, English

, Getting Started
stand-alone music production instrument
, 14 Channel Expandable Mixer , Analog Polysynth , Graintable Polysynth , Digital Samplers , Mastering Tools , REX-loop Player , Drum Machine , ReBirth Input Device , Multiple Effects Processors , Combinator Device , Shelving and Parametric EQs , Master Song Sequencer , Pattern Sequencer , 64 Channel Audio Output , 64 Channel ReWire Output , 512 Band Vocoder , CV Processing Tools , Full Automation , Total Recall
Operation Manual by Synkron: Anders Nordmark
The information in this document is subject to change without notice and does not represent a commitment on the part of Propellerhead Software AB. The software described herein is subject to a License Agreement and may not be copied to any other media expect as specifically allowed in the License Agreement. No part of this publication may be copied, reproduced or otherwise transmitted or recorded, for any purpose, without prior written permission by Propellerhead Software AB. Note: Trademarks referred to within the Reason product are the property of their respective trademark holders. None of these trademarks holders are affiliated with Propellerhead Software AB or our products. The referrals to these trademarks do not in any way constitute trademark use. Nor does the use of these trademarks intend to explore the goodwill associated with these trademarks. C 2005 Propellerhead Software and its licensors. All specifications subject to change without notice. Reason is a trademark of Propellerhead Software. All other commercial symbols are protected trademarks and trade names of their respective holders. All rights reserved.

D Table of Contents

Installation
Welcome! About the manuals What is in the Reason package? Requirements About the Audio Hardware About MIDI Interfaces Upgrading vs. New Installations Installing the Software

Audio Basics

About this chapter How Reason communicates with your audio hardware About Sample Rates and Resolutions About Audio Levels Master Tune

Managing the Rack

About this Chapter Navigating in the Rack Creating Devices Selecting Devices Deleting Devices Reordering Devices Duplicating Devices Cut, Copy and Paste A Quick Note on Routing Naming Devices Folding and Unfolding

Setting Up

About this Chapter First run - Reason Setup Wizard About the Preferences Setting up the Audio Hardware Setting up MIDI Setting the default song

Quick Tutorial

About this Chapter Playing a Song Creating a new song Guided Tour

The Sequencer - Basics

About the Sequencer Sequencer window handling Managing Tracks About the two Views About the Ruler, Song Position and Locators Transport Controls - Overview Setting Up for Recording Recording Playback and Positioning Mute and Solo What else can I do in the sequencer?
Common Operations and Concepts
About this Chapter Conventions in the Manual Making Settings Tool Tips Context menus Undo Window Techniques

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Introduction to the Combinator
What is the Combinator device? Creating a layered instrument Combi patch - a tutorial About the Programmer

101 Song File Handling

106 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

Using Pattern Devices

About this chapter What are Pattern Devices? Selecting Patterns Programming a Pattern Clearing a Pattern Using Cut, Copy and Paste Pattern Functions

107 Index

The Browser
Background About the Browser Opening the browser Browser elements Navigating in the Browser Cross-browsing patch files Using the Search function Opening files Using Favorites Handling Missing Sounds

Working with Patches

About Patches Selecting a Patch Saving Patches Copying and Pasting Patches between Devices Initializing Patches

D Installation

Welcome!
Thank you for purchasing Reason 3.0! Version 3.0 is the third major update of Reason, and this time we have designed the update with live playing in mind. With the powerful Combinator device, an updated and expanded sound bank, a completely new Browser, the awesome Remote technology and also a new range of mastering effect devices, we think we have created a piece of music software that is just as well suited in the studio as it is on stage. Replacing expensive and easily outdated hardware with easy-to-use, cool sounding software has always been our mission. And with Reason 3, we feel that we have pushed the software synthesis concept one step further by bringing it on stage! A strong driving force for us at PropellerHeadQuarters is the communication with all the people around the world that use our applications for expressing themselves. One meeting point for all of us is the song archives and message boards on our web pages. This is a unique forum where professionals and beginners meet on equal terms to exchange music and ideas. Even more importantly, its a forum open to you! Share your experiences by communicating with us and others and by uploading your songs for others to hear. We think you will appreciate the feedback from other Reason users all over the world, just as much as we appreciate the feedback we get from you. So, see you on the Propellerhead web! Yours truly, The Propellerhead Software Team www.propellerheads.se

Device Context Menus

If you click somewhere on a device in the rack (but not on a control), the context menu will contain the following items: Cut, Copy, Paste and Delete Device items, allowing you to rearrange and manage the devices in the rack. A Go To submenu, listing all devices connected to the current device. Selecting a device from the Go To submenu scrolls the rack to bring that device into view. A duplicate of the Create menu, allowing you to create new devices. If the device is pattern-based, there will be various pattern functions (Cut/ Copy/Paste, Clear, Shift, Randomize, etc). These affect the currently selected pattern in the device. If the device uses Patches, there will be functions for managing Patches. Depending on the device there may also be various device-specific functions available. For example, the drum machine device has functions for manipulating the pattern for the selected drum sound only, etc.
You can turn off these tool tips by deactivating the option Show Parameter Value Tool Tip on the Preferences-General page.

Parameter Context Menus

If you click on an automatable control (a synth parameter knob, a fader, etc), the context menu will contain the following items: Functions for clearing and editing the recorded automation data for the control. 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).

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 (Mac). If you are using a Macintosh 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.

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.

