI/CV. Shuffle Shuffle on the Alligator works in the same way as shuffle on the Redrum and Matrix devices.
Gate and Amp Envelope Manual Gate Trig buttons Clicking one of the Manual Trig buttons will open the corresponding gate. It will remain open for as long as you keep the mouse button pressed. However, the sound may fade out slowly or quickly depending on the amplitude envelope settings. While the gate is held open manually, it won’t be affected by the built-in pattern.
Filters and Modulation The three channels have identical settings, even though their filters are of different types. Below, all descriptions apply to all three channels, if not explicitly stated. Filter On button When this is on, the channel’s signal passes through the filter. Turning this off bypasses the filter. Note though that the Gate, Amp Envelope, effects and other settings are still active. LFO Amount Determines how the filter frequency should be affected by the global LFO (see below).
LFO Waveform The global LFO offers nine different waveforms, ranging from sine, triangle and square to random and various stepped forms. LFO Frequency Sets the rate of the LFO, used for continuous modulation of the filters. If LFO Sync is activated, the LFO Frequency is expressed as a note value relative to the song tempo; if not, the LFO Frequency is free. LFO Sync Turn this on to synchronize the LFO to the song tempo.
Effects The three channels have identical effect parameters. Distortion and phaser effects are separate for the three channels (although the phasers have common controls). The delay is a global effect, working much like a send effect in a mixer. Drive Amount Sets the amount of distortion for the channel. Phaser Amount Sets the amount of phaser effect for the channel. Delay Amount This works like an effect send, determining how much of the signal should be sent to the built-in delay effect.
Delay Sync Turn this on to set the delay time in musical values relative to the song tempo. Delay Feedback This determines the number of delay repeats. Delay Pan Sets the stereo panning of the delay repeats. Phaser Rate The rate of the phaser sweep. Phaser Feedback This is similar to the resonance control on a filter. Raise the feedback to get a more pronounced, “singing” phaser effect.
Mix controls These parameters determine the signal mix being sent to the main outputs on the back. There are also individual outputs for the three gate/filter channels. If you connect these outputs, the corresponding channel signals will be removed from the main mix, leaving only the delay return signal and the dry signal. Channel Pan Sets the stereo pan/balance of the channel. Channel Volume The volume of the channel.
Dry Volume Sets the volume of the dry, unprocessed signal. Mixing in a bit of the dry sound is useful for subtler processing, e.g. when you just want to animate a pad rather than chop it up. Master Volume This is the master volume of the mixed signals. The signals from the separate channel outputs on the back won’t be affected by this. Audio connections Main Inputs and Outputs The Alligator is normally connected as a stereo in-stereo out effect.
CV connections Gate inputs These are used for controlling the gates from other devices, using CV. When a gate input receives a CV value of 7 or higher, the gate will be opened. Higher values result in higher input level for the gate channel (i.e. the gates are velocity sensitive). • If you select an Alligator device and create a Matrix Pattern Sequencer, its gate output will be auto-routed to the first available Gate input.
The built-in patterns Pattern No. This is an overview of the 64 built-in patterns. The black dots signify open gates with gate 1 (high pass filter) at the top. Most patterns are two bars long, but some are shorter. All patterns will repeat continuously when the Pattern function is on.
Methods and Tips Playing the Alligator live The three gates in the Alligator can be triggered by the MIDI notes F#1, G#1 and A#1, with the lowest note controlling the low pass filter channel and so on. This can be very useful when playing live: 1. Create and connect an Alligator as an insert effect for the audio material you want to process. This could be a recorded pad, a loop or even the full mix. 2. Make sure the Alligator is selected and select “Create Track for Alligator” from the Edit menu.
7. Adjust the Kong level to taste. 8. If you like, add other sounds for Gate 1 and 2 in the same way.
ALLIGATOR TRIPLE FILTERED GATE
Chapter 43 RV7000 Mk II Advanced Reverb
Overview The RV7000 Mk II is a high quality reverb processor. It features ten different reverb and echo algorithms, ranging from rooms and halls to special effects.
The main panel The RV7000 Mk II main panel. When you create an RV7000 Mk II, only the main panel will be shown. This contains a section for handling patches, on/off buttons for the EQ and Gate sections, the most important reverb parameters and a dry/wet mix control. To select a reverb patch and make coarse adjustments, this is all you need. The Remote Programmer Clicking the arrow button next to the “cable slot” on the main panel brings up the remote programmer panel.
Reverb algorithms and parameters Common effect device parameters While the specific parameters for the RV7000 Mk II effect device are described below, some features and procedures are common to all effect devices. Please, refer to “Common effect device features” for information about the Input meter, the Bypass/On/Off switch and Signal Flow Graphs on the effect device.
Here’s a quick overview of the ten algorithms - for details and parameter descriptions, see below. | Algorithm | Description Small Space Emulates a small enclosed space (a small room or a resonant body). Room Emulates a room with adjustable shape and wall character. Hall Emulates a hall. Arena Emulates a large arena, with separate pre-delay for the left, right and center reverbs. Plate Emulates a classic plate reverb. Spring Emulates a spring reverb, as used in e.g. guitar amplifiers.
Hall Emulates a hall. The parameters are the same as for the Room algorithm above (but the Hall algorithm offers larger Size settings). Arena Emulates the ambience in an arena or concert hall, with long pre-delay times (separate for left, right and center): | Parameter | Description Size The size of the emulated arena or hall. Diffusion At low Diffusion settings, you will hear the individual reverb “bounces” more clearly, while higher settings produce a more “smeared”, dense and even reverb.
Echo This is an advanced echo effect, with diffusion controls and tempo sync. When Echo is selected, the Decay control on the main panel controls the echo feedback (the number of echo repeats). The parameters are: | Parameter | Description Echo Time Sets the time between each echo. When Tempo Sync (see below) is off, the echo time is set in milliseconds (10 - 2000 ms); when Tempo Sync is on you set the echo time as a number of 1/16 notes or 1/8 triplet notes, in relation to the current song tempo.
| Parameter | Description Diffusion Raising the Diffusion setting will introduce additional echoes very close to the “main” repeats, causing a “smeared” delay sound. LF Damp Controls how quickly the low frequencies should decay in the echoes. Raise it to gradually remove low frequencies.
| Parameter | Description Density Density governs the “thickness” of the Reverse effect. If this parameter is turned down to zero, the effect produces individual delays rather than a dense “wash”, which can be used as a special effect. Worth noting is that if Density is set to around 50%, this can considerably reduce the CPU load without altering the sound of the effect too much. Exactly how much the Density parameter can be reduced without altering the sound depends on the source material.
| Parameter | Description Size Simulates the “size” of the impulse response sample, in practice its pitch, in semitone steps. -12 means pitching up the impulse response sample 1 octave and 12 means pitching it down 1 octave. LF Damp Controls how quickly the low frequencies should decay. Raise it to gradually remove low frequencies, making the effect sound “thinner” and less boomy. Stereo Mode Determines how the output signal should be presented.
2. Select the desired sample in the Browser and load it. Here we have selected and loaded the “Fx_DubHead.WAV” sample to use as impulse response. You can see that the sample name is now displayed to the right of the Preset knob. ! Note that the maximum length of a sample used as an impulse response is approximately 12 seconds. Longer samples are automatically truncated to 12 seconds (non-destructive).
The EQ section The equalizer in RV7000 Mk II affects the wet reverb sound only and is used for shaping the character of the reverb. There are two EQ bands, one for low frequencies (shelving) and one full-range parametric EQ. D To activate the EQ, click the EQ Enable button on the main panel so that the indicator lights up. D To make EQ settings, select “EQ” with the Edit Mode button to the left in the remote programmer panel.
The Gate section The Gate section allows you to create gated reverb effects with a lot of options and possibilities. You can either trigger the gate from the source audio signal or via MIDI or CV. When triggering the gate from the source audio signal, it works like this: • The gate “listens” to the source (dry) signal and opens whenever the signal reaches a certain threshold level. • The reverb sound is sent through the gate - when the gate is closed you won’t hear the reverb.
The parameters for the Gate section are: | Parameter | Description Threshold When Trig Source is set to “Audio”, this determines the audio signal level at which the gate opens. If you raise this setting, only very loud sounds will open the gate. Decay Mod This modulates the reverb Decay parameter so that the decay time is lowered when the gate closes.
Chapter 44 The Echo
Introduction The Echo is an advanced stereo in/out echo and delay device with a multitude of parameters for tweaking the color and shape of the echo effect - diffusion, filtering, distortion and more. In addition to the normal mode where The Echo behaves like a regular send or insert effect, there are two additional modes called Triggered and Roll which let you automate momentary echo effects as well as create interesting stutter and repeat effects on the fly.
The Mode section The Mode section acts as a signal gate with three different ways of passing the input signal on to the subsequent main sections. Mode This switch has three positions: • Normal The standard send/insert effect behavior where the input signal is fed continuously into the device. • Triggered This mode keeps the signal unprocessed until you hit the Trig button. This mode is for situations where you only want the echo effect momentarily, e.g.
The key thing here is that you shouldn't set the slider to a value in between - it should go from 0 to full Roll and back. So why do we use a slider and not a switch? Well, things start happening during the slider throw (and actually a bit after you've moved the slider fully to the right). The slider allows for some sloppiness, making it easier to catch a beat and roll it fully.
