My journey into Reason 6

Several years ago I got a version of Reason Adapted 2.5 which was bundled with a USB sound module. I tried it and upgraded to reason 3 in a short space after, but house moves and time resulted in me sticking with FL studio and Cubase. I only recently rediscovered reason, after I received an email telling me about Propellerhead Record. Learning a new DAW especially one with the crisp instrumentation offered by Reason seemed like a no brainer. So I ended up buying the reason record bundle as an upgrade to my reason 3 (or was it 4?). I have never looked back! Amazingly 2 or 3 months after buying record and getting into mixing audio plus Reason instruments Reason 6 came out and this had a special offer to Reason 5 and Record users. J.  If you have only reason 5 or earlier, I would say upgrade to Reason 6. If you have Record upgrade to reason 6. 

Why? Simple:

•  Reason 6 is one platform rather than two (if you have the reason and record solution) and you get Reason instruments + Audio in one package.
• There are plenty of fixes and new instruments, features.
• Waiting for Reason 6.5 (which is a free upgrade for Reason 6 users) you get rack extensions (which is a new feature allowing third party developers to develop instruments for the reason platform – Yeh!)

If you have never used Reason should you buy it, or spend your dosh on another DAW (Digital audio workstation)?

To some extent it is a matter of choice. To be quite honest many producers song writers use more than one depending on what they are trying to do.

Here is what I think: Reason is an excellent all round solution in my humble opinion. I have recorded everything from dance music to classic and film score music, plus you can use reason as a rewire slave if you have another DAW, so you can play instruments/audio in Reason at the same time and synced with Ableton, Cubase, FL studio and any other DAW that supports rewire. What really appeals is that reason feels more like a real set of studio rack (Figure 1 and 2)

Close up of the default effects section of a new reason song 

 The back of the rack, where you can recable instruments

Plus there is an amazing emulation of an SSL 9000 K mixer the size of which only major studios (including the famous Abbey Road) would own. (See this entry in Wikipedia for more info on SSL mixer technology: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Solid_State_Logic ) Well with Reason 6 you can ‘own’ one of these babies on your Audio PC.

SSL 9000K Mixer emulation

As a result of this faithful emulation of pro gear, reason is a much better platform than other DAWs for learning sound design and engineering. I didn’t study music but music technology. It all started as a hobby and now I am doing this at a level that certainly borders on what I have seen engineers do in commercial studios. So as a result I have the benefit of a career in education as well as the benefit of some very enjoyable alternative career as a song writer and producer. I will post up some of my compositions sooner or later, so watch this spot. The point is if you want to learn about music technology and sound then Reason is your solution. Out of the box the results you can achieve in Reason sound a million dollars, which can’t be bad!

Having mastered about 5 DAWS I am fairly well qualified to comment on them and teach others to get into the wonderful world of professional home recording. I made my journey into Reason with the help of others and this blog is about putting something back. I intend to stick up some of my reason files, patches and tutorials on how to use reason for different jobs. Also I am going to put up some stuff on songwriting, including Lyrics and composition over time.

Hope you find this blog useful. Any requests for info let me know.

Peace and Harmony, my brothers and sisters!

Vox