The Reason Hardware Interface contains 64 output sockets, each with an indicator and a level meter. Each one of these indicators represents a connection to an output on your audio hardware (or a ReWire channel to another application if you are using ReWire - see the Operation Manual pdf).

AUDIO BASICS

About Sample Rates and Resolutions
Sample rate and resolution are properties of digital audio, which determine the quality of the sound. Generally, higher sample rate and resolution result in better audio quality (but also larger audio files and higher demands on computer performance and audio hardware). This table shows some common sample rate/ resolution combinations:

| Sample

About using high resolution audio
Reason has the capability to play back samples with practically any resolution. This means that if for instance 24-bit samples are loaded in a sampler or the Redrum, playback of the samples can be in 24-bit resolution as well. If you are using such samples and want Reason to play them back in their original high resolution, proceed as follows: 1. Open the Preferences from the Edit menu or Reason menu, and select the General page. 2. Under Miscellaneous at the bottom of the page, make sure the option Use High Resolution Samples is checked.

| Resolution: | Comment:

22.05 kHz
Typically used in situations where small file size is more important than audio quality, such as games, some multimedia applications, sound files on the Internet, etc. This is the format used on audio CDs (often called CD Quality audio). These are formats used in professional studios and high-end recording equipment. If this is activated, and if your audio card supports it, Reason will play back high resolution samples in their original resolution. If this option is not activated, Reason will play back all samples in 16-bit resolution, regardless of their original resolution.

44.1 kHz 44.1 kHz 96 kHz

16 bit 24 bit
To cater for all different situations, Reason supports multiple sample rates and resolutions. This applies to the following areas:

Exporting audio

Reason can export audio, i.e. mix down the song or a section of the song as an audio file (see page 106 for details). When you do this, you will be asked to specify a resolution (16 or 24 bit) and sample rate (1196 kHz) for the file.

D The new device is added directly below the currently selected device in the rack. If no device is selected, the new device is added at the bottom of the rack. D When you add a new device, Reason attempts to route it in a logical way. For an introduction to the auto-routing features, see page 51. D A new track will automatically be created in the sequencer, and routed to the new device. The track will have the same name as the device. MIDI input will also automatically be set to the new track, allowing you to immediately play the created device via MIDI (see page 54). D By default, this only applies to instrument devices, not to mixers or effect devices. If you hold down [Option] (Mac) or [Alt] (Windows) when you create the device, the opposite is true, i.e. mixers and effect devices get new tracks but instrument devices dont.
Note that you can enlarge the rack area by clicking its lower edge (the divider between the rack and the sequencer area) and dragging downwards. This will shrink the sequencer area and make more of the rack visible (alternatively, you can detach the sequencer from the rack altogether. This is described on page 60). You can also make the rack fill the window by clicking the maximize button above the scrollbar to the right.
The rack maximize button.
You can also create devices by browsing patches - see page 72.

MANAGING THE RACK

Selecting Devices
Some operations (e.g. cutting, copying and deleting devices) require that you select one or several devices in the rack. This is done according to the following rules: D To select a single device, click on it in the rack. The selected device is displayed with a colored border (based on the color scheme selected for your operating system).

Deleting Devices

To delete one or several devices, select them and use one of the following methods: D Hold down [Command] (Mac) or [Ctrl] (Windows) and press [Backspace] or [Delete]. D Select Delete Device from the Edit menu or the device context menu. You can also automatically delete devices when you delete sequencer tracks: If there is a single sequencer track routed to a device, and you delete this track, you will be asked whether you want to delete the device as well (see page 63).

D To select several devices, hold down [Shift] and click. In other words, [Shift]-clicking a device selects it without de-selecting any other selected devices. D To de-select all devices, click in the empty space at the bottom of the rack. D To de-select one of the selected devices, hold down [Shift] and click on it. Any other selected devices remain selected. D You can also use the up and down arrow keys on the computer keyboard to select the device directly above or below the currently selected one. When you use this method, Reason will automatically scroll the rack so that the selected device is fully visible. This is a quick way to step through the rack. Narrow devices (e.g. half-width devices such as the effects) are ordered left-to-right, i.e. pressing the down arrow key will step through the devices from left to right before moving on the next device row. D If you hold down [Shift] when using the up or down arrow keys, the currently selected device will remain selected. This allows you to select a range of devices. Adjusting a parameter in a device will automatically select it. In other words, you never have to select a device before making settings.
If you delete a device connected between two other devices, the connection between these is automatically preserved. The Hardware Interface device at the top of the rack cannot be removed.

Reordering Devices

You can rearrange the devices in the rack by moving them, in the following way: 1. If you want to move more than one device at the same time, select the devices. 2. Click in the handle area of one of the devices. For full width devices, this is the area to the left and right of the panel (between the rack fittings); for smaller devices you can click anywhere outside the actual parameters. 3. With the mouse button pressed, drag the device(s) up or down in the rack. A thick red vertical line indicates where the device(s) will be positioned. Note that the red line can be to the left of a device (indicating that the moved device will be inserted before the other device) or to the right of a device (indicating that the moved device will be inserted after the other device).

Record

Go to Left Locator (Loop Start) Go to Right Locator (Loop End)

Setting Up for Recording

Before you can start recording, you need to make some settings:

Recording

To record MIDI from an external MIDI instrument, proceed as follows: 1. Make sure MIDI is routed to the desired track, see page 62. The track with MIDI input is always automatically record enabled. 2. Move the song position to where you want the recording to start. Recording always starts at the song position.

