Mac users: where do you put your samples?

Want to talk about music hardware or software that doesn't include Reason?
Post Reply
User avatar
Last Alternative
Posts: 1343
Joined: 20 Jan 2015
Location: the lost desert

26 Apr 2017

Some peeps only work from an external drive. I use them for backups. For those of you who keep your songs and samples on your computer, where do you put them?

I have a folder called 'Reason stuff' which includes Combinator skins, patches, Refills, samples and a .pdf file for MIDI implementation.
Right now it's on my desktop and I want to keep it together but am not sure of the best place to put it.

Should I keep my song files in that folder or is there a better place to put it? Because I also have my 'J-files' folder on my desktop which contains my entire digital life: pictures, videos, documents, music collection, production, etc. and I'm on the fence about splitting it up into Photos, etc. throughout the Mac applications. Mainly my photos since it doesn't appear there's any way to organize them besides the default --> by date. I did put my music collection into iTunes and it seems to be working great. MUCH better and nicer than Windows Media Player!

Anyway, I'd like to keep my production stuff in the 'Reason stuff' folder too.
This might sound silly but as part of spring cleaning I'm trying to clean my computer desktop to nothing but the dock.

Any help is greatly appreciated!

One last question - is it bad on Mac (like I've heard with Windows) to leave your main folder to stuff on the desktop--in other words, the actual file (not a shortcut)?
Last edited by Last Alternative on 27 Apr 2017, edited 1 time in total.
https://lastalternative.bandcamp.com
:reason: 12.7.4 | MacBook Pro (16”, 2021), OS Sonoma, M1 Max, 4TB SSD, 64GB RAM | quality instruments & gear

User avatar
Surfeast
Posts: 16
Joined: 13 Oct 2016
Location: Rattsville Beach

27 Apr 2017

I have an external 2TB SSD and made symlinks on any large folders located in my library audio folder and pint to the SSD . I also when installing large libraries install the samples to SSD . With all that it is almost full sigh...
Inspired by hearing Kraftwerk in 1976

User avatar
Last Alternative
Posts: 1343
Joined: 20 Jan 2015
Location: the lost desert

27 Apr 2017

OK. I don't fully understand. I'll look up symlinks. So everything is already on my backup externals (500GB & 2TB). Are you saying to put it all in the library? I'll have to figure that out too cuz I don't see it in the Applications section.
I just need a safe place other than the desktop to put and keep all my reason stuff together and the documents section doesn't seem like a very good idea.
https://lastalternative.bandcamp.com
:reason: 12.7.4 | MacBook Pro (16”, 2021), OS Sonoma, M1 Max, 4TB SSD, 64GB RAM | quality instruments & gear

User avatar
Last Alternative
Posts: 1343
Joined: 20 Jan 2015
Location: the lost desert

02 May 2017

Self-bump
I really need some advice you guys.
https://lastalternative.bandcamp.com
:reason: 12.7.4 | MacBook Pro (16”, 2021), OS Sonoma, M1 Max, 4TB SSD, 64GB RAM | quality instruments & gear

User avatar
normen
Posts: 3431
Joined: 16 Jan 2015

02 May 2017

I put stuff in the "Music" folder. That one doesn't get synced with iCloud.

User avatar
Last Alternative
Posts: 1343
Joined: 20 Jan 2015
Location: the lost desert

02 May 2017

I'm on Sierra and don't have a "Music" folder. Is it safe to put everything in Documents or is there a better place for it?
https://lastalternative.bandcamp.com
:reason: 12.7.4 | MacBook Pro (16”, 2021), OS Sonoma, M1 Max, 4TB SSD, 64GB RAM | quality instruments & gear

User avatar
plaamook
Posts: 2593
Joined: 22 Jan 2015
Location: Bajo del mar...

03 May 2017

As far as I know it's better to leave things in folders rather than on the desktop in OSX as well. I try to do that anyhoo.

It looks like you can find you Music folder here...
https://apple.stackexchange.com/questio ... ei-capitan
...then just drag it to the finder window side bar for quick refference. That's where iTunes stashes everything by default but you can change the location.

