Reason Question - Huge Noob.

bennnib

New member
So im about to get into beat making, have been looking at it for ages, and iv got a massively noob question about Reason. Everywhere i look on this forum it talks about using Reason with another programe (preferbily Live or Cubase for me), but my question is why does everyone use Reason with another programe? And what is this stuff about Rewiring? Cheers :)
 
I'm not a reason user but I know of two reasons. People use Reason with other DAWs to be able to incorporate virtual instruments and/or software effects in their productions. Reason doesn't support vstis. Second, to track out the beat. It's not something most people new to beat making would be concerned about but the topic will come up when you start working with artists recording over your beats and wanting to have them professionally mixed by an audio engineer.
 
Right so why do most people i see insist on using Reason with Live or Cubaase, instead of just using them without Reason? Like what benefits does it provide?
 
Some ppl don't like the sequencer, some ppl don't like mixing in reason, etc etc. Like P said if you were to rewire to another DAW like Live, Cubase, Logic etc you would be able to use vsti's and some ppl only use Reason for it's synthesizers and stuff.
 
i really can't answer that fully because I don't use anything, but Reason. Self efficiently depends on what you are looking for....all the daws you & I listed can do basically anything you want,


but


if you want some popular vsts' like iztope (mixing), minimoog, etc etc Reason can't use those. We do have an equivalent though called refills.
 
For making beats you will not need other programs. But you will need a DAW when you will want to record your vocals for example or if you need a spesific plugin.

Why use reason when you can do everything with cubase? I think this is because reason has a unique interface and workflow. It works like you think it works. You need a sound? so you add a device. You need to modify that sound you plugin another device. So simple and fun playing with the devices in order to get unique sounds.

You will read and find too many software and plugins. You will need a lifetime to try them all and you will get broke if you buy them. Just stick to one, start getting into the production and let your needs guide you to what you might need more.
 
Why use reason when you can do everything with cubase?

Workflow. Main thing about Reason is that it is an integrated system, every device is designed to work with the main interface. Biggest Reason advantage


On VST host, sometimes the VST's interface will seem totally different from the host itself. Where do you go to browse for patches? Where are the common synth parameters like Filters, Amp Env, LFO's? Can you assign an LFO to the oscillator 1 without breaking a sweat? What are the common key commands for that device? Does your host even support VST key commands? How do you set up your keyboard controller to automatically map to important parameters on the VST? How do you handle automation of the VST's parameters? Can you sample inside the "samplers"?


A lot of that CAN be done in VSTs but my point is for each new VST you buy or download, you will have to learn a totally new interface (especially if you are going from manufacturer to manufacturer). This means a huge new learning curve depending on the complexity of the plug-in. Yeah, sure so and so synth is more powerful than Reason's Thor, but do you know how to use it and utilize that power, or even want to learn?

Another thing is stability. Usually around a major new version release of a DAW or VST, things can get pretty buggy (especially concerning incompatibilities between DAWs and VSTs). Reason's bugs are usually very minor and usually works like a charm when you get frustrated with your brand new DAW major release version. And Reason rarely crashes.

That said a DAW is important for Reason when it comes to mixing and recording audio, but something like Cubase isn't necessary (if you are strapped for cash).

I recommend a program called Reaper. It has an uncrippled demo (about the best demo I've seen for any commercial program, no restrictions). If you want to buy the program, the license is only like $40 (on sale right now) for a non commercial user (non business owner who makes more than $20000 a year from music). Even if you were a commercial user the price is still about half that of normal DAW big versions.

The audio recording and mixing functionality is SUPERB! It even does some things better than its higher priced competitors. Midi though is its lagging point but the midi isn't really as bad as you would think, just not as advanced as something you would get from Cubase or Sonar.
 
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So would you be able to just use cubase, live, logic etc just by them self efficiently?

Of course. Especially Logic. Logic has an amazing assortment of instruments, fx, presets, etc, etc. And with all of that, Logic is amazingly efficient. Reason is basically a rack of synths, sampler, etc, with a really basic sequencer tacked on. It lacks all the audio recording, editing, mangling features common in other programs. So, the easiest way to look at Reason is as, "some extra synths for your sequencer". You connect them via Rewire. But if you have a sequencer that already has all of that stuff, (Logic has it in abundance) then the only reason to use Reason would be maybe if there's something particular in Reason that you can't find anywhere else. One such thing that people commonly talk about as being very unique is the Scream distortion effect in Reason. I also agree that it is unique among software distortion effects. Of course, each sequencer has a range of unique features not found elsewhere, and Reason has other features that are cool. But to kind of condense the whole thing down, the best "all in one" in my opinion is Logic. Now, I'm a Cubase guy. I find Logic to be too illogical for my tastes. I actually do own Logic Studio 8. But Cubase does it for me. It is not very good about providing great instruments but I like the sequencing and the logic matches my own way of thinking. But you do need to bring your own instruments. But I would absolutely love to have all of Logic's content inside Cubase.
 
I use Reason for the metric ton of great sounds. But the workflow for laying a track down has just never clicked for me in Reason, so I tend to program the MIDI in Live then just route that to Reason. It was a bit tedious when I was first working it out, but "Save as default set" and some experience has made it just another part of my process.
 
Of course. Especially Logic. Logic has an amazing assortment of instruments, fx, presets, etc, etc. And with all of that, Logic is amazingly efficient. Reason is basically a rack of synths, sampler, etc, with a really basic sequencer tacked on. It lacks all the audio recording, editing, mangling features common in other programs. So, the easiest way to look at Reason is as, "some extra synths for your sequencer". You connect them via Rewire. But if you have a sequencer that already has all of that stuff, (Logic has it in abundance) then the only reason to use Reason would be maybe if there's something particular in Reason that you can't find anywhere else. One such thing that people commonly talk about as being very unique is the Scream distortion effect in Reason. I also agree that it is unique among software distortion effects. Of course, each sequencer has a range of unique features not found elsewhere, and Reason has other features that are cool. But to kind of condense the whole thing down, the best "all in one" in my opinion is Logic. Now, I'm a Cubase guy. I find Logic to be too illogical for my tastes. I actually do own Logic Studio 8. But Cubase does it for me. It is not very good about providing great instruments but I like the sequencing and the logic matches my own way of thinking. But you do need to bring your own instruments. But I would absolutely love to have all of Logic's content inside Cubase.

Thanks explained it the most clearest
 
Thanks explained it the most clearest

If you are an avid Reason user, you will find Record the most logical and efficient in your workflow. you will, however, have to assign mix channels to everything you'll want to track out, but it's a small price to pay. Anything else is going to come with a learning curve.
 
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