Tempo and Time Signature

The tempo and time signature settings are located on the transport panel. D You can specify any tempo between 1 and 999.999 bpm (beats per minute). The tempo field to the right allows you to fine tune the tempo, in steps of 1/ 1000 bpm.
The tempo set to 110.094 bpm.
To move the song position, drag the P marker or click directly in the ruler.
You may want to start a few bars early to get time to start playing.
You can also adjust the tempo (in bpm steps) by using the [+] and [] keys on the numeric keypad. D You set the time signature by specifying a numerator (left value field) and a denominator (right value field). The numerator is the number of beats per bar, and the denominator governs the length of a beat.

3/4 time selected.

3. Click the record button or press [*] on the numeric keypad. The record button lights up to indicate Record Standby mode.
4. Click the play button or press [Enter] on the numeric keypad. Recording starts. 5. When you are done, click the stop button or press [0] on the numeric keypad.
When you record, it is often necessary to have some sort of rhythmic guide to help you keep time. The easiest way is to use the built-in metronome click:
Recorded notes are indicated as red bars in the Arrange window.
When this is activated, you will hear a click on each beat, with an accent on the downbeat of each bar. The click is played back during recording and playback. You can adjust the volume of the click by using the Level knob.
At this point, you may want to move the song position to the beginning of the recording (by rewinding or by moving the song position marker in the ruler), and click the play button to listen to what you recorded. You can undo the recording if you like. D It is also possible to activate recording during playback (punch in), by starting playback and then clicking the record button. Similarly, you can deactivate recording without stopping playback (punch out).
Sometimes it might be easier to use a drum machine pattern as a rhythmic guide.

Recording more tracks

D Introduction to the Combinator
What is the Combinator device?
About the Combi patch format
The Combinator saves files in the Combi (.cmb) patch format. When you load a Combi patch, all devices included in the Combi, their corresponding parameter settings and internal audio and CV connections are instantly recalled. The Factory Soundbank includes many preset Combi patches, divided into various categories. There are two basic types of Combis; Instrument and Effect Combis. Effect Combis typically contain a chain of effect processors and are meant to be connected to devices outside the Combi as an insert or send effect. Instrument Combis contain one or several instrument devices, and are meant to be played like standard instrument devices. Instrument Combis can also contain effect devices.
How to create Combinator devices
There are several ways you can create a Combinator device: D By selecting Combinator from the Create menu. This will create an empty Combinator device. D By [Shift]-selecting several devices in the rack and then selecting Combine from the Edit menu. This will create a Combi containing the selected devices. The devices are removed from their original locations in the rack, into the Combinator holder. D By selecting the Create device by browsing patches menu item from the Create menu. This allows you to browse for Combi patches - if you select a.cmb patch a Combinator device will be created, containing the devices saved with the Combi.
The Combinator is special device that allows you to save and recall any combination of Reason devices (instruments, effects, mixers etc.) and their internal connections. A saved Combinator setup can be loaded as a patch, called a Combi. The Combinator device itself acts as a container for the devices in a Combi. The basic idea behind the Combinator device is simple, but very powerful. Being able to save multiple devices as a Combi enables you to instantly recall any type of setup, however complex, as simply as loading a patch! Some typical applications of the Combinator: D Create split or layered multi-instruments. Add any number of instrument devices (Subtractors, NN-XTs etc.) and play them as a single layered instrument. Instrument devices in a Combi can also be assigned to specific keyboard/velocity zones. D Save instrument/effect combinations. Save an instrument together with your favorite effect(s). D Create multi-effect devices. You can create and save complex effect chains as Combis.

Please refer to the Operation Manual chapter The Combinator for a complete description of the available features.
If you flip the rack around, the Combi outputs have been auto-routed to inputs on the mixer device, but as the Combi is currently empty there are no connections to the From Devices inputs yet.
5. Select a Line Mixer 6:2 device from the Create menu. The mixer is added to the Combi. The master output of the Line mixer is autorouted to the From Devices connectors.
Now we have a good starting point for adding instrument devices - the added instruments will be auto-routed to the Line mixer device in the Combi. For sake of example, lets make a simple layered instrument Combi using two instrument devices; a NN-XT and a Malstrm. Lets continue by adding a Line Mixer to the Combi. 4. Click in the empty space at the bottom of the Combinator so that a red line appears. This is called the insertion line. When this line is shown, the Combinator will be the target destination for new created devices. 6. Select the Line mixer by clicking it in the Combinator rack, or click in the empty space at the bottom of the Combinator so that the insertion line appears. Either method will ensure that the next device created will be added to the Combi.

The insertion line.

7. Select a NN-XT from the Create menu. The NN-XT is added to the Combi, with its L/R Master outputs auto-routed to the Line mixer. As you can see, the area below the Combinator Controller panel encloses the devices in the Combi, like a rack within the rack. Also note that when an instrument device is added to a Combi in this way, no corresponding sequencer track is created for the device as the incoming MIDI is routed via the Combinator track (it is, however, possible to manually create independent tracks for devices in a Combi).
12. In this case, lets add a RV7000 reverb device as a send effect - select the mixer and choose the RV7000 effect from the Create menu. The reverb is auto-routed as a send effect to the mixer. You can now add a touch of reverb to the devices by tweaking the Aux send for the corresponding mixer channels. 13. Finally, save the setup as a Combi patch. The next time you open this patch, the setup will open exactly as saved!

