Propellerhead Software Reason 6 Music Production Software (Upgrade from Full Versions)

Central New Features in Reason 6

Mixer

Studio Grade

The fully equipped mixing desk adds a big studio signal chain to all your sound sources. Every audio and instruments track has its own channel strip - the built-in EQ, dynamics and advanced routing will give your music that unmistakable million-dollar console sound. The "radio ready" master bus compressor gives your mixes that extra punch.

EQ Section

The mixing console features a warm sounding EQ section with high and low pass filters, high and low shelving filters as well as parametric midrange filters. This is where you can add some extra polish to your recordings, and the sound is just fabulous.

Channel Dynamics

Every channel has its own fully featured dynamics section with compressor, gate and expander functions.

Effect Sends

The console has eight dedicated effect sends and each channel's sends can be set to work pre or post fader. Adding a send effect to the mixer is a two mouseclick affair. Simply right-click in the mixer's master section and select what effect you want to use.

Inserting Effects

Each track in Reason 6 is made up of three components: a sequencer track, a rack device (audio track or mix device) and a mixer channel. The rack device is a dedicated Combinator device for insert effects, allowing you to create complex effect setups, save them as patches and load them up in an instant. Reason 6 ships with a large library of ready-made insert patches for a wide array of applications.

Fader Section

Here's the control you will find yourself using more than anything else in the mixer. This is where the faders are and this is also where you control the panning, handle solo and mute. Stereo channels also have a stereo width control.

Master Compressor

The Master compressor is what gives your music that final touch. Famous for its "radio ready" sound, the legendary dynamics processor it was modeled after is in use in studios all over the world.

Pulveriser Effect

Squash and Dirt

First in Pulveriser's signal chain comes the Compression and Distortion - Squash and Dirt - controls. The Squash compressor goes from zero to eleven before you've even turned it halfway up, while Dirt is suitable for everything from adding warmth to an analog kick drum, making lead guitars gently weep, or just totally fuzzing up your sounds

Multi-Mode Filter

The multi-mode filter provides a selectable Low Pass, Low Pass + Notch, Band Pass, High Pass, and Comb Filter setting for further processing. A selector lets you put the filter post the distortion in the signal chain, allowing for a soft, warm sound.

Modulation

Pulveriser's Envelope Follower gives you organic playable modulation of the filter and LFO speed - while the LFO can be applied to modulate the filter, used as a stereo auto-panner, or modulate the main output level for a classic tremolo effect.

Parallel Compression

The Dry/Wet control lets you dial back on the effect signal and bring back the original sound to the mix. Great for parallel compression of drums. Awesome for adding subtle grit and movement to any sound.

Echo Stereo Effect

Delay

The Delay section contains settings for delay time, tempo sync, stereo width, and pitch. With Ping-Pong turned on the delayed signal bounces from left to right. Turning Offset up gives you a nice and wide stereo spread. Keep Pitch keeps the delay feedback in tune when modulating the delay time for bouncing ball effects

Feedback & Color

Feedback controls the number of repeats, from a single repeat to infinity, and beyond. The Offset R knob adds or subtracts feedback separately from the right channel, causing the repeats to gradually wander from one speaker to the other. Lastly, the Diffusion creates a 'smearing' effect of the repeats for a natural sounding reverb-like effect.

In the Color section limiting, overdrive, distortion, or tube distortion is introduced to the repeats. The band pass filter lets you cut frequencies from the repeats and boost them when the resonance is turned up. Use the distortion and resonant filter together for tape echo-like sounds.

Modulation

The Modulation section features parameters for modulating the pitch and stereo image of the echoes. The envelope bends the repeats, causing them to wander up or down in pitch. The Wobble emulates a tape speed wobbling effect and the LFO modulates the pitch of the left and right channels independently, introducing stereo spread at moderate settings and completely warping the signal when turned up to full.

For further tweaking of the effect, try the Duck knob. Triggered by the incoming audio signal, it causes the repeats to duck like a side chain compressor.

Breakouts, Trigger, & Roll

Flip the rack to reveal the Breakout Jacks for inserting any number of other effect units into the feedback loop - opening up endless possibilities for creative sculpting of the echo repeats.

The Trigger and Roll modes let you play The Echo as an instrument, creating stutter and repeat effects on the fly.