Personally I keep all my music in 'Music' and I keep separate folders for Reason projects, sound banks (I record a lot of stuff), etc but there's no particular reason for this as you can always create shortcuts or side bar icons. Whatever makes sense to you really. On OSX you can move shit around all you like. It won't copy things all over like Windows will and fragment your drive to all hell.

As for backups etc, I rock a 2Tb Lacie Rugged that lives in my rucksack which lives with me at all times. There are a few reasons I do this but suffice to say I don't like leaving my shit anywhere in my current living situation. I've done this with 3 different LAcie Rugged drives and I've never killed one. If I go traveling I'll leave a redundant copy of all my data on the smaller ones. So far this system works pretty well. I'm still waiting for cloud shit to mature.
Perpetual Reason 12 Beta Tester :reason:

You can check out my music here.
https://m.soundcloud.com/ericholmofficial
Or here.
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC73uZZ ... 8jqUubzsQg

User avatar
Karim
Competition Winner
Posts: 957
Joined: 16 Jan 2015
Location: Italy
Contact:

03 May 2017

Last Alternative wrote:Some peeps only work from an external drive. I use them for backups....

One last question - is it bad on Mac (like I've heard with Windows) to leave your main folder to stuff on the desktop--in other words, the actual file (not a shortcut)?
I personally put my all stuff (since years ) on different internal drive partitons and external hdd .
for the access let say Omnisphere, the core program points to aliases and the aliases points to external drive.
I suggest to NEVER put samples,songs, data in your main system. If you do it, make it temporarily...[emoji6]
If your system crash or u have to make fresh OSX install, your data are still separated and well safe.


Inviato dal mio SM-G925F utilizzando Tapatalk
Karim Le Mec : Dj/Producer/Label Owner ( :reason: 11.3+ R12  IMac 2016 21")
FOLLOW Karim Le Mec
https://www.youtube.com/user/lemecdj
https://karimlemec.weebly.com/
https://soundcloud.com/karimlemec
https://t.me/reasonstudiosworld

snaa
Posts: 18
Joined: 28 Apr 2017

03 May 2017

i put my stuff in ondedrive & internal ssl

User avatar
theshoemaker
Posts: 595
Joined: 21 Nov 2015
Location: Germany
Contact:

03 May 2017

Last Alternative wrote:OK. I don't fully understand. I'll look up symlinks. So everything is already on my backup externals (500GB & 2TB). Are you saying to put it all in the library? I'll have to figure that out too cuz I don't see it in the Applications section.
I just need a safe place other than the desktop to put and keep all my reason stuff together and the documents section doesn't seem like a very good idea.
You keep everything on your harddrive. And you create a linked folder from your Harddrive to your library folder in reason.

There are two folders for Reason on MacOS.

"/Users/<username>/Library/Application Support/Propellerhead Software/" (or simply put "~/Library/Application Support/Propellerhead Software") for user related content

and

"/Library/Application Support/Propellerhead Software/" for the system install where also the Soundbanks life in.

When you want to have that content findable by the reason integrated search.
CMD+ALT drag and drop your root folder from your external disk to the appropriate folder.

Or open a terminal an do a "ln -s <source folder/file> <target folder/fille" where source is the stuff from your external disk.


Don't know when this worked or how I did it, but doesn't work as described.
You can still create a link in Reason, when you drag and drop to the left bottom side of the browser. Have a look in the Manual at "Using Locations and Favorites"
:PUF_figure: latest :reason: V12 on MacOS Ventura

User avatar
adfielding
Posts: 959
Joined: 19 May 2015
Contact:

03 May 2017

I just use Documents/Instruments. For actual song files I use Documents/Production/[insert DAW here].

I'm curious as to why Documents doesn't seem like a good idea? I keep everything backed up to an external drive and via Crashplan, fwiw.

User avatar
Last Alternative
Posts: 1343
Joined: 20 Jan 2015
Location: the lost desert

03 May 2017

I'm new to Mac. In Windows I always kept all that in the Programs/Propellerhead folder, besides my song files which were kept in my j-files (all my pictures, text files, etc), which was floating in my C drive.

I've been crystal clear that I back up everything on 2 external drives which I recently formatted to exFAT.