About the Programmer

The Combinator also features a Programmer with key and velocity zone mapping and modulation routing capabilities. This section briefly describes the various elements of the Programmer: D Click the Show Programmer button on the Controller panel to bring up the Programmer panel.

Loading indicator

This icon will light up to indicate that a patch or sample is loading.
About hierarchic and flat lists
In certain circumstances the Browser will display a flat list without any folder hierarchy. In such cases there will be an extra Parent column displaying the parent folder location for all files. The Where pop-up will then contain a shortcut to a selected files parent folder. Flat lists are shown in the following cases: When the Browser is showing a search result - see page 92. When the Browser is showing a Favorites folder list - see page 93. When the Browser is showing a browse list stored for a device in a saved song - see page 93.
Selecting and auditioning patches
In the Patch Browser, selecting a patch automatically loads it in the background (i.e. with the Browser dialog still open). This allows you to preview patches before confirming a selection by clicking OK in the Browser. For instrument patches, make sure MIDI input is directed to the sequencer track connected to the device you are browsing from. Play a few notes when selecting a new patch to audition it. For effect patches you can activate loop playback before opening the Patch Browser from the effect. Once the Browser dialog is open, you can browse to a folder containing compatible patches and step through them to hear how the patches affect the sound. You can also audition patches for any instrument or effect device not just the device you opened the browser from! See Crossbrowsing patch files on page 90.

Using Locations

To help you to find your files quickly, you can add shortcuts to the folders used to store your samples, patch files etc. to the list in the Locations section. By default, the Locations list contains five fixed locations; the computer Desktop, the Documents folder, the Reason Program folder and the Factory/Orkester Sound Banks. D Selecting a Location in the list opens it as the root folder in the Browser. D To add a location, select a folder or ReFill in the main browser list and drag it into the Locations list with the mouse button pressed. Any new locations will be added below the list of fixed locations. Manually added locations can be reordered by drag and drop.
Selecting and auditioning samples
For samples and REX loops you can use the Audition controls to preview the audio. This is done in the following way: D Select the file in the file list and click the Preview - Play button to the right. The file is played back. During playback, the Play button in the Audition section is relabeled to Stop - click this to stop playback.
D To remove a location, select it in the Locations list and press [Backspace]. The default locations cannot be removed. D Manually added locations are stored in the Preferences.
D You can also activate the Autoplay checkbox and simply select the file you want to audition. The selected file is automatically played back. Again, click the Stop button to stop playback.

About browsing large patches
As stated previously, when you are browsing patches (or samples), these are automatically loaded in the background when selected. Most of the time, this happens instantaneously. Bear in mind, however, that some files (especially big Combinator patches, which can contain any number of devices and samples) can take several seconds to load. If you select a particularly large patch by mistake, you can abort the loading by simply selecting another patch.
If a stored location has been removed or is unavailable, a warning triangle with an exclamation mark is shown before the location name in the list.

Selecting multiple files

It is possible to select multiple files in the Browser, by using standard [Shift] or [Ctrl] (Win)/[Command] (Mac) selection techniques. This, however, does not mean that the selected files can be loaded. There are basically two instances where selecting several files in the Browser file list is relevant: D It is possible to load several samples simultaneously into the NNXT and NN19 sampler devices. See the NN19 and NN-XT chapters in the Operation Manual pdf for details. D You can select several files to add them to a Favorites list in one go - see page 93.
Cross-browsing - an example:
1. You are playing a Subtractor device but feel that the sound isnt quite what you had in mind, so you open the Browser to check out some other patches. 2. After browsing Subtractor patches for a while, you still havent found the type of sound you wanted, so you click the Show popup and select All Instruments from the menu. Now you can select instrument patches for any device. You decide to browse a folder containing Malstrm patches. You can use the Previous/ Next buttons to step through the files in the selected folder. 3. As soon as you select a Malstrm patch in the Browser, a Malstrm device replaces the Subtractor in the background (the Browser is still open). The sequencer track which was previously connected to the Subtractor is now connected to a Malstrm with the patch selected in the Browser loaded. D Note that the name of the sequencer track is not automatically changed to reflect the new device. This may or may not matter. If the track was named Bass (and it is a bass sound you are looking for), this obviously works fine. But if the track was named Subtractor 1 and you end up with another device connected, it might be better to rename the track to avoid confusion. 4. You can continue to browse patches and play your keyboard to audition them. Each time you select a patch type belonging to a different device, a corresponding instrument device is created in the background, replacing the previous instrument. 5. When you have settled on a patch - for whatever instrument device - click OK to confirm the selection and close the dialog. Clicking Cancel will return to the same state as when opening the Browser. D If you use cross-browsing for an effect patch it works in the same way - selecting an effect patch of a different format will replace the current effect in the background with a device of the selected format.

Search In.

This function is useful when you need to replace a whole lot of samples and you know where these samples are located. A typical example would be if you have reorganized the folder structure on your computer, and the sample folder has been moved in relation to the folder with a sampler patch or song. D If you click Locate, the Browser opens, asking you to select the sample directory, i.e. the folder in which you know that the samples are located. Select either the folder, or a sample in the folder. When you click OK, Reason will search in the selected folder (and its subfolders) only.
On the device panels, missing samples are indicated with an asterisk (*) before the file names:
Clicking Cancel will abort the operation, i.e. the song or patch will not be opened.

D Working with Patches

About Patches
A Reason patch contains settings for a specific device. As explained in the chapter The Browser, patches can either be separate files on your hard disk or files embedded in a ReFill.

