Do you still buy REs?

[Loque]

Yea, still buying, but way less than before. Maybe because i have already everything i need and now looking out for something really new or adding something special. I now skip the 10nth delay, EQ, chorus, phaser, subtractive synth, etc. even if they are free or cheap.

My last RE buys were:
* Amplifikation Matchlock Guitar Amp (last week)
* Strontium-90 (on last BF, wanted this a while - i am a fan of things destroying or completely changing my sound in any way!)
* Villanelle Killer Wah (also on last BF, couldnt resist, sounds very smooth)

My Last VST purchases were completing my Kilohearts bundles (i think...). Now i have Phase Plant which is an amazing synth. A little bit CPU hungry, but has some amazing features and is so easy to program. Just a bit big if it is getting complex, but damn! Great Work Kilohearts! Cant wait to see new additions, hopefully external audio input, more modifiers and better modulations (which is in Reason native nearly never a problem if enough CV and audio inputs are available).

[TritoneAddiction]

As a Reason user I like both Re's and VST's, but I already have enough tools for making music, so it's really more and more hard to get excited about new synth. However, I'm looking forward to get Scenic in some perspective, waiting for May Madness to happen

I know what you mean about how it's harder to get excited about new synths/effects. For me at this point a RE has to offer something different or at least do something really really well. I do trial a lot of REs though, but I probably only buy about 15% of them. And of course there are plenty of REs that I wouldn't even try, because I already know they're not for me.

[TritoneAddiction]

Yea, still buying, but way less than before. Maybe because i have already everything i need and now looking out for something really new or adding something special. I now skip the 10nth delay, EQ, chorus, phaser, subtractive synth, etc. even if they are free or cheap.

Yep the last time I bought EQs or compressors was in 2016 and I haven't felt any need to expand those categories. I feel differently about reverbs or other more creative effects though. That Efektor RV3604 Reverb I bought upon its release has been wonderful and it's found it's way into many tracks already. But that one DID add something different.

[Oquasec]

I dont know how many Re in the shop these days but I think I have 150 now

[Loque]

Yea, still buying, but way less than before. Maybe because i have already everything i need and now looking out for something really new or adding something special. I now skip the 10nth delay, EQ, chorus, phaser, subtractive synth, etc. even if they are free or cheap.

Yep the last time I bought EQs or compressors was in 2016 and I haven't felt any need to expand those categories. I feel differently about reverbs or other more creative effects though. That Efektor RV3604 Reverb I bought upon its release has been wonderful and it's found it's way into many tracks already. But that one DID add something different.

Hum, i was thinking about buying it too, but i already have enough reverbs and also found myself too often in the past using stock Reason stuff, like RV7000MK2 or The Echo and still exploring new things in those devices (currently the spring reverbs and pitching of the Wobble and Env in The Echo).

[dvdrtldg]

I opened this thread in order to answer "yes", but then when I checked I found that I haven't bought a RE since November 2019, so I guess the answer is No. I've trialled a large number of REs since then and not bought any of them

I used to buy anything/everything that I thought might be fun or useful, and have over 300 REs. When VST support appeared in Reason, I went crazy with that too. Then I made a decision to stop buying stuff no matter how cool it looked, and start focusing on the gear I already had. That was 18 months ago and I'm still in the same headspace

There are a few REs I'd like to have, but I can't quite justify spending the money. Complex-1 looks amazing, but I'm still futzing around with free modular synth plugins from NI and Cherry Audio, so until I get to the bottom of those, buying another rather expensive eurorack style synth seems stupid. Some of the newer sequencer players look great, but again, I've already got a bunch of sequencers and how many do you really need? I haven't seen anything in the FX category for ages that looks tempting - delays, compressors, filters, EQs, I'm covered. Nobody has released a weird creative processor that got me interested since Fritz. The closest thing I've come to buying was Forgotten Waveshaper, but after running it for a day or so against Trash 2, I decided I didn't need it

Then there's all the CV nerd utilities, which I love, but I haven't seen anything appear in the shop for ages that fills a functionality/creativity gap in what I've already got

My name is dvdrtldg and I'm a recovered GAS victim

[aeox]

Yea I still do.

