User Manual

Table Of Contents

SYNCHRONIZATION AND ADVANCED MIDI

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External synchronization considerations

Adjusting for Latency

Because of the MIDI latency problem described in “ReWire and Latency”, you might need to adjust Reason’s play-

back 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. The setting is stored with your other preferences, so you don’t need to adjust it again.

Proceed as follows:

1. Set up the other application so that it generates a solid click, on for example quarter or eighth notes, prefera-

bly with a special sound on the downbeat.

This click can either come from an internal metronome or from a MIDI source. If you use a MIDI source, make sure

you pick one that has solid MIDI timing.

2. Set up Reason so that it plays a similar rhythm as the other application.

You might for example use the sequencer Click or a Redrum drum computer for this.

3. Start the two applications in sync.

4. Make sure you hear both applications at approximately equal level.

5. Open the Preferences dialog in Reason and click the Sync tab.

6. Trim the “Input Offset” setting until the “clicks” from the both sources sound at exactly the same time.

7. Close the Preferences dialog in Reason.

If Latency Compensation isn’t enough

There might be situations where you can’t compensate enough in Reason to make two software applications run in

sync. This might especially be true if the other application is an audio sequencer, that is if it can record and playback

both audio and MIDI.

This problem is an indication of the fact that the other application has not been set up properly and that its audio play-

back is not in sync with its own MIDI playback.

! This is not something that you can or should compensate for in Reason. Instead, follow the instruction in-

cluded with the other application to make sure its MIDI playback and audio playback are correctly locked to

each other.