Specifications

ROUTING AUDIO AND CV
36
About the various signals
that can be routed
This chapter describes the various ways you can route signals in Reason. The
following signal types are used:
Audio
Apart from the Matrix Pattern Sequencer, all devices have audio connectors on
the back. The audio connectors carries audio signals to or from devices via vir-
tual “cables”.
D Audio connectors are shown as large “quarter inch” jacks.
D Audio Effects devices, which are used to process audio, have both
audio inputs and outputs.
D Instrument devices, which generate audio, have either mono or ste-
reo left/right audio output connectors.
You do not have to use both outputs for devices with stereo outputs. Use
the left output to get a mono signal from a stereo device.
D To monitor audio outputs from devices, the signals can be either be
routed via a mixer - or directly- to the physical outputs of your audio
hardware.
Typically, if you are using audio hardware with standard stereo outputs, you
will most probably use one or several mixers in Reason to mix the audio sig-
nals to the master outputs.
CV/Gate
CV (control voltage) signals are used to modulate parameter values, and do not
carry audio. Gate signals are also a type of control voltage, but are “normally”
used for slightly different purposes.
D CV/Gate connectors are shown as smaller “mini” jacks.
D CV is typically used for modulation purposes.
For example you could modulate one parameter with the value produced by
another parameter.
D Gate outputs/inputs are typically used to trigger events, such as
note on/off values, envelopes etc.
Gate signals produce on/off values, plus a “value” which could be likened to
(and used as) velocity.
D You can only route CV/Gate signals from an output to an input (or
vice versa).
You cannot route an input to another input or an output to another output.
MIDI Routing
There are several ways you can route MIDI from external MIDI devices to Reason
devices. This is described in the chapter “Routing MIDI to Reason”.
About Cables
Hiding and Showing
If you have made many connections in Reason, the cables can sometimes ob-
scure the view, making it difficult to read the text printed on the back panels of
the devices. You can hide all cables in the following way:
D To hide all cables, press [Command]+[L] (Mac) or [Ctrl]+[L] (Win-
dows), or (de)select “Show cables” on the Options menu.
When cables are hidden, connections are indicated by a colored connector.
Repeating the above procedure make the cables appear again.
Cables hidden
D When hidden, you can still connect or disconnect cables in the
same way as when they are shown.
See page 38 for a description of the available routing methods.
Checking Connections
It is possible to check to which device a jack is connected (useful if the cables
are hidden, or if the connected devices are located far apart in the rack):
D Positioning the pointer over a connector.
A tool tip appears after a moment, showing the device and the specific con-
nector at the other end.