Section 3: Instruments
In this tutorial we will learn how to:
Load and play drumbeats using the Dr Rex
Loading solo waves into the NN19
Using the Redrum
Basic functions of the Malstrom
Connecting a Matrix Pattern Sequencer
Before you start this tutorial you should be familiar with creating, editing and automating basic functions and understand Instrument Windows, Lanes and Edit Modes in Reason. See the beginner’s tutorial to learn how to do these. If you’re not familiar with these techniques you may struggle in this tutorial.
Loading and playing drumbeats using the Dr Rex:
With a new project let’s create an empty rack and add a main mixer. Then create a Dr REX. The Dr Rex loads REX files and is good for pre-made drumbeats.
-Click on the ‘Browse Loop’ button and from the Reason Factory Sound Bank find a beat from the DrRexLoops>Chemical Beats folder called ‘Chm09_Fatboy_135’.
You can listen to the beat you’ve loaded by pressing ‘Preview’ on the DrRex instrument.
-To put this beat into your track you need to first select the Dr.Rex 1 Track in the Sequencer Window then click ‘To Track’ on the DrRex Instrument.
This will put the beat into your tune between the left and right loop bar. You will also notice that it has automatically grouped the beat as well if you look at Arrange Mode. This makes the beat easier to move around and also easier to copy and paste (see below). Although we don’t have other instruments yet, if you had another Instrument selected other than Dr Rex 1 in the Seq Window and pressed ‘To Track’, Reason would worn you that you’re copying into the wrong instrument. Sometimes however you may want this, as I’ll explain later.
Now go into Edit Mode and you’ll notice that the DrRex doesn’t use a keyboard it uses a ‘REX Lane’. These show the slices starting from slice#1. Click on Slice#1 and you’ll hear it play the first slice (bass drum). From here you can figure out how the DrRex works, it simply plays the slice like a note one after the other. Move the slices around and listen to how if effects the beat. Use Ctrl+Z to undo changes.
Notice that every note also has its own velocity. Changes these won’t affect the volume, if you did the previous tutorial then you should know why! If you look at the DrRex in the Instrument Window the Velocity knobs to the bottom left are all set to zero.
The reason why the DrRex is good for beats is that it automatically sets the right tempo for the beat. The sample you loaded ‘Fatbot_135’ means the original sample was recorded at 135 BPM but the DrRex automatically plays it at your set BPM, in this case 120BPM.
Using Solo Samples in the NN19:
In the previous tutorial we looked at loading a pre-made patch from the Reason Sound Bank. The NN19 is capable of loading your own waves (including drumbeats), with drumbeats though you will need to pitch it correctly to run at 120BPM so this section you’ll learn how to use your ears (rather like a DJ mixing two records).
Firstly download the sample below and save it to your Reason folder.
-Create an NN19 and load this sample you downloaded, however you do not load this sample by the usual way but by the blue browse sample button further to the right.
- You also need to highlight the ‘Solo Sample’ light (see below).
The sample you loaded is 140bpm but keep your tune at 120bpm for now.
-Go into edit mode and draw a note on C3 from position 1,1,1 to 9,1,1. Put the loops from these positions too.
You will also need to ‘loop’ the sample.
-Change the ‘Set Loop Sample Mode’ knob so it says FW above (see picture below). This will loop the sample continuously.
Putting a wave in with its note on C3 plays it at its original speed, putting it at C4 will play it twice as fast and C2 twice as slow. If you press play you hear that the beat is out of time (your tune should be at 120bpm). You need to decrease this sample by 20bpm.
-To do this, move the note down from C3 to A2.
This will still be out of time but will be the closest you will be able to get it. Now you need to fine-tune the wave using the Fine Tune knob (see picture above). The best way to do this is to solo the track and listen to the beat until it gets to the 9,1,1 and loops back to 1,1,1. You’ll notice if it’s too fast or too slow. Try to figure out the correct speed yourself.
This is how you put external waves into your tune. The problem with this technique is that although its fine for beats if you were to try this with vocals for example, it would also change the pitch! The answer for the fine tune was about 36. It’s actually a fairly difficult loop to judge and you’ll find beats with a definite bass and snare easier to fine tune.
You may find some waves or REX files impossible to get in time exactly. This generally is a result of the muppet (not you hopefully) who edited the wave or REX beat in the first place and is seriously annoying in some cases. The wave can be cut wrong e.g. a fraction too much cut off the start of a wave would result in the whole beat (when run at exactly the right speed) playing slightly ahead of the main tune. Sometimes you can fix the sample in an editor but be careful when buying cheap waves or REX files, as many engineers don’t realise the importance of cutting the sample right. As a rule Reasons Soundbank is very good but there are some files especially REX files that are cut wrong.
