ReasonTalk.com

Hi,

I'm looking for a hardware step sequencer for Reason for my live setup.
I'm pretty happy with the Arturia Beatstep, but I don't find it convenient to play live. Turning an endless controller to reach the desired pitch is not secure enough.
The novation launchpad looks like something interesting. Especially if it can do this :

I would buy it straight away if I was sure Lauchpad could do that "out of the box" or if there was a clear tutorial to achieve this (even if it involves so coding). So do you know if it is possible? Or do you know an other midi step sequencer which works this way?

Cheers,

Exomène

Not possible in Reason (as far as I know). It's one of the reason(!)s why I bought a Push with Ableton.

The lack of such a steptime editor mode is a huuuuge shortcoming.

Hi,

I think what you want is to map a multisample instrument to your pads.

I'm not sure if you can MIDI map individual notes on NN19 or NNXT. In fact l think l've only ever heard people speak about this with regard to Kong.

I've hardly ever used Kong but l'm assuming its pads are MIDI mappable.

So ... load your individual notes to Kong ---> map Kong to your MIDI controller pads. Have fun with novel scales. I'd assume Kong is velocity sensitive so if you had a velocity sensitive controller, all the better (my Launchpad - the mark 1 version - isn't vel sensitive).


There's also this old piece of software, which as you can see was issued for an old version of Reason (it says Reason can't do MIDI out, but l believe it can now). It acts as a layer between Reason and your controller. Beyond that, l've no idea how it works, which is a shame really because the number 1 reason l don't buy a software is ... the manufacturer forgot to give a workflow. Of course they may show a snazzy guy mashing up some hip hop stems crazy style on YouTube, but that means f. all to guys like me - we need example workflows as if you're explaining to a cat (take note you Propellerheads and rack developers): http://www.deluded.co.uk/relaunch/


^^^ in fact, l think the guy in your video was using this very same program, to control Matrix, or, as per the program's description, to control some kind of custom arpeggiator?

HepCat wrote:Hi,

I think what you want is to map a multisample instrument to your pads.

No, that is not what he wants.

Gorgon wrote: No, that is not what he wants.

Hello there l like you, please cheer up. My post evolved to include other stuff (please read it all) and what he most likely was after was in fact the Relaunch app. However, l kept all the other stuff in my post because it might be useful to him.

Hi there is the squarp instrument pyramid which is a great hardware sequencer.
It's a bit expensive (600 €) but it seems really great.

http://www.squarp.net/

HepCat wrote: Hello there l like you, please cheer up.

I don't need to cheer up.

My post evolved to include other stuff (please read it all) and what he most likely was after was in fact the Relaunch app. However, l kept all the other stuff in my post because it might be useful to him.

No, I'm not going to read it all, because it's answers to questions that nobody is asking. And he is not after the Relaunch app, you would probably know this if you could actually understand his question. He wants to be able to use step-input in Reason and since Reason does not support that, it's pretty much impossible.

Gorgon wrote:

HepCat wrote: Hello there l like you, please cheer up.

I don't need to cheer up.

My post evolved to include other stuff (please read it all) and what he most likely was after was in fact the Relaunch app. However, l kept all the other stuff in my post because it might be useful to him.

No, I'm not going to read it all, because it's answers to questions that nobody is asking. And he is not after the Relaunch app, you would probably know this if you could actually understand his question. He wants to be able to use step-input in Reason and since Reason does not support that, it's pretty much impossible.

It´s absolutely possible to build a step recorder with remote codec scripting for any button matrix like midi controller but you have to tie it against a step sequencer device such as Thor or Redrum to store the recorded steps/notes. It´s not possible with Reason´s sequencer though (but today I´m not even sure about that by looking at Raveshaper´s achievements ).
There is also this RE "Step" to record steps but unfortunately you cannot remote the Record button.

Gorgon wrote:Not possible in Reason (as far as I know). It's one of the reason(!)s why I bought a Push with Ableton.

Push works great with Reason, and has a step sequencer as well:

http://retouchcontrol.com/pusher/

EnochLight wrote:

Gorgon wrote:Not possible in Reason (as far as I know). It's one of the reason(!)s why I bought a Push with Ableton.

Push works great with Reason, and has a step sequencer as well:

No it doesn't.

Gorgon wrote:

EnochLight wrote:

Gorgon wrote:Not possible in Reason (as far as I know). It's one of the reason(!)s why I bought a Push with Ableton.