Selecting a Patch

To select a patch for a device, use one of the following methods: D Click the folder button in the Patch section on the device panel.
Eight device types use patches:
D Subtractor & Malstrm synth patches contain all settings on the device panel. Selecting a patch brings up a new sound, just like when selecting programs or patches on a hardware synthesizer. D NN19 & NNXT sampler patches contain information about which samples are used and their settings (key mapping, tuning, etc.), plus the parameter settings on the device panel. It is important to note that the sampler patch doesnt contain the actual samples - only information about which sample files are used. D Redrum drum computer patches contain a complete drum kit, that is, information about which drum samples are used, together with the parameter settings for each drum sound. Again, the actual samples are not included in the patch, only file references. Also note that Redrum patches are separated from Redrum patterns - selecting a new patch will not affect the patterns in the device. D Scream 4 and RV7000 effect patches contain all settings on the respective device panel. Selecting a patch brings up a new sound, just like when selecting programs or patches on a hardware effect device. D The Combinator (Combi) patch format saves all settings and file references for each device in the Combi, along with the Combinators own settings; key/velocity zones, modulation routing etc. Any audio or CV routing from/to devices that are part of the Combi is also saved.

Note: On the panels of the Redrum, NN19 and NNXT devices, there are also other folder buttons, used for loading samples. Make sure you click on the button in the Patch section (next to the patch name display)!
D Select the Browse Patches item on the Edit menu or device context menu. Note that the Edit menu reflects which device is selected - in other words, you must select the device for the corresponding Browse Patches item to appear on the Edit menu. In both cases, the Browser dialog appears, allowing you to locate and select the patch, on the hard disk or within a ReFill. D Once you have selected a patch, you can step between all the patches in the same folder by using the arrow buttons on the device panel. Note that switching patches on a device can also change the actual device! See About browse lists on page 93.
Note that patches for devices included in a Combi are not saved individually - e.g. if a Combi includes a Subtractor, and you have tweaked its settings, these settings will be saved with the Combi, but will not be saved as a separate Subtractor patch unless you do so from within the Combi - see page 99. Apart from Combis, patches do not include information about any routing done on the back of the device.

WORKING WITH PATCHES

D If you click on the patch name display on the device panel, a pop-up menu will appear, listing all patches in the current browse list- see page 93). This allows you to quickly select another patch, without having to step through each one in turn.

Saving Patches

Saving device settings in a song
When you save a Reason song, all settings for all devices are automatically included in the song file - there is no need to save the patches separately.
Its important to realize that its the actual settings that are saved in the Song - not references to patches on disk. The next time you open the song, all devices will be set as they were when you saved (regardless of whether you have removed or edited any patches on disk).
Saving device settings as patches on disk
Even though the device settings are stored in the song, you may want to save any settings you have made for a device as a separate patch file. This allows you to use the patch in other songs, and lets you try out other patches in your song without risking to lose your sound. When you select a patch, the devices parameters will be set according to the values stored in the patch, and the name of the patch will be shown in the patch name display. As with any change you make, this operation can be undone (see page 39). 1. Click the floppy disk button on the device panel.

If your song contains samples or REX files from a ReFill, other users must have the same ReFill to be able to play the song. To specify which files should be included in the song, proceed as follows: 1. Pull down the File menu and select Song Self-Contain Settings. A dialog appears, listing all samples and REX files used in the song.
Un-self-containing a Song
If you have opened a song that is more or less self-contained (i.e. contains one or several sounds embedded in the song file), you may want to extract these sounds and make the song refer to them on disk as usual. This is done in the following way: 1. Select Song Self-Contain Settings from the File menu. The dialog appears. 2. Locate the sounds you want to extract from the song file, and deactivate their checkboxes (or click Uncheck All). 3. Click OK to close the dialog. Now, the program will check for each extracted sound file whether it is available (at its original, stored location) or not. D If the program finds the sound file at the location stored in the song, it is simply removed from the song file, and the original file reference path is used. This would be the case if you made the song self-contained yourself, and unself-contain it on your own computer (provided that you havent removed the original sound files from disk since you made the song self-contained). D If the program doesnt find the sound file, a file dialog appears, allowing you to select a folder and name for the sound file. The extracted file will be saved in the specified folder, and the path in the song will be adjusted. This would be the case if you got the self-contained song from another user, for example.
2. Tick the checkbox in the Sound column for the files you want included in the song.

SONG FILE HANDLING

Song Information
Selecting the Song Information item on the File menu opens a dialog in which you can supply various information about the song.
To add a splash picture, click the folder button at the upper right corner, and locate and open the picture file in the file dialog that appears.
Splash pictures must be JPEG files (Windows extension.jpg) with a size of 256 x 256 pixels.
To remove the splash picture from the song, click the cross button.

Authors Web Page

Allows you to specify your web site. The user can go directly to your site by clicking the Browser button to the right (provided he has a working Internet connection).

