Operation Manual D Table of Contents 7 8 8 8 8 9 10 10 11 Common Operations and Concepts About this manual About this Chapter Conventions in the Manual Making Settings Tool Tips Context menus Undo Window Techniques 51 52 52 61 64 69 70 70 78 89 92 94 96 The Sequencer Introduction Sequencer basics Recording Recording automation About the toolbar About Snap Editing clips in Arrange mode The Edit mode Tool window - Tools page note editing functions Copying patterns to sequencer tracks Automating tempo and time signature Importing and Exporting MIDI Files 15 16 16 18 20 20 Audio basics About this chapter How Reason communicates with your audio hardware General Information PC Specific Information Mac Specific Information 97 98 98 102 104 106 107 The ReGroove Mixer Introduction The ReGroove Mixer Groove Settings Working with grooves Groovy tips & tricks The ReGroove patches in the Factory Sound Bank 21 22 22 26 29 32 33 Sounds, Devices and Patches Introduction Rack device procedures A Quick Note on Routing About patches About ReFills Using the Browser 109 Remote - Playing and controlling Reason devices 110 110 110 112 113 115 117 118 119 About the various MIDI inputs About Remote Setting up Remote basics Locking a surface to a device Remote Override Additional Remote Overrides... Keyboard Control Saving Remote Setups 45 46 46 47 48 49 Routing Audio and CV About the various signals that can be routed About Cables Automatic Routing Manual Routing Using CV and Gate 121 Advanced MIDI - the External Control Bus inputs 122 About the External Control Bus inputs 2 TABLE OF CONTENTS 123 Using Reason as a ReWire Slave 124 124 124 125 125 125 126 126 127 127 About this Chapter Why use Reason with ReWire? Introducing ReWire! Launching and Quitting Using the Transport and Tempo Controls Synchronization Routing Audio Routing MIDI via ReWire 2 Converting ReWire Channels to Audio Tracks Details About Various ReWire Hosts 149 Reason Hardware Interface 150 Introduction 150 MIDI In Device 150 Audio Out 151 The Combinator 152 152 153 153 155 156 157 157 158 Introduction Creating Combinator devices Combinator elements About internal and external connections Adding devices to a Combi Combi handling Sequencer tracks and playing Combis The Controller panel Using the Programmer 129 Synchronization 130 130 130 131 131 ReWire users ­ Read This! What is Synchronization and MIDI Clock? Slaving Reason to an External Device Slaving Reason to Another Program on the Same Computer Synchronization Considerations 163 The Mixer 164 164 166 166 166 166 167 168 Introduction The Channel Strip The Mixer signal flow About the EQ modes The Auxiliary Return Section The Master Fader Connections Chaining Mixers 133 Song File Handling 134 135 136 136 136 136 136 136 137 About Self-contained Songs Song Information Saving a Song Publishing a Song Opening a Song Closing a Song Creating a New Song Creating a Default Song Exporting as an Audio File 169 The Line Mixer 6:2 170 170 170 170 171 Introduction Channel parameters The Auxiliary Return Section Master level Connections 139 Optimizing Performance 140 140 141 142 143 Introduction Optimization and Output Latency Optimizing Your Computer System Optimizing Songs Songs and Memory Requirements 173 Redrum 174 174 175 176 180 183 183 Introduction About File Formats Using Patches Programming Patterns Redrum Parameters Using Redrum as a Sound Module Connections 145 Transport Panel 146 Overview TABLE OF CONTENTS 3 185 Subtractor Synthesizer 186 186 191 194 195 197 199 200 Introduction The Oscillator Section The Filter Section Envelopes - General LFO Section Play Parameters External Modulation Connections 255 NN-XT Sampler 256 256 257 258 259 260 261 263 264 266 267 270 271 272 274 275 276 277 284 Introduction Panel Overview Loading Complete Patches and REX Files Using the Main Panel Overview of the Remote Editor panel About Samples and Zones Selections and Edit Focus Adjusting Parameters Managing Zones and Samples Working with Grouping Working with Key Ranges Setting Root Notes and Tuning Using Automap Layered, Crossfaded and Velocity Switched Sounds Using Alternate Sample Parameters Group Parameters Synth parameters Connections 201 Thor Polysonic Synthesizer 202 202 203 204 216 221 224 Introduction Thor elements The Controller panel Using