Alligator Triple Filtered Gate

Three Channels

When a signal reaches Alligator it is split into three channels, all processed separately. Each channel has its separate gate controlled by the 64 included patterns, triggered from the sequencer, the Matrix and RPG-8 Arpeggiator devices, or via a MIDI keyboard.

Filters

The three channels are then run through either a high pass, band pass or a low pass filter, shaping the sound of each of the three bands. The filters lets you split the channels into separate frequencies, or use the envelope, LFO, and resonance controls to radically alter the sounds

FX Section

The FX section is where you process the channels with the built-in distortion, phaser, and delay. The separate controls for each channel let you apply the effects to each channel individually - e.g. distort the bass harmonics, add a delay to the midrange and put phaser on the high frequencies.

Finally, there are Pan and Volume controls. Even a function as basic as stereo panning of the rhythmically gated channels can make for really interesting spatial effects.

Neptune Pitch Adjuster

Pitch Adjusting

As a pitch adjuster, Neptune will fine tune the pitch of an audio track to help getting your vocal performances just right. Neptune will fix the flat notes with an unbelievable audio quality . You can select a root key and a scale that you want the adjuster to use, or create a scale that fits your song. And, yes. By cranking the pitch adjustment settings to the max, you can get that effect sound too

Audio Transpose

Neptune is also a natural sounding audio transposer. This is a great help if you ever needed to change the key of a song that's already been recorded.

Voice Synthesizer

The most creative-sparking function in Neptune is the voice synth. Play your MIDI keyboard and Neptune will create new harmonies from your vocal tracks in real time, or use it without the original voice to completely change the melody of the song.

Other New Features

Audio Recording

Capture your ideas with a minimum of mouse clicks and menu actions - version 6 introduces unlimited hard disk tracks and rock solid audio recording in Reason.

Time Stretch & Audio Transpose

With the non-destructive time stretch, you can actually record first and pick your tempo or change the key of your music later. All it takes is a click of your mouse!

Recording Meter

The large Recording Meter overlay lets you tune your guitar and set the levels from across the room.

Line 6 Guitar and Bass Amps

With the virtual guitar and bass PODs from amp and cab simulation experts Line 6, Inc., you are never short of interesting tones and timbres.

Comp Editor

As a perfect performance may be less than perfect from scratch, Reason 6 features our swift and easy to use comp editor. Building the ultimate vocal track is as simple as selecting the parts that work and muting the ones that don't. Exit the comp editor and listen to the results; a perfect take containing only the good parts.

Expert Exporting

Want to move your song over to your DAW? In one single click, Reason will export your separate mixer channels as individual audio stems, with or without effects. Need just the effects?

A Glut of New Sounds

The included Factory Sound Bank has been expanded with thousands of new patches and loops for Reason's instruments, and hundreds of patches for the new Pulveriser, The Echo and Alligator effects.

The Bounty of What's Included

Instruments

The Neptune Synth is an advanced pitch adjuster, audio transposer, and voice synth.

The Subtractor Polyphonic Synthesizer is an analog type polyphonic synthesizer based on subtractive synthesis, the method used in classic, analog synthesizers. It's two oscillators can produce well known basic waveforms like square, sawtooth, triangle and sine plus an additional waveforms based on samples. It also features phase offset modulation.

The Malström Graintable Synthesizer combines granular and wavetable synthesis letting you create anything from lush pads to scary squeals, from the pretty to the gritty. Plus, you can use this synth's audio inputs to filter other Reason devices, such as drums or sampled vocals.

The Thor Polysonic Synthesizer provides six open filter and oscillator slots that let you load up three different synth filters and three separate oscillators simultaneously. It utilizes step sequencer for playing your melodies but you can also use it to modulate melodies, trigger phrases from specific keys, create intense arpeggios, and generate piercing percussion lines.

The ID8 Instrument Device provides a wide palette of sounds useful for building a steady foundation for your tracks. Also, the ID8 device is used by default when you're loading a Standard MIDI File into the Reason sequencer. For every MIDI track in the imported file, you will get an ID8 device loaded with a sound that resembles the original sound. This serves as a starting point to be able to play back the imported MIDI file. After, you can change sound, or replace the ID8 with another instrument device.

The ID8 includes the below:

Piano
The Piano category features a grand piano, an upright piano, a dance oriented piano sound and vibes.

Electric Piano
The Electric Piano category holds two classic electric piano sounds plus a digital FM type piano and a Clav.