Authors Email

This is where you specify your e-mail address, if you want other Reason users to send you their comments, etc.
For example, if you plan to send the song to other Reason users, this dialog allows you to add contact information, comments about the song, etc. Furthermore, if you save a published version of the song in the Reason Song Archive on the Propellerhead web site (see page 104), vital information can automatically be extracted by the web archive engine, and displayed with the song file. The dialog contains the following items:

, English
, What's new in Reason 3.0?
stand-alone music production instrument
, 14 Channel Expandable Mixer , Analog Polysynth , Graintable Polysynth , Digital Samplers , Mastering Tools , REX-loop Player , Drum Machine , ReBirth Input Device , Multiple Effects Processors , Combinator Device , Shelving and Parametric EQs , Master Song Sequencer , Pattern Sequencer , 64 Channel Audio Output , 64 Channel ReWire Output , 512 Band Vocoder , CV Processing Tools , Full Automation , Total Recall
Operation Manual by Synkron: Anders Nordmark
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D Whats new in Reason 3.0?

Welcome!

This document introduces the new features in Reason 3.0. For detailed descriptions, please make sure you read the corresponding sections in the Operation Manual as well.

Adding a control surface

The MIDI page in the Preferences dialog has been replaced by the Control Surfaces and Keyboards page. This is where you add your control surfaces - including the master keyboard.

New Remote support

In Reason 3.0, MIDI input from control surfaces (keyboards, remote control units etc.) is handled by a system called Remote. Here are some of the main features: D You can use any number of control surfaces at the same time. D The program supports a large number of control surfaces out of the box - knobs, faders and buttons on the surfaces are automatically mapped to the most useful parameters on the Reason devices. You dont have to change the settings on the control surface to control different devices in Reason - if you change MIDI focus from a Subtractor track to a Malstrm track, the control surface will automatically adapt. You just set up your control surface once and for all for use with Reason the program handles the rest! D For control surfaces that are not natively supported at this stage, you can use Reason 2.5 settings. This means that if your control surface model isnt available for selection in the Control Surfaces and Keyboards dialog (see below), you can use any templates or settings you have made for Reason 2.5. Note however, that Remote drivers for additional control surfaces will be added continuously - check our web page for more info. D By default, all control surfaces follow the sequencer MIDI input. This means that you set MIDI input to a track in the sequencer (like in 2.5) to route the control surface(s) to the tracks device in the rack. D You can lock a control surface to a specific device in the rack. For example, you could have a master keyboard that follows MIDI input, while another control surface is locked to the main mixer in the rack. This way you can control levels and pans at all times. D You can use remote overrides to map a specific control on a surface to a specific Reason parameter or function. For example, you could override-map a knob or fader on your control surface to the mixers master level fader. Or you could map buttons on your control surface to control Reasons transport (play, stop, record, etc.) at all times, regardless of which track has MIDI input in the sequencer. D Remote also supports some control surfaces with MIDI feedback. If you have such a control surface and it is supported by Reason 3.0, you can take full advantage of motorized faders, meters, displays, etc.

The first time you run Reason 3.0, a setup wizard will help you set up audio input and select a master keyboard. If you only have a single master keyboard and no other control surfaces, you should be good to go. However, to add other control surfaces, change which surface is the master keyboard or edit the settings, you need to use the Control Surfaces and Keyboards page.
1. Open the Preferences dialog and select the Control Surfaces and Keyboards page. 2. If your control surface is connected via USB (or if you have made a two-way MIDI connection), try clicking the Auto-detect Surfaces button. Reason scans all MIDI ports and tries to identify the connected control surfaces. Note that not all control surfaces support auto-detection.
All found surfaces are listed in the Attached Surfaces list.
3. To add a control surface manually, click the Add button. This brings up a new dialog.

WHATS NEW IN REASON 3.0?

4. Select the manufacturer of your control surface from the Manufacturer pop-up menu. If you cant find it on the menu, see below. 5. Select the model of your control surface from the Model pop-up menu. If you cant find it on the menu, see below. 6. An image of the selected control surface model is shown, often along with some information text - read this carefully. For some control surfaces, you need to select a specific preset to use the surface with Reason - this is noted here.
D Depending on the surface model, alerts may appear, reminding you to select a specific preset etc. In some cases, Reason can restore a preset in the control surface to factory settings for you - you are then informed of this. Finally you return to the Control Surfaces and Keyboards Preferences page, where your added surface is now listed.
If your control surface model isnt listed
Support for unlisted control surface models may be available for download from the Propellerheads website - check this first!
If you cant find your control surface listed on the Manufacturer or Model pop-up menus when you try to add it, this means that theres no native support for that model. However, the program supports generic keyboards and controllers. Heres what to do: D Select Other on the Manufacturer pop-up menu and then select one of the three options on the Model pop-up menu. or, if the Manufacturer is listed but not your specific model: D Select one of the three Other options on the Model pop-up menu: In both cases, the options are: Basic MIDI Keyboard Select this is you have a MIDI keyboard without programmable knobs, buttons or faders. This is used for playing only (including performance controllers such as pitch bend, mod wheel, etc.) - you cannot adjust Reason device parameters with this type of control surface. MIDI Controller Select this if you have a MIDI controller with programmable knobs, buttons or faders (but without keyboard). You need to set up your control surface so that the controllers send the correct MIDI CC messages, depending on which Reason device you want to control - check out the MIDI Implementation Chart in the Reason documentation. If your control surface has templates or presets for different Reason 2.5 devices, these can be used. MIDI Keyboard with Controls Select this is you have a MIDI keyboard with programmable knobs, buttons or faders. Again, you need to set your controllers to send the right MIDI CCs.

