Reason for using Reason

[92_]

I know for a fact that there's alot of people out there that's doggin' Reason, "it's an amateur program" and all of that shit...

See, I had a theory about that. The idiots i speak of is more than likely the ones to stupid to understand the fact that your music won't get all that great if you do whatever everybody else does...They've probably cracked open their recent purhase in hopes for a packed sample library with top knotch shit. It ain't like that...and here's finally something to prove my point. No body will listen to a guy like me from a remote place like where I live, but the guy in this link will probably make you thing twice about shooting off your mouth and turning down a great program. Oh...and my point being...It's "just" a sequencer, you need to fetch the samples and develope your own sound...cause everybody else with Reason has all the samples you have...and please grow a brain as well.

Tommy Coster on Reason

-Nito

[onlydude]

Great thread 92. Thanks for posting this.
I recently got myself a copy of reason to try out. Been having a bit of trouble getting used to everything it has to offer. Does anyone have any books about reason/hip-hop production that they recommend?

[Chris Shaeffer]

People are slamming Reason? Why? Reason is one of the most feature-full synth programs out there

If its amature becasue its not the real hardware it emulates, then Pro Tools amature, too. (Which some people do believe.)

Onlydude, did your copy come with a manual? Mine came with a printed manual and (I think) PDF's. Its pretty good. Good place to start, anyway.

Take care,
Chris

[BEATMAKERS]

yea i had it loved it but neva got over the learning curve because my pc was shit and couldnt handle the stuff i wanted to do

[Fieva]

Reason is the shit...hands down. The learning curve can take a while and you may notice that throughout it your style of making beats will improve.

[92_]

onlydude: It can get pretty overwhelming with all the stuff in Reason, but just start small. That way you'll learn the basics and when your comfortable with that start messing around with the different units to spice things up with controll.

Chris: The only reason I think they're slammin' Reason is that they expect the program to come packed with great samples off the shelf. They've probably bought it/downloaded it and just tried it with the samples that comes with it, and they're probably not all that skillfull so they really wouldn't ever find a program that's "good"...


Reason does have a rather steep learning curve. I remember when I first got myself a copy of Reason. It was the first release (Reason 1) I had it for about a week, opened it up a couple of times every day, but everytime I ended up closing the program cause it was to complex (and at this time I didn't even think about the cable mess behind the rack). The week went by and I decided to learn it, so I did, but it took some time. I started simple to learn the basics, and that has payed off in the end.

-Nito

[rnb259]

And that is equipment made to evolve with time. See maybe i can say reasons learning curve wasn't the bad for me because i used fruity loops to the piont i had it all down pat, but i wanted more. Now i don't wanna start no rumors that im a pirate software guy who feeds off those lowly programers in the wee hours they spend developing . My first copy of reason was from a friend of mine who also had fruity but wanted more out of it, he needed that extra that fruity just wasn't giving him. So he copped reason on the strength of word of mouth(being that reason is fruity's only real competitor) and loved it. He gave me his copy to use and i instatnly fell in love with reasons fully functional sequencer and ability to automate (how did i live without such things in the past) along with the ability to fully control EVERYTHING, and i do mean everything!

Now like i said im not a pirate, so when reason 3 came out i was more than gladly willing to part with my hard earned money and buy that bad boy, it was a very happy day in my apartment may i add. But i think if you have the time to you should definitely learn reason, even if your a fruity user, because one little fact that fruity users neglect to mention is that reason and fruity can be rewired together and though i don't do that any more it sure was fun using fruity's drums (i still love them) and reasons sounds to make that perfect beat.

p.s.- till i found how to make reason do everything, now im just spoiled!

[ethos]

Reason is a god send.
i love it. its everything i need to make beats.

[onlydude]

Yeah, that is one of the reasons that I picked up reason after just having fruity loops. I just felt like i needed something more. :-)

Do you guys use any hardware/control surfaces to contorl reason? Which do you use?
I'm currently just using an old yamaha keyboard with a MIDI cable.

[rnb259]

I got a radium 61 made by m-audio, its beautiful!

Its a 61 key keyboard plus has octave buttons so u can go up or down 3 whole octaves from watever you are playing!

but the real reason i brought it was for the knobs and sliders
they come in handy too, especially wen your mixing in a hurry!

[92_]

When it comes to the hardware department I'm sad to say that I'm lacking. I don't have the thing I want, but I still get things done so I guess I shouldn't complain about anything hehe I just have an old midiboard (61 keys)with a couple of broken keys (I guess that makes it a 59 key...) and a MIDI cable

I'm expecting a rather huge cashflow within the next 2 months so I'll be shopping for some hardware then. I'm planning on getting a triggerfinger and a fitting midiboard. It would be really usefull to have some knobs and faders in Reason, it simplifies alot of the tasks often use.

-Nito

[onlydude]

Originally Posted by 92_

When it comes to the hardware department I'm sad to say that I'm lacking. I don't have the thing I want, but I still get things done so I guess I shouldn't complain about anything hehe I just have an old midiboard (61 keys)with a couple of broken keys (I guess that makes it a 59 key...) and a MIDI cable

I'm expecting a rather huge cashflow within the next 2 months so I'll be shopping for some hardware then. I'm planning on getting a triggerfinger and a fitting midiboard. It would be really usefull to have some knobs and faders in Reason, it simplifies alot of the tasks often use.