Now you’ve learnt how to load individual waves into the NN19 lets move onto creating beats of your own.
Creating and using the Redrum:
Using pre-made drum loops is fine as a beginner but eventually you will have to create your own beats. Here you’ll learn the basics of using the Redrum.
-Create a Redrum and click on the ‘Browse Patch’ in the bottom left corner. From the Reason Sound Factory>Redrum Drum Kits>Rock Kits load the Rock Masters Kit 1.
There are two ways of using the Redrum and this usually confuses beginners. The first way is by automation and the second by the Sequencer Track. Automation isn’t a particularly good way of using the Redrum but we will learn how to do it, as the skill is needed to use the Matrix.
-Mute the DrRex, as we don’t need 3 drumbeats playing.
First we’ll look at the automation technique.
-Make sure Enable Pattern Section and Pattern lights are lit.
You’ve already loaded the sample bank Rock Masters Kit. This loads drums into all 10 channels of the Redrum. In channel 1 is the bass drum, make sure this channel is selected and press the numbers 1,11 and 15 so they light up on the edit panel (check the picture below).
Press play and you should have the bass drum playing in rhythm with the hats on the NN19.
-Now select the Snare that’s on Channel 2, you’ll notice the lights on the Edit Window go out. This is because you’ve selected a new channel to edit.
-Turn on the lights 5 and 13.
-Now select Channel 3 and turn on number 10 light but this time turn the Dynamic to ‘Soft’ before doing so.
The light should be a different colour. This is volume (velocity) of the drum being played, soft is quieter. Hit play and listen to your first beat.
Now we need to learn the automation part. The current pattern you’ve been editing is highlighted just to the left of the Edit Panel in this case A1.
- Lets first copy this pattern to A2 by right clicking on the grey area on the far left of the Redrum and select ‘Copy Pattern’.
-Now change the pattern to A2 by clicking the 2 on the current pattern select.
-Right click again on the far left and click ‘Paste Pattern’. This copies pattern A1 to A2.
Now lets change A2 pattern slightly.
-Make sure A2 is highlighted and select channel 2 (the snare).
-Put a snare in position 9 at medium volume. This will simply add an extra snare to the beat.
Now we will automate the Redrum so that it changes drumbeat as you’re playing your tune.
- Select pattern A1 again and then open the Redrum Sequencer Track and go into Edit mode. Make sure ‘Show Pattern Lane’ is enabled. Check the picture below.
The lane you’re interested in here is the yellow Pattern Lane.
-Click the Pencil Tool and click in the yellow window.
The ‘Not Automated’ sign will disappear and a line with A1 in will appear. If A2 appears then you didn’t set the pattern on the Redrum to A1 first, remember the lane will Automate to whatever the knob/button is on at the time.
In the top left corner of the yellow lane you’ll see what pattern you’re drawing.
-Click it and you’ll see all the patterns you can use. Select A2 and using the Pencil Tool draw an A2 line from position 2,1,1 and 3,1,1.
Before we play the tune select the Selection Tool (next to the pencil tool) and click and drag in the yellow window so both A1 and A2 lines are selected. Once both have gone darker press Ctrl+G. Check the picture below.
Now if you go into Arrange Mode you’ll see the first 2 bars grouped on the Redrum 1 Track. This makes copying and pasting easier.
-Select this group and copy and paste up to bar 9.
If you hit play now the pattern will change between A1 and A2 every other bar. Look at the Redrum in the Instrument Window and there should be a green bar to signify it has been Automated.
Now you will need to know how to turn the beat off. We will do this between position 3,1,1 and 5,1,1.
-Right click on the Pattern button that’s just above the green box on the Redrum (selected pattern) and select ‘Edit Automation’
This opens a blue controller window in the Edit Mode of Redrum 1 Track.
-Use the ‘Pencil Tool’ to automate this and it will either automate to 1 (on) or 0 (off).
- A green bar will appear around the Pattern Button. You need to make position 1,1,1 to 3,1,1 turned on and 3,1,1 to 5,1,1 turned off. Check the picture below.
This has covered the basic automation of the Redrum. If you found this a little confusing then I shouldn’t worry too much. This technique of automation is important because it’s the only way to program the Matrix so I’ll cover it again later. I wouldn’t recommend this technique for the Redrum because as your beats develop they become far more complex and this way is confusing because you can’t see all the channels at once.
