Where do I start?!

[markjason]

Hi everyone,
I have been using Reason for about 6 years, and although I find it easy to use now, I really struggle with having some decent sounds for the dance/house tracks I make. I have bought refills/patches over the years from Propellerheads shop, Wave Alchemy, Loopmasters and a few other places, but never really found anywhere amazing. They all have great sounds in the loops (which I don't want), but the packages with refills are not so great. If anyone could recommend a few good stores, I would really appreciate it.

Also, while I'm here, can I ask if one can use Native Instruments Massive with Reason?

Thanks,
Mark

[zeebot]

You should check out exode's refills...

https://soundcloud.com/exodesound

[Benedict]

Hi

The real trick is not in finding the right ReFill or sounds but in making the right composition coupled with the right mix for what you want to achieve.

Think of music as like painting only using sound. If you look closely at the painting it may have lots of what seem like technical errors. yet a good painting transcends all those by telling a story. Focus on your story and let that decide what sounds and mixing is used. That is how your style will be found. Maybe you won't turn out to be a House man after all.

Also as you make pieces that are successful then you will grow in confidence and skills. In time that will lead you closer to what you hear in your head (or on the radio).

[Namahs Amrak]

How are you making music - do you use loops and spent time on the production, or do you actually compose the music as well ? If it's the latter, there is a very wide selection of monster synths in the Rack Extension format. While NNXT ReFills of the old days with sampled synths notes were OK, they are very limited in how you can directly tweak them within the device. With a third party synth, you can tweak to your hearts content, and even dynamically control parameters as part of the song.

You'll get many different opinions on what Synth RE's are the best - for me (not being much of a synth guy though), the Propellerhead Parsec, and Ron Papen Vecto are very impressive, with rich, fat sounds and pretty good patch libraries to use as a starting point. Even for the preset-junkies, I believe there are patch ReFill packs for both of the above mentioned, which further expands on the library banks.

[raymondh]

Think of music as like painting only using sound. If you look closely at the painting it may have lots of what seem like technical errors. yet a good painting transcends all those by telling a story. Focus on your story and let that decide what sounds and mixing is used. That is how your style will be found.

Very nicely said Benedict!

[zeebot]

If you are going down the RE road (assuming you are on R7 or above then Antidote or Predator are great synths for making dance tracks.

[Kenni]

If you are going down the RE road (assuming you are on R7 or above then Antidote or Predator are great synths for making dance tracks.

I can highly recommend Antidote, although a bit pricey.

Also, I totally agree that you should avoid going down the refill path - If you start from scratch, and just listen to what you do, you'll end up being really satisfied. And what your synths might lack in phatness compared to commercial tracks, will be replaced with clear mixing, more elements and soul.

[markjason]

Thanks for the replies guys! I have most been using refills for the last few years, rather than buying Rack Extensions. I'll have a look at some of the ones you mentioned.

The kind of tracks I'm making are similar to these:

I'm pleased with the tracks I've made (a few are on iTunes) but I feel limited with the few good sounds that I've found/made, so I end up going back to them which means every track sounds quite similar

[freeQlow]

Hi everyone,
I have been using Reason for about 6 years, and although I find it easy to use now, I really struggle with having some decent sounds for the dance/house tracks I make. I have bought refills/patches over the years from Propellerheads shop, Wave Alchemy, Loopmasters and a few other places, but never really found anywhere amazing. They all have great sounds in the loops (which I don't want), but the packages with refills are not so great. If anyone could recommend a few good stores, I would really appreciate it.

Also, while I'm here, can I ask if one can use Native Instruments Massive with Reason?

Thanks,
Mark

I can name a few refills... Black Octopus, Google them.

I also sample a lot as well.
You probably want some sound design as well. Instead of searching for the needle in a library, try watching a few good "design" videos. Especially if you own Massive.

A bit of "Magic Glue" technique for your Bass Drum, Drum Sampling, Drum Loops. Transient Shaper.
DCAM EnvShaper is in the shop and pretty tight!

[freeQlow]

check this out too....

https://www.samplemagic.com/journal/201 ... rum-beats/

[markjason]

I don't have Massive yet as I don't know if it works in Reason. Does it, and if so, is it easy to set up?

[Benedict]

Massive is a VST so it won't work IN Reason. Yes you can EMI and a MIDI Loopback driver but don't let people pull you into another rabbit hole.

Thor can do anything Massive can, when you learn to program it.

[freeQlow]

I don't have Massive yet as I don't know if it works in Reason. Does it, and if so, is it easy to set up?

what Benedict said but yes.

Thor is a good synth to learn on. Unless we are talking analog filters and really new the difference between a SCI/KORG/MOOG FILTER....
most can do the same with a little practice.

It's easy to become a gearwhore, sample whore and preset whore.

Please don't take it personal when I say,
when you are constantly searching patches, samples and presets for years and haven't found that sound, that is the synths gods way of saying to learn a little bit of sound design.

I've been into break beats and electro since 97' I love my samples.
Learning 1 awesome synth (thor) would be much easier than trying to learn several at the same time.

