The newly renamed Reason Studios [formally Propellerheads] is the software company behind Reason. I’ve been using this DAW for production since 2007. There’s been a lot of highs and plenty of lows throughout the years, but I can honestly say the bulk of it has been great. We’ll talk about what I like, don't like and what I feel can be improved to take Reason to another level. WHAT I LIKE
When I tried Reason for the first time, I was simply blown away. A virtual studio rack at my fingertips. Hardware from my grand dad's band I used to play with was now on my screen. I could flip the rack around and use the cables to hook up things to my heart's content. BACKWARDS COMPATABILITY How many times have you updated your DAW, opened up an old production to only find out a plugin was removed? A feature doesn't work the same as before? Reason has those pitfalls of course but not too many. Beats from 10 years ago still open up and sound the same as when they were made. STOCK YOU SAY? The standard version of Reason comes jam packed with more than enough to get one started in production. 11 GB of sounds and samples, 29 effects, 17 instruments, unlimited audio and MIDI tracks, just to name a few. The sound banks and presets alone are worth their weight in gold. THE MIXER Where do I start? The mixer is a workhorse. Inspired by the SSL 9000 board, you have all the bells and whistles of an analog desk on your computer. I love how simple it is to use yet can take on more daunting mixes if needed. Flexible routing, full dynamics, EQ and automation make this mixer a breeze to work with. WHAT I DON'T LIKE VST SUPPORT CAME TOO LATE For over a decade and a half, Reason didn't support VST, meaning you couldn't load up your favorite 3rd party plugins. No plugins from Waves, UAD and the like could be used at all. This was a major blow to producers that loved the DAW that weren't able to use their soft synths. As of 2017 that's changed. It's opened up a new world of possibilites being able to use Reason's features along with our tried and true plugins. NO MP3 EXPORT? It's 2020 and you can finally export MP3s from Reason. I wonder what took soooooo long! End rant. NO COMPANY FOCUS Lately it seems that Reason Studios is being reactive to the DAW market and not being innovative as they once were. The Rack plugin is cool. But what about us stand alone users? Oh we get more instruments! Updates have been slow and sometimes underwhelming. Features that are the norm in other DAWs are now just making their way into Reason or still awaiting the light of day. IMPROVEMENTS & WISHLIST Below are a few things that need to be addressed and added to Reason: Auto save function Update older Reason devices [NN-XT, NN19, etc.] Ability to hide instruments, mix channels, sequencer tracks VST3 support Adjustable height for mixer channels Implement Recycle in Reason Above all I can honestly say Reason isn't bad at all. While it's not perfect, it has made strides on improving. What DAW do you guys use? Let me know in the comments what you like and dislike about your DAW. Until next time, it's 'Tool.
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instrumentoolI have a passion for teaching and writing. Some of my many thoughts are here. Archives
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