Ping-Pong With Ping-Pong enabled, the stereo position of each delay repeat will alternate between left and right. The Pan knob determines the stereo width as well as the position of the initial repeat. When the Pan knob is set to full Left, the first delay bounce will be panned hard Left, the second will be panned hard Right, and so on. When the knob is set to full Right, the order is reversed (R > L > R etc).
The Color section This section features a distortion/limiter and a resonant filter. Each echo repeat is colored before being fed back into the loop, meaning that the distortion and filter effects will be more pronounced with each repeat. Drive This knob sets the amount of the selected distortion/limiter effect. Type The Type Switch lets you select between 4 different effect algorithms: • LIM (Limiter) This produces that typical “compression” effect which you would get from analog limiters.
The Modulation section This section features parameters for modulating the pitch and stereo image of the echo effect. Env The envelope parameter lets you create a kind of bend effect where the pitch of the echo repeats wanders down or up, depending on whether you turn the knob left or right. The knob is bipolar, meaning that there is no Env effect in the default middle (zero) position.
The Output section This section is the final output stage where the processed effect signal goes through the standard Dry/Wet control, as well as the optional Ducking control. Dry/Wet This is a traditional dry/wet parameter for controlling the relation between the unprocessed and the processed signal. When Roll mode is enabled (see the Mode section for more info), we recommend that the Dry/Wet control is set to Wet only even when The Echo is used as an insert effect.
CV/Gate inputs On the back of The Echo you will find the following CV inputs: Trig This is a Gate input for controlling the Trig function in the Mode section. Roll Use this for dynamically changing the Roll amount (corresponding to the Roll slider on the front panel) in the Mode section. Delay Time Use this for dynamically changing the Delay Time in the Delay section. Filter Freq Use this for dynamically changing the Filter Frequency in the Color section.
Tips and Tricks Using the Roll function Here's a quick example of how you can typically use the Roll function in The Echo: 1. Have some signal running through The Echo, e.g. a drum loop. 2. Set The Echo to Roll mode and full Wet output (see “Dry/Wet”). The Roll slider is at 0. You will hear the drum loop unprocessed, since Roll isn't engaged yet. 3. On the beat you want to roll (or freeze, to use another term), move the Roll slider quickly all the way to the right.
Chapter 45 BV512 Vocoder
Introduction The BV512 is an advanced vocoder device with a variable number of filter bands. It also has a unique 1024-point FFT vocoding mode (equivalent of 512-band vocoding) for very precise and high quality vocoded speech. By connecting the BV512 to two instrument devices, you can produce anything from vocoded speech, singing or drums to weird special effects. Even if you have worked with a vocoder before, please read the following section.
• The FFT mode is best suited for vocoding speech or vocals, giving crystal clear and highly intelligible results. It is not so well suited for vocoding drums and percussion, since the FFT process is inherently “slower” than the regular filtering and doesn’t respond as quickly to transients, and also there will be a slight delay added to the signal (in the region of 20ms). A workaround solution to this would be to move the modulator signal slightly ahead to compensate for the delay.
7. Play some notes or chords on your MIDI keyboard and sing through the microphone. The result will be the classic vocoded vocal sound. 8. Try the different filter band options and note the difference in sound.
9. You can also adjust the vocoder sound by clicking and dragging the bars in the lower display. Each bar corresponds to a frequency band, with low frequencies to the left and high frequencies to the right. You adjust the level of a band by dragging its bar up or down. Clicking and dragging across the bars allow you to change the levels of several bars, much like drawing an eq curve. The upper display shows the spectrum of the modulator signal, for display only.
q If you don’t want the original sound of the audio track to sound, click the Mute button on the channel strip in the Main Mixer (or lower the Level Fader to silence). 6. At this point you may want to record the notes or chords you play for the carrier device. As Master Keyboard Input is already set to the carrier device track, all you need to do is start recording and play along.
Using the BV512 as an equalizer The BV512 has a unique equalizer mode, in which the device works purely as an insert effect (the modulator input isn’t used). This allows you to use the processing filters of the vocoder as a kind of graphic equalizer. Setting up 1. Select the device that you want to process through the BV512. 2. Create a BV512 device. It is automatically connected as an insert effect, using the Carrier Input jacks. 3. Set the switch to the left of the displays to “Equalizer”.
BV512 parameters On the front panel of the BV512 Vocoder, you will find the following parameters and displays: | Parameter | Description Bypass/On/Off switch In Bypass mode, the carrier signal passes through the device unaffected and the modulator signal is disregarded. In On mode, the device outputs the vocoded or equalized signal. Off mode cuts the output, silencing the device. Level meters Show the signal level of the carrier and modulator signals, respectively.
Connections The back panel of the BV512 offers the following connections: Individual band levels These are CV outputs and inputs. • The upper row outputs CV signals generated by the envelope followers for each frequency band. • The lower row are CV level inputs to the individual bandpass filters through which the signal is processed (the “vocoder filters”).
Automation All parameters on the front panel can be automated in the standard manner. The individual band levels (the bars in the lower display) will be edited on separate lanes in the sequencer. Note: • As with the other effect devices, you have to manually create a sequencer track for the BV512. • Although the band level adjustments can be edited individually, they are treated as one automatable parameter on the device panel.
Tips and tricks Choosing a carrier sound As always, which carrier sound to choose is a matter of taste and musical context. However, here are a few guidelines to help you get a good result: • The carrier sound should preferably have a lot of harmonic content (brightness) - dark or muffled sounds will not “give the vocoder much to work with”. • Often, you want the carrier sound to sustain at an even level (i.e. it shouldn’t “die out” when you hold a chord).
D Use sampled strings or choir sounds. A rich drawbar organ sample can also be a cool carrier sound. D For unusual vocoder sounds, try using the Malström as carrier device, e.g. with a glassy, digital pad sound selected. Try turning up the Attack and Decay controls on the BV512, for smeared, rhythmic or pseudo-random modulation of a pad. Choosing a modulator sound The modulator sound should typically have varying level and harmonic content.
Using the modulator as carrier You can get cool special effects by using the same device both as carrier and as modulator. For example, try processing a Redrum device in the following way: 1. Create a Redrum device and set up the desired patch and pattern. 2. Create a Spider Audio Merger & Splitter device. 3. Create a BV512 Vocoder. 4. Flip the rack around and connect the devices in the following way: The output of the Redrum goes into the splitter section of the Spider, and is split into two signals.
Controlling the Hold function As described in “Hold button”, pressing the Hold button on the front panel “freezes” the current filter spectrum until you deactivate it again. This can be used for creating sample & hold-like effects, stuttering or garbled vocoder sounds: D Connect e.g. the Gate output on a Matrix device to the Hold input on the back of the BV512.
Extracting CV from the vocoder You can connect an individual band level output to any CV input on any device. This means you can use the vocoder as an envelope follower, having elements in the modulator sound control a parameter in another device, e.g. an effect. Note: • The Attack and Decay settings on the BV512 panel affect the envelope followers, and thus the rise and fall times of the CV signals from the individual band level outputs.
“Playing” the vocoder from a MIDI keyboard If you have routed MIDI to the BV512, playing notes from C1 and up will control individual filter bands. For example, in 16 band mode, C1 controls band 1, C#1 band 2 and so on up to D#2 (which controls band 16). • The level of the bands is proportional to key velocity (how hard you play). • A band will be “open” until you release the corresponding key.
5. Set the vocoder to FFT (512) mode, turn the Decay knob to between 6 and 7 and turn the Dry/Wet control to “wet” (fully right). 6. On the Subtractor, set up a noise sound as follows: D Turn the Oscillator Mix knob fully to the right. D Turn on the Noise section (but make sure Osc 2 is off). D In the Noise section, turn Color to around twelve o’clock. D Open the filter fully and make sure resonance is set to 0. D Make sure Filter Envelope Amt is 0 (and turn off velocity modulation).
Creating a stereo reverb What you’ve got above is a mono reverb. Here’s how to make it stereo: 1. Select the Subtractor and create a Spider Audio Merger & Splitter device. 2. Create a DDL-1 delay. 3. Connect the devices in the following way: The Subtractor output should be routed to a Splitter input on the Spider. One split output should be routed to one of the carrier inputs on the vocoder, the other split output should be routed to the delay.
Chapter 46 Neptune Pitch Adjuster and Voice Synth
Introduction The Neptune Pitch Adjuster and Voice Synth device is a combined monophonic vocal pitch corrector, pitch shifter and polyphonic voice synth. Neptune was designed with focus on high-quality vocal processing but can also be used on other material. However, due to the signal characteristics of other types of audio (complex inharmonic instrument sounds, polyphonic material etc.) the result of the pitch adjustments might not be what you would expect.
Overview and basic concepts Sections overview The Neptune panel is divided into three main sections that are connected in series: • The Pitch Adjust section. Here is where you control the pitch correction settings, including scale, correction speed etc. Here is also where you find the big display where you can view Input Pitch, Target Note and Catch Zone etc. See “Using pitch correction”. for more details. • The Transpose section. Here is where you control the pitch shifting parameters.