7. Use the MIDI Input pop-up to select the input port to which you have connected the surface. If in doubt, you can click the Find button and then tweak a control or play a key on the control surface to have Reason find the correct input port for you. D Some control surfaces may have more than one MIDI Input pop-up menu. You need to select ports on all MIDI Input pop-up menus. D Some control surfaces will have a MIDI Output pop-up menu. In some cases this is labeled Optional - then you dont have to make a selection. In other cases, a MIDI Output is required. This is the case if the control surface uses MIDI feedback - motor fader, displays, etc. 8. If you like, you can rename your control surface in the Name field. 9. Click OK to add the surface.
After selecting a model, proceed with selecting MIDI input as described above.
About the master keyboard
One of the control surfaces can be the master keyboard. This is like any other control surface, but it must have a keyboard and it cannot be locked to a specific Reason device (in other words, it always follows the MIDI input to the sequencer). This is the surface you use to play the instrument devices in Reason. D The first surface with a keyboard that is added (or found by autodetect) is automatically selected to be the master keyboard. This is shown in the Attached Surfaces list on the Preferences page. D If you want to use another surface as master keyboard, select it in the list and click the Make Master Keyboard button. You can only have one master keyboard. D If you dont want to use any master keyboard at all, select the current master keyboard surface and click the same button (which is now labeled Use No Master Keyboard).

The Combinator

Other functions
D To edit a surface, double click it in the list (or select it and click Edit). This lets you change its name and MIDI port settings, if needed. D To delete a surface, select it in the list and click Delete. D You can turn off a surface by deactivating its Use with Reason checkbox. This could be useful if the surface is connected to your system but you only want to use it with another program, etc. D There is still an Advanced MIDI page in the Preferences. This is only used for External Control MIDI buses and for MIDI Clock Sync input. All hands-on MIDI control is set up on the Control Surfaces and Keyboards page.
The Combinator is special device that allows you to save and recall any combination of Reason devices (instruments, effects, mixers etc.) and their internal connections. A saved Combinator setup can be loaded as a patch, called a Combi. The Combinator device itself acts as a container for the devices in a Combi. The basic idea behind the Combinator device is simple, but very powerful. Being able to save multiple devices as a Combi enables you to instantly recall any type of setup, however complex, as simply as loading a patch! Some typical applications of the Combinator: D Create split or layered multi-instruments. Add any number of instrument devices (Subtractors, NN-XTs etc.) and play them as a single layered instrument. Instrument devices in a Combi can also be assigned to specific keyboard/velocity zones. D Save instrument/effect combinations. Save an instrument together with your favorite effect(s). D Create multi-effect devices. You can create and save complex effect chains as Combis. The Combinator saves files in the Combi (.cmb) patch format. When you load a Combi patch, all devices included in the Combi, their corresponding parameter settings and internal audio and CV connections are instantly recalled.

How to create Combinator devices
There are several ways you can create a Combinator device: D By selecting Combinator from the Create menu. This will create an empty Combinator device. You can then add devices to the Combi by clicking within the empty holder at the bottom of the Combinator and using the Create menu. D By [Shift]-selecting several devices in the rack and then selecting Combine from the Edit menu. This will create a Combi containing the selected devices. The devices are removed from their original locations in the rack, into the Combinator holder. D By selecting the Create device by browsing patches menu item from the Create menu. This allows you to browse for Combi patches - if you select a.cmb patch a Combinator device will be created, containing the devices saved with the Combi. Creating a Combinator automatically creates a track for it in the sequencer. To play an instrument Combi, you direct MIDI to its sequencer track as usual - the Combinator passes on the notes to the devices within it.

Other features

Clicking the Show Programmer button on the Combinator shows the Programmer panel. There you can make the following settings: D Select a key range and/or velocity range for each instrument device in the Combi. This is the way to create splits and layered sounds. You can also decide whether a device should receive note and performance data from the Combi or not. D Assign parameters to the four rotary controls and four buttons on the Combinator panel. These can be assigned to control virtually any parameter on the devices within the Combi - a rotary can change the filter frequency for one device and the master volume for another device etc. You can also control the rotaries via CV, allowing for CV control of a huge number of Reason parameters! Note also that a Combi can contain pattern devices. Clicking the Run Pattern Devices activates the Run button on all pattern devices in the Combi. Finally, the Bypass All FX button turns off all effect devices in the Combi - useful if you have a Combi with instruments and effects and want to listen to the instrument sound dry.

A note on routing

Please refer to the Operation Manual chapter The Combinator for a complete description of the available features. Also check out the included Combi patches in the Factory Sound Bank for tips on settings, routings and techniques!
At the back of a Combinator you can find the following audio connectors: D Combi L/R Outputs This is the output of the Combinator, which is internally connected to the From Devices connectors. This output connects with devices outside the Combi, normally a mixer device. D From Devices L/R inputs This is where outputs from devices in a Combi are connected. A mono or stereo output can be connected. If a Combi contains several instrument devices (e.g. layered synths) you typically have a mixer inside the Combi - the output of that mixer goes to the From Devices jacks. D Combi L/R Inputs This is the input to the Combinator (used for effect Combis only). Internally connected to the To Devices connectors. D To Devices L/R outputs These connect to an input on a device in the effect Combi.

