Announcing Reason 13

[buddard]

The floating browser is a big concern for me too. I just cannot see myself dragging sample files onto sequencer tracks as quickly and intuitively as I do now from the left bar.

This works great, because if you drag something over the edge of the browser, it temporarily folds away and comes back when you release the mouse button (or drag the mouse pointer back to the "floating window header").

I also dislike the split sequencer and the tool window being moved on left of the piano roll. I disagree with all their arguments for implementing these changes. In fact i think its more intuitive to have the piano roll expand directly into the sequencer for keeping track on where you are and for quick editing. I always found the double-click (edit) plus [Esc] key (back to sequencer) combo to be unbeatable.

Besides this the split makes both sequencer and piano roll smaller. Working from a smaller laptop gets more difficult due to more screen clutter.

You can still work the same way: Double clicking a clip opens it in the editor, and hitting Escape closes the editor.
You can resize the editor so it takes up the entire height of the sequencer to make it behave almost exactly like the current version.
Although I prefer to have at least a slight split to keep track of where I am in the arrangement.

If RS are so much into getting new customers then why do they make their DAW more desktop centric rather than laptop friendly. IMHO someone on there objectively makes bad UX decisions...

I'm on a 13" Macbook Pro, and I think it works great!

[mind2069]

The Favorite list is starting to concern me too, it was so integrated that I did not think of it, since people talking about the potential removal, I've been looking at the left bar and thinking what if it wasnt there. So intuitive a usefull, who would come up with the idear to remove it.

Someone said "IMHO someone on there objectively makes bad UX decisions..." yeah, I had the same feeling for a long time. It's like someone there who is probably an executive and has barely touch Reason is making these decisions.

Maybe I'm wrong and they came up with something better, will rest my final jugement upon working with 13

[cocoazenith]

This works great, because if you drag something over the edge of the browser, it temporarily folds away and comes back when you release the mouse button (or drag the mouse pointer back to the "floating window header").

Hopeful it will be so. Can't shake the concern though as I'm not a fan of pop-ups, a Reason user occupational hazard

You can resize the editor so it takes up the entire height of the sequencer to make it behave almost exactly like the current version.

Does dragging it upwards makes it touch the sequencer tool bar? So that it's basically 100% the entire possible height. If so, I guess it'll be ok, although two stacked rows of settings (seq + piano roll) will look ugly. Not a fan of Logic's dragging of the piano roll which always leaves a silly small sequencer slit between it and the transport bar.

I'm on a 13" Macbook Pro, and I think it works great!

Good to know this...and all of your answers really.

[Yonatan]

Sequencer update I look forward to, it looks like this would better my workflow, having the controls there so near instead of a separate window. I think these steps are in a good direction. Sequencer got some love. Also the browser seems very handy with all those tags and filters, much more inspiring and inuitive to find stuff buried anywhere in legacy.

The devices seem handy as well. And delay unit and synth seem give some fun time.

I can understand people want more, so do I. But it will be nice to see what may be added in updates along the way. I think there are way more chances for more candy along the way because we might see less buggy roads as happened with version 12
We had Mimic, new Combinator, new hd graphic, some efx devices, Vst3 finally and some native Mac support. Might forgotten something.

It is ok for me they call this R13. Ofcourse for me I cant upgrade with any hope for more, but still expext to se some surprises down the lane.
On 12 I wont uograde for €199, no way tbh.
So will have sone patience and see how seems, try a demo first. And I dont even know if R13 will support my old Macbook, so wont jump on R+ deal of 6 months now. Need be sure first.

But yes, the additions feels a bit like iphone upgrades, if on latest, not that much more.

I wont say so much until know whole update cycle yet. RS do said they like rolling out stuff earlier and then take things when they are ready. Maybe we will see some cried after functions come in an update. But we simply dont know.

[NoisiaTHX]

[Loque]

So...they ask, what features could probably be added to the space in the new "tool" area?

What about
* predefined curves for automation
* Randomizing
* Note-Scale-Support
* Extract to separate Note Lanes
* Extract Automation to separate Clip or vice verse
* ...

[crimsonwarlock]

* Extract to separate Note Lanes

It should be there already, as it is currently available in the F8 tool window.

[jam-s]

At around 17 minutes in they say that the blue mode is removed. So not only is the mixer still not adapted to the dark mode, but the option to have a little less illumination change when going from sequencer to mixer is now gone as well.

[parma]

At around 17 minutes in they say that the blue mode is removed. So not only is the mixer still not adapted to the dark mode, but the option to have a little less illumination change when going from sequencer to mixer is now gone as well.

Noooooooo...I live in Blue mode

[parma]

Do we still not know minimum system requirements?

[avasopht]

Do we still not know minimum system requirements?

Assume it's the same until told otherwise.

Dsp is not going to get slower for existing devices.