The display The big display in the center of the Neptune panel shows the following information: • The Input Pitch of the incoming audio signal. The detected Input Pitch is displayed as a yellow vertical line above the keyboard. • The Target Note to which Neptune corrects the output signal. The Target Note is displayed as a green vertical line above selected notes on the keyboard. • An orange horizontal line between the Input Pitch and the Target Note.
Setting up for pitch processing of “live” audio Neptune can of course also be used for performing pitch adjustments in real-time. This is great for live performances and can also be used for recording pitch-processed audio on an audio track. To set up Neptune for pitch adjustments in real-time, proceed as follows: 1. Create a Mix Channel device. 2.
Basic settings for pitch correction Proceed as follows to set up the panel parameters for pitch correction: 1. Set up the Neptune device as desired according to the descriptions in “Setting up for pitch processing”. 2. Make sure the “Pitch Adjust” button is activated and that the “Transpose” button is off. • Whether the Formant button should be on or off depends on the situation.
4. Make sure the "MIDI" button is set to "To Pitch Adjust". This will enable the pitch correction to be controlled also via MIDI (see “Using manual pitch correction”). Using automatic pitch correction With the Root and Scale functions you can define what notes you want the incoming audio to be corrected to. The input audio will then be automatically corrected to the defined scale, without further user interaction.
1. Set the Root Key with the Root spin controls. The key can be chosen between C and B in a one octave span, covering each key in the western 12-tone scale. . 2. Set desired scale with the Scale spin controls. The Scale parameter can be set to any of the following preset scales, as indicated in the Scale display: C# C D# D F# E F E F G# G A# A B . Chromatic C# . C D# D F# G# G A# A B Major with C as Root Key C# .
D You can also define your own custom scale by clicking on the keys in the display. Selected notes in your custom scale will be indicated with green LEDs: A custom scale containing the notes D, G and A. When you set your own scale both the Root Key and Scale displays will switch to show “--”. • The set Key and Scale is automatically repeated for every octave throughout the entire note range.
• Catch Zones cannot overlap each other. If the Catch Zone Size is increased so that adjacent zones touch each other, they will stop expanding in that direction and meet “half ways”. The Catch Zone size in the picture below is set to ±150 cents. As you can see, the Catch Zones for notes G and A have “collided” and therefore met half ways in the center of the G# note. If the Catch Zone size should be increased further, the G Catch Zone would expand only downwards and the A Catch Zone only upwards.
About the Preserve Expression parameter The Preserve Expression parameter controls how much vibrato in the input audio should be let through when you use a fast Correction Speed setting (see “Setting Correction Speed”). • With a minimum Preserve Expression value and a fast Correction Speed there will be almost no natural vibrato left in the pitch corrected voice. • With max Preserve Expression value and a fast Correction Speed the original vibrato is still preserved.
! Note that MIDI control of the pitch is monophonic. • When pitch correction is controlled via MIDI, the corrected audio signal will also respond to Pitch Bend and Vibrato modulation. ! If you transpose pitches several semitones compared to the input pitch, there could be strange formant effects that may or may not be desirable. To make heavily pitched signals sound more natural, you can use the formant correction function described in “Using Formant control”.
Using Formant control What are formants? Formants can be described as a sonic “footprint” of an acoustic space. The practical effect of formants could be compared to a multi-peak filter acting on the frequencies in a sound. An acoustic guitar, for example, has a body shape which makes is sound the way it does. The same goes for a human vocal tract (throat and mouth cavity); every human vocal tract has a unique “shape” which gives the voice its character. It is these shapes that produce formants.
Using the Formant function When the Formant section is not active, the formants will move along with the pitched signal. On vocals this could generate unnatural “gender change” effects, especially on heavily pitched voices. If this is not the desired effect, you should activate the Formant section: 1. Activate the Formant function by clicking the Formant button. 2. Adjust the Formant shift with the Shift knob. The Shift range is ±1 octave.
Panel parameters On the front panel of Neptune, you will find the following parameters and displays: Level Meter and Bypass/On/Off switch | Parameter | Description Bypass/On/Off switch In Bypass mode, the input signal passes through unaffected to the main outputs of the device. The separate Voice Synth outputs are automatically muted. In On mode, the device outputs the processed signal. If the Voice Synth is used, its output signal are routed to the separate Voice Synth outputs.
Input signal type Here, you define the characteristics of the input signals you use. Low Freq Activating Low Freq mode will ensure more accurate tracking of low-frequency audio signals, such as bass voices. Low Freq mode is suitable for input frequencies below the note F1, which is approximately 44 Hz. The detection in Low Freq mode will work down to approximately 22 Hz which corresponds to note F0.
Voice Synth Routes incoming MIDI Note data to the Voice Synth for generating additional harmony voices, see “Using the Voice Synth”. Pitch Bend and Vibrato (Mod Wheel) MIDI data will also be routed to the Voice Synth. Pitch Adjust section Pitch Adjust section On/Off Click the Pitch Adjust button to activate/deactivate the Pitch Adjust section. Root, Scale and Keyboard Set the Root key and Scale with the spin controls.
Transpose section Click the Transpose button to activate the Transpose section. When active, the output pitch will be transposed according the settings of the Semi and Cent parameters. The Transpose function can be used either on pitch corrected signals (with the Pitch Adjust section active) or on non pitch corrected signals (with the Pitch Adjust section deactivated). Semi and Cent Set desired transposition value, in semitones and cents, with the spin controls. The range is ±12 semitones and ±50 cents.
Pitched Signal This slider controls the total output volume of the Pitch Adjust, Transpose and Formant sections routed to the Left and Right outputs (see “Audio Out”). Voice Synth This slider controls the output volume of the Voice Synth routed either to the main Left and Right outputs or to the separate Voice Synth Left and Right outputs if these are connected (see “Voice Synth Out”).
Bend The Pitch Bend input allows you to control pitch bend of either the Pitch Adjust or Voice Synth (depending on what is currently selected in the MIDI Input section - see “MIDI Input”). The pitch bend could be controlled from a Pitch Bend CV output of an RPG-8, for example. Vibrato The Mod Wheel input allows you to control the Vibrato amount of either the Pitch Adjust section or Voice Synth (depending on what is currently selected in the MIDI Input section - see “MIDI Input”).
Pitch adjustment tips and tricks With Neptune you can use the pitch adjustment effects separately or in various combinations to generate different types of pitch effects. In this section a number of useful setups are described. Using automation for temporary pitch correction To get the most natural-sounding results from Neptune you can use automation in the sequencer to momentarily apply pitch correction only where it’s necessary on the audio track.
Hard pitch correction of a vocal track 1. Use Neptune as an Insert Effect on the vocal audio track. 2. Use a suitable scale setting and set the Correction Speed parameter to max and Preserve Expression to minimum in the Pitch Adjust section. If needed, adjust the Scale to fit the song key. If necessary, override certain passages manually with MIDI (see “Using automation for temporary pitch correction” above for a practical example).
Speech effects To create various types of atonal speech effects you can use the Transpose section, alone or together with the Formant section: 1. Make sure the Pitch Adjust section is deactivated (off). 2. Activate the Transpose section. 3. Set desired transposition ratio with the Semi and Cent spin controls in the Transpose section. Adjust down to generate a darker voice and up to create a brighter voice.
NEPTUNE PITCH ADJUSTER AND VOICE SYNTH
Chapter 47 Half-Rack Effects
Common effect device features While the specific parameters for each effect device are described below, some features and procedures are common to all effect devices: The Input meter This shows the level of the incoming audio signal, giving you an indication of which devices are active, connected and playing. However, you don’t need to worry about clipping in effect devices, even if the meter goes into the red. The Power/Bypass switch This is located in the upper left corner of each effect device.
The Signal Flow graphs On the back of each effect device, you will find two or three small “graphs”. These indicate how the effect device handles mono and stereo signals, depending on the connections. The selection of graphs for a device tells you how it should be used, according to the following rules: | Graph | Description Can be connected as a mono-in, mono-out device. (Of course, all effect devices can be connected in mono.
DDL-1 Digital Delay Line This is a mono delay (where the output can be panned in stereo) that can be synchronized to the song tempo. The delay can be used as a send effect or an insert effect. Parameters | Parameter | Description Delay time The display to the left on the device panel shows the delay time, either as note value steps (based on the sequencer tempo and the Step Length parameter) or in milliseconds, depending on the setting of the Unit switch.
CF-101 Chorus/Flanger The CF-101 is a combined chorus and flanger effect. It adds depth and movement to the sound by adding a short modulated delay to the audio signal. The delayed signal is then mixed with the original (either in the effect device or manually by you - see below). The CF-101 can be used as an insert or send effect. Parameters | Parameter | Description Delay This is a manual control for the delay time used to create the chorus/flanger effect.
D When you are using a mono input and stereo outputs, there will only be a stereo effect if the internal LFO is used. If you turn LFO Mod Amount to zero, both stereo outputs will carry the same signal (mono). This is because the “fake stereo” effect is produced by inverting the modulation for one of the output channels. Tip: Using the CF-101 as a vibrato effect The Send mode is intended for when using the CF-101 as a send effect.