New Browser

D The new Search function allows you to search for files by name and/or type. You use the Search settings to specify a search location and a text string to search for. When you click Find, the Browser looks for all files with a matching name (or a matching parent folder name) and presents the search result in the main file and folder view.
This is a very powerful feature in combination with the crossbrowsing: If you e.g. want a bass sound, you dont need to decide which device type to use. Simply search for Bass and then set the Show pop-up menu to All Instruments. The search result will contain all patches containing the name Bass (or located in a folder or ReFill named Bass), regardless of the patch type. You can step through the patches in the Browser to audition them - the device will automatically be replaced in the rack when you select another patch type.
D The Favorite List area (in the lower left section of the Browser) can contain Favorite Lists with shortcuts to your favorite samples, patches or other files for instant access. To add files to a Favorite List, drag them from the main view to a Favorite List folder to the left. Clicking a Favorite List shows its contents in the main view - reorder files by dragging, remove files by selecting them and pressing [Backspace]. Clicking a file in a Favorite List selects and loads it as usual. D The files shown in the main view of the Browser are stored as a browse list for the device when you close the Browser. Using the patch up/down buttons or the patch pop-up menu on the device panel will select between the patches in this browse list.

The Browser for opening songs, patches, loops and samples has been completely redesigned. The new features are: D The Locations list (in the upper left section of the Browser) stores shortcuts to folders where you keep your important files. You are no longer restricted to four database paths - you can store your files anywhere. Apart from some fixed Locations (e.g. the Factory Sound Bank), you can add your own Locations by dragging folders or ReFills to the Locations list. Click on a Location to go there. D When you select a patch or sample in the Browser, it is automatically loaded in the background. If you have set MIDI input to the track for the device your are browsing from, you can play your master keyboard and audition the patches or samples, without closing the Browser. D You can use cross-browsing to search for patches belonging to any type of device. You can open the Patch Browser from one type of device and browse for patches of any type. If you select a patch for a different device, this will automatically replace the original device. You select which patches are shown and selectable with the Show pop-up menu at the top of the Browser.
This feature and Favorite Lists are very useful when playing live, because you can create a set list with all patches in the right order. During the gig, you can use the patch up/down buttons on the device (or on your control surface) to step from one patch to the next. If the Favorite List contains patches of different types, the device in the rack will automatically be replaced when needed!
D You can create devices directly from the Browser, by selecting Create Device by Browsing Patches from the Create menu. This opens the Patch Browser, allowing you to select any instrument patch or any effect patch (selected on the Show pop-up menu). Selecting a patch automatically creates a device for it in the rack. For instrument devices, a sequencer track is created and gets MIDI input, allowing you to audition the patch right away.

The MClass effects

Pump up the volume! Although a mix may be well balanced and sound ok, it can often lack the punch, clarity and volume present in professionally made mixes. The secret is that big studios have a rack full of high quality mastering tools that are used to spice up the final mix. Now Reason does too! On the Create menu, you will now find the following items:

MClass Stereo Imager

This is a two band stereo imager with independent width controls for the low and high frequencies and adjustable crossover frequency. Making the high end a little wider and the low end a little more mono will make your mix bigger and more alive, while keeping the bass end tight.
MClass Mastering Suite Combi

MClass Compressor

This is a single-band compressor capable of everything from subtle compression to raw squeezing and pumping. The features include a soft-knee option for a different, more musical compression mode, program-adaptive release time and a sidechain input for de-essing and other dynamics processing. And it has a CV output, allowing you to have the dynamics of a sound control other Reason parameters.

MClass Maximizer

Selecting this creates a Combi containing all four MClass devices (see below), configured as a mastering tool. Typically you would insert this at the end of the signal chain, between the main mixer and the hardware interface (select the hardware interface before you add the MClass Mastering Suite Combi - this will insert it at the correct place). You can use the rotaries and buttons on the Combinator to adjust the sound, or make settings directly on the devices within the Combi. Use the patch selectors on the Combinator to select between a number of different Mastering effect patches included in the Factory Sound Bank.
Loud and proud! The MClass Maximizer consists of a limiter (with switchable Look Ahead, for distortion-free brickwall limiting), a Soft Clipper for gently rounding the edges and a detailed level meter, switchable between Peak and VU mode. Just turn up the Input Gain and enjoy.

MClass Equalizer

Line Mixer 6:2
This is a basic mixer with 6 stereo channels and one stereo effect send/return. Ideal for mixing device outputs within a Combi, or for any situation where you need a few extra mixer channels.
This is a high-quality, sweet-sounding equalizer with shelving high and low bands, two full parametric bands and a low cut switch to remove subsonic rumble. All bands have on/off switches and you get instant visual feedback from the EQ curve display.

New Factory Sound Bank

The Reason Factory Sound Bank now features scores of new great sounding patches and samples, including a number of Combi patches. For backwards compatibility, all samples in the original Factory Sound Bank are still included.

New audio features

D Dithering in export audio dialog Dither is a type of noise added to a digital signal, which improves low level sound quality when exporting to a lower bit resolution. You can now choose whether to apply dither when exporting to 16-bits. D Faster loading of samples Samples are loaded much faster in Reason 3.0.

Sequencer improvements

Mute and Solo
Sequencer tracks now have proper mute and solo buttons in the track list, with global All Mute Off and All Solo Off buttons above. D If you mute a track for a pattern device (Matrix or Redrum) the pattern playback will be muted as well.
Record automation on multiple tracks
There is an additional column in the sequencer track list, called Rec. This allows you to record enable several tracks, for automation recording. Only one track will have MIDI input from the master keyboard (this track will also always be record enabled) - the other record enabled tracks will receive parameter changes from their respective devices in the rack. This is especially useful if you have multiple control surfaces, controlling different devices in the rack while youre recording.

Copying automation

It is now possible to copy and paste automation between controller lanes in the sequencer (for the same or different tracks).