Push works great with Reason, and has a step sequencer as well:

No it doesn't.

Oh?

EnochLight wrote: Oh?

Nope, no step sequencer. You also don't see any in the video. A nice tool for Reason and Push but not what the TS wants.

Hello,
I tested many solutions to work with Reason - Akai MPC, Machine Studio, MaschineR, PuscheR, Beatstep Pro - nothing worked as I wanted.
Finally, for me the best works Push 2 / Ableton that plays only midi via AIC buses to Reason instruments.
No rewire, all is synchronized by the new Link standard (transport in both is independent).
I prepared Drum and Instrument Racks that only sends midi notes and CC to AIC bus and in Reason routed this to individual combinators/instruments.
Now I can sequence and improvise easily, record in Live or Reason if I want. I do not even look at the Ableton - only Reason on screen and Push next to. Ableton in this case is virtually no load is stable and does not take a lot of resources.
I treat it basically as a hardware sequencer as you asked.
Occasionally I also use some VST if I want and some additional sequencers a’la Sonic Faction Tricky Traps.

Gorgon wrote:

EnochLight wrote: Oh?

Nope, no step sequencer. You also don't see any in the video. A nice tool for Reason and Push but not what the TS wants.

Ah. Bobo sandwhich.

Thank you all for your answers

bik44, your setup is very interesting. Can someone explain what are the AIC bus?
Would it mean that I could use the launchpad as shown in my first post if I use Live and then send the signal to Reason?

IAC (my typo) bus is virtual midi port on Mac. On windows there are similar solutions but I don't know windows at all so please google (LoopBe1, VirtualMIDI etc.).
Launchpad should work for you the same way as Push I think.

If you get into Remote you can make some very cool and hands on Stepsequencers for Launchpad(S,Mini,Pro). Thor,Step Note Recorder and PSQ1648 have a very good Remote implementation as does Euclid and ReDrum for Drums Sequencing.

Thanks electrofux.
Do you know ressources which will help me develop that? I mean something more explicit than this https://www.propellerheads.se/support/u ... on/remote/

I'm very partial to the Launchpad Pro. If you search my history here you'll find my thread for it.

If you go with a mkII you don't get the velocity sensitivity, and all of the custom firmware. (There's a few interesting step sequencer firmwares, but I haven't tried them.) There's an interesting MkII Remote Codec here > http://www.irregular-cluster.de/launchpadmk2.html#news but I haven't ported it to the Pro yet. There's some other codecs for the mkI and the mini out there if you look.

I use mine almost exclusively as a playing surface, and have written a pretty definitive Remote codec for having an RGB grid controller playing surface. To me, the velocity sensitivity is key.

I do have a 16 lights working for the Redrum, but at the rate I'm going I won't have any of the Matrix or step sequencer sort of stuff finished before the end of the year.

Exomène wrote:Thanks electrofux.
Do you know ressources which will help me develop that? I mean something more explicit than this https://www.propellerheads.se/support/u ... on/remote/

At first you need to get hold of the SDK Documentation by applying as Remote Developer (easy). Then i suggest investigating some of the codec files Reason comes with, especially the Pad controllers.

I ordered the Launchpad X and want to use it also as a stepsequencer for Redrum. There are some mini and S codecs around. Anybody here who migrated this codecs to the X?

friday wrote: ↑

09 Dec 2019

I ordered the Launchpad X and want to use it also as a stepsequencer for Redrum. There are some mini and S codecs around. Anybody here who migrated this codecs to the X?

I don't think there are. I had no idea they'd released a Launchpad X, but from what i see from the spec you can't set a pad RGB color via sysex (just using their color table) so my codec would not work with it.

Perhaps Remanola would?

i use grid64n by retouch control as a step sequencer for any synth, with my launchpad pro. perhaps it's worth emailing retouch to see if they are interested in supporting the launchpadx also?

Catblack wrote: ↑

09 Dec 2019

I don't think there are. I had no idea they'd released a Launchpad X, but from what i see from the spec you can't set a pad RGB color via sysex (just using their color table) so my codec would not work with it.

Perhaps Remanola would?

He Catblack, thank you for your feedback. So you meen if i simply want to use the Launchpad for Note Scale input and Redrum Stepsequencer, then i should buy a PRO (or an old Launchpad MK2) ?

This is what I want:

squid but 4 500 pounds