Reason is a virtual studio rack with all the tools and instruments you need to turn your ideas into music.
Synthesizers, samplers, drum machine, REX file loop player, mastering tools, mixer, vocoder, effects, pattern sequencer and more. As many of each as your computer can handle. Reason is an all-in-one music production environment, complete with its own realtime sequencer.
Although easy to learn and use, Reason is a flexible music system - a system that can be just as complex and advanced as you make it, featuring umerous tools such as the MClass mastering suite, the Combinator device, and the powerful Thor synth.
Choose a synth, a drum machine, a loop player or any device from the Create menu, and it will instantly appear in your rack, logically patched into the signal chain. If you need more machines than you have mixer channels, just create another mixer.
Each unit in Reason's virtual rack is edited from its own on-screen front panel. All the sliders, knobs, buttons and functions are right in front of you, ready to be tweaked, turned and twisted in absolute real-time. And all your front panel actions - filter adjustments, pitch bending, gain riding or panning - can be recorded and automated in the Reason sequencer.
A single keypress will turn Reason's rack around to reveal "patch cord heaven". Most audio connections are made automatically. When a new device is created, it appears immediately below the currently selected device, and Reason patches it into the system in the most logical way. Repatch by dragging the patch cord plug to the desired connector, or just make a pop-up menu choice. Most devices have one or more parameters controlled by Gate and/or CV. And all instrument devices have several Gate or CV output options. Combine this with easy, transparent patching, and you have connection power approaching that of a fully modular synth.
New in Version 5
The new Kong Drum Designer and Dr. Octo Rex loop player extend Reason's instrument arsenal to help musicians get "phenomenal sounding" rhythms, drums tracks and beats. Reason 5 and Record 1.5 add a whole new take on sequencing: BlocksSbuild songs parts like patterns and string them together for lightening fast arranging with the ability to freely go back and forth between pattern and linear modes. Neptune, a pitch correction tool and voice synthesizer, turns less than perfect performances into great ones in no time. Simply play new harmonies on a MIDI keyboard for instant backing vocals. Live sampling into all sample capable devices means any musician can use samples in a new and playful manner, discovering the lost art of creative sampling. The Expanded Factory Sound Bank, doubling in size, plus added signature sound designers' patches, inspire new arrangements and compositions. Multi core optimization, an on-screen keyboard and tempo scaling of clips top the list of additional improvements
The upgraded Dr. Octo Rex loop player loads eight REX loops into one player and lets you switch between them on the fly. This makes arranging a breeze - load the drum loops into one player, the guitars into another and use the sequencer to select what loop to play in a pattern-like fashion. With eight loops to switch between, the new loop player also comes ready for the experimental minded. Set the player to retrig the loops on the beat, on the bar or on the 16th note. Or program the loops manually like in the original rex player.
Many musicians tend to think of music in terms like intro, verse, chorus, breakdown, buildup and so on. With the new Blocks mode in Reason 5, your sequencer does too. Blocks lets you sequence your songs using a more pattern-based approach, with the segments of your song as individual building blocks to be laid out in your arrangement.
Sampling in Reason is simple and straightforward. Hit the sample button and Reason starts sampling. Reason will detect the sample start automatically. You can sample when Reason is running too if you like - no need to stop the music. Use a mic, a turntable, an instrument or the entire Reason mix.
The Kong Drum Designer is not your regular drum module. It's the drum module focused on letting you get exactly that drum sound you're after. Kong has 16 pads and 16 drums. Build your drum sounds based on any of the nine different drum modules. Flavor the sound with 11 support generators and effects. Program automation, create alternating groups and let Reason's powerful sequencer control the beat. Reason 5 ships with a sound bank with a generous supply of kits for Kong across a wide variety of styles.
In Reason 5 there are tons of changes to bring Reason up to speed with Record. These changes include advanced multi core support, improved cable management in the rack, faster sample loading, on-screen piano keyboard, sequencer usability improvements and much much more.
Propellerheads Reason 5 Main Features Include:
* Kong Drum Designer
* Upgraded Dr. Octo Rex Loop Player
* Block Sequencing
* Live Sampling
* Automatic Self-Contain of Samples (incl from ReFills)
* Record Notes on Multiple Tracks
* Scale Clips by Resizing
* Mute Tool
* Set and move loop functions
* Tap Tempo
* Improved key commands for laptop use
* Hierarchical menus in Combinator programmer
* Additional CV inputs on Combinator
* Updated Help system (incl Help on Mac)
* Normalize and reverse audio clips
* Bounce clip to sample
* MAC System Requirements: Intel Mac (multiple cores highly recommended), 1 GB RAM or more, DVD drive, Mac OS X 10.4 or later, 2 GB free hard disk space, Monitor with 1024x768 resolution or larger, CoreAudio compliant audio interface or built-in audio hardware, A MIDI interface and a MIDI keyboard recommended
* Windows System Requirements: Intel Pentium 4/AMD Athlon or better, 1GB RAM, DVD drive, Windows XP SP3, Vista or Windows 7, 2 GB free hard disk space, Monitor with 1024x768 resolution or larger, A 16 bit Windows compatible audio card, preferably with an ASIO driver, A MIDI interface and a MIDI keyboard recommended