The information in this document is subject to change without notice and does not represent a commitment on the part of Reason Studios 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 Reason Studios AB. ©2021 Reason Studios and its licensors.
Table of Contents
Introduction 7 Welcome! 8 About the Reason documentation 8 About operating system versions 8 What is in the Reason box? 8 Product authorization 8 The Reason download version 9 Installation 11 Requirements 12 macOS 12 Windows 12 About the Audio Hardware 13 Audio hardware and macOS 13 If you are using the built-in audio hardware in your Macintosh 13 If you are using other audio hardware with your Macintosh 13 Audio hardware and Windows 13 About MIDI Interfaces 14 MIDI In Connections 14 MIDI Out Connection
Setting Up 21 About this Chapter 22 First run - Reason Setup Wizard 22 About the Preferences 24 Setting up the Audio Hardware 25 macOS 26 Windows 26 About Latency and other Audio Settings 26 Setting up MIDI Control Surfaces 27 Automatic set-up using the Easy MIDI Inputs function 27 Adding a specific Control surface 28 If your control surface model isn't listed 31 About the Master Keyboard 31 Master Keyboard Input 32 Other functions 32 Setting up the Default Song 33 Opening the last Song at program launch
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Chapter 1 Introduction
Welcome! Thank you for choosing Reason! Reason 12 comes with a number of great improvements and additions. Reason now has a scalable user interface and all rack devices use high-resolution graphics. There is also a new Fast Search in the Reason Browser, which makes finding patches and sounds a lot faster and easier. We also made it a lot easier to use multiple Combinators in series as Insert Effects in the Mixer.
The Reason download version The full download version of Reason contains the complete product contents. In other words, there is no need to purchase a boxed version. When you have downloaded the program package and installed the program, all you have to do is register and authorize the program and you are good to go. Refer to “Registering Reason” and “Running Reason with Internet Verification” for details.
INTRODUCTION
Chapter 2 Installation
Requirements Below you will find the minimum requirements for running Reason: ! Note that these are the minimum requirements! You will benefit from a fast computer with lots of RAM, since this will allow you to use more devices at the same time. macOS • • • • • • • • • Fast and stable Internet connection for installation and registration required! Intel or M1 Mac with multi-core processor 4 GB RAM (8 GB or more recommended for large ReFills or Rack Extensions) 5.
About the Audio Hardware ! If you are running Reason Rack Plugin, all audio inputs and outputs are handled by the DAW host - refer to the manual for your specific DAW. The audio hardware is the computer equipment that converts the analog signals from instruments and microphones to digital signals that Reason can work with and store, and back again (for connection to an amplifier, headphones, or similar).
About MIDI Interfaces While it is possible to use Reason without an external MIDI controller (by only using the “On-screen Piano Keys” window for playing MIDI notes, or by manually drawing notes and automation in the sequencer), this would not allow you to use the program to its full potential. From now on we assume that you are using a keyboard controller - either a USB keyboard with a built-in MIDI interface, or a separate MIDI interface and a MIDI keyboard.
Installing the Software ! Both the stand-alone version of Reason and the Rack Plugin are installed in the same procedure. So, even if you are only planning to use the Rack Plugin version of Reason, follow the installation procedure(s) below: Installing Reason D Unzip the download file (Windows) or mount the disk image file (macOS). What to do next depends on whether you are installing on a Mac or a Windows computer. Windows: 1. Locate the file called “Install Reason 12.exe" and double click it. 2.
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 Reason Studios 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, the following window appears: ! Note that this 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 Reason Studios account and click the Log in button. Reason now launches in authorized mode.
Authorizing your Computer (for off-line use) ! Note that a working Internet connection is required to be able to perform the following steps. 1. Launch Reason. When you start Reason the following window appears: 2. Click on the “More Options” link. Your default web browser starts up and takes you to the More Options page on the Reason Studios web site, where the whole authorization process is described in detail. 3. Follow the link on the web page to download and install CodeMeter.
About deauthorizing the computer You can have one computer authorized at a time. If you're moving your work from an authorized computer to another computer, you should first deauthorize the current computer and then authorize the other one. This is done from your account page at the Reason Studios web site: 1. Log in on your currently authorized computer and go to your own "Products" page under the user menu. 2. Click the Authorize button.
