Copying DR-5 Songs to Reason

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splangie
Posts: 236
Joined: 21 Dec 2017
Location: Park County, Colorado
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20 Aug 2018

I was sitting in front of Reason last night with nothing to do... (clear throat) and started remembering all the songs I had on the DR-5 from way back. It was my band in a suite case. I took it everywhere. It sometimes had the only reliable bass and or drummer I could find.

Anyhow, I found 6 AA batteries and a midi cable and hooked it up to the Tascam US 2x2, added an EMI device and tada, I can record DR-5 midi data to Reason. Not a big deal for most I imagine because you have already done it or don't need to. But I am stuck. I can record the midi data as the songs play, but at this point can only get all 4 tracks of midi into a single EMI instance. I can send out one track a time and record it, copy notes to new track and then start again with next track in song but that takes a while. I have tried using four EMI instances and setting banks 1-4 but I am still getting all four tracks at once. Is there a way to record all 4 tracks of midi data at once into 4 seperate Reason tracks from the DR-5?

I found info regarding the DR5Edit app. It looks pretty cool and might do everything I need. It will apparently allow you to edit, copy, backup songs, tracks and even kits using a Windows GUI. I will give that a try tonight.

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mcatalao
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Joined: 17 Jan 2015

20 Aug 2018

Hi!
I fail to understand why do you need the EMI. The EMI should only be used if you want to control the DR5 from Reason.

I think what is going on is that reason only receives midi from one channel (well, for controlling multi instruments, reason can receive multiple channels BUT... it doesn't work for midi recording, periood!!!). Maybe you can fool DR5 to send the different tracks to channel 1 but you'll have to do it track by track (and again, i think you don't need the EMI for nothing unless you can create some sort of redirect with loopBe and with filters).

If you can work it out with the app, just create midi files from the dr5 songs and get them into Reason. Best option imho!

Good Luck!

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splangie
Posts: 236
Joined: 21 Dec 2017
Location: Park County, Colorado
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20 Aug 2018

mcatalao wrote:
20 Aug 2018
Hi!
I fail to understand why do you need the EMI. The EMI should only be used if you want to control the DR5 from Reason.

I think what is going on is that reason only receives midi from one channel (well, for controlling multi instruments, reason can receive multiple channels BUT... it doesn't work for midi recording, periood!!!). Maybe you can fool DR5 to send the different tracks to channel 1 but you'll have to do it track by track (and again, i think you don't need the EMI for nothing unless you can create some sort of redirect with loopBe and with filters).

If you can work it out with the app, just create midi files from the dr5 songs and get them into Reason. Best option imho!

Good Luck!
Thanks for the info. I wasn't able to get the midi data recorded until I added the EMI. I will try again without and see if I can get it working. Good to know that Reason can only record single midi channel at a time so I won't keep trying to get all four tracks recorded at once. And now that I have Dr5Edit I might be able to copy the midi files directly. I will let you know. Thanks again.

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splangie
Posts: 236
Joined: 21 Dec 2017
Location: Park County, Colorado
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22 Aug 2018

I still don't understand why I had trouble getting Reason to record through the midi-in on the Tascam without using the EMI. But I tried it again got it working. Recording a single track at a time from the external sequencer is a pain but it works. I have not tried the DR5Edit yet as I need two Midi cables and only have one. Maybe I can get to town this week and pick up another.

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