How do reason people feel about using the modules reason 5 has?

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Oquasec
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06 Mar 2018

How many of yall still use Subtractor/Thor etc even though we have access to 100% of everything on earth with or without rewire?
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esselfortium
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06 Mar 2018

Thor is still my go-to synth a lot of the time! It's great for very quickly getting simple and effective sounds.

I don't use Subtractor as much as I used to, but I was pretty obsessed with it well into the 2010s :puf_smile: You can get some really thick sounds out of it using the Ring Mod mode.
Last edited by esselfortium on 06 Mar 2018, edited 3 times in total.
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BRIGGS
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06 Mar 2018

Subtractor, for quick workflow alone. Everything is already setup...no fx, no pages, no matrix...it's the quick idea/sketch synth. When I want to wire stuff via cv, I start here.

Thor is awesome for the ladder filter alone...smooth and creamy.
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avasopht
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06 Mar 2018

Still used.

I haven't even bothered to load my VSTs. I bought some for Reason but I've not yet felt a need.

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Loque
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06 Mar 2018

Thor is one of the most synths used, but more to check a sound idea and for some fm tests. Subtractor only for low end and maybe to stick an LFO here and there. Maelstrom sometimes for fx. For real sounds they all lack top end and quality, even if i often LPF a sound other synths just sound better, especially with additional treatment.

I like those old synths, especially fm from Thor and Subtractor. They would be more useful with a high quality switch and some additional enhancements.
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QVprod
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06 Mar 2018

Kong is my favorite drum sampler. Subtractor is a go to when I want to program a quick bass sound. I still use Rex loops from time to time.

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TritoneAddiction
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06 Mar 2018

If we're talking Thor, Malström or Subtractor, very very rarely. Of the three I think Malström is the most fun of them. It's a character synth that other REs can't replace. It's quirky and has some personality, I like that.
Never liked working with Thor, looks too messy. And Subtractor, why would I use subtractor when there's so much other stuff that's way more fun?

As far as effects go, pretty much never.

I use Kong and Dr Octo Rex if those counts as Reason modules :D

REs has pretty much replaced every stock device in my music (at least if we're talking Reason 5) and I'm perfectly fine with that.

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kungubu
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06 Mar 2018

Thor is still the synth I use for almost every basic duty - it's versatile and you can load tons of them. Subtactor and Malstrom rarely. Haven't really used Subtractor since Thor came, but I really like Malstrom - should use it more. And Matrix still finds a way in all the time despite its limitations.

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BRIGGS
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06 Mar 2018

Loque wrote:
06 Mar 2018
They would be more useful with a high quality switch and some additional enhancements.
I know right? How old is subtractor now?
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Oquasec
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06 Mar 2018

Probably copping harmor one day for it's image synthesis alone.
I still use all the reason 5 modules simply because I grew up usin those and they work for a lot of things.
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hurricane
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06 Mar 2018

The old toys are good for 80s music and I especially like Subtractor for that. I hate layering and combining though so I wish it was thicker and richer. Thor is decent, but I wish it was smoother, like Diva.
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aeox
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06 Mar 2018

hurricane wrote:
06 Mar 2018
The old toys are good for 80s music and I especially like Subtractor for that. I hate layering and combining though so I wish it was thicker and richer. Thor is decent, but I wish it was smoother, like Diva.
Thicker and richer aye? Sounds like you're talking about gravy :P

scratchnsnifff
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06 Mar 2018

Literally every project I make has Thor and malstrom! I’d still love to see a Thor update, yes even since grain and Europa etc :)

Thor could use some new modules and features :) still hoping for a malstrom or grain oscilator so I can use Thor’s beautiful FM on samples so samples can be the carrier not just a modulator
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dustmoses
Posts: 197
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07 Mar 2018

When I read the title I thought it meant "Would you be happy using reason 5 devices exclusively?" The answer to that is no, I would use it strictly in rewire (as it stands I haven't used rewire in 2 years, maybe 3.)

To answer the actual question:

Had to download Reason 5 manual to remember what was in it. I'll go in order from there.

Combinator, line mixer 6:2, subtractor, Thor, NNXT, NN19, dr. octo rex, redrum, kong, rv7000, scream 4 are used in every track, although sometimes I stick to only one of the samplers or one of the drum machines.


Matrix I often use for techno/house tracks rather than play the stuff in. Those aren't my main genres though.

mixer 14:2 is often part of other peoples combinators I use, but for my own 6:2 is sufficient.

Malstrom, mclass stereo imager, bv512, rpg are used on rare occasions.

cf-101 and rv7 work in a pinch, they're ok and no CPU.

un-16 unison gets a shot every so often, I usually end up using something else as it's nowhere near stereo enough for a unison. (Maybe it's not the stereo, something weak about it though.)

ddl-1, the spiders, ecf-42, ph-90, peq2, d11 are retired.

