Operation Manual

THE COMBINATOR
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1. Make sure the Combinator track has MIDI focus.
2. Select an instrument device in the Device list to the left (non-instrument de-
vices, e.g. effects and mixers do not have key ranges).
The currently selected device key range is highlighted and shown as a horizontal
bar under the keyboard display, and as note numbers in the Key Range Hi and Lo
fields at the bottom of the Programmer panel. By default, the entire range is se-
lected (C -2 to G 8). Only one device at a time can be selected.
There are several ways you can change the current key range:
D By clicking in the Key Range Lo and Hi value fields and moving the
mouse up or down.
D By moving the handles of the horizontal bar in the middle display.
You may have to use the scrollbar at the top to “see” the handles.
D By dragging the horizontal bar itself you can also move entire key zones
horizontally, thereby changing their key ranges.
3. Using either method, set the desired key range for the selected device.
When done, the device will only play back notes in the set key range.
D By setting up key ranges for devices in a Combi, you can create split in-
struments.
For example playing notes below C 2 could trigger a device playing a bass sound,
whereas playing notes above C 2 could trigger a device playing a pad sound.
D Instrument devices in a Combi that share the same key range will be lay-
ered - i.e. play at the same time.
This given that no velocity ranges have been set up - see below.
D You can of course set up overlapping ranges where notes within a set
key range will layer two (or more) devices, but notes above and below
the set range will play separate devices.
About the Transpose function
The Transpose field in the right bottom corner allows you to transpose the currently
selected instrument device. It will not shift the key mapping, just the pitch of the se-
lected device. Range is +/- 3 octaves, in semitone steps.
About the keyboard
You can use the keyboard to audition selected instrument devices by pressing [Op-
tion] (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 corre-
sponding checkbox, and below there are checkboxes for all standard MIDI Perfor-
mance controllers (Pitch Bend/Mod Wheel/Breath/Expression/Sustain Pedal/
Aftertouch).
D These checkboxes allow you to control whether Note/MIDI Performance
controller data is to be received for each instrument device in a Combi.
D If you deactivate the “Receive Notes” checkbox the selected device will
not respond to incoming MIDI note messages.
If a non-instrument device is selected this checkbox is always deactivated.
D If you deactivate any of the Performance Controllers, the corresponding
controller(s) will not be received by the selected instrument device.
All are on by default.
Setting Velocity Ranges for instrument devices
When instrument devices are set up so that their key ranges overlap – completely or
partially – you can use velocity switching to determine which devices should be
played back depending on how hard or soft you play on your MIDI keyboard.
This is done by setting up velocity ranges.
Each time you press a key on your MIDI keyboard, a velocity value between 1-127 is
sent to Reason. If you press the key softly, a low velocity value is sent and if you press
it hard, a high velocity value is sent.
This velocity value determines which devices will be played and which will not.
1. Select an instrument device in the Device list to the left (non-instrument de-
vices, e.g. effects and mixers do not have velocity ranges).
By default, the entire range is selected (0 - 127).
2. Click in the Velocity Range Lo and Hi value fields and move the mouse up or
down to set a low and high velocity range, respectively.
3. When you have set a range, the device will only be triggered by notes within
this velocity range.