Your fave MIDI fx, arp, mapper, mangler, generator, chorder, controller, utility. VST or MFX

[Kalamata Kid]

Architect intro price is $140.00
Is there a chance that it will less on Black Friday?

Is there a coupon code available?

[David]

Dipping back into my copy of Reason (had since ver. 1 so it was an easy update to current), and discovering what a MIDI SuperBeing it is, sending MIDI out from its really VAST collection of truly deeply modular/interactive MIDI tools to Logic, my main DAW and synth host with its own sort of MIDI marvels, has been a major revelation.

Here's a recent bit of serendipity, showing both the Reason MIDI rack I started with and the Logic tools I tweaked a recording from it with:



Here's the MIDI file I wound up with, in case anyone wants a taste:)

1st Player TAP Trans #1 fix.mid.zip

It's decidedly Reichian, by chance, so it works well with plucky, pianistic sounds. The repeated pattern shifting from dense to less so was entirely a happy parameter accident in Reason. Logic added elaborations on the note and key shifts in RT on a second-pass re-recording.

[David]

I'll of course be fascinated to explore whatever Architect turn out to be, and to eventually offer, but what I'm already finding in Reason's MIDI rack extensions and factory MIDI devices is setting the bar extremely high, IMO.

For the seriously curious I suggest reading through the manual for this $15 Reason Rack Extension MIDI Effect, just as an example, to get just a tiny taste of the Reason MIDI-verse. Which is not only highly polished and very well seasoned, vast in both users and pro developers, but also deeply supported with forums, courses and virtually endless YT video tutorials and examples. I've had it forever, but it's only just now that its MIDI powers are being explored with the 3-year-old Player device type. Don't miss checking all this out if MIDI manipulation is important to you.

It's not that I'm suggesting Architect-built stuff should be trying to be similar to Reason. I'm much more intrigued to see all the ways in which it'll likely be very different. But at the same time, for the sort of results I'm finding myself to be increasingly drawn to (I'd sum them up as being about both surprising rhythmic complexity and deep melodic/harmonic structure, at the same time), and for its polished ease of use and elegantly versatile interfaces, Reason's simply impressing me more and more.

[Kalamata Kid]

Had always ignored Reason but now I am looking at it!

My expectations are very high for Architect so I suppose I am setting myself up for disappointment.

[fairlyclose]

Had always ignored Reason but now I am looking at it!

My expectations are very high for Architect so I suppose I am setting myself up for disappointment.

Development of Architect has been and still is very very slow. I would not have any expectations or "wait" for anything about it. I expect it will be very very good as the developer is motivated and careful, but I would not avoid buying a midiFX based on the idea that one day Architect will have a similar macro or easily reproduce that functionality.

There is a lot to explore already, particularly if you chain small programs together eg cracklefield is very powerful and can provide years of exploration if hooked in to simple filters and data thinners and arps etc

(to be fair to Architect, I do need to have another look at it, maybe there have been some strong improvements / macros etc in the last few months)

[David]

Other benefits of Reason:

Any Rack Extension (RE) (iow, not included but an extra purchase—most of the ones I'm currently enjoying are REs) can be trialled free for 30 days, no limitations.

Almost any RE can be included in a monthly subscription, and as the MIDI ones tend to be comparatively inexpensive, you can have access to quite a few for $10, and a LOT for $20, a very economical way to stay well-equipped while waiting for the very regular and excellent sales periods, and to slowly and thoroughly decide which ones you definitely want. Any that are in your sometimes list, you can just rent for a month as needed. NOT to be confused with Rent to Own, which the Propellorheads make much easier to find on their site (and doesn't include many of the MIDI tools). To start or explore subscriptions, click on the SUBSCRIBE button on the page for any individual RE:



There's a lot of totally free utility REs including some essential for getting the most out of MIDI Players and related, so it's definitely worth searching all these out.