The second way of using the Redrum is through the Drum Lane. This is the most effective way of using the machine and I recommend you use this from the start. This is where you draw the notes in manually. The advantage of this is that you can see the whole drumbeat rather than just the channel that’s selected.
First you need to make sure the Enable Pattern Section button is turned off (above picture). If it’s left on the Redrum will play 2 drumbeats: the one in your pattern (A1) and also what’s in the Drum lane. This is a common noob error. Let’s put what we programmed on the Redrum patterns into the Drum lane.
-First make sure Redrum1 is highlighted in the Sequencer Window. Then set your loop from 1,1,1 to 2,1,1.
-Put the pattern on the Redrum to A1 then right click on the grey part to the far left of the Redrum and select ‘Copy Pattern to Track’.
This will copy the drumbeat we programmed in A1 to the Drum lane between the two loops. You can turn off the Pattern Lane and the Controller Lane as you wont be using them now. Check the picture below.
-Once you’ve done this move the loops between 2,1,1 and 3,1,1.
-Use ‘Copy Pattern to Track’ again but this time copy A2 pattern.
This will but the drum beat between 2,1,1 and 3,1,1. Reason will automatically group these two patterns so you can move them around easily in Arrange mode.
Reason puts the beats in at 1/32 size. To move them around you’ll need to first change the block tool to 1/32 or 1/16 (the drag down menu next to the hand tool). You may also need to zoom in a bit more. To change velocity of each drum open the velocity lane and use the Pencil Tool.
Try adding some extra beats in yourself using the Pencil Tool and copy and pasting the beat up to 9,1,1.
Using the Matrix:
Next section we will look at the Matrix Pattern Sequencer that isn’t an instrument but more like another music keyboard therefore it attaches to other instruments. So first we need to create a Malstrom.
The Malstrom is basically the same as the Subtractor but a little more complex, it’s quite confusing to understand the mods, oscillators and routing options but in this section we’ll just look at the basics.
Create an instrument the same as any you’ve created by right clicking on a black area in the Instrument Window. Select ‘Malstrom Graintable Synthesizer’.
-Load a patch by clicking ‘Browse Patch’ and load a sample from the Malstrom >Monosynth folder called ‘Mondomono’.
Don’t get too concerned about all the buttons and knobs at the moment. The basics of these will be covered later in the tutorial. The two parts we’re interested in though are OSC ‘A’ and OSC ‘B’. The Malstrom uses two ‘waves’ or sounds either of which can be turned off or changed.
-Click on ‘PWM’ and you’ll see a list of all the sounds you can change to (see below).
You don’t need to change the sound here but you can if you like. If you wanted to turn the OSC ‘A’ off you would click the little yellow button next the black window. Let’s keep it on for now though. The master volume is in the bottom right corner in case you were wondering.
Now the sample is loaded you can check what it sounds like by going into Edit Mode and clicking on the keyboard. Once you’re happy we’ll create the Matrix that will attach to this device.
The Matrix is just like the music keyboard in Edit Mode. It sends a signal to the Malstrom (our anything its connected to) to play a note and there are 3 settings or signals the Matrix can send.
-Let’s create a Matrix by clicking on the bottom left of the Malstrom just above the screw and selecting Create>Matrix Pattern Sequencer.
This will automatically attach a Matrix to the Malstrom. If you press TAB you will see the Matrix attached by ‘Note’ and ‘Gate’ CV to the Malstrom. To understand these a little better lets disconnect the ‘Note CV’.
-Select the cable that runs from the ‘Note CV’ on the Matrix and drag it away from the hole and let go of the mouse button. The cable should disappear.
You should have just ‘Gate CV’ connected to ‘Gate’ on the Malstrom.
-Press TAB again to switch to front view and press the little play button on the Matrix (see picture).
You should hear a looping sound. If you don’t then there can be a number of things wrong and no sound when you expect it will be a common occurrence in Reason even for experienced users. Check the Matrix is actually plugged in and the Malstrom is connected to the Mixer with the Mondomono sample loaded. Also check your channels aren’t muted/soloed (mixer as well) or volume levels aren’t set too low. If you still get no sound then check the Trouble Shooting Tutorial.
The sound you are hearing is being played by all the red ‘Gate’ bars you see in the window of the Matrix (see below). They are played at the speed of 1/16th of a bar per step (resolution) and its playing 16 steps before returning to the start. The Matrix always returns to the start of the window unless you turn it off. The length of these ‘gates’ can be changed to give different effects.