I have no problem with putting all my Reason stuff in the Documents folder if it's okay and won't mess with the OS by having my song files, samples, Combinator skins, etc. all in there. I just always thought of a Documents section as word files only is all. But at least on Sierra there aren't many options: All my Files, Applications, Documents, Downloads.

I was just wondering how all you guys do it.
By the way I don't see anything for "Library" besides what search brings up and looks like some sort of background OS manager.
https://lastalternative.bandcamp.com
:reason: 12.7.4 | MacBook Pro (16”, 2021), OS Sonoma, M1 Max, 4TB SSD, 64GB RAM | quality instruments & gear

User avatar
theshoemaker
Posts: 595
Joined: 21 Nov 2015
Location: Germany
Contact:

03 May 2017

Last Alternative wrote:I'm new to Mac. In Windows I always kept all that in the Programs/Propellerhead folder, besides my song files which were kept in my j-files (all my pictures, text files, etc), which was floating in my C drive.

I've been crystal clear that I back up everything on 2 external drives which I recently formatted to exFAT.

I have no problem with putting all my Reason stuff in the Documents folder if it's okay and won't mess with the OS by having my song files, samples, Combinator skins, etc. all in there. I just always thought of a Documents section as word files only is all. But at least on Sierra there aren't many options: All my Files, Applications, Documents, Downloads.

I was just wondering how all you guys do it.
By the way I don't see anything for "Library" besides what search brings up and looks like some sort of background OS manager.
You have more options. They just don't show it to you. Open your preferences. CMD+, or Finder>Preferences. Then you can select more. You can also drag and drop folders in the sidebar as favourites like in windows. Or you can access them in the Menu Go.
:PUF_figure: latest :reason: V12 on MacOS Ventura

User avatar
FlowerSoldier
Posts: 470
Joined: 03 Jun 2016

03 May 2017

That sounds really complicated.
I have one folder named Reason that contains all my files related to Reason that I sync to 2 external HDs. I have a folder named ReFills, one for REX Files, one for Reason Song Files, one for Samples, etc.. Oh yeah, I also have a folder named All Bounced Files. I also have a folder named Graphics that contains any image files I've used.
It makes it pretty simple - if I ever need to find any file I've ever used, I know it'll be in that folder...somewhere.
But I'm very easily confused, so that's why I try to keep it simple. It's been working for me.

User avatar
FlowerSoldier
Posts: 470
Joined: 03 Jun 2016

03 May 2017

Also I should be clear, I keep the Reason Folder on the top level of my HDs. I don't let any Reason files near my Documents folder, or my system HD. It's a huge folder and I don't want it clogging up my computer.

User avatar
Last Alternative
Posts: 1343
Joined: 20 Jan 2015
Location: the lost desert

03 May 2017

Just tried dragging my 'Reason stuff' folder into the Finder sidebar and it's there but it's still on my desktop too. So does that sidebar trick just make a shortcut? Kinda feels like it defeats the purpose of moving it if it's still on my desktop.

Again, I have SIERRA. A lot of you are recommending things I don't have, or see anyway, like Library, Menu Go, symlinks, "Music" folder....

OK so I just found my Home folder. Menu-->Go-->Home. So it's cool to drop my shit in the Home folder and put Home in the Finder sidebar? If so I'll do that. I'm very unfamiliar with the whole Apple/Unix system but it's good to know there's no worry of scattered mess behind the scenes like Windows, if that's true.
https://lastalternative.bandcamp.com
:reason: 12.7.4 | MacBook Pro (16”, 2021), OS Sonoma, M1 Max, 4TB SSD, 64GB RAM | quality instruments & gear

User avatar
QVprod
Moderator
Posts: 3488
Joined: 15 Jan 2015
Contact:

03 May 2017

OSX is very straightforward. You can put Reason flies wherever you wish and that's where it'll be and stay. That said, I keep songfiles and samples on separate drives so that the main drive just operates the OS and programs.

User avatar
joeyluck
Moderator
Posts: 11029
Joined: 15 Jan 2015

03 May 2017

I keep all my ReFills and Samples in my Google Drive folder on my Mac so I can access them from anywhere.

Post Reply
  • Information
  • Who is online

    Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 14 guests