[David]

Reason, of course, has lots of great sound-producing tools and is an excellent, inventive, all-around DAW. But I'm currently resisting the temptation to explore those aspects of it, and focusing exclusively on the MIDI stuff, sending that out to my main DAW and all the plugins I'm used to there (Logic). Which really helps to narrow down the overwhelming options Reason offers! Plus, not hosting my VSTs in Reason seems to be much lighter on overall CPU.

Still, I'm beginning to also explore how using the Reason sequencer and the automation it offers, as well as how you can manipulate MIDI files looping or playing in the seq, can wonderfully expand the MIDI options.

My current favorite trainer for learning Reason is Paul Ortiz, who's got a good but small YT channel and some superb courses at Groove3:



The drum seq one is all about Players and MIDI, great stuff.

[Blaster]

Thanks David. I appreciate your contributions.

[Kalamata Kid]

Had always ignored Reason but now I am looking at it!

My expectations are very high for Architect so I suppose I am setting myself up for disappointment.

Development of Architect has been and still is very very slow. I would not have any expectations or "wait" for anything about it. I expect it will be very very good as the developer is motivated and careful, but I would not avoid buying a midiFX based on the idea that one day Architect will have a similar macro or easily reproduce that functionality.

There is a lot to explore already, particularly if you chain small programs together eg cracklefield is very powerful and can provide years of exploration if hooked in to simple filters and data thinners and arps etc

(to be fair to Architect, I do need to have another look at it, maybe there have been some strong improvements / macros etc in the last few months)

I must learn to be a bit more patient with the release date of Architect.

My partial midi to maybe buy list:
Will wait for Black Friday.
Midi Madness, MelodySauce, Autotonic, Stochas, Phrasendrescher, Midi Stream, Noatikl, Cthulhu, Orb Composer or Rapid Composer, Riffer and Architect. Let's not forget EzKeys suggested by David.

Must not forget to see what Reaktor has to offer.
Here is a KVR Midi list . https://www.kvraudio.com/plugins/window ... est/start0

Important to me is that the midi fx be MPE and multi-touch capable and friendly.

[Kalamata Kid]

I hope the following for Architect:
1. To include something similar to Cubase Logic Editor, Transformer, Input Transformer? That capability but easier to use.
2. Graphical Midi List Editor with sorting and to be fully editable.
3. Chord Progression Generator
4. Chord Progression Generator with real time user tweaking
5. Compositional tools
6. Musical Randomizers similar to Absynth’s Mutator https://www.soundonsound.com/reviews/na ... -absynth-5
7. Midi piano roll note and pattern painting, editing in the style of FL Studio.
8. X-Y pad. Perhaps several if multi-touch is available.
9. Multi-touch capable
10. Alternative Midi Keyboards. An example http://www.shapeofmusic.com/note-pattern.php
11. Many presets
12. Emulate some iPad midi apps, keyboard controller and midi fx. Invite the iPad midi app developers to contribute to Architect as free or paid plugins.

[Kalamata Kid]

I just came across "Studio One 4.5 Melody Hack Fill With Notes"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5vJh_Dzubww
Looks like it has some possibilities.
I wonder if can be used to create chord progressions.

More:
https://www.youtube.com/results?search_ ... te+actions

[David]

Midi Madness 3 is available for Windows and Mac. It is on sale for £46.95 GBP / $59.95 USD until September 7th, 2019.

[Kalamata Kid]

^^^
David,

I have seen it at $60 before. I am hoping for under $40 on Black Friday, but may consider 50.
I am partially hesitating buying it as Architect may have similar capabilities.

Do you have Midi Madness 3 and do like it?

[David]

No, I don't; it still seems too expensive at $60, even though it has some tempting tricks, even more so with ver 3.

[fairlyclose]

i had a play with midi madness and it did not suit me - on the other hand I bought b-step on sale and cant make head nor tail of it so my judgement is not of the highest order.