Spider Audio Merger & Splitter The Spider Audio Merger & Splitter is not an effect device, but a utility. It has two basic functions: D To merge up to four audio input signals into one output. D To split one audio input signal into four outputs. There are no controls on the front panel of this device, only signal indicators. Merging audio Four audio input pairs Merged signal outputs On the back panel of the Spider are several audio connectors.
Splitting audio The right half of the back panel contains two signal splitters, labeled “A (L)” and “B (R)”. The two splitters work independently, in the following way: D The signal fed to the input connector will be simultaneously output by all four outputs. For splitting stereo signals you simply use both splitters with “A” for the left channel and “B” for the right channel.
Spider CV Merger & Splitter The Spider CV Merger & Splitter is not an effect device, but a utility. It has two basic functions: D To provide one merged CV output from up to four CV input sources. D To split CV or Gate inputs into several outputs. Two inputs, A and B, are provided, each with four outputs, where one of the outputs will invert the polarity of the control signal.
Practical uses of merging CV The practical applications of merging CV are perhaps less obvious compared to splitting CV. But there are numerous applications for a merged CV control output, a few of which are listed below: D You can create interesting modulation effects by merging several Modulation outputs from LFO’s and other CV modulation sources. For example, merging the Modulation outputs from several LFO’s would produce a “mixed modulation” output.
3. Now create a Spider CV and a second Matrix device and connect them as in the picture below. Note that the Note CV output from Matrix 1, and the Curve CV output of Matrix 2 should be connected to the Spider. The merged output is connected to the Sequencer Control Note CV input on the Subtractor. 4. On the Spider CV, turn the trimpot for the input connected to the Note CV output fully to the right. This setting will retain the correct pitch relationship for the notes played by the pattern. 5.
6. Set the Curve type switch to “Bipolar” on the back of the second Matrix (Matrix 2). 7. Flip the rack around so that the front panels are showing, and make the following settings for the “Matrix 2”: • Set the number of steps to “1”. • Set the Curve/Keys switch to “Curve”. 8. Adjust the Matrix 2 curve for step 1 (the only step used) so that it is in the middle of the bipolar curve as the picture shows. 9. If you now activate Play from the transport, the pattern you programmed for Matrix 1 is played back.
RV-7 Digital Reverb Reverb adds ambience and creates a space effect. Normally, reverb simulates some kind of acoustic environment such as a room or a hall, but you could also use it as a special effect. • The Reverb device can be used as a send effect or an insert effect. If several devices uses the same type of reverb, you should connect the reverb as a send effect, to conserve computer power.
The selected reverb algorithm can be tweaked using the parameters on the device panel: | Parameter | Description Size Adjusts the emulated room size. Middle position (value 0) is the default size for the selected algorithm. Lowering this parameter results in a closer and gradually more “canned” sound. Raising this parameter results in a more spacey sound, with longer pre-delay. For the “Stereo Echoes” and “Pan Room” algorithms, the Size parameter adjusts the delay time.
D-11 Foldback Distortion The D-11 is a simple but effective distortion effect, capable of producing anything from just a whisper soft touch of distortion, to complete thrashing. This effect is most often used as an insert effect. Parameters The distortion has the following parameters: | Parameter | Description Amount This controls the amount of distortion. The higher the value, the more distortion.
ECF-42 Envelope Controlled Filter The ECF-42 is a multimode filter with a built in envelope generator. It is mainly designed to be used together with pattern devices to create pattern controlled filter and envelope effects, but it can also be triggered via MIDI, or used as a “static” filter for shaping the sound of an instrument device or a whole mix. Usage The Envelope Controlled Filter is best connected as an insert effect. However, unlike the other effects it is not a pure “stand-alone” device.
The Envelope Parameters This is a standard envelope generator with Attack, Decay, Sustain and Release parameters. It is triggered by a gate signal connected to the Env Gate input on the back panel, or by MIDI notes on a sequencer track connected to the ECF-42. The parameters have the following functionality: | Parameter | Description A (Attack) When the envelope is triggered, this is the time it takes before the envelope signal reaches its max value.
5. Create a Matrix Pattern Sequencer. If you flip the rack around, you can see that the audio out from the Subtractor is passed through the ECF-42 and then on to the Mixer. The Matrix Curve CV is connected to the ECF-42 Frequency CV parameter, and the Matrix Gate CV is connected to the ECF-42 Env Gate input. 6. Select the Track connected to the Subtractor (given that you are handling MIDI input via the sequencer) so that you can play it from your keyboard.
Triggering the ECF-42 via MIDI To trigger the envelope in the ECF-42, proceed as follows: 1. Create a sequencer track for the ECF-42. This is easiest done by bringing up the context menu for the device and selecting “Create Track for XX” (where “XX” is the name of this particular filter device). 2. Record or draw some notes on the sequencer track. Remember that the envelope takes the note length and velocity into account. The note pitches doesn’t matter. 3. Play back the track.
PH-90 Phaser The PH-90 Phaser is a classic phaser effect with some special features for fine-tuning the sound. It can create the classic sweeping phaser sounds suitable for pads or guitars, but also more extreme effects if you like. The phaser is best used as an insert effect. Theory A phaser works by shifting portions of the audio signal out of phase, and then adding the processed signal back to the original one. This way, narrow bands of the frequency range (“notches”) are filtered out.
About Stereo and Mono connections The PH-90 can be connected using mono or stereo inputs, as shown by the graphs on the back panel. Note the following: • A “moving” stereo effect is only obtained when you use a mono input and stereo outputs. With a stereo input, the two sides are processed in parallel, maintaining the stereo image of the original sound. • When you are using a mono input and stereo outputs, there will only be a stereo effect if the internal LFO is used.
UN-16 Unison The UN-16 simulates the sound of several detuned voices playing the same notes simultaneously. The voices are individually slightly delayed and also pitch modulated by low frequency noise. This produces a rich chorus effect with the voices spread across the stereo field (given that stereo outputs are used). The UN-16 can be used as an insert effect or a send effect. Parameters | Parameter | Description Voice Count This switch sets the number of voices for the effect; 4. 8 or 16.
COMP-01 Auto Make-up Gain Compressor The COMP-01 compressor levels out the audio, by making loud sounds softer. To compensate for the volume loss, the device has an automatic make-up gain, that raises the overall level by a suitable amount. The result is that the audio levels become more even and individual sounds can get more “power” and longer sustain. The COMP-01 should be used as an insert effect, either for a single instrument device or for a whole mix (e.g.
PEQ-2 Two Band Parametric EQ While there is a simple two-band shelving equalizer available for each channel in the mixer, the PEQ-2 gives you much more precise control over the tone color. The device consists of two independent, fully parametric equalizers and is most often used as an insert effect, in mono or stereo. About the two EQ modules The two independent EQs are labeled “A” and “B”.
Chapter 48 Matrix Pattern Sequencer
Introduction The Matrix is a pattern-based device. Matrix doesn’t generate sound on its own, but has to be connected to another instrument device. It basically works by sending pattern data in the form of Note CV (pitch) and Gate CV (note on/off plus velocity) or Curve CV (for general CV parameter control) signals to a device or device parameter. The patterns can be up to 32 steps, and there are 32 memory locations for storing pattern data.
• Curve CV is a separate pattern, programmed separately from the Note/Key and Gate CV. Curve CV values (upper window). This is useful for programming CV curves that control other parameters other than note pitch (although you could do this too). This way you could control the note pitch and triggering from the Key and Gate outputs for a device, then add a second independent pattern using the Curve CV output that could control filter cutoff for example.
• Pattern changes can be controlled by a pattern lane in the main sequencer. In other words, you can record or create pattern changes in the main sequencer, and have them occur at the correct position on playback. Selecting Patterns The Matrix has 32 pattern memories, divided into four banks (A, B, C, D). The Bank and Pattern buttons for the Matrix pattern sequencer. D To select a pattern in the current bank, click on the desired Pattern button (1-8).
Using Cut, Copy and Paste By using the Cut, Copy and Paste Pattern commands on the Edit menu or device context menu, you can move or duplicate patterns. The following rules apply: D Copy Pattern makes a copy of the currently selected pattern and places the copy on the clipboard. D Cut Pattern moves the currently selected pattern to the clipboard. This is the same as first performing Copy Pattern and then Clear Pattern.
Tutorial The programming procedure of the Matrix is to input note and gate values into the upper and lower fields of the pattern window respectively. You can input values by clicking or dragging in the pattern window. Proceed as follows: 1. Create a Subtractor synth. You don’t have to use the Subtractor device to use the Matrix, in fact you don’t have to use an instrument device at all, but for this basic tutorial we will use a “standard” setup. 2.
4. Click inside the upper grid section of the Matrix pattern window. An orientation line is displayed in the grid to make it easier for you to find the desired note, and the red rectangles are placed according to where you click. You can drag to input continuous note values. 5. Click and drag in the lower area of the pattern window. You can create vertical Gate velocity strips of varying heights. The higher the strip, the higher the velocity value. 6. Press the Play button on the Matrix.
Using Curve Patterns Curve patterns are independent patterns that can be applied separately to the note pattern programmed in “Keys” mode. If you switch the Keys/Curve switch to “Curve”, the note, but not the gate steps, disappear from view, and leaves the upper area of the pattern window empty. You can now start programming a curve pattern. Proceed as follows: 1. Draw a curve, using the same method as for notes or gates. As you can see, the Curve pattern looks like large vertical gate steps.