Organ
The Organ category contains two classic tone-wheel organ sounds, one transistor organ sound and a pump organ.

Guitar
The Guitar category sports an acoustic steel string guitar, a clean electric guitar, a half-acoustic jazz guitar and a dulcimer.

Bass
The Bass category features one fingered and one picked electric bass, an acoustic upright bass and a synth bass.

Strings
The Strings category holds orchestral strings, arco strings, a small string section and a choir sound.

Brass-Wind
The Brass-Wind category features Fat Brass, Brass Section, French Horns and Flute.

Synth
The Synth category contains two classic monophonic synth lead sounds and two characteristic polyphonic pad sounds, one with fast attack and one with slow.

Drums
The Drums category sports four extensive combinations of drums and percussion instruments aimed at different musical styles. Each "drum kit" contains between 53 and 65 different instruments, so there is plenty to choose from!

Samplers

The NN-XT Advanced Sampler is designed with an intuitive user-interface but with an excess of sophisticated features for sound design and life-like instrument emulation. You can edit one or more zones with paramaters that you set. You can cross-fade velocities and layer zones with overlapping keyranges. The sampler can automatically detect pitch and you can configure it to emulate real instruments. You can load and map sampler patches from SoundFont 2 and you can control this sampler like an analogue synth via its CV and Gate ins and outs on the back of it.

The NN-19 Sampler is more streamlined and allows you to automate any controls in it when playing audio from a single wav/aiff sample or a sampler patch. It offers a filter section, LFO's, envelopes, as well as an array of connection options for even further customizing your sound. This is the sampler of choice for sound mangling duties.

The sample players in Reason also offer Live Sampling capabilities so that you can hook up a sound source to the rack's sampling input and start sampling. Use a mic, a turntable, an instrument or the entire Reason mix. Live sampling together with pitch detection of root key and automatic zone mapping makes it dead easy to sample an instrument and map the samples across the keyboard. This way you'll create your own multi-sampled instruments for NN-XT and NN-19 in an instant.

Drums & Loops

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. The Rex player also comes with an expanded set of per-slice settings. Set pan, pitch, filter frequency and level, reverse slices, use multiple outputs, create alternating groups of slices and much more.

Redrum is a drum machine with a built in pattern sequencer. It has ten channels that can play samples loaded by the user or from a preset drum kit. In addition to the pattern sequencer, Redrum can also be played from Reason's main sequencer or via MIDI. By combining the pattern sequencer and the main sequencer you can easily create fills and variations to the patterns without having to create new patterns for every variation. It has two built-in effects sends with send controls for each channel.

The Kong Drum Designer is a drum module that supports analog synthesis, physical modeling, sampling, Rex loops, support sound generators, effects, flexible routing, multiple hit types and more. It 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.

Modules

1. Synth Bass Drum - from hard knocking kicks to long booming ones, the analog modeling kick drum can do them all
2. Synth Snare - based on tone, harmonic and noise, short and snappy or long and noisy
3. Synth Hi-Hat - 4 different hit types that can be spread out across the pads - closed, semi-closed, semi-open, or open
4. Synth Tom Tom - if your fondest memories include a musical backdrop of those ubiquitous tom tom breaks in 80's ballads, then this module will make your eyes misty. With its range of settings, this module can produce a wide selection of percussion sounds
5. Physical Bass Drum - built on physical modeling, this module generates organic sounding kicks with flexible settings for tuning, size, beater characteristics, and more
6. Physical Snare Drum - 4 hit types (center, position 1, position 2 and edge) to generate a very natural sounding snare drum - comes with settings for snare tension, bottom and top pitch, and more
7. Physical Tom Tom - includes settings for size, tuning, stick, and more, making it capable of sounding like a wide range of tom tom-like drums
8. Sample player - the NN-Nano is a multi-layered sampler and sample player lets you build drum sounds by layering samples - you can create layered sounds or use velocity settings to create velocity switching between samples
9. Rex player - extremely versatile loop player - use it to trigger an entire loop from a pad, in sync of course, or use it to play a selected slice only. You can assign one loop across several pads and set the Rex Player to trigger chunks of slices, still in sync
10. Support Generators - 2 modules that can be added after the drum module in the signal flow. One can add noise, the other tone
11. Effects - 9 effect modules to help you shape your sound. You can also route external effects into Kong, or use Kong as an effect module. Effects include the below:

1. Compressor
2. Filter
3. Overdrive
4. Parametric EQ
5. Rattler
6. Ring modulator
7. Reverb
8. Tape Echo
9. Transient Shaper

Device Control

With Spider Audio and Spider CV, you can either merge or split audio. The Spider Audio allows you to merge multiple audio signals and process them with the same insert effect, as in sending three of Redrum's toms to the same compressor. You can also split an instrument's output into four, and send them to four different effect processors.