the Programmer Modulation bus routing section Step Sequencer Connections 225 Malström Synthesizer 226 227 229 230 234 236 238 239 Introduction The Oscillator section The Modulator section The Filter section Routing The play controls Connections Routing external audio to the filters 285 Dr. Rex Loop Player 286 286 287 288 289 290 294 Introduction About File Formats Adding a Loop Creating Sequencer Notes Slice Handling Dr.Rex Synth Parameters Connections 241 NN-19 Sampler 242 242 243 244 247 248 251 253 Introduction General Sampling Principles About Audio File Formats About Key Zones and Samples Automap Samples NN-19 Synth Parameters Play Parameters Connections 295 Matrix Pattern Sequencer 296 Introduction 297 Programming Patterns 303 Example Usage 305 RPG-8 Arpeggiator 306 306 309 313 314 Introduction Using the RPG-8 RPG-8 Parameters CV connections Tips and tricks 4 TABLE OF CONTENTS 315 ReBirth Input Machine 316 Introduction 316 Preparations 317 Routing 365 Menu and Dialog Reference 366 366 370 386 387 389 389 390 Reason Menu (Mac OS X) File Menu Edit Menu Create Menu Options Menu Window Menu (Windows Version) Window Menu (Mac OS Version) Help/Contacts Menu 319 BV512 Vocoder 320 321 323 324 325 326 326 Introduction Setting up for basic vocoding Using the BV512 as an equalizer BV512 parameters Connections Automation Tips and tricks 391 Index 333 The Effect Devices 334 335 335 336 337 339 339 344 351 352 353 353 356 357 358 358 359 360 361 Common Device Features The MClass effects The MClass Equalizer The MClass Stereo Imager The MClass Compressor The MClass Maximizer Scream 4 Sound Destruction Unit RV7000 Advanced Reverb RV-7 Digital Reverb DDL-1 Digital Delay Line D-11 Foldback Distortion ECF-42 Envelope Controlled Filter CF-101 Chorus/Flanger PH-90 Phaser UN-16 Unison COMP-01 Auto Make-up Gain Compressor PEQ-2 Two Band Parametric EQ Spider Audio Merger & Splitter Spider CV Merger & Splitter TABLE OF CONTENTS 5 6 TABLE OF CONTENTS 1 D Common Operations and Concepts About this manual This is the Reason Operation manual, where all aspects of the program is described in detail. The first chapters deal with general methods and techniques, e.g. how to route audio and how to handle patches etc. Then follows separate chapters for each Reason device. Making Settings Since a large part of Reason is laid out like a "real" effect and synth rack, almost all parameters are designed like their real world counterparts - mixer faders, synth knobs, transport buttons, etc. How to make adjustments to these is described separately for each type of parameter below: About this Chapter This chapter describes some general methods and techniques employed throughout Reason. It also contains some terminology, useful for better understanding of the program and the manual. To make your work with Reason as effective and rewarding as possible, we recommend that you read this chapter. Knobs To "turn" a knob, point at it, click the mouse button and drag up or down (as if the knob was a vertical slider). Dragging upwards turns the knob to the right and vice versa. D If you press [Shift] and drag, the knob will turn slower, allowing for higher precision. You can also adjust the knob precision with the "Mouse Knob Range" setting on the General page in the Preferences dialog. This dialog is opened from the Edit menu (or from the Reason menu if you are running Mac OS X). D To reset a knob to its default value (usually zero, center pan or similar), press [Command] (Mac) or [Ctrl] (Win) and click on it. Conventions in the Manual This manual describes both the Macintosh version and the Windows version of Reason. Wherever the versions differ, this is clearly stated in the text. About Key Commands In the manual, computer key commands are indicated by brackets. For example, "press [Shift]-[C]" would mean "hold down the [Shift] key and press the [C] key". However, some modifier keys are different on Mac and PC computers, respectively. Whenever this is the case, the manual separates the commands with "(Mac)" and "(Windows)" indications. Sliders To move a slider, click on the slider handle and drag up or down. D You can also click anywhere on the slider to instantly move the handle to that position. D If you press [Shift] and drag, the slider will move slower, allowing for higher precision. 