New to Reason: Which order to learn the synths in?

[dustmoses]

I'm new to reason (just bought a 6.5 license recently, installed it authorized etc last week. $85 dollars with the key, nothing to lose I figure.) Not new to DAWs, production and all that (long time FL Studio user, Reaper as well.)

A big part of why I bought it is that I feel it's closed environment (not getting any REs quite yet) will force me to learn synthesis at a higher level than I currently possess. With FL studio I can easily get freeware and cheap VSTs with 1000s of presets, which makes me lazy pretty frequently. The modular environment also peaked my interest.

I'd like recommendations on which order to learn the synths.

I'm starting with subtractor, because it's the simplest and I already have experience with subtractive synthesis, I'm already (within a week) able to use it pretty proficiently.

Should I learn Malstrom or Thor next?

[Aquila]

Subtractor is definitely the simplest and easiest synth to learn basic subtractive synthesis with. Once you know how to use it, synths like Thor and Malstrom should become easier to understand.

[MannequinRaces]

I would look into learning Malstrom next (my personal favorite in Reason)! There's a site you might be interested in called Syntorial http://www.syntorial.com if you haven't heard of it yet that is nice for learning the basics. Welcome to Reason!

[DNA Apocalypse]

I'd say learn the Thor in and out.

It has tremendous potential and I have yet to find a synth sound it is not capable of recreating. The power of it comes when you learn how to program the modulation matrix.

[Sinistereo]

Welcome to Reason! Prepare to have fun!

I think Thor is a good way to learn about subtractive synthesis. It's very modular, so you can start simple - a single oscillator - then gradually add more components and complexity.

[Spryx]

I second subtractor...it is how I learned subtractive synthesis. The GUI makes it very easy to see what you are doing.
Malstrom is pretty easy too. Thor...well, it is Thor.

[nscerri]

Subtractor is a very good start. Malstrom tad more complex and thor is the king

Sent from my Nexus 7 using Tapatalk

[Gaja]

Hi and welcome! I strongly recommend giving the manual a go. It's very well written and sometimes even fun to read. There's a tutorial for subtractor in it and I believe for the
others as well.

[pjeudy]

Use what you fell. Be the Explorer, there's really no 1-2 steps and since you already know about synthesis. .... just open one up and discover!

[zeebot]

Subtractor is a good starting point (play with the screws ). I'd move on to Malstrom and graintable synthesis after that and then dive into Thor which has a combination of different synthesis types.

[Viscor]

It's about learning principles not about learning synths.
If you know how subtractive synthesis works you will probably know how 70 % of all synths work.
Afterwards you can look into more complex principles like FM, wavetables, granular synthesis, additive synthesis etc.

Subtractor is a good starting point to learn subtractive synthesis.
Malstrom is also great to beginn with. If you select one of its basic waveforms (sine, triangle, square, saw) it behaves like a any other subtractive synth.
Furthermore Malstroms interface is very clear to understand.

Edit:
I should have read the opening post before I posted.

[mbfrancis]

The problem with learning Subtractor first is that it just doesn't sound that great dry. Add a chorus and some delay, yeah, but alone, I could see someone getting bummed out. Maybe Thor, understanding you're learning a few different methods.

[EnochLight]

I'm new to reason (just bought a 6.5 license recently, installed it authorized etc last week. $85 dollars with the key, nothing to lose I figure.) Not new to DAWs, production and all that (long time FL Studio user, Reaper as well.)

A big part of why I bought it is that I feel it's closed environment (not getting any REs quite yet) will force me to learn synthesis at a higher level than I currently possess. With FL studio I can easily get freeware and cheap VSTs with 1000s of presets, which makes me lazy pretty frequently. The modular environment also peaked my interest.

I'd like recommendations on which order to learn the synths.

I'm starting with subtractor, because it's the simplest and I already have experience with subtractive synthesis, I'm already (within a week) able to use it pretty proficiently.

Should I learn Malstrom or Thor next?

I highly recommend you spend some time checking out the following tutorial videos to get you started quickly as well. Some great stuff in here!

