REASON FRIGGIN ROCKS!!!

[Jeremy_NSL]

Also, Have you ever tried understanding what the f**k is going on in a song after coming back to it a few months later -err, how the f**k is that connected up then???

Damn right. I just looked at an old unfinished Reason project and thought the exact same thing: What seems like at least 100 devices, unorganized and not named properly - THEN rewired into Tracktion and automated by midi CC in there as well as in the Reason sequencer. I have a feeling this one will stay unfinished...

But on the other hand, if you are careful and organize and name your rack devices properly you can have a relatively simple setup in Reason. It just requires more effort.

[headquest]

I can see why you would be frustrated, and why you may have attributed this problem to Reason.

He didn't. Nor did I. Nor has anyone who has so far posted. Have you been defending reason for too long?

quite probably! [perhaps they should pay me ]

[Warmonger]

I can confirm that the problem with stereo outs is with Sonar and Cubase. However, it's not entirely their fault. Reason could very easily tell the Rewire master to make stereo channels from each pair of outputs, but it doesn't. Most other Rewire slaves do.

The organization problem can be greatly relieved by the Combinator.

[UltraJv]

The synths in Reason are ok, outstanding is a bit of an overstatement. Personally, Ive always found them a bit thin and uninspiring.

[headquest]

I can confirm that the problem with stereo outs is with Sonar and Cubase. However, it's not entirely their fault. Reason could very easily tell the Rewire master to make stereo channels from each pair of outputs, but it doesn't.

One of Reason's strengths is the insane modular configurations you can come with, and I think it is intentional that this is reflected in the open-ended nature of the hardware interface. But the result is that you have to "pick up the pieces" in the ReWire host application... and those with good ReWire implementation allow you to do this. It's a shame that Cubase and Sonar don't, and like I said I'm surprised because they are both fine pieces of software in so many other ways.

Most other Rewire slaves do.

Just out of interest, which ones?

So far as I can tell there are only half a dozen ReWire slave applications out there (Reason, Live, FL, Orion, P5 and now Acid 5).

When you load Live as a ReWIre client/slave it seems to disable VSTs (doh - how annoying is that?!) and you can only wire up the aux busses or master out into the ReWire host. Personally I think that's crummy - or am I missing something?

From playing with the demo, FL seems to
handle ReWire in a fairly straight-forward way, although it seems prone to crashing/freezing up when in ReWire slave mode. Although perhaps that's just the demo version...

Are you familiar with the others?

[Warmonger]

Here's a list of all the Rewire slaves I know of (in no particular order):

Reason
Live
Storm*
P5*
FL*
Orion*
Acid 5
VSampler 3
DFH Superior
Rebirth (ReWire 1 only)

* indicates that I know for sure that they have multiple stereo outs. The others I haven't tested, but aside from Reason, I think they all have at least more than one stereo out.

I do wish that Cubase and Sonar had better Rewire implementations, but unfortunately, they aren't alone. I'd say it's a 50/50 split between ones that do it properly (e.g. Tracktion) and ones that don't (e.g. Sonar).

[hefty]

Alot of music that makes it 'on the charts' has variations of a few bpms between verse and chorus.

Perhaps I am missing it, but where is the tempo map in Reason (and is there even one in the upcoming version?). The tempo map issue precludes Reason's standalone use in Rock and some other styles of music.

As a loop creation tool Reason is interesting. Driving Reason from a tempo definable sequencing host works, yet the inability to do Reason synth program changes with midi commands is limiting.

Like a lot of hardware synths, without patching up the effects, lots of the Reason synths are lackluster and thin. Quite useful are the synths in the world that sound fat with effects either on or off.

[Warmonger]

There is no tempo/time sig automation built into Reason, and there won't be in 3.0 either.

[headquest]

Here's a list of all the Rewire slaves I know of (in no particular order):

Reason
Live
Storm*
P5*
FL*
Orion*
Acid 5
VSampler 3
DFH Superior
Rebirth (ReWire 1 only)

* indicates that I know for sure that they have multiple stereo outs. The others I haven't tested, but aside from Reason, I think they all have at least more than one stereo out.

I do wish that Cubase and Sonar had better Rewire implementations, but unfortunately, they aren't alone. I'd say it's a 50/50 split between ones that do it properly (e.g. Tracktion) and ones that don't (e.g. Sonar).

Thanks Warmonger - that's an interesting list, and a couple there I simply forgot (how could I possibly have fogotten ReBirth though - the original ReWire app ).

As an aside, ...Because I rather like Adobe Audition (understatement ) which is a ReWire host and offers awesome audio, I looked for a MIDI environment (with VST) that I could use as a ReWIre client within AA... and settled on Live. But because Live disables VSTs when in slave mode I wasted my time ( will have to try harder with the demos next time ). Anyways, I ended up just rendering in Live 4 (at a mere 24-bit... all Live can handle ) and then importing to AA to master.

All in all a failed venture then, but a lesson learnt. Never fall for hype.

Thank goodness Tracktion 2 is coming. If it had been hear just a few months sooner I would never have thought to look elsewhere. It feels great to be back using such a well programmed application

[gizmo]

Couple things: I used to think Subtractor was "thin" etc. but then I started tweaking pre-sets more and especially tweaking the newer user pre-sets and it can get pretty interesting. I mean, it's surprised me. Also agree that Reason requires lots of pre-thought and have started saving various racks for various song types. You CAN change the tempo using the Change Events thingy: the more you do it, the easier it gets although -- again -- knowing ahead of time and planning it all via grouping makes things much quicker.
The thing I love is being able to pile tracks on and then edit, um, subtractively, from as many as thirty. This on a computer that can maybe do five serious instances of z3ta in Traction. I like a layered sound and find that simpler pre-sets tend to work with one another better than the more impressive type A pre-sets. I think this is the idea, that it's one giant set of possibilities. Hit tab, start fiddling with routing, check out the Peff book, there's a lot to mess around with. I don't think its perfect by any means but I just get more done in it. Still, I'm going to get T2!

[Shamanix]

Well even if they never add VST(i) support, I WANT ALIAS-FREE OSCILLATORS !!!! I hope Propellerheads is reading this ! Maybe in version 10.0 ?

[Warmonger]

If you want to get rid of aliasing, just run Reason at 96khz. It's not eliminated completely, but it definitely sounds better. And even if you can't run in real-time, you can always export at 24/96. This works quite well for eliminating aliasing for other apps as well.

[BONES]

Why is this in the "Hosts" forum? It can't host jack-shit.

[ObsoleteAcc99]

[DELETED]

[BONES]

... when mostly all you do is give me a laugh when I look to see what this week's fad is with you. Any plans on sticking with something for more than a few weeks?