The Spider CV can split and merge audio on CV and gate signals. For instance, you can split the CV signals from the Matrix Pattern Sequencer to trigger several synths with the same pattern. You can merge the outputs of several LFO's to create some very complex modulation patterns.

The Matrix is an analog style sequencer with a maximum of 32 steps per pattern and is really the part of Reason to use for ReBirth style sequences. Just like ReDrum, Matrix has 32 patterns and each can be freely sized regardless of what time signature has been chosen in the sequencer. So for instance a simple 5 step pattern played back as 16th notes in a 4/4 song would only repeat itself at the original starting position every 5th bar. (No, we didn't use a calculator to work this out, keep reading and the answer will come later).

The Resolution selector allows playback of the pattern in a range between 1/2 notes to 1/128th notes. The playback resolution is of course completely independent of the sequencer, which means you can try out different resolution ideas while the sequencer is playing.

The RPG-8 Monophonic Arpeggiator is a sophisticated device that provides you with a wide breadth of control in creating arpeggios of your audio. It offers a manual mode for controlling the arpeggiated notes yourself as well as an automated mode. IT offers wide range of on-panel controls and mode selectors, a pattern section for muting selected notes in an arpeggio, and a large display showing values and positions.

The Combinator is a sophisticated device that allows you to build elaborate chains of Reason units - instruments, effects, pattern sequencers, you name it - and save as Combi patches. When a Combi patch is opened, all units in the created setup are instantly loaded, complete with sounds, settings and routings. With its ability to load up complex instruments routed through effect units and dynamic processors in one go, the Combinator is an extremely playable, extremely performance-friendly device, perfect for both stage and studio use.

Dynamics/EQ

The Pulveriser brings together crunchy compression, dirty distortion, a multimode filter and flexible modulation in a single sound-crunching effect.

The MClass Mastering Suite brings you four separate pro level mastering units designed to add power, presence and an overall professional feel to your Reason mixes. Load up the MClass tools as a complete mastering suite in the Combinator for finalizing whole mixes, or use the units separately. You receive the MClass Equalizer, Stereo Imager, Compressor, and Maximizer.

The BV-512 Digital Vocoder is a 4 to 512-band vocoder capable of modulating sound in both old-school analog style and digital FFT fashion. It also doubles as a fully automated equalizer with a twist. It can also be fully automated. The BV-512 can be used for everything from classic robot vocals to weird harmonic effects.

Modeled after the SSL 9000k, one of the most legendary analog studio consoles in modern music history, the Mixer allows you to bring all the elements of your production together and shape them for your final release. The mixer is equipped with the SSL master bus compressor for giving your tracks a warm, analog sound. With it, you can give all of your tracks a sense of cohesion. The mixer also is equipped with eight auxiliary sends (Aux) sends which operate just like a traditional pro console. In post-fader mode, you can apply effects, like reverb, echo, or distortion to instruments. In pre-fader mode, you can use the Aux sends to create custom headphone feeds for vocalists or recording ensembles.

In addition to the eight sends, each channel including the master bus can be loaded up with insert effects. Create effect signal chains that are only limited by your imagination for every channel in your mix, assign knobs on the mixer to control key parameters of your effects, and then automate every knob, button, and fader on the mixer for flawless mix.

Effects

The Alligator Triple Filtered Gate is a three channel pattern-based gate effect with distortion, phaser and delay. Alligator can add rhythm and accents to a flat synth sound, change the feel of a percussion loop, or add wild effects to remixes. Add it as an insert effect on a single track to change the rhythmic feel of the sound or apply it to the whole mix for a breakdown section to completely reshape your song.

The Echo is an advanced stereo echo bringing together the brilliance of modern delays with the organic sounds of analog circuitry and old-school tape machines. The Echo is equal parts pristine stereo delay, sound sculpturing toolbox, and playable performance effect.