Drop and Lift Semitone Transpose FX (my first turn2on purchase ever)

ModularRE Multi-Effect Processor

Forgotten Compressor

How's the ModularRE Multi-Effect Processor? Is it any good?
I don't want to "waste" my trail right now since I've spent enough money on REs already lately. Better to save the trial for another time.

Yea it's good to me. You'll have to see if it's worth it for you

[FLVZ]

Yeah

Bezier dynamics
Scale Matrix
M-Max MB Limiter

Good to see developers still producing native devices. The RE buyer market is niche though, if RS release the Reason rack for free with no instruments added and maybe a few utlities like splitters and lfos. I think this would attract more people into their eco system, especially as people get used to the platform by helping themselves to the free REs to test the waters...

[Auryn]

Nobody has released a weird creative processor that got me interested since Fritz. The closest thing I've come to buying was Forgotten Waveshaper, but after running it for a day or so against Trash 2, I decided I didn't need it

My favourite "creative FX" ATM is Unfiltered Audio's (erstwhile RE developer) SpecOps. It's a kind of resynthesizer plugin that shapes the sound spectrum in all kinds of interesting ways. (I know this thread is about RE's but I thought I would recommend it anyway)

[FLVZ]

Nobody has released a weird creative processor that got me interested since Fritz.

The Mars reverb by Turn2On is quite quirky and has a few cv options on the back to spice things further.

[Jackjackdaw]

I buy utilities but not fx or synths. I am unimpressed by most of the fx Re's I have tried. I have been looking for a really good reverb and not been able to find one that is any better than the stock one for example.

There are some great synths but they are expensive and I want scalable graphics before I fork out for them. My only purchases have been Complex-1 (excellent) & Umph club drums (regret it)

My last 3 purchases were :
Blamsoft Distributor (just last night!)
Static cling Autolatch (last week)
& Delta (couple of months ago)

[Reasonable man]

Not Currently (answer to thread title)

Last one bought was Delta (a while ago) which i havn't got around to using or really trying yet , there's alot to get the head around there and i'm not really a preset guy so its not much use to me until i sit down and work out how to best use it.

Before that was the noise engineering synths ,complex and Nostromo . Nostromo i have to spend time on too but i do think this will b a must have synth (like Expanse).

A good tip (hopefully) for anyone looking for that modular sound in reason is to reset Expanse and use it for the envelopes (cv outs at the back) , if your using with the noise engineering bundle. Alt-click on either of the mod or amp envelopes in expanse and scroll down to 'complex editor presets ' and attach these presets to the cv ins at the back of the noise engineering synths. Especially env decay ...with a negitive or inverse value. These envelopes are perfect for getting that hardware 'voltage block ' sound that almost define the sound of modular.
I've been waiting the starship dude to release the updated psdn envelope but i've given up now. The update has been 'comming soon ' for about 4 years now.

[xboix]

A good tip (hopefully) for anyone looking for that modular sound in reason is to reset Expanse and use it for the envelopes (cv outs at the back) , if your using with the noise engineering bundle.

Another tip for modular in Reason is to get the Cherry Audio Voltage Nucleus VST, currently FREE until the end of the month:

https://www.pluginboutique.com/deals/show?sale_id=6418

It now works well in Reason.

[Reasonable man]

A good tip (hopefully) for anyone looking for that modular sound in reason is to reset Expanse and use it for the envelopes (cv outs at the back) , if your using with the noise engineering bundle.

Another tip for modular in Reason is to get the Cherry Audio Voltage Nucleus VST, currently FREE until the end of the month:

https://www.pluginboutique.com/deals/show?sale_id=6418

It now works well in Reason.

Good of em to do that. I'll give it a whirl thanks.

[Rackman]

I've pretty much completely stopped for four main reasons:
1. I think the market for buying and creating REs is so small now that the format is on very shaky ground. Almost every major company that dabbled has run a mile. That should tell us all something. It's amazing that devs have managed to create so many interesting things, but the lack of major players is a big turn-off. They have neither managed to get OS developers in (like VCV) nor major devs, so we are left with a generally pretty low-quality selection with a few very high quality devs fighting the good fight and abandonware from major devs who have fled.
2. VCV Rack Plugin is on the way which will open up a wealth of top-quality modular tooling for free, rendering pretty much all CV-related tooling in Reason obsolete (assuming you are willing to pay for the plugin).
3. There is no way to resell an RE so your money is gone the moment you spend it.
4. I pretty much have what I need from the RE market and it's very very rare to see something new of interest. Most of the things that interest me are only available on VST, and most REs are relatively slight variations on older REs.

