For someone like me who has never experienced the Reason software, can anyone tell me the differences between it, and apps like Cubase and Cakewalk and what kind of cool things it can offer that the others don''t (if any) or vice-versa? Is it a one-stop-shop midi and audio app? Thanks, Mick. Pro music for FILM, GAMES, MULTIMEDIA. Free mp3 samples at: http://micktaylormuzik.tripod.com

Reason is the only thing i use now for music. It is *NOT* designed for midi. You can export, but thats just a side feature, and not a very good one either.

If you didn't already know, Reason can be thought of as a sound tower EMULATOR with special things to aid in music design (like the pattern editor and sequencers). So you can do some pretty neat things if you move the wires around at the back of the console.

If you do get reason, make sure you have a midi keyboard, its technically not required, but trust me.. it is

As far as the others.. I've tried cakewalk, its just for midis and I hate it personally. Cubass.. never touched it.

[edited by - dreq on February 6, 2004 5:36:50 PM]

Ever read Niel Stephenson''s "Snow Crash"? EVERYONE listens to "Reason". Heh.

Sadly, this is absolutly noting to do with your question.

quote:

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Original post by Dreq
Reason is the only thing i use now for music. It is *NOT* designed for midi. You can export, but thats just a side feature, and not a very good one either.

If you didn''t already know, Reason can be thought of as a sound tower EMULATOR with special things to aid in music design (like the pattern editor and sequencers). So you can do some pretty neat things if you move the wires around at the back of the console.

If you do get reason, make sure you have a midi keyboard, its technically not required, but trust me.. it is

As far as the others.. I''ve tried cakewalk, its just for midis and I hate it personally. Cubass.. never touched it.

[edited by - dreq on February 6, 2004 5:36:50 PM]

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You''re so wrong about that. It''s primary use might be for MIDI Sequencing but you can do a heck of alot more with it.

Reason is a bunch of outboard audio hardware emulated in software.

Basically, you get a virtual mixing desk, with virtual EQs, to which you can add none, one or more of: a reverb unit, another EQ unit, a voltage control ('VC') splitter (Reason uses old synth metaphors), a bunch of other effects like choruses, distortions, etc. These handle processing of sound sources.

The sound sources themselves include synthesisers, samplers and some other odds and sods that can be used to program them by building patterns which you arrange into songs.

Similar software from other companies include Project5, Orion and Storm.

It's great if you like the predominantly dance/trance bias of its stock sound set, and you can buy or download other sounds, but make damn sure you try the demo first. You also need a pretty meaty computer to do it justice.

One down-side is its poor support for MIDI recording and a total inability to support any third-party components. (Project5 offers a less outré GUI, but does support VSTi and DXi instruments.)

It supports "Rewire", which means you can use it together with more traditional sequencing packages like Cubase/Cubasis, Logic and SONAR. These packages are designed to ape the old multi-track tape-deck system found in traditional recording studios until the early '90s. Those without any formal music training often find this system feels rather artificial, although I rather like it myself.

I preferred the GUI on Project5, but Reason appears to have better support and stability. If you have the money and playing with the demo shows it to be a good fit for your working methods, go for it.

Personally, I 'doodle' with ACID Pro 4, but use SONAR 3 for the bulk of the hard work. Project5 gets used mainly as an instrument in my setup.

--
Sean Timarco Baggaley


[edited by - stimarco on February 6, 2004 6:16:25 PM]

"differences between it, and apps like Cubase and Cakewalk"

Cubase and Cakewalk are primaraly MIDI sequencers. You'll probably want to run Reason alongside them, but it can be used without them too.

"Is it a one-stop-shop midi and audio app?"

It's certianly not a one stop MIDI app... but then again, Cakewalk or Cubase are certianly not one stop audio apps. You really should get one of each (a MIDI and an Audio).

It's also worth noting that in MIDI apps like Cakewalk could effectivly be replaced by a MIDI keyboard and the approprate interface to a computer. This will be good, because it will signicantly speed up composition in Reasons's good, but slow, sequencer.



I personaly use Cakewalk to compose in, and then Reason to sample that composition. Reason has fairly good sequencing tools, but nothing in the order of what Cubase or Cakewalk can do.

If you're getting something to start off in, I'd get Cakewalk, especialy if you have a wavetable MIDI device, like a SoundBlaster Live. (this is also how I started, and I think I did rather well). You'll get "ok" sound quality ("good" if you're not an audio guy ).


Anyway, it's worthwhile checking out their webpage. Also, some of the guys said it was more techno-oriented, which was true for Reason 1, but not for the newest Reason 2.5 (which comes with a whole disk of orchestral sounds).

edit: I made a post with a sample of an orchestral peice done in Reason here

[edited by - Andrew Russell on February 7, 2004 7:06:01 AM]

Ok, thanks guys. I''m heavy on both the midi and audio (and sampling) sides of things and I''m not huge on techno so maybe I should stick to Sonar. I don''t find it limiting for audio, well for what I''m doing anyway. Though, I do use it in conjunction with Cool Edit for audio. But obviously from what you''se have said, Reason must do some cool things with audio/sampling. I''d still like to check it out.
Thanks for the info fellas. Appreciated. And Andrew, I''ll check out that song, cheerz...
Mick.