Old Reason User - Sequencer Workflow Suggestions

[owlymane]

Hey guys,

I am completely new to the forum (this is my first post) but I have been using Reason on PC since 2006 (version 3). I hope I am placing this topic where it can be viewed directly by Props developers.

I am well aware that they are currently 100% focused on better VST integration, but really hope somehow they can have a look at these suggestions which would drastically improve the sequencer's workflow. I am a hardcore and die-hard fan of Propellerhead and only want to see this brand take it to the next level.


SUGGESTION #1 - COPY PATTERN TO TRACK INSTANTLY WHEN CREATING A MIDI "BOX" IN THE SEQUENCER

Forgive me for the lack of term, but what I mean by "Box" is the "rectangular shape" that we create in the sequencer by double-clicking anywhere in the instrument line. (See Attachment: I created a yellow "Box" in the Sequencer for Redrum).

Capture.JPG (130.16 KiB) Viewed 544 times

I've always wondered why this box is always empty when created, especially when notes have already been created/placed in the Rack section of this instrument (through matrix for synth, or redrum patterns)

Take the Redrum in the attached file as an example, notice I have already filled my Redrum with some notes. But the only way for me to transfer these notes to the sequencer is by right - clicking / "Copy Pattern To Track".

What I am suggesting is instead of going through the process of right-clicking, it would be more interesting to directly double-click in the sequencer section, and have a box with the notes created instead of an empty box. In my opinion, the box always being empty when created is really useless unless I haven't created notes in the Rack.

Now of course for adding notes to synths like Subtractor you need a Matrix in the Rack, then make sure the instrument is selected in the Sequencer, and then Right-Click/Copy Pattern to track to send it to the sequencer. But what if the same thing can be done with synths ? We create a Matrix for Subtractor and add Notes in its matrix, and the Sequencer understands that this Matrix belongs to Subtractor, and so by creating a box in the sequencer for the synth, the sequencer box would automatically add the notes from the Matrix.

And for those who want to copy the Matrix patterns of one instrument to another instrument, in this case the option of Right-Click/Copy Pattern to Track would still exist to do this task.

Also for those who created notes in the Rack but still want an empty box, in this case an option such as [Shift]+double-click in the sequencer would create an empty box can be considered an option.

SUGGESTION #2 - MORE EFFICIENT USE OF WINDOWS LAPTOP'S TRACKPAD (2 FINGER ZOOM/SIDE-SCROLL)

Zoom: I personally find the zooming tool in Reason to be quite cumbersome. I personally either click a box and press "z" to perfectly zoom the box or press "g"/"h" to zoom in/out.

It would be more efficient to be able to zoom with 2 fingers on the trackpad, and make it more precise (i.e zoom specifically where the mouse cursor is located)

Side-Scrolling : The only way I can scroll through the sequencer using my windows laptop keyboard is by holding SHIFT + Move up/down trackpad to scroll through Reason. Really kills me to having to hold shift everytime I'm in the middle of editing to move through the sequencer.

It would be much easier if Reason can consider removing the need to hold shift and simply side-scroll using two fingers on the trackpad from left to right or vice-versa.

SUGGESTION #3: LEFT CLICK/RIGHT CLICK = ADD/REMOVE NOTES IN PIANO ROLL

The use of double-clicking every time a note is added can really be reduced to one if the option of "left-click = add note" and "right-click = remove note" can be applied. In addition, if say you keep holding "left-click" or "right-click", an interesting option would be to add or remove, respectively, several notes, which makes placing notes in the sequencer incredibly faster.

SUGGESTION #4: EXTRA USEFUL EDITING TOOLS

I invite you to visually have a look at Adobe Premier Pro editing tools, specifically the "Track Select Forward/Backward", "Ripple Edit", "Rolling Edit". I believe if those tools are implemented in the sequencer section of Reason editing would be much faster thus increasing productivity.

https://www.premiumbeat.com/blog/an-in- ... ing-tools/

SUGGESTION #5: TRACK WHEN SEQUENCER IS IN FOLLOW/UNFOLLOW SONG MODE

This is a very small detail but interrupts me every time. I cannot count the number of times I forget whether or not I pressed "F" while in the sequencer to follow the track while playing. I find myself editing a specific part and forgot that I pressed "F" and see my sequencer completely moving to another section, which can be quite annoying.

A simple add-on would be to have a "follow" tracker where a follow button/logo is colored when it's on and grey when it's off somewhere up in the editing tools of the sequencer.

SUGGESTION #6 EDIT AUTOMATION FOR AUDIO TOOLS

TRANSPOSE.JPG (42.93 KiB) Viewed 544 times

For me personally, I don't like to be restricted by the DAW I use. The reason why I am mentioning this suggestion is specifically for the "Transpose" tool, which shows up on the top of the sequencer when adding and clicking on an Audio file.

I use a lot of sampling in my music, and sometimes I like to play with Pitch to give my song some activity/FX. I currently use a VST for that, but would be nice to enable "Edit Automation" when right-clicking in the "transpose" section, just like you would for editing the automation of "tempo".


I really hope some of you relate to my concerns.

[syzygianrrf9999]

Necroing this, even though I'm late to the party this is a suggestion that I've been wanting for ages.

My workflow in particular is crying out for this feature; I hate midi editing. Most of my Reason song files feature a sequencer that consists of about 75.99999% automation lanes, 24.999999% audio tracks, and .0000000000001% actual sequenced midi data.

I'm an addict of modular analog sequencers and of course digital emulators of them. When Robotic Bean put Euclid out as an RE it was life-changing. I pretty much make a pattern and then automate it, automate automating it, have it automate, gate, or toggle-gate other rhythm machines/sequencers, yadda yadda. Most of my material plays straight out of the rack.

This doesn't save me from the audio-editing aspect of the sequencer, which, while less tedious than dealing in 8 octaves worth of lanes, still lacks basic functions like a ripple delete or scrub delete. For the uninitiated this is Adobe-speak (I think?) for deleting a clip and then having 1 or both sides of the sequencer tracks on either side of that clip nudge over to fill in the empty space. Its not complicated either. Its literally just like, ctrl+delete (which as far as I know currently serves no function in song or comp edit mode, and is completely unused in that mode/context, along with alt+delete, shift+delete, crtl+shift+delete, etc.)

I can't remember how old the "remove bars between locators" function is (which also has no key command, go figure), but its basically the same concept, its just for some reason, PH decided not to include the option do so only on 1 or more selected tracks. Even if you drill down to comp edit, doing this blows away everything in the entire sequencer that was between those locators.

But yeah. PH. Do all of this. Please. The lack of a transposition or copy feature between the rack and sequencer is kind of a slap in the face for people that make the most out of Reason's best feature and identity: having a rack at all.