Basic Tutorials: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=P ... 87CD4601CD

Advanced Tutorials: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=P ... 3D3CFCB477

52 Reason/Record tips (which applies to Reason 6 and most of 6.5): https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=P ... 134198A5E9

Reason Micro Tutorials: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=P ... EFFA1493EF

Reason Sound Design: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=P ... AF9C078E3F

[buddard]

I'm gonna go against the general consensus here and recommend that you start with Thor. There's a great article series on the Propellerhead website called "Thor Demystified" that has a really good walkthrough of subtractive synthesis as well as phase modulation, FM and wavetables.

You'll find all the links in this blog post: https://www.propellerheads.se/blog/discovering-reason (parts 18 - 38)

[mbfrancis]

I'm gonna go against the general consensus here and recommend that you start with Thor. There's a great article series on the Propellerhead website called "Thor Demystified" that has a really good walkthrough of subtractive synthesis as well as phase modulation, FM and wavetables.

You'll find all the links in this blog post: https://www.propellerheads.se/blog/discovering-reason (parts 18 - 38)

^ This

[doctecazoid]

The order in which synths were introduced in Reason, through the versions:
- Subtractor
- Malstrom
- Thor

Subtractor and Thor contain features most associated with subtractive synthesis. Malstrom is kind of in a class of its own, using "graintables" (a variant of wavetables) as its sound source.

As such, I recommend starting with Subtractor. It's got most of the features associated with subtractive synthesis, and not much else. It may not have a spectacular sound, but it's a great device for learning the basics of subtractive synthesis.

Once you've found your way around the Subtractor and have a good feel for how to use waveforms, voltage controlled amps and filters and envelopes to craft a sound, consider moving to Thor rather than Malstrom. Thor's architecture builds more directly on the knowledge you will gain from learning the Subtractor.

Stick with the analog waveform at first (they will be most familiar to you from your experience with Subtractor) and get a handle on the signal path from oscillator to output - Thor's signal path is more flexible than that found in the Subtractor. Stick with the standard low-pass filter, which is also similar to that of the Subtractor.

Dabble with the modulation grid near the bottom of the Thor programming panel - you will get a taste of the myriad ways that Thor's components can modulate one another.

Once you are comfortable with all of this, strike out into unknown territory with the alternate filter modes - each filter mode imparts a unique character to the sound. From there, experiment with the alternate oscillator modes: on top of analog, there's FM (frquency modulation, a la the old Yamaha DX synths), PM (phase modulation, a la the old Casio synths), Wavetable (a la the PPG Wave synth), a multi-oscillator analog mode, and a noise generator mode.

Moving from the Thor to the Malstrom will be easier than vice versa. By learning the Thor first, you will have gotten a taste of Wavetable synthesis, which will help set you up for figuring out how to work with the unique graintable synth engine of the Malstrom. The envelopes, filters and amplifiers found in the Malstrom will all be familiar to you by this point, and the signal path is simpler than the Thor, so these won't get in the way of learning to work with the graintables.

Oh, and by the way, regarding REs: the architecture of the VK-1 Viking synth closely resembles that of the venerable MiniMoog, and it's got a MiniMoog-ish sound to match. So if you were to learn that one first before any of the Reason synths, you'd be getting the kind of grounding and experience in analog synth programming that many an electronic musician/keyboardist first got started with, since back the early 1970s. (Other good ones to get started with are the Ivoks and ReDominator synths. Both are recreations of classic analog synths of yesteryear, with clear and easy to follow interfaces and signal paths.)

[LaptopMusician]

I'd learn Subtractor first. Then Malstrom. Then take a stab at Thor. I bought and read cover to cover Rob Papen's book 'The 4 Element Synth' which also comes with 4 DVDs of video tutorials. However he only covers subtractive synthesis. Still and excellent book which enabled me to look at a synth and get a good mental picture of it's signal path and capabilites. The Reason manual is also very good but (IMHO) a bit limited. I'd leave FM synthesis, which PX7 rack extension is, perhaps to last. With FM you need to get your head around ratios unlike the others that use octaves, Hz frequencies.

[alex]

I would say, choose the one which inspires you the most! Then try to translate what you learned to others and you will notice where the differences/strengthness/weakness are!

[Tincture]

Imo subtractor. Learn its language as well. It translates to all synths. Turn everything to zero and then find out what each bit does. It can be fun to switch the keyboard tracking (kbd) off to start with and just make some horrible noise. Synthesis has its acronyms as well as lanfguage, just go with it/them.