If you feel like buying Komplete, Ableton, Studio One or any DAW you can easily passover that sample love to buying every freaking synth and distortion plug on the planet. I know I went that route in 07 or 08'

the missing sounds in your minds are at your finger tips!

[freeQlow]

I don't have Massive yet as I don't know if it works in Reason. Does it, and if so, is it easy to set up?

Yes Massive is easy to setup,
Yes it has a gigillion more Preset Packs to buy than thor,
no it doesn't open in reason.
Mine does open up with another DAW open.

You really should check out the new FM synth that just dropped and another awesome mega synth around the corner for Reason.

I actually find a lot of awesome Factory Thor Patches.
I mean fucking Tipper even has a patch in there....

[zakalwe]

you can find a bunch of free sample packs if you look around. DOA's The Grid was legendary at one point and people will still re-up stuff if you request it

http://www.dogsonacid.com/?prefix_id=5

depends on your style though.

[freeQlow]

I just bought BT Breaks after stumbling across it, random post. But that is a CLASSIC drum loop pack.
I could go on and on all night of classic breaks from that pack. Had to buy it

[freeQlow]

More than anything, we want people new and old to know we are encouraging you, not parenting you. We all were you at one point.

Aside from beats, synths are what brought you to this venue

[paulm0000]

Hi, this is the sort of music i listen to and make...

www.bigtunesmp3.co.uk and check out the sample section

[boobytrap]

hi,
I strongly suggest BlackOctopus Samples.

http://blackoctopus-sound.com/product/leviathan/
http://blackoctopus-sound.com/product/c ... m-theorem/

you can find over 99% worth samples there.

[markjason]

It's easy to become a gearwhore, sample whore and preset whore.

This is pretty much me! If I were 18, had a part time job and lots of free time, I would probably get into Thor and learn how to create my own sounds. Unfortunately I am older, have 2 jobs and very little free time... so when I get a day or two off, I just want to get a track done and not be spending hours trying to create a sound from scratch (partly down to me being lazy and impatient).

I should also add that I'm not familiar with some products, so this:
"You really should check out the new FM synth that just dropped and another awesome mega synth around the corner for Reason."
went over my head.

Also I'm NOT looking for loops. My drum programming is fine, and I have tonnes of samples. I don't have any use for loops of synth patterns, but thanks all for the suggestions.

If it helps, I do use a Korg M1 in Cubase, but then I'll mixdown the piano or bass pattern and use it in Reason as I'm a lot more competent using Reason as a sequencer than Cubase. Perhaps if anyone has any suggestions for great/classic dance synthesizers in Cubase, then that would also be appreciated!

[zakalwe]

gold baby's drum sample packs are pretty well regarded, and cheap also. some of them are in refill format. he does a bunch of freebies too.

http://www.goldbaby.co.nz/

[freeQlow]

This is pretty much me! If I were 18, had a part time job and lots of free time, I would probably get into Thor and learn how to create my own sounds. Unfortunately I am older, have 2 jobs and very little free time... so when I get a day or two off, I just want to get a track done and not be spending hours trying to create a sound from scratch (partly down to me being lazy and impatient)!

You'd be surprised to find most of us (90%) are the same, subtract my girlfriend and daughter and I'd still be a weekly spinning dj too.
Let me ask you a few questions and nice to meet you!

So what genres are you into?

What is your main genre? House, Breaks, DNB, Down/Mid Tempo?

What is your go to tempo?

I'll also tell you and since you mentioned steering away from "Loops" and sounding like me....
In the loop packs you own, you may or may not be overlooking a valuable tool, "Multis"
Bass, Synth, Pad, Fx, Atmosphere
These are the parts in the loops you don't want to use, but the sounds you like from the loops. Usually in major/minor and 2-5 key.

Another huge emphasis on the "being stuck in loopville"
Rex is so much more than Rex was 10 years ago.
You know those little off tempo shuffles in drum breaks we love but don't want to use the whole rex????

Outside of slicing or only using 3-4 out of 32 slices from a rex loop, you can export the midi file and use the patterns inside tour own drum kit (Kong,Redrum,NNXT, etc)

If you love Break beat (dnb, hip hop, trap, garage, dubstep, grime) or 4/4 (house, trance, edm, deep, progressive)
Black Octopus has "the best kicks"

If you're staying inside reason the rack to purchase may be Rob Pappen, BBD Bass Drum Synth!

If you're looking for a VST like that drum Synth mentioned, something to use inside Cubase .... there are a ton but I'd say for $50 you cannot beat Nicky Romero Kick!

[freeQlow]

this may not solve your quest, but I'll name a few of my favorite House Sample Packs
Black Octopus Leviathan
Tom Middleton Nu House
Opolopo NuDisco
Leftwing & Kody
Umek
Pablo Decoder
Traffik
Mason (Not Maison)
Meat Katie

Outside the artist packs my 2 favorite Sample Labels are
Sample phonics - Hands Down
Black Octopus

If I could wish for two artists to share their libraries...
Tipper
Cause & Affect

[jfrichards]

http://www.reasonexperts.com/refills-an ... Final.html

http://www.reasonexperts.com/refills-an ... -2013.html

These are world-class free refills from Hydlide. Thor is a monster.