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Traditionally, the way to do surround mixes in Reason is to connect it through Rewire to a surround-capable audio application, such as Cubase. However, with a little bit of creative wiring, and the right equipment, surround mixes are not only possible in Reason, you can also do some neat tricks that programs like Cubase can’t do.

Traditionally, the way to do surround mixes in Reason is to connect it through Rewire to a surround-capable audio application, such as Cubase. However, with a little bit of creative wiring, and the right equipment, surround mixes are not only possible in Reason, you can also do some neat tricks that programs like Cubase can’t do. While the ideas presented here are done with multi-channel mixing in mind, you may find that you can use some of them in your stereo mixes too.

What you’ll need

• A multi-channel soundcard, with supported drivers (preferably ASIO)
• Appropriate amplifier(s) and/or speakers (ie: 5.1 capable)
• A reasonable amount of CPU horsepower, depending on how many instruments you plan to use (any Athlon or P4 system should be fine)
• Reason 2.5 (2.0 might be OK too, I don’t remember if it has all the modules you’ll need though. 1.x is not an option). The demo files in this tutorial only use sounds and patches from the Reason Factory Soundbank.

Configuration and Initial Setup
First, you need to check if your soundcard drivers can provide the appropriate outputs to Reason. Go to Reason’s Audio Preferences, and click the Channels button: Read the rest of this entry »

What happens when you mix digital error with drum loops? You get Click, a sample CD of glitchy electronic loops. The CD is definitely aimed at a targeted nitch of IDM/experimental music producers looking to add that final touch to their latest tracks. Here is how the CD breaks down:

Content:

# 10 Folders, with about 20-35 loop in each folder.
# Beats & Clicks – a collection of drum beats with tweaky switch-ups.
# Cinematic Clicks – Music loops with strange treatments of digital errors.
# Cuts & Clicks – Groove tracks that will make your speakers pop.
Dub Clicks – Glitch loops with a Dub twist.
# Experimental Clicks – Sounds warped to be very experimental in nature.
# Indie Clicks – Not sure what the “Indie” refers to, but this is another folder of assorted digital errors.
Jazz Clicks – Mangled sounds of Jazz, twisted and bent into loops.
Lo-Fi Clicks – Sounds with a Lo-Fi quality.
# Sci-Fi Clicks – Bizarre Sci-Fi sounds……looped.
# Vox Clicks – Vocals, warped & stuttered into groove tracks.

It seems that over the last few years I.D.M.’s (intelligent dance music) influence has creeped slowly, but surely into pop music. This sample CD is proof of this strange phenomena occurring in music. The release of Click, is a definite attempt to add a little spice to the stale market of I.D.M./experimental sample CDs. Read the rest of this entry »

Compression is one of the few concept that many younger electronic artist have trouble coming to grips with. This article is a follow-up to Dave’s wonderful article on basic concepts of an audio compressor. In this tutorial I shall touch upon some of the finer points of uses for compressors.

Compression is one of the few concept that many younger electronic artist have trouble coming to grips with. This article is a follow-up to Dave’s wonderful article on basic concepts of an audio compressor. In this tutorial I shall touch upon some of the finer points of uses for compressors. Before I get down to the nitty gritty, I must make one disclaimer: all of this information isn’t the matter-of-fact way to compress, but mearly a push in the right direction. An artist friend of mine once said, “Hearing is believing”. This saying holds true to using compressors in Reason, mixing with hardware, or on any other digital audio workstation. Read the rest of this entry »