Running Reason in Demo Mode ! Demo Mode is only available in the stand-alone version of Reason - not in Reason Rack Plugin. If you don't have a Reason license, or if you don’t have an authorized computer, you can run Reason in Demo Mode: 1. Launch Reason. The following window shows up: 2. Click the "Demo Mode" button. Reason launches in Demo Mode.
Chapter 3 Setting Up
About this Chapter ! This chapter is only relevant for the stand-alone version of Reason. For Reason Rack Plugin, no further setup is needed as the host DAW handles audio and MIDI connections. This chapter describes the settings you need to make before you can start using the stand-alone version of Reason. These are necessary in order to get any sounds to and from the program and to be able to play and control Reason via MIDI.
D Clicking “Next” will take you through a series of dialogs, where the following happens: • The Setup Wizard will first try to find a compatible audio driver. It will automatically select the first compatible driver it finds. If this is the driver you wish to use, fine. If it isn't, select your preferred driver from the Audio Card Driver pop-up. If you don't know which driver to use, see “Setting up the Audio Hardware”. • Next, Reason will try to auto-detect a Master Keyboard.
About the Preferences The basic settings for audio and MIDI are done in the Preferences dialog. This is opened from the Edit menu (or, if you are running macOS, from the Reason menu). The Preferences dialog. q Described herein are only the most important settings in the Preferences. For information about other Preferences settings, see the “Menu and Dialog Reference” chapter in the Reason Operation Manual pdf.
Setting up the Audio Hardware In case this wasn't done in the Setup Wizard, you need to establish a connection between Reason and the audio hardware. This is done by selecting a driver - a software component that acts like a link between the program and the audio hardware. Proceed as follows: 1. In the Preferences dialog, click the Audio tab. 2. Pull down the Audio card driver pop-up menu and select one of the available drivers. Which driver to select depends on the platform and the audio hardware.
macOS D Select the option that corresponds to the hardware you want to use (the built-in audio connectors or some additional audio hardware that you have installed). q A number of predefined combinations of built-in inputs and outputs will also be available in the Audio Card Driver pop-up. The number of available input(s)+output(s) combinations depends of your computer’s specific audio hardware configuration.
Setting up MIDI Control Surfaces In Reason, MIDI keyboards or remote control devices are called control surfaces. MIDI input from control surfaces can be handled by two systems: “Easy MIDI Inputs” and Remote. Here are some of the main features: • • • • • • • You can use any number of control surfaces at the same time.
At the bottom of the Control Surfaces tab in Preferences all currently available MIDI In Ports are listed: All available MIDI In Ports on your computer are listed in the Easy MIDI Inputs list. • The Easy MIDI Inputs function supports input of MIDI Note On/Off (with Velocity) as well as standard performance controllers, such as Mod Wheel, Pitch Bend and Sustain Pedal. You can also do manual Remote Overrides to assign Reason parameters to knobs/sliders/buttons on your control keyboard/surface.
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 sends an ID request to all MIDI ports and checks for answers from any connected control surfaces. Note that not all control surfaces support auto-detection.
5. Select the model of your control surface from the Model pop-up menu. If you can't find it on the menu, see below. 6. An image of the selected control surface model is shown, often along with some information text - read this carefully. For some control surfaces, you need to select a specific preset to use the surface with Reason - this is noted here. 7. Use the MIDI Input pop-up to select the input port to which you have connected the surface.
If your control surface model isn't listed If you can't find your control surface listed on the Manufacturer or Model pop-up menus when you try to add it, this means that there's no native support for that model. However, the program supports generic keyboards and controllers. Here's what to do: D Select "Other" on the Manufacturer pop-up menu and then select one of the three options on the Model pop-up menu.
Master Keyboard Input This allows you to set a preference for how Master Keyboard Input mode is selected: • • Standard mode This always sets Master Keyboard Input to the selected track. Separated mode This will allow you to independently select tracks while Master Keyboard Input is unchanged. When this is mode is active, Master Keyboard Input is set by clicking the device icon in the track list.
Setting up the Default Song It's possible to select a default Song which will automatically open as a “template” each time you select “New” from the File menu. The Default Song could be any Song you have created earlier, or a factory made Template Song. You can select this Default Song on the General tab in Preferences. 1. Select “Preferences” from the Edit menu (Win) or “Reason“ menu (Mac) and then click the General tab. 2. Click the "Template" radio button in the "Default Song" section. 3.
Reassigning the Function Keys in macOS 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” in the “Common Operations and Concepts” chapter in the Operation Manual and Help system for details).
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.
SETTING UP