-Nito

Yeh it would be a lot easier to have nobs instead of doing everything with a mouse, Let me know what you get :-)

[jugalo180]

i have the M-audio Radium 49 midi keyboard also. it is very cool the way the faders and knobs controll the interface in reason.

[92_]

I used to work without a midiboard. I had it...I used it as a dustcollector...then I felt the urge to hook it up again, and right about now I can't imagine what it would be like to not have it anymore. I get alot more creative when I've got keys in front of me, and if I had some knobs &faders as well I can imagine it would have the same effect.

-Nito

[ethos]

i use the Korg microKONTROL.
works great. Reason 3 recognized it instantly.
it also has pads which are great for using with the redrum.

EDIT: the keys are smaller, which took some getting used to. but after a few days with it, it was no problem. i actually prefer the small keys now.

[Fieva]

I'm using a Roland XP-10 as a midi controller for the PC and then an Oxygen8 for the laptop. I really don't see me going anywhere else buy controllers. I thought about the triton or fantom, but with the racks that are out for them...why even go that route. I could pay and get them both for what I would probably be spending on just one of the keyboards....and I can use the same keyboard for both of them.

[Pinachi]

Me no likie reason.Maybe to use as a tool,but not use it for the whole music production.

I really felt limited with it just like the frooty loops.

[Hi_D_Ho_Man]

I used Reason Adapted for the sort time that i had the Digi002r. I the basics simple enuff. i didn't get into the spider and all that. I think its dope standalone, or rewired

[onlydude]

Originally Posted by ethos

i use the Korg microKONTROL.
works great. Reason 3 recognized it instantly.
it also has pads which are great for using with the redrum.

EDIT: the keys are smaller, which took some getting used to. but after a few days with it, it was no problem. i actually prefer the small keys now.

Ethos, that thing looks awesome, like an all in one reason workstation. A few questions if you dont mind answering-

Is this a device that meets all of your needs? What I'm trying to say is if I purchased this would it be an all in one device instead of buying mutiple items (like the Trigger finger, and something to control the nobs)? Have you had any trouble with it?

I am prety short with space so this looks great for someone like myself!


Weight: 2.6kg/5.73 lbs. Thats less than half the size of the bulky keyboard im using now!!!

[ethos]

no problem...

the only problem ive had with it, was setting the velocity for the pads.
(but ill be the first to admit i didnt try more than twice) i got used to adjusting the level of the drums triggered with the pads manually. no big deal.

other than that, its been flawless. Reason recognizes it instantly.
when you select a machine in Reason (NN-XT etc...) Reason assigns tasks to each knob and fader. (one controls volume, one controls delay, one controls release etc...)
and you dont have to program any of it in. after a day, i had memorized which fader did what and didnt need to look at the LCDs anymore.

it does everything i need it for. you wont need anything els.

it is small and compact, but not enough to annoy you.
when i first pulled it out, it was a tiny bit dissapointed with the size,but after using it for a day, im happy its as small as it it.
(like i said, i prefer its small keys now)

it dosnt have as many keys as a full size controller, but it has octave buttons, so you can switch up and down.

i highly reccomend it. it works great.

if you have any more questions, just PM me.

.peace.

(sorry for spelling errors, im in a hurry)

[Jbangz]

whoever doggs reason is crazy im not gonna say much i use it an ill compare my beats to anyone in the world

[Trumpspade]

Originally Posted by Jbangz

whoever doggs reason is crazy im not gonna say much i use it an ill compare my beats to anyone in the world

I got Reason too, so you won't hear complaints from me. But let us hear some of those bangers you got homie! Shit, you're talking comparison worldwide? Hit me off! Your shit must be butter! Yup - Yup

[Fieva]

Supposedly there's a refill that takes the Triton board and spreads it out across the refill. Also there's one for the Fantom. I have demos for both and the sounds are nice. There's rumor of a Triton Extreme refill too. Man that just reinforces my idea to get those racks and add those into my arsenal. I'd be unstoppable.

[BeatsBuY]

For us, Reason 3.0 is the hottest software right now. Now, don't get me wrong, you have to know how to use it or you can make some weak beats. The whole thing is knowing how to use your tools. You can even make hot beats on Fruity Loops! If you know how to use a program to it's max, you got it.

It's like a studio having $millons$ in gear, but if no one knows how to use it, that gear is useless!

Perfect your craft...

[crunkthanamug]

Reason is all you need.........................................once you buy like 10 sample cds! LOL But i still love it though. Sometimes I just show it off to people -- they get blown away by the cables... It really pays to have a full-size controller though, so you can just play naturally (a 1-take performance) without having to shift octaves. I think software in general gets hated on. Not because of its own capabilities (or lack thereof), but because its so affordable. Now everyone and they mama can buy a soft synth and call themselves "producers." And its true a lot of these people are wack, just listen to soundclick. (but i wont speak on that... ) Hardware doesnt guarantee success, and neither does software. If you "got it" you "got it," and you'll show it no matter what format you use. I just say let the finished product speak for itself... All these haters prolly couldnt even tell the difference between a hardware and software version of the same beat! When someone hates on my setup, i tell 'em when they can make something better maybe I'll listen.