D A bipolar curve is divided in the “middle”, with the middle representing a value of “0”. The curve reflects this. If no curve has been drawn and you switch to bipolar mode, all steps go from the bottom up to the middle of the scale printed to the left of the pattern window. Thus, all steps are at “0”, and the curve can be drawn both up and down from the middle. Bipolar curve Bipolar curves are essential in some instances.
Setting Pattern Resolution Matrix always follows the tempo setting on the transport panel, but you can also make Matrix play in different tempo “resolutions” in relation to the tempo setting. Pattern Shuffle Shuffle is a rhythmic feature, that gives the music a more or less pronounced swing feel. It works by delaying all sixteenth notes that fall in between the eighth notes. Straight sixteenth note pattern (viewed in the sequencer). The same sixteenth note pattern with shuffle applied.
Pattern Functions When a pattern device is selected, you will find some specific pattern functions on the Edit menu (and on the device context menu). Shift Pattern Left/Right The Shift Pattern functions move the notes and corresponding gate values in a pattern one step to the left or right. Shift Pattern Up/Down ! This function does not alter the Curve CV. This is because the values produced by the Curve CV do not necessarily correspond to semitone note steps at all.
Converting Pattern data to notes in the main sequencer You can convert Matrix Patterns to notes in the main sequencer. This allows you to edit the notes freely, create variations or use Groove quantizing. The “Copy Pattern to Track” function This function is useful when you have created a single pattern in the Matrix device and want to render individual note events on a sequencer track. ! Curve patterns cannot be converted to sequencer data! Only the note pattern and the gate values will be converted.
Example usage As mentioned previously, the Matrix is a very flexible device. Here follows a few examples of how you can use the Matrix Pattern Sequencer. Using the Matrix for modulation You can effectively use the Matrix as a modulation source, much like an LFO. Just like the LFOs in Reason’s instrument devices, the Matrix can generate modulation that is synchronized to tempo, which has many advantages. Proceed as follows: 1. Create a Synthesizer (e.g. a Subtractor or Malström). 2.
Programming “Acid Style” lead lines By “acid style” lead lines we mean patterns that use a combination of Legato and slide (or portamento) effects to produce the widely used hypnotic “wavy” sound produced by the original Roland TB-303, and recreated in the Propellerhead Software product ReBirth. To approximate this typical sound using Reason, proceed as follows: 1. Create a Synthesizer (Subtractor or Malström). 2. Create a Matrix Pattern Sequencer, or if one already exists, set it to an empty pattern. 3.
Chapter 49 RPG-8 Arpeggiator
Introduction An arpeggiator generates rhythmic note patterns (arpeggios) from notes or chords. The RPG-8 Arpeggiator doesn’t generate sound on its own, but has to be connected to another instrument device (just like the Matrix). It works by converting MIDI note data (input to the RPG-8) to Note CV (pitch) and Gate CV (note on/off plus velocity) signals. These CV/Gate signals are sent to the corresponding Sequencer Control inputs of an instrument device.
Using the RPG-8 Setting up The basic procedure is to input note data, either live or recorded, to the RPG-8 device. This note data is in turn sent to a target device via its Sequencer Control CV/Gate inputs. The resulting output from the target device can either be arpeggiated notes or simply mirror what is played on your control surface device. Proceed as follows: 1. Create an instrument device, e.g. a Subtractor. Select a suitable patch, preferably one with a short attack time. 2.
4. With Master Keyboard input set to the Arp 1 sequencer track, play a few notes. The notes in the chord you play are now arpeggiated for as long as you hold down the keys. The arpeggio will change directly if you release all notes and play another note or chord. If you add notes while holding down a chord, the arpeggio will continue with the added notes. • The display shows the notes played by the arpeggio pattern, with small bars indicating pitch for each step.
That covers the basic principles of how to set up and use the RPG-8 to arpeggiate notes that you play in real time. But to make full use of the RPG-8 there are many further applications: D You can of course record and edit the notes you input. You can also render the arpeggio output “to track” for full sequencer edit control of the notes generated by the RPG-8 - see “Rendering arpeggio notes to track”. D You can introduce rests for more complex rhythmical arpeggios by using the Pattern editor.
When using this method the following points should be noted: • It will not be possible to edit the individual notes generated by the arpeggiator, only the source notes you play. This may be fine, depending on the situation. If you simply played some wrong notes you can easily edit them in the sequencer as usual. • If you used Hold when recording (or if you activate Hold during playback) the arpeggio will play for as long the sequencer is in Play mode or until Hold is deactivated.
Rendering arpeggio notes to track This function allows you to render the arpeggio generated by RPG-8 to the target device track. The arpeggio output - rather than just the source notes that generate the arpeggio - will be rendered as notes allowing for full sequencer edit control. After rendering, the target device track will have a clip with the arpeggio notes and the RPG-8 track should be muted, so no arpeggiator parameter settings can be changed - only the actual notes can be edited.
RPG-8 Parameters MIDI-CV Converter parameters The MIDI-CV Converter section to the left contains parameters that affect the CV output from the RPG-8, regardless of whether the Arpeggiator section is activated or not. The following parameters are available: Velocity The Velocity knob can be used to set a fixed velocity value for the notes that are output via the Gate CV Out jacks on the back of the RPG-8.
Arpeggiator parameters The middle section contains the Arpeggiator parameters that govern how the arpeggio is played. The following parameters are available: Arpeggiator “On” button This switches the Arpeggiator on or off. Mode switch This determines the direction of the arpeggio notes. | Mode | Description Up This will generate an arpeggio that plays from the lowest note to the highest note. Up+Down Notes are played from lowest note to highest, then from highest back down to the lowest.
Insert buttons Insert can be used to add variations to the arpeggio by repeating certain notes in a predetermined order. It works as follows: | Insert mode | Description Off No Insert repeat. Low The lowest note is repeated in between every second note in the arpeggio. Hi The highest note is repeated in between every second note in the arpeggio. 3-1 The arpeggio will play 3 notes forward, then step 1 note back and from there play 3 notes forward etc.
Shuffle Shuffle is a rhythmic feature, that gives the arpeggio a more or less pronounced swing feel. It works by delaying all sixteenth notes that fall in between the eighth notes. In the RPG-8 you can switch Shuffle on or off using the corresponding button. However, the amount of shuffle can be set globally (for all devices that incorporate this feature) with the Global Shuffle control in the ReGroove Mixer. The Shuffle on/off switch in RPG-8 and the Global Shuffle control in the ReGroove Mixer.
D When you play a chord (or in case you have recorded notes, when you start playback) the arpeggio will play according to the current Arpeggiator parameter settings, as normal. The only difference is that a pattern will be repeated in the display so that all 16 steps play the pattern. A three note chord with Pattern off... ...and with Pattern on. D If you click on a step button it goes dark. This means that this step will insert a rest in the arpeggio pattern.
1. Set up the buttons as you want them from the start of the song, e.g. all buttons “on”. This will be your “static value” which is active from the start. 2. Right-click the buttons and select “Edit Automation” from the context menu. A Pattern automation lane is created and the Pattern buttons will have a green rectangle around them to indicate that they are automated. 3. Start the sequencer in play mode, and set up the buttons as you want them (except one - see below) for the new pattern combination.
CV connections On the back of the RPG-8 you can find a number of useful CV connectors. These are as follows: CV Inputs There are five CV inputs, of which four can be used to control RPG-8 parameters that have associated controls on the front panel. These parameters are Gate Length, Velocity, Rate and Octave Shift. If you use an external source to modulate these parameters, the incoming CV is merged with the setting on the front of the device. An example: Velocity is set to 50 on the front panel.
CV Outputs The following CV outputs are available: • Gate CV Out (Velocity) transmits a gate/velocity value that corresponds to the Velocity parameter setting. This is normally auto-routed to the Sequencer Control Gate input on an instrument device. • Note CV Out transmits the notes generated by the Arpeggiator (or if this is off, the notes you input to the RPG8). This is normally auto-routed to the Sequencer Control CV input on an instrument device.
Tips and tricks Using the RPG-8 for modulation You can use the RPG-8 as a modulation source, much like an LFO. The RPG-8 can generate stepped modulation that is both synchronized to tempo and controlled by note input. In this and in following examples we assume you already have a RPG-8 connected to an instrument device. D With the RPG-8 selected in the rack, create a Spider CV Merger/Splitter.
Chapter 50 ReBirth Input Machine
Information about ReBirth Input Machine ! 1008 The ReBirth Input Machine is a device for receiving audio via ReWire from the Propellerhead “ReBirth RB-338” program (version 2.01 and later). Since the ReBirth RB-338 program is no longer supported, and doesn’t work under 64-bit Windows operating systems, the ReBirth Input Machine does not work anymore. The only reason it is still available is that you might have old Reason songs that contain the ReBirth Input Machine.
Chapter 51 Menu and Dialog Reference
Reason menu (Mac OS X) About Reason... This menu item opens up a dialog that informs you about the version of the program and the people behind it. Preferences... This menu item opens up the Preferences dialog. See “Preferences – General”, “Preferences – Audio”, “Preferences – Control Surfaces”, “Preferences - Sync”, “Preferences – Advanced” and “Preferences - Language (Windows only)” for detailed descriptions about the functions and settings in this dialog. Your Profile...