The RV7000 Advanced Reverb is an advanced and flexible reverb effect that lets you dial in your desired reverb sound in seconds, and saving it as your own preset. The reverb engine consists of nine carefully crafted reverb algorithms, with seven individual parameters each: Small Space, Room, Hall, Arena, Plate, Spring, Echo, Multitap and Reverse, each with up to seven individual parameters. This effect also has a built-in EQ and Gate knobs for further tweaking your reverb.

The Scream 4 is an effect rack with ten different types of distortion: Overdrive, Distortion, Fuzz, Tube, Tape, Feedback, Modulate, Warp, Digital, and Scream. It also includes P1 and P2 knobs that let you tweak parameters, the former controls bit resolution and the latter controls the sample rate. In the "Fuzz" setting, P1 alters the Tone and P2 controls the level of Presence. Plus, this effect has a +/- 18 dB Equalizer and a type of speaker simulator for tweaking or beefing up your distortion.

The Line 6 Guitar Amp and Bass Amp are amplifier and speaker cabinet simulators based on the renowned modeling algorithms developed by Line 6. The two devices feature accurate simulations of five of the most coveted vintage amplifier and cabinet models, that you can freely mix and match.

Production

When dealing with Audio Tracks, you can capture your ideas with a minimum of mouse clicks and menu actions - version 6 of Reason introduces unlimited hard disk tracks and rock solid audio recording in Reason. Plus, you can tweak the tempo and pitch after recording. The built in Comp Editor allows you to select the best track or build one from multiple takes. In addition, if you want to alter the tempo of your recording, you can use the non-destructive Time Stretch. For changing pitch, just use the non-destructive Audio Transpose function.

The Sequencer features a cleaner, smoother, more intuitive interface. Dedicated to turning your ideas into great music. A sequencer device or instrument gets its own dedicated track, with separate lanes for note, performance and automation data, opting for a better overview and less clutter. In addition, when a clip is moved to a new location, all its internal data follows right along with it, always ending up exactly where you intended it to. Sequence with ease please!

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. With the basic arrangement laid out, you can see the contents of the blocks and create variations and mute individual parts, or add further musical elements in song mode. You never have to commit to using either mode - you are free to move back and forth between Blocks and Song mode, and any changes you make in your Blocks will instantly be manifested in all instances of that Block.

The ReGroove Mixer is a realtime groove management device designed to give your music a more human and less programmed feel. You can apply different non-destructive groove settings to up to 32 musical elements in your song. Each of the groove channels feature controls for groove amount, slide, and shuffle plus more detailed settings. The Reason soundbank comes with a great selection of groove patches, many of them created from analyzed recordings of real musicians as well as classic groovy tracks.

Wide Compatibility

Remote Technology

Mouse and computer keyboard may do the job most of the time, but when you want hands-on tactile control of your music making, Remote is there to save the day. With the Remote technology, Reason comes with built-in support for all major controllers and keyboards available on the market. Knobs, faders, displays and buttons are already set up for each Reason device. You can use one controller as your master keyboard and use another for just the mixer, for instance. Remote is there right out of the box. Nothing to configure, nothing to install. It just works.

ReWire Technology

If you want to use Reason with other software products, ReWire is there to help you. ReWire is there to help you. ReWire works like an invisible cable that handles audio, MIDI, and sync between music applications. Reason can become a rack of instruments and play alongside another program, or sequenced entirely from the host application. ReWire has grown into an industry standard and is used in applications like ProTools, Logic, Cubase, Live, Sonar, and many more.

More General Features

•Virtual studio complete with instruments, synthesizers, samplers, drum machines and loops, device controllers, dynamic and EQ racks, effects, and production tools
•Native performance, no special hardware needed
•Virtual mixer and patching system for any number of modules with endless routings possible
•Creates as many of each device as the host computer can handle
•Full automation of all fader and control movements - infinite patching and routing possibilities
•Smooth, seamless, out-of-the-box communication with external MIDI controllers and hardware control surfaces
•The preset mappings link the controller's knobs, buttons and faders to the parameters within Reason's devices, providing instant, tactile control over any function in any Reason unit
•Browser allows for free-text searching of the entire library, "preview-playing" of sounds directly from the browser and increases the efficiency of patch management. The task of finding and loading sounds and patches is smooth and intuitive
•Full synchronization with other MIDI equipment
•Customizable editors for all devices
•Devices can be folded away to save screen space