Installation 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 7 Welcome! 8 About the Reason Intro documentation 8 About operating system versions 8 What is in the Reason Intro box? 9 Welcome card 9 The Reason Intro download 9 Installation 11 Requirements 12 Mac OS X 12 Windows 12 About the Audio Hardware 13 Audio hardware and Mac OS X 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 Con
Setting Up 21 About this Chapter 22 First run - Reason Intro Setup Wizard 22 About the Preferences 24 Setting up the Audio Hardware 25 Mac OS X 26 Windows 26 About Latency and other Audio Settings 26 Setting up MIDI Control Surfaces 27 Adding a Control surface 28 If your control surface model isn't listed 30 About the Master Keyboard 30 Master Keyboard Input 31 Other functions 31 Setting up the Default Song 32 Opening the last Song at program launch 32 Reassigning the Function Keys in Mac OS X 33 TABLE
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Chapter 1 Introduction
Welcome! Thank you for choosing Reason Intro! Reason Intro is the entry-level version of the music production tool Reason. Reason Intro is easy to get started with, yet as deep as you want it to be. The included set of instruments, effects and sounds is everything you need to get started making music. Then polish your work to perfection with Reason Intro's state-of-the-art recording and mixing tools.
What is in the Reason Intro box? If you have purchased the boxed version of Reason Intro, the package contains the following item: Welcome card The license number and registration code required for the installation are printed on the Welcome card. The registration code is a one-time code used to register your Reason Intro license to your Propellerhead user account. Once you have registered Reason Intro to your account, you don't need the registration code any more.
INTRODUCTION
Chapter 2 Installation
Requirements Below you will find the minimum requirements for running Reason Intro: ! 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. Mac OS X • • • • • • • • Fast and stable Internet connection for installation and registration required! Intel Mac with multi-core processor 4 GB RAM (8 GB or more recommended for large ReFills or Rack Extensions) 4 GB free system disk space required.
About the Audio Hardware The audio hardware is the computer equipment that converts the analog signals from instruments and microphones to digital signals that Reason Intro can work with and store, and back again (for connection to an amplifier, headphones, or similar). This equipment could be a built-in audio card, a USB interface, a FireWire audio interface, or an audio card with several inputs and outputs, digital connectors, etc.
About MIDI Interfaces While it is possible to use Reason Intro 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 Installing Reason Intro D Unzip the download file (Windows) or mount the disk image file (Mac OS X). 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 Intro 10.exe" and double click it. The installer may automatically start when you insert the DVD, depending on your system settings. 2. Follow the instructions on screen.
• Finally, if you don’t have a working Internet connection, or any authorized computer or Ignition Key hardware, you can run Reason Intro in Demo Mode. This is also the mode you use if you are trying out the program, but haven't yet purchased it. In Demo Mode you can work as usual and even save your work. However, you cannot open songs in Demo Mode (for details, see “Running Reason Intro in Demo Mode”).
Running Reason Intro with Internet Verification When you launch Reason Intro on an unauthorized computer, or without an authorized Ignition Key hardware connected, the following window appears: ! Note that this requires a working Internet connection (and that your Reason Intro license has been registered to your user account as described in “Registering Reason Intro”). D Enter the User name and Password for your Propellerhead account and click the Log in button.
Authorizing your Computer/Ignition Key (for off-line use) ! Note that a working Internet connection is required to be able to perform the following steps. 1. Launch Reason Intro. When you start Reason Intro the following window appears: 2. Click “More Options”. 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 using an authorized Ignition Key or Propellerhead Balance audio interface instead of an authorized computer, you can just move the Ignition Key/Propellerhead Balance from your old computer to your new one.
Running Reason Intro in Demo Mode If you don't have a Reason Intro 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 Intro in Demo Mode: 1. Launch Reason Intro. The following window shows up: 2. Click "Demo Mode". Reason Intro launches in Demo Mode.
Chapter 3 Setting Up
About this Chapter This chapter describes the settings you need to make before you can start using Reason Intro. These are necessary in order to get any sounds to and from the program and to be able to play and control Reason Intro via MIDI. First run - Reason Intro Setup Wizard If you followed the instructions correctly in the last chapter, Reason Intro should be running, and the first dialog in the “Reason Intro Setup Wizard” guide should be open. This only appears the very first time the program is run.
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 Intro 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 Mac OS X, from the Reason Intro 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 Intro 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 Intro 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.
Mac OS X 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 Intro, MIDI keyboards or remote control devices are called control surfaces. MIDI input from control surfaces is handled by a system called Remote. Here are some of the main features: • • • • • • • You can use any number of control surfaces at the same time. The program supports a large number of control surfaces out of the box - knobs, faders and buttons on the surfaces are automatically mapped to the most useful parameters on the Reason Intro devices.
Adding a Control 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 Intro scans all MIDI ports and tries to identify the connected control surfaces. Note that not all control surfaces support auto-detection. All found surfaces are listed in the Attached Surfaces list. 3. To add a control surface manually, click the Add button.
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 Intro this is noted here. 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.
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 Intro“ 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 Mac OS X When you work with Reason Intro, 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 Intro.