File menu New When you select this, a new song appears. The exact contents of this song is determined by your Preferences settings (see “Default Song”). New from Template On the sub-menu you can create a new song based on the selected Template Song. The selected Template Song appears in a new document window. On Windows platforms, the document will be named “Document n” where “n” is an incremental number. On Mac OS X platforms, the document will be named “untitled n” where “n” is an incremental number.
Save This saves the active song document to disk. • If the song document hasn’t yet been saved, the “Save As” dialog appears, requesting you to enter a file name and specify a location for the file on disk (see “Save As...”). • If the document has already been saved at least once, the document will simply be saved without any questions. Save As... This saves the active song document to disc. A standard Save As dialog appears requesting you to enter a file name and specify a location for the file on disk.
Export MIDI File... Reason can export standard MIDI files (SMF). Selecting “Export MIDI Files...” brings up the Export MIDI File dialog from which you can export all instrument tracks and automation tracks from the Reason sequencer as a Standard MIDI File (SMF). See “Exporting Standard MIDI Files” for more information. Export Insert FX Patch... This item is available for a selected Audio Track device, Mix Channel device or their corresponding channel strips in the Main Mixer.
q You can save a patch under the same name and location (without having the save dialog appear) by holding down [Alt](Win) or [Option](Mac) and clicking the floppy disk button on the device panel. Note that this overwrites the original patch! Export Song/Loop as Audio File... When you have created a complete song, you will want to mix it down to a WAV or AIFF audio file to make it playable for other people (who don’t use Reason).
Edit menu Undo Virtually any actions in Reason can be undone. This includes creation, deletion and reordering of devices in the rack, parameter value adjustments, recording and editing in the sequencer and tempo/time signature adjustments. You can undo hundreds of actions. ! Sequencer Transport commands are not “undoable”. D To undo the latest action, select “Undo” from the Edit menu or hold [Ctrl](Win) or [Cmd](Mac) and press [Z].
• If you copy and paste several devices, the connections between these are preserved. D If you hold down [Shift] when you paste a device, Reason will attempt to auto-route it. For example, [Shift]-pasting an instrument device typically connects it to the first free Mix Channel device input(s) above it in the rack. D You can also paste the device(s), channel(s) and track(s) into another song, including all sequencer data and device settings.
Sort Selected Device Groups This function should be used if you want to rearrange devices, channel strips or sequencer tracks according to the order of the current selection. For example, if you want to rearrange the rack devices according to the current sequencer track order, you can select all sequencer tracks and then choose “Sort Selected Device Groups” to rearrange the rack devices. See “About the “Sort Selected Device Groups” function” for more examples.
Create Parallel Channel (Main Mixer channel strips) This allows you to create a parallel mixer channel for parallel processing purposes. See “Creating Parallel Channels”. Clear Insert FX This disconnects and removes all Insert FX devices of a selected Mix Channel or Audio Track device in the rack, or of a selected channel in the Main Mixer. See “Deleting Insert effects” for more details.
• If referenced samples are missing Patches for the Redrum, Combinator (if any sampler devices are part of the Combi), NN-19, NN-XT Kong and Dr. Octo Rex devices contain references to samples. Just like patches, samples can be independent files on the hard disk or elements within a ReFill or a SoundFont. However, if sample files have been moved or renamed after a patch was saved, the sample file references in the patch will not be accurate.
D If the zone contained a sample prior to loading, this will be replaced, both in the zone and in the sample memory, unless the sample was also used by another key zone. D If you loaded several samples, one of the samples (the sample that was selected furthest down in the Browser list) will be loaded into the key zone, and the other samples will be loaded into the sample memory. NN-XT: This menu item is used for adding one or more sample(s) to a key zone in the NN-XT: 1.
Delete Sample/Remove Sample Redrum: D To remove a sample from a Redrum drum machine, select its drum sound channel and then select “Delete Sample” from the Edit menu. The sample is removed from the drum sound channel and from sample memory. NN19: D To remove a sample from an NN19 Sampler’s memory, select the zone it belongs to, and then select “Delete Sample” from the Edit menu. The sample is removed from the zone and from sample memory.
Copy Zones This menu item is used with the NN-XT sampler. It copies the selected zone(s), and all of its settings - including references to any sample it may contain - and places it in the clipboard buffer. You can then select “Paste Zones” to create a new zone that is an exact replica of the copied zone(s). Note that copying/pasting zones can also be performed between separate NN-XT devices. Paste Zones This menu item is used with the NN-XT sampler.
Sort Zones by Note This menu item is used with the NN-XT sampler. This option lets you automatically sort the selected zones within a Group in descending order according to their key ranges. When you invoke this option, the selected zones will be sorted from top to bottom in the display starting with the one with the lowest range. If two or more zones have the same key range, they are instead sorted by velocity range. Sort Zones by Velocity This menu item is used with the NN-XT sampler.
! Note that for this to work properly, the samples must have some form of perceivable pitch. If it is sampled speech, or a snare drum for example, it probably doesn’t have any discernible pitch. Automap Zones This menu item is used with the NN-XT sampler. The automap function can be used as a quick way of creating a key map, or as a good starting point for further adjustments of a key map.
3. Select “Create Velocity Crossfades”. NN-XT will analyze the overlapping zones and automatically set up what it deems to be appropriate fade in and fade out values for the zones. Note the following important points: D This operation will not work if both zones have full velocity ranges. At least one of the zones must have a partial velocity range (see “Setting crossfading for a Zone”). D This operation will not work if the zones are completely overlapping.
Shift Pattern Left/Right These menu items are used for Redrum, Matrix, Thor (called “Shift Sequencer Pattern Left/Right”) and the RPG-8 Arpeggiator (when the Pattern editor is activated). The Shift Pattern functions move the notes in a pattern one step to the left or right. Shift Drum Left/Right These menu items are used for Redrum. The Shift Drum functions move the notes for the selected instrument one step to the left or right. Shift Pattern Up/Down These menu items are used for the Matrix.
Invert Pattern This menu item is used for the RPG-8 Arpeggiator device, when the Pattern editor is activated. This inverts the pattern, so that active steps become rests and vice versa. Arpeggio Notes to Track This menu item is used for rendering the arpeggio from an RPG-8 to actual note clips. For this to work, you must have recorded chords or notes on the RPG-8 track and set the locators (so that an arpeggio is generated when you start playback from the left locator).
Bounce Clip to Disk (Audio Clips) This function allows you to export a selected audio clip as a WAV or AIFF file to disk. See “The “Bounce Clip to Disk” function”. Bounce Clip to New Recording (Audio Clips) This function allows you to export the recording of a selected audio clip to an additional Comp Row. See “Bounce Clip(s) to New Recording(s)”. Bounce Clip to REX Loop (Single Take Audio Clips) This lets you bounce an open Single Take audio clip to a Rex file.
Split At Slices (Single Take Audio Clips) This lets you split an open Single Take audio clip at the selected Slice Markers, and thus create several separate audio clips out of a bigger one. See “Split at Slices”. Convert Pattern Automation to Notes If you have recorded or drawn pattern changes on a Redrum or Matrix track, you can have the whole track converted to notes, in the following way: 1. Select the track with the pattern changes. 2.
q For the groove to be useful in most common music styles, it’s recommended that the note clip is an exact number of bars in length - preferably 1, 2, 4 or maybe 8 bars. 2. Open the ReGroove Mixer from the transport panel and select a channel for editing (by clicking its Edit button). This is where your custom groove will end up - choose an unused channel if you don’t specifically want to replace a groove. 3.
Clip Color Allows you to select a color for the selected clip(s). See “Coloring clips” for more details. Channel Color Allows you to select a color for the selected channel(s) and track(s). The selected color is shown in the track list and will be assigned to all new clips you create on the track. However, clips that are already on the track will not be affected - to change color of existing clips, select the clips and use the “Clip Color” setting.
Delete Sample(s) This command is available when one or several samples are selected in the Song Samples location. Select this to permanently delete the selected sample(s) from the song. Note that samples from the Factory Soundbank and from ReFills will not be deleted from their original locations - only from the song document. Several selected samples can be deleted in one go. See “Deleting samples from a song” for more details. Edit Keyboard Control Mapping...
Preferences – General Mouse Knob Range This lets you adjust the response sensitivity of the various knobs in Reason when manipulating them with the mouse. A higher sensitivity gives a higher degree of precision. You can choose between Normal, Precise and Very Precise. Automation Cleanup Level The Automation Cleanup setting reduces the number of automation points when you record or draw automation. Adjust this setting if you find that recording or drawing results in too many or too few automation points.
Trigger Notes while Editing When this is selected, transposing notes, by manually moving them with the Selection Tool, will make the notes trigger - and sound. This is useful since you will hear when the notes reach the correct pitches. Reduce Cable Clutter Setting The selected alternative determines how cables on the back of the rack should be displayed when “Reduce Cable Clutter” is selected on the Options menu: D Select “Show For Selected Devices Only” to only display the cables for selected devices.
The CPU Usage Limit setting allows you to set a limit on how much of the CPU (computer processor) that should be used for creating audio. The remaining capacity is reserved for the user interface and the graphics. Set this so that you feel comfortable using the program, even when a very demanding song document is played back. New devices get browse focus When this is active, Browse focus is automatically set to new devices as soon as they have been created.
