Reason complements

[yellow matter]

I've bought a copy of Reason on March last year after finally deciding to start producing music, something i've always wanted to do. Thing is, i have a problem with motivation and decision making, so it's pretty rare that i actually open the program and actually create some music, and i need something basic and straightforward, because otherwise i'll just waste time fidgeting. I chose Reason after trying it alongside Ableton Live, since i wanted something simple and creative, and ended up liking Reason's interface more, since it is pretty simple and has everything laid out in front of you, and i love the RE idea. Also i love the players, they are brilliant, more so for someone that is not a musician and understands basic music theory concepts.

After buying it i only bought a Korg nano kontrol, which i've put away since it was gathering dust, and a Korg microKey air 49, which i bought because it's small and simple, and figured i wouldn't be using pads, knobs or faders, since i figured they would be another frustrating and time consuming (and space) source.

These past few days i've been lusting some new toys, even though i hardly scratched Reasons surface, for something to get my creative juices flowing. I was viewing the may madness sale but ended not buying anything, with so much choice and not knowing what i actually want or need. I'm also researching small analog synths, but i don't think i need that, maybe i need something more hands on, but with some daw integration. Maybe a Novation Circuit or a Maschine Mikro? Suggestions are appreciated.

[NDKay]

I understand your feeling of "new toys" (not meaning they are a toys, but that we have FUN with it).
But in the end this ends up mostly as GAS!
like you having some midi controller and not using them or take a look in the forum, there are some "bought but not using RE" threads which will show you that many people buy them because of a sale but rarely use them and so on. ( its the same for VST´s)

Yeah, here and there are some "toys" which can spark creativity and get us going another direction. But that wont replace the basics nor your motivation "problem". It could be "fun" for some time and then again, they are just laying around.

There are some other things which can spark your creativity and your motivation aswell:
- Look for some tutorials of the genre you would like to make and get motivation ( or lust ) by watching them
- Look tutorials from different genres to take a creativ thing and insert it in your production
- look for tutorials for special things you would like to understand, eg " how to sidechain" , "how to achieve THAT sound" and so on
- get yourself some "challenges" ; like doing own patches and a track from them.
- go in the factory sound bank and look for other things instead of instrument patches, like go through the "all effect patches" folder and put some of them in your project and play around. ( eg. in the "Pattern Based" folder is a patch called "Freeze Stutter" which is great to play around imo)
- or search for some midi tracks, put them in the sequencer and start rebuilding


additionally for the novation circuit:
you havent mentioned that you have an audiointerface, so if you want to use the circuit in your productions you will need one.
Over the USB from the circuit you will "only" get midi signals and no sound, so you will have to connect the audio outs from the circuit to your audiointerface and route them inside reason to record them. ( for some THIS is too much hassle XD)

On the other side, the circuit is definitly one of the best "toys" i have, FUN FUN FUN !!!

[Jackjackdaw]

The thing is, Reason has everything you need to produce music to a very high level. It also has loads of fun playful gadgets for casual beat making. Making music does require a certain amount of discipline, even if its just a hobby. I think if Reason has been gathering dust for you then a circuit will be gathering dust along with it when the novelty wears off.

[yellow matter]

NDKay I do have an intereface. I mentioned the circuit because it seems it does a lot of things on it's own, and one thing i'm interested is a music making machine, something to make music in a different way of a computer centric system / daw, but there are so many products on the market it's difficult to choose. When i was looking in the RE sale, the things that caught my attention were the players i do not have, and the drums REs, which is something i've been looking for. The beat map looks pretty good. I just downloaded the Algonaut Atlas VST to try.

Jackjackdaw that's what i'm afraid, i do not want to spend money on things i won't use, and nowadays the variety of products is insane.

[NDKay]

The circuit is easy if you wanna say so - you get to "something" really fast. But i dont use it everyday to be honest. And i would not say that it motivated me more fwiw.
( if you have the bugs and a good deal - go for the gas )

And adding to this - When i would be asked from what i would get more creative inspiration, the circuit or the effect folder of reason ?

I would go for the effect folder big time !

synchronous also has some neat patches to play with !