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tobypearce
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07 Mar 2018

I still use Redrum all the time.

Subtractor probably once per production, mainly for sub. (Still wish for 2.0 with stereo spread and detune.)

The old 1/2 FX units are also still used. The phaser is great.
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antic604

07 Mar 2018

I do, but then I'm a new Reason user starting with 10 and its native devices was the main selling point, so even Subtractor seems exciting and it's actually much more powerful than it looks, with some clever design choices and additional possibilities via CV patching. Sure, it's not Serum or Avenger, but not every synth has to be. I personally LOL seeing people use those super advanced synths for simple saw-wave, static basslines or other "pedestrain" sounds and then them complaining their machines can't cope with the DSP load. Well, duh?!

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Loque
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07 Mar 2018

antic604 wrote:
07 Mar 2018
I do, but then I'm a new Reason user starting with 10 and its native devices was the main selling point, so even Subtractor seems exciting and it's actually much more powerful than it looks, with some clever design choices and additional possibilities via CV patching. Sure, it's not Serum or Avenger, but not every synth has to be. I personally LOL seeing people use those super advanced synths for simple saw-wave, static basslines or other "pedestrain" sounds and then them complaining their machines can't cope with the DSP load. Well, duh?!
Unison-Super-Saw-Dance-Lead forever! Duh!
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QVprod
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07 Mar 2018

antic604 wrote:
07 Mar 2018
I do, but then I'm a new Reason user starting with 10 and its native devices was the main selling point, so even Subtractor seems exciting and it's actually much more powerful than it looks, with some clever design choices and additional possibilities via CV patching. Sure, it's not Serum or Avenger, but not every synth has to be. I personally LOL seeing people use those super advanced synths for simple saw-wave, static basslines or other "pedestrain" sounds and then them complaining their machines can't cope with the DSP load. Well, duh?!
:lol: To be fair though, A lot of the presets for these advanced synths are those basic subtractive synthesis sounds.

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Micha1973
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07 Mar 2018

Subtractor is always a very good synth. i use it in every track -as solo- or in combinations-
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Loque
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07 Mar 2018

I forgot to mention i still use the samplers, even if they also need an overhaul. If i wouldnt be so lazy, i would use it more often and if it has a auto-stretch i would use it even more. Would be awsome, if could save the sample within the patch too. I just made a simple example, what this old sampler can sound a few days back for a friend. I just picked some random sample from the FSB. Check out for yourself if you like:
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FLVZ
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07 Mar 2018

TritoneAddiction wrote:
06 Mar 2018
If we're talking Thor, Malström or Subtractor, very very rarely. Of the three I think Malström is the most fun of them. It's a character synth that other REs can't replace. It's quirky and has some personality, I like that.
Never liked working with Thor, looks too messy.
Agree with this, Malstrom is probably the only one seeing any action. The only time I used to use Thor was for tutorials but I've never really fully embraced it.
I still use the stock modules for handling samples, particularly NNXT. Or for processing hardware samples. Mclass compressor & maximiser used in every project for quick cpu friendly results when specialty tools aren't required. Oh and stereo imager is incredibly useful!

ltbrunt00
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07 Mar 2018

I haven't created anything using Dr Rex in 8 years. I use kong only when loading purchased custom patches. Mailstrom almost never. NN-19 & Matrix (lol) haven't touch these in over a decade. Redrum is only used when loading up legacy songs and replaced with newer tools.

NNXT gets used all the time followed by Thor then occasionally Subtractor. I usually then swap out Subtractor sounds with something from Thor, Vk2, Zero or the legend.
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Hauser+Quaid
Posts: 147
Joined: 06 Jun 2017

07 Mar 2018

I use Subtractor quite a bit actually, either for noise, FX or layering. I like Maelstrom but usually use other options. Thor I never really got into, though I know it's capable, just always used other things instead.

NNXT I use all the time for a lot of stuff. Rarely see less than 5 of those in a song. Kong always as well.

Mich01
Posts: 130
Joined: 18 Jan 2015

08 Mar 2018

I use Thor very often. Actually the last months I took some time to dive deeper in this synth. And the more I work with it, the more I like it.
I think that it has something to do with my love for the old vintage-stuff.
I also do have Distributor and using that with multiple Thor's enabled me to do things like on an Oberheim SEM-8 for example.
Subtractor I use for the quick sound. Though it's the oldest one in the rack I think it is a pretty versatile instrument and I still like the simple interface.

I use Malstrom only every now and then.

Greetz Michel

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hurricane
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08 Mar 2018

I wish there was a 'high quality' setting on the internal synths. I can't prove this, and I'm just using my ears to compare them to other synths, but I think Thor and the other stock synths have some sort of accuracy parameter set to the lowest possible cpu friendly quality setting. Somewhat like how Diva does it, except that we can chose the setting in Diva:


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