Preferences – Audio Master tune This lets you adjust the global tuning in Reason. Standard tuning is “middle A” at 440 Hz. You can adjust this by +/100 cents. The Master Tune setting affects the tuning of all sound sources in Reason, including the Tuner function on the Audio Tracks. It also affects the tuning of the Redrum and Dr. Octo Rex loop player.
• If you are using audio hardware for which there is a specific ASIO driver, you should select this. With an ASIO driver written specifically for the audio hardware you will get lower latency (see below), support for higher sampling frequencies (up to 192 kHz in 24 bit/32 bit float resolution), and possibly better support for additional hardware features such as multiple outputs. • If there is no specific ASIO driver, you could select a generic ASIO driver for the audio hardware.
OK, so why not just set the latency to the lowest possible value? The problem is that selecting too low a latency is likely to result in playback problems (clicks, pops, dropouts, etc.). There are several technical reasons for this, the main one being that with smaller buffers (lower latency), the average strain on the CPU will be higher. This also means that the more CPU-intensive your Reason song (i.e.
Control panel If you have selected an ASIO or Core Audio driver, this button brings up a control panel window specifically for that audio hardware. This may contain buffer settings, routing options, synchronization alternatives etc. Monitoring In the Monitoring section you can choose how you want monitoring of the input signals to work on audio tracks. D Select “Automatic” to automatically monitor the input signals on all record enabled audio tracks when recording and when the sequencer is stopped.
Preferences – Control Surfaces This is where you set up your MIDI hardware; keyboards and control surfaces. D The “Attached surfaces” list in the middle shows the currently added surfaces/MIDI keyboards. Selecting a surface in the list allows you to edit its settings or delete it from the list, by clicking the corresponding “Edit” or “Delete” button. D Clicking the “Auto-detect surfaces” button will scan for connected control surfaces. This requires a USB connection or a two-way MIDI connection.
Adding or editing a control surface To add a control surface, click the “Add” button to open the Control surfaces dialog. If you want to edit the settings for an existing control surface, click the “Edit” button. Then proceed as follows: 1. Select the manufacturer of your control surface from the Manufacturer pop-up menu. If you can’t find it on the menu, see below. 2. Select the model of your control surface from the Model pop-up menu. If you can’t find it on the menu, see below. 3.
or, if the Manufacturer is listed but not your specific model: D Select one of the three “Other” options on the Model pop-up menu: In both cases, the options are: • MIDI Control keyboard Select this is you have a MIDI keyboard with programmable knobs, buttons or faders. You need to set up your control surface so that the controllers send the correct MIDI CC messages, depending on which Reason device you want to control - check out the MIDI Implementation Chart in the Reason documentation.
Preferences - Sync External control The External Control inputs provide up to 64 MIDI input channels divided into four buses, each with 16 channels. • These MIDI inputs are for individual control of Reason Devices from an external sequencer. This could be an external hardware sequencer or sequencer software that is installed on the same computer as Reason. See the chapter “Synchronization and Advanced MIDI” for more details.
Preferences – Advanced On-screen piano keys In this section you can specify what computer keyboard keys should be used for the On-Screen Piano Keys function. D To change key assignment, click on a key in the window and then press another available key on the computer keyboard to assign it. q Since many keyboard keys are already “locked” to other functions and commands in Reason, it’s not really applicable to reassign all the actual “play” keys.
Send error reports and statistics With this checkbox ticked you allow Reason to send error reports and usage statistics to Propellerhead to help us improve the program. These reports can also be extremely valuable, should we need to help you out with any support cases. ! This function requires that your computer has access to the Internet. ! The data sent to Propellerhead does NOT contain any musical contents that you have recorded or created.
Preferences - Language (Windows only) Language (Windows only) Reason is localized to several different languages. The language setting affects menus, dialogs, tool tips and some display texts, but generally not the texts on the device panels. If you run Reason under Windows, you can select preferred language on this page. 1046 ! Note that you need to restart Reason for a language change to take effect. ! Under Mac OS X, Reason will use the language selected in the operating system.
Create menu Create Audio Track Select this to create a new audio track in the sequencer, its associated Audio Track Device in the rack with its corresponding channel strip in the Main Mixer. The audio track, device and channel strip will be automatically named “Audio Track n”, where “n” is an incremental number. You could then rename the track, device and channel strip afterwards if you like - see “Naming tracks”. Create Instrument.../Create Effect...
Options menu Internal/MIDI Clock/ReWire/Send MIDI Clock These four options are used to specify which type of tempo synchronization you want to use: • Internal When this is activated, the program is not synchronized to any external source. It plays in the tempo set on the Transport Panel. • MIDI Clock When this is activated, the program is synchronized to external MIDI Clock, as set up in the Preferences|Advanced dialog.
! If you try to assign a key control that is already in use, you will get an alert asking if you wish to change the current assignment. See “Editing Keyboard Control” for more information. Remote Override Edit Mode All supported control surface devices have “standard remote mappings” for each Reason device. If you wish to override this standard mapping, you can do so in the following way: 1.
Surface Locking... This opens a dialog where you can lock a control surface to a specific device. This means that the locked device is always “tweakable”, regardless of which track has MIDI input in the sequencer. This enables you to play and record notes for one device and at the same time control parameters for another device from a control surface. For example, you could lock a control surface to control the main mixer, so you can always control overall levels while playing/tweaking other devices.
Follow Song When this is activated, the sequencer Arrangement and Edit Panes will automatically scroll along with the song position pointer on playback. When this item is deactivated, the Arrangement and Edit Panes will remain stationary. Show Block Clip Content in Song View When this is activated, the content of the Block Automatic Clip is displayed in a “ghosted” fashion on the arrangement pane. When deactivated, only the Block Automation Clip is displayed on the Blocks Track.
Window menu (Windows version) Stay on top When this is activated, the Reason window will always stay on top of other program’s windows. View Main Mixer Selecting this, or pressing [F5], will maximize the Main Mixer area and bring it into view. View Racks Selecting this, or pressing [F6], will maximize the Rack area and bring it into view. View Sequencer Selecting this, or pressing [F7], will maximize the Sequencer area and bring it into view.
Show/Hide Tool Window Selecting this, or pressing [F8], will show or hide the floating Tool window. This window contains the Sequencer Tools tab (for editing sequencer data) and the Groove Settings tab (for fine-tuning and saving ReGroove patches). Show/Hide On-screen Piano Keys Selecting this, or pressing [F4], will show or hide the floating On-screen Piano Keys window. See “On-screen Piano Keys” for information on how to use the On-screen Piano Keys window.
Window menu (Mac OS X version) Minimize This minimizes the selected song document window. Zoom This toggles the selected window between the default and the user defined size and position, according to the Apple guidelines. For detached Mixer and rack windows, the default state equals maximized across the screen. Bring All to Front This will bring all open Reason windows in front of any other open application’s window(s).
Show/Hide Transport Selecting this will show or hide the Transport Panel. Show/Hide ReGroove Mixer Selecting this will show or hide the ReGroove Mixer. Show/Hide Tool Window Selecting this, or pressing [F8], will show or hide the floating Tool window. This window contains the Sequencer Tools tab (for editing sequencer data) and the Groove Settings tab (for fine-tuning and saving ReGroove patches).
Help menu Reason Help... This menu item opens up the on-line Help system in your default web browser. The Reason Help contains detailed information about all functions in Reason. You can choose to browse for information, either from the Table of Contents (TOC), Index or Search tabs in the Help system. Documentation in pdf format... This takes you to the support section on Propellerhead, where you can download manuals in pdf format. Tutorials on the Propellerhead Webpage...
Chapter 52 Key Commands
About the Key Commands chapter This chapter contains compiled lists of all keyboard shortcuts and modifier keys available in Reason - and in all Reason devices. Keyboard shortcuts are keys or combinations of keys that can be pressed to execute various functions. Modifier keys are keys that can be used in combination with the mouse, to execute additional functions. ! In most cases, which key(s) to use is different on Mac OS X and Windows.
Function Key(s) Create Instrument [Command]/[Ctrl]+[I] Create Instrument (Windows only) [Insert] Create Effect [Command]/[Ctrl]+[F] Browse Patches for selected device.
Function Key(s) Record [Command]/[Ctrl]+[Return] or numeric keypad [*] Rewind Numeric keypad [4] Fast Forward Numeric keypad [5] Go to Loop Start [Option]/[Alt] and left arrow key. Numeric keypad [1] Go to Loop End [Option]/[Alt] and right arrow key. Numeric keypad [2] Move forward one Bar Numeric keypad [8] Go back one Bar Numeric keypad [7] Tempo Up Numeric keypad [+] Tempo Down Numeric keypad [-] Sequencer keyboard shortcuts Function Key(s) Toggle Arrange/Edit Mode.
Function Key(s) Horizontal zoom in [H] or [Command]/[Ctrl]+[+] Horizontal zoom out [G] or [Command]/[Ctrl]+[–] Vertical zoom in [Command]+[Option]/[Ctrl]+[Alt]+[+] Vertical zoom out [Command]+[Option]/[Ctrl]+[Alt]+[–] Zoom To Selection/Show All (e.g.