Try to get to know reason and what it has to offer a little better like jackjackdaw mentioned , because in the end gas is gas and has nothing to do with motivation imho.

[DaveyG]

Circuit is hard to beat for a low cost groovebox that will work on it's own as well as with a DAW.
If you are always going to be DAW-centred then there are better, cheaper options like the Launchpad range or Maschine.
If you are always going to be away from the DAW then look at MPCs, but they are a higher price level.

[yellow matter]

NDKay my problem is not only motivation. As i said, i tend to spend too much time adjusting small things and fall into a spiral of boringness, that's why i'm searching for ways to simplify the process, even if Reason is already pretty simple.

Circuit is hard to beat for a low cost groovebox that will work on it's own as well as with a DAW.
If you are always going to be DAW-centred then there are better, cheaper options like the Launchpad range or Maschine.
If you are always going to be away from the DAW then look at MPCs, but they are a higher price level.

I'm also looking at those products, the Maschine mikro look very nice. What i find that gets most tedious, as probably most people, is programming drums. Most of the time i just grab a loop on Dr. octoRex and maybe paly with it a bit. That's why a pad surface with a sequencer looks appetizing. The arturia beat models also look intriguing.

[Jackjackdaw]

For instant interesting drums program a beat into Drum Sequencer, adjust the probability of the kick and snares, drag the polymeter slider in a bit on the hi hat. And bingo, you have a generative beat that evolves over time.

[yellow matter]

For instant interesting drums program a beat into Drum Sequencer, adjust the probability of the kick and snares, drag the polymeter slider in a bit on the hi hat. And bingo, you have a generative beat that evolves over time.

I don't have it, maybe on the next sale i'll buy it, along with beat map.

[Jackjackdaw]

For instant interesting drums program a beat into Drum Sequencer, adjust the probability of the kick and snares, drag the polymeter slider in a bit on the hi hat. And bingo, you have a generative beat that evolves over time.

I don't have it, maybe on the next sale i'll buy it, along with beat map.

Demo them both! I have a beatstep pro and love it but Drum sequencer is my go to programmer. I record the beats from that to the bsp if i want to get tactile with them but then i miss the probability per step function. It's probably my favorite thing in Reason. I would have to get an Elektron device if i wanted it in hardware.

[NDKay]

For instant interesting drums program a beat into Drum Sequencer, adjust the probability of the kick and snares, drag the polymeter slider in a bit on the hi hat. And bingo, you have a generative beat that evolves over time.

I don't have it, maybe on the next sale i'll buy it, along with beat map.

On which Version are you ? you wrote march last year, so i asume its 10 ?
If so, the update to reason 11 suite will be a much better "bang4buck" than buying the two Sequencers alone.

go here : https://www.jrrshop.com/propellerhead-r ... te-upgrade
jrrshop has the upgrade still on offer for 199 $ and at the checkout you get aditionally 10 % with code "Group" or even 11 % with code "forum" which will bring it down to less than 180 Bugs. .......and yeah, Jrrshop IS trustworthy, many here in the forum are using that shop, including me. ( I just snatched THIS deal about a month ago )
For that you get all a bunch of Reasonstudios RE´s but one (the PX7 Synth), including Beatmap, Drumseq, Polystep Player RE´s , aso...

DrumSeq has become 1 of my essentials. But to dont forget it, redrum gets also used much by me ( mostly for "exact" 64 Steps repeating ; eg, claphit on the 31th(32th) step or 64th step of every "round")
So Reason itself gives you everything you need. But of course, other "tools" can speed things up or be useful in other ways.

To the point of "getting loose in details" ; I cant speak for everybody, but i also do that and read this from others, too.
For me it is a part of getting to know your tools and also practice.

And personally, I stopped myself from thinking that everything that i do ( in Reason ) has to get somewhere. Because around 90% ( or even more) of the things "a musician" is doing is getting nowhere - its like it is ! And since then i have more "freedom" while "playing" in Reason.

edit : with suite 11 you wont get ALL Reason Studios RE´s, next to PX7 there are also the "guitarists" that are not packed in ! Dont want to spread misinformation!!!