Am I rubbish, or is Reason holding me back?

Your software is simply a palette for your ideas. If you aren't getting the results you want it is more likely you and not the software because a lot of people are making great dub step with every daw out there. That said I use Reason and Ableton and its a great combination they compliment each other well. Thor is one of my favorite synths and I like all of my old Reason libraries that I have and I really like the vsts that I have too and it gives me the opportunity to use and have everything I want without worrying about the limitation of not having access to VSTs, Hardware or Rack Extensions.
 
A lot of people will probably disagree but once I transitioned from Reason to FL Studio, I felt like I just improved much faster. Sure you can make beats in anything but FL Studio was just more comfortable for me and the workflow made more sense compared to Reason so I think it allowed me to advance a lot faster.
 
Thanks, Xabiton. I've been off this forum for a while so hope I'm not too late to reply. Today I purchased Reason 6.5, and await it's arrival. It could be several days which is killing me. I decided to because right from the off, I only wondered whether Reason was at a disadvantage to the sort of sounds I was after, but at the end of the day I really wanted to stick with it because it's so familiar to me. I didn't ever like using Rewire with other DAWS, as it's not only double money for the legit software, but I have also experienced sync issues personally. That said, I'm from more of a musical background than a production one, and Reason's sequencer is where I'm most comfortable. I'm really excited at the prospect of the rack extensions. There are one or two I'm already thinking are a must have, but I'll have a few threads to create before I buy!

Danny, thanks but just how little initiative do you think I have? I live and breathe tutorial videos, and study sound production at college. If you can recommend a particular tutorial relevant to what I asked, that might be more helpful than six words after two full pages of well thought out responses.

I quite like this guy: Why Reason Sucks - YouTube
 
Blue Eclipse is a good guy with a great head on his shoulders. I have had a few convos with him. I think I even talked with him in the comments of that video.
 
Big Krit uses Reason (mixes in PT though), Kuddie Fresh from Tha Bizness uses it too (I do guitar for him). Also Josh Mobley who I think is probably one of the best Reason users in the world, that guy creates ridiculous records with it spanning different genres. Of course, with Ableton, you can run some crazy plugins in there like Zebra that I dont think Reason touches yet (hopefully we get a Rack Extension for them) and I'm a HEAVY reason user. Best thing IMO to do is use Ableton and rewire Reason in or if you dig the Rack Extensions that you can apply to audio, just use Reason standalone. It is more than capable of creating amazing stuff.
 
All reason. 3 version.

ReDrum is a fool............best drum sequencer for patterns IMO. People will argue that FLs dot connector thingy (whatever it is called) is better.....IDK.....but.....you can make some great drum patterns in ReDrum if you don't use it in a "traditional" way.



I had R3.......I use Essentials now. All the stuff in 6.5 is not impressive to me......except the transpose. But I'm sure there will be Rack Extensions with all I need.....just not now yet. I like Predator RE.......great RE right there. I still rather mix and edit some more in Cubase though. Ozone RE is good........not good enough for what I'm used to.
 
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I am new to reason, I am using version 4, and I purchased a midi controller(korgnanokey2) I started creating melodies and tracking drums with it but they just dont seem to be on beat. Any suggestions?
 
practice practice practice - your playing will get there eventually.

In the meantime you use the grid quantise to nudge things onto the beat or half beat or whatever
 
I think people are overlooking another aspect here.

Different programs have different functionality and workflow. While Dubstep can be done in Reason, another program may give him a better feel and more ease for his exact methods of creating music.

Example...I love reason to death...but but when I sample in Reason, I have to...

1. Load the track into Pro Tools to chop, timestretch and pitch shift, then export/bounce down.
2. Load the .wav/aif into NNXT multiple times to be effected different ways and set different start points.

Not hard at all, but others will come up with 50 other ways to do the same task including use of Recycle, Rewiring and leaving the sample playing inside a DAW, using the timestretch and audio editing functions in an Audio Clip inside Reason. Use prior step, export and reimport into the NNXT since I like it so much. None of these ways are "better than mine' for me.

That concept can pass on to use of another Program making things easier...because in FL, I just edit in Edison and time strch/pitch shift in my audioclip. Never have to rely on another software for anything whatsoever. Again, others may edit before loading into FL. Use FL Slicer instead of Audio Clips, ect. ect. ect.

Ultimately I'm saying, even though I enjoy both, and can get the same results doing both, sampling on FL is waaaaayyyyyyy easier for me. If I never used FL before Reason, I would've overlooked the importance of timestretched samples in developing my ways of doing things and would've excluded this key factor in my sound out of lack of knowledge it existed.

It can go vice versa as well. Reason(Redrum) has taught me alot about drum tweaking that I've taken back to FL. It's also taught me you can get good realistic basslines out of a good sampler patch. I never woulda learned that in Boobass and 3xosc.

But hear me out, Maybe, just maybe(and I'm not trying to challenge prior statements because I agree the tools don't make the producer) if the OP switched software, he'd find functionality and workflow that he's feeling he's missing right now.