Sequencer modifier keys in Audio Edit Mode Function Key/Action Switch from Arrow tool to Cut (Razor) tool on the comp rows in an open audio clip [Command]/[Altl] Switch from Arrow tool to Speaker tool on the comp rows in an open audio clip [Command]+[Shift]/[Alt]+[Shift] Duplicate the Comp Row and create a new Cut or Segment in the duplicated Comp Row.
NN-19 modifier keys Function Key/Action Audition sample. [Option]/[Alt]+Click in keyboard display Edit selected sample [Option]/[Alt]+Click the Sample button NN-XT keyboard shortcuts Function Key(s) Remove zone(s) from key map. [Delete] or [Backspace] Select All Zones [Command]/[Ctrl]+[A] Copy selected Zone(s) [Command]/[Ctrl]+[C] Paste currently copied Zone(s) [Command]/[Ctrl]+[V] NN-XT modifier keys Function Key/Action Audition sample. In sample column, at root pitch and unprocessed.
Redrum modifier keys Function Key/Action Enter “Hard” note when programming Pattern. [Shift]+Click Pattern Step button Enter “Soft” note when programming Pattern. [Option]/[Alt]+Click Pattern Step button Edit selected sample [Option]/[Alt]+Click a Sample button Kong modifier keys Function Key/Action Audition slice in Nurse Rex. [Option]/[Alt]+Click slice in overview Toggle “Trig” for slice(s) in Nurse Rex [Command]/[Ctrl]+ click in overview.
Index
A Active Input Channels (in Preferences) 1038 Active Output Channels (in Preferences) 1038 Add Labels To Clips 177, 1030 Additional Remote Overrides...
Automap Zones 716, 1024 Automap Zones Chromatically 1024 Automation Deleting Events 267 Drawing Events 266 Editing 263 Editing in Edit Mode 265 Editing in the Song/Block View 263 Matching 279 Showing in Device Panels 1034 Tempo 273 Time Signature 275 Deleting Clips 276 Moving, Resizing and Duplicating Clips 276 Automation As Perf Ctrl 154 Automation Cleanup About 269 In Preferences 269 Tool Window function 269 Automation Cleanup Level 1033 Automation Clips Opening 234 Automation Override Reset 157 Auto-rout
Clear Insert FX 394 Clear Keyboard Control Mapping 1032 Click Button 117 Level 117, 129 Click and Pre-count 128 Clip Color 177, 1031 Clip Level Handle (Audio Clips) 200 Clip Overview Audio Clips 199 Note Clips 236 Clip Safe (with Propellerhead Balance Interface) 133 Clipping (Audio) 70 Clips About Overlapping...
Convert Pattern Automation to Notes 273 Matrix 988 Redrum 775 Convolution Algorithm (RV7000 Mk II) 895 Copy Channel Settings 371 Copy Devices and Tracks 310 Copy Loop to Track 1025 Copy Loop To Track (Dr.
Devices Creating 302 Cut, Copy and Paste 310 Deleting 306 Deleting with their Tracks 98 Device Groups 300 Disconnecting 359 Duplicating 310 Duplicating and Copying with their Tracks 99 Folding/Unfolding 49, 312 Moving to a New Rack Column 308 Naming 311 Re-ordering in the Rack 306 Replacing 309 Re-routing in the Rack 308 Routing 353 Routing Master Keyboard Input to 304 Selecting 304 Sort Selected Device Groups 308 Diffusion (The Echo) 905 Direct Out (on Mix Channel and Audio Track Devices) 417 Dirt (Pulver
F Factory Sound Bank 327 Fade Handles (Audio Clips) 200 Fade In/Out (Edit Sample Window) 461 Fade In/Out Displays (Audio Clips) 165 Fade In/Out Handles (Audio Clips) 167 Fast Forward Button (Transport Panel) 118 Favorite Lists (Browser) 336 Favorites Lists 336 FFT (Vocoder) 912 File Formats 346 Filter Dr.
Ignition Key Authorizing 27 Deuthorizing 28 Ignition Key hardware Running Reason with... 28 Import Audio File...
Load Last Song On Startup 423 Locations and Favorites (Browser) 336 Locator Displays (Transport Panel) 119 Loop Locators 115 Loop Mode 130 Recording Audio Track in... 139 Recording Instrument Track in... 148 Recording Parameter Automation in... 156 Loop Mode (Edit Sample Window) 462 Loop On/Off Button (Transport Panel) 119 Loop Trig (Kong) 804 Loops In Drum Samples 778 In Samples 674 Low BW 683 Low BW (Dr.
Mix Bus 399 Creating 399 Deleting 401 Rerouting 401 Mix Channel Device 364 Mix Channel Strip 364 Mixdown Recording in the Sequencer 144 Mixer 14-2 About 558 Auxiliary Return Section 561 Chaining 563 Channel Strip 558 Channel Strip Controls 559 Connections 561 Signal Flow 560 Monitor Button (Audio Tracks) 102 Monitoring Audio Tracks 134 Mono Considerations 528 Mono or Stereo on Audio Track 93, 132 More Audio (Hardware Device) 534 Mouse Knob Range 47, 1033 Mouse Mode (On-screen Piano Keys) 61 MultiCore Audio
Nudging Note Positions 250 Recordings (Audio) 210 Nudging Slices 196 Nurse Rex Loop Player (Kong) 804 O Offset R Delay (The Echo) 904 Feedback (The Echo) 905 On-screen Piano Keys Window 61 Opening 60 Resizing 60 Open (Songs) 422, 1011 Open Demo Song 423, 1011 Open Song Windows List Mac OS X Version 1055 Windows Version 1053 Optimizing RAM Usage 530 Optimizing Songs 528 Optimizing Your Computer 526 Options Menu 1048 Orphan Audio Streams 430 Output Bus 399 Creating 399 Deleting 401 Rerouting 401 Overdrive/R
PEQ-2 EQ 976 Performance Controller Automation Creating New Lanes 268 Deleting Lanes 268 Editing 267 Recording in the Sequencer 153 Over Existing Clips 154 Performance Controller Automation Selector 236 Performance Controller Edit Lanes (Note Clips) 236 PH-90 Phaser 972 Phase Controls (Subtractor) 579 Phaser 972 Physical Bass Drum (Kong) 809 Physical Snare Drum (Kong) 809 Physical Tom Tom (Kong) 809 Ping-Pong Delay (The Echo) 905 Pitch (in Tool Window) 256 Pitch Adjust (Neptune) 933 Pitch Adjustments Freezi
Record Automation as Performance Controllers Record Automation into Note Clip 154, 1051 Record Button (Transport Panel) 118 Record Enable Button (Audio Tracks) 102 Record Enabling Audio Track 125 Instrument Track 126, 127 Parameter Automation 128 Pattern Automation 128 Sequencer Tracks 124 Recording in the Sequencer Audio 137 From Mix Channels 142 In Loop Mode 139 Over Existing Clips 141 General Procedure 131 Mixdown 144 Notes 148 In Loop Mode 148 Over Existing Clips 149 Parameter Automation 155 In Loop Mod
REX Files Auditioning (in the Browser) 339 Loading 342 REX files 347 Loading in Dr.Rex 741 Loading in NN-19 668 Loading in NN-Nano 800 Loading in NN-XT 691 Loading in Nurse Rex Loop Player 804 Loading in Redrum 767 REX Loops Creating Sequencer Notes 745 Editing Slices 748 Editing Sound 754 Loading 743 Playing in Dr.
Send FX Chaining from Devices to Main Mixer 414 Creating 396 Deleting 398 Editing and Saving 398 Muting 398 Send Out (Redrum) 776 Sends Mixer 14-2 559 Redrum 776 Sequencer Adjust Alien Clips to Lane 175 Bypassing Master Keyboard Input 522 Inspector 228, 277 Sequencer Area 38 Sequencer Tools (Tool Window) 241 Set Loop (Edit Sample Window) 463 Set Loop to Selection 1031 Set Loop to Selection and Start Playback 1031 Set Root Notes from Pitch Detection 1023 Set Sample Start/End (Edit Sample Window) 459 Shift Pa
Songs Closing 424, 1011 Creating 424, 1011 Creating New from Template 425, 1011 Default... 424 Exporting as Audio Files 438 File Formats 346 Opening 342, 422, 1011 Optimizing 528 Saving 425 Self-contained...
Thor Assignable Controls 603 Oscillator section 608 Using the Programmer 604 Tie Switch (Matrix) 985 Time Position Display (Transport Panel) 117 Time Signature Automation 275 Deleting Clips 276 Moving, Resizing and Duplicating Clips 276 Toggle Rack Front/Rear 357, 1050 Tone Generator (Kong) 814 Tool Tips 52, 1034 Tool Window 41 Tool Window Sequencer Tools 241 Toolbar Tools 111 Alternate 113 Keyboard Shortcuts 115 Tracks Coloring 100 Creating 93 Deleting 98 Duplicating and Copying 99 Folding/Unfolding 100 Mo
Y Your Profile Mac OS X 1010 Windows 1056 Z Zoom (Mac OS X) 1054 Zoom To Selection 46 Zooming in the Sequencer 1082 INDEX 45
