if your writing dance based tunes then i think reason is perfect. having said that though im writing acoustic guitar, piano, etc. type stuff and am getting good results by hooking it up to cubase sx. i have a mate who plays drums so i throw his samples in the dr rex and it sounds just like hes in the room, if you dont have this option you could buy some sample cds. i also use it to fatten out songs, adding bits of malstrom here and there, some nn-xt piano etc. i must admit though that at first it did sound rubbish, but im afraid that there arent any shortcuts, personally id rather be stuck behind a piano than a pc but this is the only way i can do what i want to do. good luck.