-Press the ‘TIE’ button so it’s illuminated.
-Click on some of the red ‘gate’ bars.
Notice they change to solid blocks and also change in height. This change in height is exactly like changing velocity with the NN19 from the earlier tutorials. If you play it now you’ll notice the volume changes as well as the notes being tied together.
Arrange the ‘gates’ so it gives a rhythmic tune. You can also change the Steps and Speed if you like. Pressing Play on the Transport panel will turn the Matrix on automatically so you can hear it with the drums you created.
Let’s now look at the second effect the Matrix can do and that’s change the note of the sound you’re playing.
-Press TAB and reconnect the ‘Note CV’ cable to the ‘Note’ on the Malstrom by clicking on one of the holes and dragging the cable to the next.
-Switch the front again and click above the red notes in the Matrix window. They will change note from C3 to wherever you clicked.
Press play now and you’ll hear how this has affected the tune. It may sound great it may sound shite but you now understand the concept of changing notes and gating. The Matrix is good for electronic music such as Trance, Dance or Breakbeat as you can program some cool patterns but obviously suffers because you can only play one note at a time.
You can also change the octave of the note you’re playing by moving the ‘Octave Button’ up or down. You may notice the notes disappear but don’t worry they’re still there; just put the button back to 3 again to see them. You can correct editing errors on the Matrix by using ‘undo’ or pressing Ctrl+Z.
The third effect the Matrix can do is called ‘Curve’. If you switch the button that is set to ‘Keys’ to ‘Curve’, the window changes to the ‘Curve’ screen.
-Click on the blank spaces where the ‘Notes’ used to be and you’ll get a bar appear. Create a few of these at differing levels (see picture).
At the moment this doesn’t do anything because the Curve CV at the back isn’t connected to anything.
-Press TAB and connect the ‘Curve CV’ cable to the ‘Level’ Modulation Input on the Malstrom.
Level refers to volume in this case so if you listen you notice (if your bars are like mine) the volume changing. Now change the cable so its connected to Filter or even Pitch on the Modulation Input. You can get some wild sounds using this technique. You may also have noticed the Bi-Polar and Uni-Polar button on the back of the Matrix. Change it to Bi-Polar and you’ll notice the ‘curve’ bars change shape. I’ll show you a great trick for panning here. Draw a shape like the picture below.
Now spin the Matrix around and connect a cable so it runs from the ‘Curve CV’ on the Matrix all the way up to the ‘Channel 3 Pan CV’ on your Mixer. This, I hope is where you Malstrom is connected, if it’s not then connect the cable to the channel that is. You will also notice the knob just below the ‘Channel 3 Pan CV’ hole that’s set to 64. This is like a dry/wet knob just like on the Reverb or Delay effects. Set this knob to 127 to give full panning effect.
You should now hear the Malstrom panning from speaker to speaker. This saves me Automating the knob on the mixer and having to copy and paste that automation throughout the whole track and shows how versatile the Matrix is, you can basically connect it to anything to get a desired effect.
If you don’t hear the panning then you’ve missed something out or something is muted.
You may have noticed the Pattern box similar to that on the Redrum. That is because the Matrix is automated in the same way. You should be comfortable with the Redrum automation technique if you aren’t then you may find this a little confusing because I’m going to quickly go through the fundamentals.
To automate the Matrix you need a Seq Track. This is done automatically by Reason when you create the Matrix as you may well have noticed. Edit mode on this track will show the Pattern Lane (yellow lane) with a ‘Not Automated’ message. Clicking this lane with the Pen Tool will automate the lane to the current selected Pattern on the Matrix. This means Reason will always play whatever it says in the yellow lane (A1 by default usually). To change the pattern you change the ‘A1’ that’s in the top left corner of the yellow lane to whatever you want. You then use the Pen Tool to place the other pattern where you want it.
To automate the Matrix to turn on and off, right click on the Pattern Enable light on the Matrix and choose ‘Edit Automation’. A blue lane will appear under the yellow lane and again you click with the Pen Tool to automate. If the light was ‘on’ the automation will automate to 1, which means the Matrix will always be on. You will notice the green boxes around the Patterns and Pattern Enable Button to signify they’re being automated.
Hopefully now you should be able to navigate comfortably around Reason and automate instruments quickly and efficiently. Start experimenting with the instruments and techniques I’ve shown you. Remember the Matrix can connect to just about any input device and just about any knob can be automated.