The UI is already accelerated by the GPU.

[parma]

Do we still not know minimum system requirements?

Assume it's the same until told otherwise.

Dsp is not going to get slower for existing devices.

The UI is already accelerated by the GPU.

It's not processing power I'm worried about. It's OS compatibility

[Pepin]

Noooooooo...I live in Blue mode

Yeah, that's disappointing. Blue mode was the lowest contrast option, which helped for working in dark environments.

So...they ask, what features could probably be added to the space in the new "tool" area?

What about
* predefined curves for automation
* Randomizing
* Note-Scale-Support
* Extract to separate Note Lanes
* Extract Automation to separate Clip or vice verse
* ...

I'd also like to see a strum tool (offsetting notes upward or downward to simulate strumming).

[avasopht]

Assume it's the same until told otherwise.

Dsp is not going to get slower for existing devices.

The UI is already accelerated by the GPU.

It's not processing power I'm worried about. It's OS compatibility

Ah that makes sense.

[jaeproduced]

Do we still not know minimum system requirements?

Yes macOS Catalina 10.15.7 and up...

[parma]

Do we still not know minimum system requirements?

Yes macOS Catalina 10.15.7 and up...

If that's true, that's what I was afraid of. Looks like I'll be getting a new system sooner than I wanted to.

[jjpscott01]

The more of these videos I watch the more excited I'm getting about this release. I really need to see if I can grab one of those Ripley Shirts the guys are wearing too.

[Yonatan]

Lovely that Mathias was open for more to add in sequemcer function area. That bodes well. We finally get some sequencer love! So excited.

[Steedus]

Why on earth would they get rid of one of only three colour options that was already there? Geez it's baffling sometimes, what companies decide to do. I know they're small but if it was a cost thing of "we can only allocate enough budget to redo 2 colours, not 3" then that would be pretty worrying ..

[Ottostrom]

Why on earth would they get rid of one of only three colour options that was already there? Geez it's baffling sometimes, what companies decide to do. I know they're small but if it was a cost thing of "we can only allocate enough budget to redo 2 colours, not 3" then that would be pretty worrying ..

I think it has more to do with brand recognition honestly. Having stricter color options can make it easier to quickly see which DAW it is (I'm also against the removal btw).

[Noplan]

No, the mixer still has the same color scheme. It's not quite part of the general UI, more a skeumorphic "mega device", but I've made note of the request!

Please underline that twice.

[spacepluk]

Why on earth would they get rid of one of only three colour options that was already there? Geez it's baffling sometimes, what companies decide to do. I know they're small but if it was a cost thing of "we can only allocate enough budget to redo 2 colours, not 3" then that would be pretty worrying ..

I think it has more to do with brand recognition honestly. Having stricter color options can make it easier to quickly see which DAW it is (I'm also against the removal btw).

I think it probably was "maybe we'll add a theming engine"... then: "ok we won't" and now it's just two themes so you can match the OS setting Light/Dark like most apps.

EDIT: Even with two themes you have people complaining about the mixer. If we want the mixer themed every additional color is a lot of work.

[supersmarter]

I think it probably was "maybe we'll add a theming engine"... then: "ok we won't" and now it's just two themes so you can match the OS setting Light/Dark like most apps.

EDIT: Even with two themes you have people complaining about the mixer. If we want the mixer themed every additional color is a lot of work.

Define "a lot of additional work". I am aware no small change is a "small amount of work" in big projects such as a DAW but calling editing the current mixer to be adapted to the dark theme "a lot of work" is quite a stretch of the imagination.

I can make a screenshot and cutouts and edit it in one day. Having access to real assets (like they have) would mean even faster.

This means one person should be able to do it in one to three days in a busy schedule and then troubleshoot quality testing and internal testing that appearance for a few weeks - and release it.

Basically, they need to color/update one channel from a light to a dark theme. It is not that they need to for example edit or update 16 or 50 channels. One. One channel. No additional DSP development.

Obviously, it's not as simple as a photoshopping mixer, they need to develop a "switch" for the mixer which will follow, etc. etc.

The knobs surely won't change color so what they need to adapt to is a backplate or the "metal" so to speak. If you mean light metal turning to dark grey is a lot of work then you surely didn't ever try to work with graphic applications.

[spacepluk]

I've worked making software for a long time so I have a rough idea of how easy it is to underestimate a task.

Just iterating until they are happy with the final look would take quite a bit of time I think. Then putting the thing in the app, testing it, making sure the change didn't break anything else, etc. Plus all the other stuff I don't know.

It always takes longer.

[DaveyG]

The blue thing is just down to inflationary pressures. The price of blue pixels has increased way more than the average price rise for intangible things. There is a severe shortage of blue, mostly caused by the tendency of AI art generators to draw too much sky and ocean. I don't think it's fair to blame RS for a problem that is world wide.