Am I limiting my artistic capabilities by only using Reason?

djSing

Ill-usions
Joined
Jan 18, 2012
Location
Norwich, UK
well?

I've only just started making things and quite frankly I cant afford a new DAW... and im happy with the way Reason works. I guess im saying are the sounds I can get out of the 3 synths really quite limited? Or is more a case of knowing how to alter those sounds, / combine them/ resample them and genereally fuck with them until something nice/god awful is produced? I see everyone talking about VST plugins and I really want to try them out and I think to myself why, why the hell does Reason not allow plugins - it seems completely backwards to me.
 
If you are new to producing, then Reason is more than enough.

If you ever got to a level where Reason was actually holding you back, then you would have to be one very skilled producer indeed.

Reason has enough effects to create any sort of sound. Thor is a beat, it's not as easy to use as massive, but with the right processing it can do plenty. Same as malestrom, it's very unique.

Reason does not support VST plugins because it would completely mess up the whole flow of the program. It's been debated to death on loads of forums. Having VST in Reason would improve it in some ways whilst ruining it in others.

I use Reason re-wired into FL Studio, that way I can use anything I like.
 
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No you are not, Reason i a great program for getting you to think signal chain properly and structure the path of signal properly, the tools found in it will be the same as anywhere else.

You will lack the audio capabilities the other daws posses but ignore the external VSTs they would make you production better just open other options and workflows. Plus the best VSTs in the world if they were availible would be THOR, the stereo imager for its mono function and its distortion/reverb tools...

Learn it in and out then play with something like logic...i feel my time with reason really helped my core understading of how to actual make music.
 
ive upgraded to reason 6 - can now handle audio files much better. also the new mixer is awesome.
dont forget that you can pretty much do anything in reason that you can do in other daws.
Loads of tutorials on youtube for reason - great place to start.
got any questions fire them up and there are plenty of reason peeps here who can help.
 
Cheers for your thoughts guys.. given me a bit more confidence in the software's ability. I'll be stickin around this forum for sure

Shameless plug here but if anyone has the time to listen to my song in the new talent section and give some feedback would be great
 
I cant comment really as I've never used Reason, but I know a few of the guys round here use it. I wouldnt worry about VST's for now, Apparently Reason instruments are the dogs danglies and you have more than enough power in them to create anything you need.
 
only thing that would really bug me with reason as a beginner is the complicated "turn fx around to route" kinda analog'y thing.

if you get youre head around that theres nothing wrong with reason - as you can still use it later on, rewired, as it has been said.

just enjoy what youre doing, thats the most important point when making music!
 
only thing that would really bug me with reason as a beginner is the complicated "turn fx around to route" kinda analog'y thing.

if you get youre head around that theres nothing wrong with reason - as you can still use it later on, rewired, as it has been said.

just enjoy what youre doing, thats the most important point when making music!

Couldnt agree with ya more mate. I've never used Reason, so it may actually be really easy to get to grips with. But whenever I've seen screenshots of it, the first thing that pops into my head is "Pfft" Fuck that?!?!" ;)
 
the first thing that pops into my head is "Pfft" Fuck that?!?!" ;)

Ah It's really simple once you spend a few hours on it mate. Just a different way of looking at a DAW really. Rather than saying "Track One -> Bus/Group 2 -> Stereo Out", You "Physically" root it instead.

I used to use Reason but I prefer to work mostly purely in audio & in that sense I found reason limiting for that so I moved back to Cubase.
However I do plan I rewiring Reason into Cubase because Dr Rex & Redrum and so sick for drum work flow.

Plus, Scream is awesome.
 
only thing that would really bug me with reason as a beginner is the complicated "turn fx around to route" kinda analog'y thing.

Its simple really and generally does auto route to a point. If anything its having learn reason and the whole routing process that has better allowed me to understand things a lot more then just clicking a few buttons that could mean/do anything just because I saw thats what you do in a tutorial video

I love reason but also love Studio One. I know you can rewire but not having an outstanding system I'm a little limited running both together especially now I'm using more elements to my tracks So trying to do as much as poss in Studio One
 
Yeah I've actually spent quite a lot of time just getting to grips with Reason and the flipping the rack/routing is not that complicated. I hear a lot of people talking about buses and i/o am I right in thinking is that what Reasons routing basically does? Also anyone who does have Reason, what are the aux inputs for on most devices? Im not sure what they do or how I could use them?
 
only thing that would really bug me with reason as a beginner is the complicated "turn fx around to route" kinda analog'y thing.

I've actually found this to be a major advantage of Reason the few times that I have used it, doing that you can create all sorts of weird patches as you can route the fx chain back into the instrument or other instruments if you so desired or do things like route one instruments output to the CV input of another. Really cool.
 
tried reason ten years ago, hated the sound, hated the layout and the sequencer and straining to see the little knobs etc. Ditched for logic and found it much easier to use (and learn on) than reason...id say ditch it and use something like logic
 
it's not as in depth as some other sequencers and most people don't completely mix their tracks in Reason, but limiting yourself to only 3 synths isn't a bad thing, i would argue it spurs your creativity
 
tried reason ten years ago, hated the sound, hated the layout and the sequencer and straining to see the little knobs etc. Ditched for logic and found it much easier to use (and learn on) than reason...id say ditch it and use something like logic

thats your opinion m8. and 10 years ago is a long time. lets not start slagging off reason thanks
 
tried reason ten years ago, hated the sound, hated the layout and the sequencer and straining to see the little knobs etc. Ditched for logic and found it much easier to use (and learn on) than reason...id say ditch it and use something like logic

Completely pointless comment dude. I use Ableton, and love it, would I have loved it ten years ago? probably not as the 1st ableton wasnt even really a DAW!!!!

I've never used Reason, and dont intend to.....but thats not to say it isnt a good DAW, that has its advantages!
 
tried reason ten years ago, hated the sound, hated the layout and the sequencer and straining to see the little knobs etc. Ditched for logic and found it much easier to use (and learn on) than reason...id say ditch it and use something like logic

Kinda echoing the folks above me when I say that your statement is rather irrelevant. You haven't used it in ten years so that makes your opinion a bit dated, Reason has come quite a ways since then, integrating many new instruments, fx, improved coding and many other features. I also have to disagree with that Logic is easier to learn than Reason. With the way Reason is laid out like hardware it gives a better understanding of how things would hook up in real life, which in ways helps people to learn what's actually happening to the flow of audio.

While I'm not a Reason user, it does have it's advantages and at the end of the day it really is more or less has the same standard features as any other DAW. In fact, Reason is probably the most realistic DAW available (graphics & routing aside), because face it, if you were working solely in hardware most of us wouldn't have the shedload of different instruments (synths) we use in our tracks available in the first place.

Yes, having only 3 synths, might make it seem quite limited but trust me it's better off that way because they cover most forms of synthesis and you aren't being distracted by "oh, lets try that in this synth" or "ok, I've made it here, lets try and make it there". By only having three synths available you will learn them a lot more intimately and quickly be able to pick the right one for the job. Also, it is very easy to get "download fever" regarding free plugins
 
You are only limited to your capabilities, you should use the DAW you are the most familiar with. You will be more efficient and faster. Like you are familiar with some synth, you can make a sound you are imagining and know how to improve a sound. I bet DAW's have only minor differences generally, you can make professional stuff with everyone of them as long as you know what you're doing.

Short answer: Hell no!
 
There is a stupid myth that some DAWS "sound" better than others.

If anyone claims their DAW sounds better, you can instantly dismiss them as an idiot.
 
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