I mean, that's the reason i switch software, speakers, move around my room, bring out/put up gear ect. every few months. A new environment can spawn new creativity. In that case, I'd agree it's time for the OP to move away from Reason to something else, so he can learn new approaches that will come in handy when he get's bored with his new choice and returns to Reason in a new perspective. Could be in a few months, maybe a year, maybe even never if he falls in love with his new approach, but nothing wrong with options.
 
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I am new to reason, I am using version 4, and I purchased a midi controller(korgnanokey2) I started creating melodies and tracking drums with it but they just dont seem to be on beat. Any suggestions?

After you record in the notes, right click on the clip of notes and select 'quantize notes'. Alternatively, there is a button on the transport section (play stop etc) that has a button called 'Q rec'. This button when enabled will automatically quantize anything you record TO MIDI. So long as you have played relatively in time, the notes should now also be in time. If they are in time with each other, but not on beat with the click track, just move the clip's position until you get it right.

Additionally, if your drums aren't in time you might want to use Redrum to sequence them. Never fails.

---------- Post added at 05:36 PM ---------- Previous post was at 05:20 PM ----------

I think people are overlooking another aspect here.



But hear me out, Maybe, just maybe(and I'm not trying to challenge prior statements because I agree the tools don't make the producer) if the OP switched software, he'd find functionality and workflow that he's feeling he's missing right now.

I mean, that's the reason i switch software, speakers, move around my room, bring out/put up gear ect. every few months. A new environment can spawn new creativity. In that case, I'd agree it's time for the OP to move away from Reason to something else, so he can learn new approaches that will come in handy when he get's bored with his new choice and returns to Reason in a new perspective. Could be in a few months, maybe a year, maybe even never if he falls in love with his new approach, but nothing wrong with options.

Cheers for replying. See as far as workflow goes in Reason, I love it. I feel like quite an experienced user now, but I have since addressed the problem with getting big punchy bassy dubstep in reason as being the fact I mix/monitor/master on headphones, and not particularly flat ones either. I think once I get a set of monitors I'll do better. In any case, I don't mind how hard I would need to work for it, if it can be done in Reason, that's where I want to do it. REEEEASSSSOON! <3
 
^^^In that case, my prior post is irrelevant to your situation, and I'd say it's worth upgrading to Reason 6.5 for you. Reasons why....

1. More racks/effects. Newer stuff like the Audio timestretch features, Pulveriser and Alligator(check them out)will add to your workflow especially in a field like Dubstep.

2. Audio Recording. This will come in handy for adding SFX, Samples, quick vocals, even live instrumentation over the top of your tracks when needed.

3. More mixing functionality. "Better" is an opinion, but if you're in the learning process, I'd think it would be worth learning the interface and mixing functionality of 6 over versions before it. Way more tool to fit the "in the box" producer. And if you're doing Dubstep, there's no reason your finished track shouldn't be leaving the program it's made in ready to be burned to a CD and played as a finalized song.

But as I read more in depth with your questioning, I have to say, even an earlier version of Reason comes out the box with all the tools you need to make dubstep that mirrors the quality and sound of everything else being commercially released. You just have to learn your tools enough to acheive the sound you're persuing.
 
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^^^In that case, my prior post is irrelevant to your situation, and I'd say it's worth upgrading to Reason 6.5 for you. Reasons why....


I thought I had mentioned already that I did buy Reason 6.5? It's awesome. I have a thread up looking for help time stretching in fact but nobody could help. I think I need a better base knowledge of stereo imaging and mid side mastering in Reason though. I find myself duplicating tracks and panning them left and right to try and increase the width but as far as the concept of a stereo image goes, I definitely struggle.
 
I thought I had mentioned already that I did buy Reason 6.5? It's awesome. I have a thread up looking for help time stretching in fact but nobody could help. I think I need a better base knowledge of stereo imaging and mid side mastering in Reason though. I find myself duplicating tracks and panning them left and right to try and increase the width but as far as the concept of a stereo image goes, I definitely struggle.

I ginuinely apologize. I respond in way too many threads and confused a few factors in yours with another member wondering if he should upgrade from 5 to 6. I should have re-read the original post before responding, but busy thinking I got the right answer without completely adressing the question asked. My fault. :cheers:

I suggest you focusing on ways you can manipulate reason into a tool that gives you your own distinctive sound through tricks you create on your own. There's tools within the program that can give you a signature dubstep sound. I'd suggest delving into every device before you even look into too many Refills and Rack extensions.

If you want to look into Refills that can help polish your sound, for dubstep, i'd have to suggest giving a thorough look at Pink Noise Refills. They're better than most sampler plug ins for synths I've encountered. I do however prefer the sound of program synths over sampled ones, but PinkNoise comes close. ReasonBanks

Accompany that with a few synths inside Malstrom, Thor, or even the NN19 and effects like Pulveriser and the RPG-8, and you can get crazy synths going.
 
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I went through the same hurdles my dude..

You gotta get on youtube, research, LEARN and make it happen..

I use FL studio predominately now, but I still love Reason for the sounds. If its not sounding right, start tweaking!
 
I use reason and i find at times that sense of being limited but really its down to my musical knowledge reason can do everything you think it can i even have logic and maschine but i still make everything in reason just more knowledge and time and you wont even care what your using
 
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