8 COMMON OPERATIONS AND CONCEPTS Multi Mode Selectors Some parameters allow you to select one of several modes. There are two different graphical representations of this in Reason: This type of control is also used for some parameters that are not purely "numerical" (e.g. reverb algorithms and synth oscillator waveforms). D For the numerical position displays on the transport and in the Inspector (see page 74), values are changed in the same way, but you first select a value increment (e.g. bars or ticks) by clicking in the corresponding value field. Then you can change the value using the methods outlined previously. This type of multi mode selector consists of a button with the different modes listed above. You can either click the button to step through the modes or click directly on one of the modes to select it. The currently selected mode is indicated by a lit LED. · The position values on the transport panel can also be edited by double clicking and typing a new position. Song position and Left/Right locators This type of multi mode selector is a switch with more than two settings. To change mode, click and drag the switch, or click directly at the desired switch position (just as when adjusting a slider). Buttons On the transport panel there are numerical fields that display the song position (both in bars. beats, 1/16th notes and ticks as well as in hours, minutes, seconds and milliseconds), and the Left/Right locator positions. These all function similarly to other numerical values (spin controls or click-drag), but you make changes for one value at a time, e.g. to change the song position from 3.1.1.0 to 5.1.1.0 you click on the bar value and make the desired change. Many modes and functions are controlled by clicking buttons. Many of the buttons in Reason have a "built-in" LED or the button itself lights up, indicating whether the button is pressed or not. Tool Tips If you position the pointer over a parameter on a device panel and wait a moment, a tool tip will appear. This displays the name of the parameter and its current value. This helps you fine-tune settings, set several parameters to the same value, etc. Numerical Values In Reason, numerical values are displayed in alphanumeric readouts with "spin controls" (up/down arrow buttons) on the side. There are two ways to change numerical values: D By using the up and down buttons on the spin controls. To adjust a value in single steps, click on its up or down arrow button. To scroll a value continuously, click on an arrow button and keep the mouse button pressed. D By clicking in the actual alphanumeric display and dragging up or down with the mouse button pressed. This allows you to make coarse adjustments very quickly. You can turn off these tool tips by deactivating the option "Show Parameter Value Tool Tip" on the Preferences-General page. COMMON OPERATIONS AND CONCEPTS 9 Context menus Context menus are "tailored" to contain the relevant menu items only, allowing you to work quicker and more efficiently with Reason. D To bring up a context menu, click with the right mouse button (Windows) or press [Ctrl] and click (if using a single button mouse on Mac). If you are using a Mac with a two button mouse, you may want to set this up so that clicking the right mouse button generates a [Ctrl]-click. This way, you can right-click to bring up context menus. · Functions for associating computer keyboard commands and/or MIDI messages to the parameter (allowing you to remote control parameters from a MIDI device or the computer keyboard). "Empty Rack" Context Menus If you click in an empty section of the rack, the context menu will contain the following items: · A Paste Device item, allowing you to paste any copied or cut devices into the rack. · A duplicate of the Create menu, allowing you to create new devices. Sequencer Context Menus If you click in the sequencer, the context menu will contain items related to editing tracks, clips and events. The available items will differ depending on in which area or lane you click (Track list, Key Edit lane, etc.), and depending on whether you click on an event or not. For example, the sequencer context menus contain functions for inserting or removing bars, deleting tracks, changing or deleting events ...