[madmacman]

I‘m tempted to buy the StringWerk RE at current sale. Yes, I‘m one of the few who didn‘t buy it in the past four years.

Since that „incident“ with Softphonics where I deleted my ReFill, I didn‘t have proper Strings in my DAWs. Sure, there are tons of free sample packs out there, but none of them provide assistance on expression as StringWerk does. And the commercial solutions are either way too expensive for my amateurism, or they require NI Kontakt (another company that I‘ve completely wiped from my harddisk).

So I have a few days left to think it over...

[ksniod]

Another tip for modular in Reason is to get the Cherry Audio Voltage Nucleus VST, currently FREE until the end of the month:

https://www.pluginboutique.com/deals/show?sale_id=6418

It now works well in Reason.

Good of em to do that. I'll give it a whirl thanks.

It's fun to use, sounds good and seems pretty capable, even with this entry (free for now, otherwise cheeap) bundle

[rcube]

New user so collecting the “essentials”:
In the last couple of weeks
- The Legend
- Selig Gain
- Fritz

Just bought the synth rig in the sale too.

Trialing the Ujam heavy drummer now.and I like it so far... hoping it goes on sale soon.

[ltbrunt00]

Yeah.
Just upgraded my mix and mastering bundle. I love the Selig EQ.
Just brought.....Scale Matrix, Delta Midi Computer and Melodic Inverter,

[groggy1]

I love Player REs - wish there were more of them.

[MrFigg]

I love Player REs - wish there were more of them.

What sort of players would you like?

[groggy1]

I love Player REs - wish there were more of them.

What sort of players would you like?

In my magical fantasyland:
-a player that lets me drag and drop a clip from sequencer into the player, then play that clip using keyboard

-same as beatmap, but for bass lines. Bassmap

-a player that lets me play a chord , and then lets me manipulate (eg invert) and trigger that (and 10 other) chords

-a player with midi clip library, where you can shop for cheap midi packs. And/or share with the community

-Player that takes my crappy baseline and makes it better

-player that hosts vst midi plugins

-virusti arp

-player that specializes in the style of infected mushroom synth parts (ok, why not?)

-player that humanizes it’s inout (or quantizes)

[challism]

In my magical fantasyland:

That is a magical list, indeed! Maybe these ideas can help. I think stacking players is a good way to build your own custom player (and also heavy use of LoveOne's MIDI-CV Converter)

I love players, too!

-a player that lets me drag and drop a clip from sequencer into the player, then play that clip using keyboard

Robotic Bean's Sequences can record played notes (and notes from the DAW sequencer). This isn't drag and drop, but it will work to get the notes in the DAW sequencer into the player sequencer. You could also use MIDI-CV Converter (input) placed above Sequences to record notes from other devices (sending the notes from another instance of MIDI-CV to the output).

-same as beatmap, but for bass lines. Bassmap

Can't Beatmap be used for instruments? I haven't tried it, yet, but I think it can. Use TonicMint's free AB Transpose to drop the octave. You could also use Lectric Panda's UTL, Enlightenspeed's Note Alter (you might as well buy their Loopcracker Suite), or Tonicmint's Inrange to filter/adjust notes into the bass range.

Another idea I use for interesting basslines is to use Scales&Chords with Dual Arp or Lectric Panda's Kompulsion (in arp mode) beneath it. Kompulsion has random, so randomize some note lanes and see what you get. You can also throw Enlightenspeed's Harmonic Invert into the mix to experiment with some variations (followed by Scales & Chords with chords turned off - to keep the notes in the right key).

-a player that lets me play a chord , and then lets me manipulate (eg invert) and trigger that (and 10 other) chords

In one of my song templates, I have heavy use of MIDI-CV Converter. Master stack and Slave stacks, all in their own Combis.

In the Master stack, I have a chain of players: Robotic Bean's Sequences, MIDI-CV Converter (set to mono, this is sending out a root note to the Slaves), Chord Player of choice, MIDI-CV Converter (this one is sending out the chords to the Slaves).

In the Slaves, I have player stacks, as well: Sequences (this is first so I can input new notes that are unique to this instrument/not chained with the rest), MIDI-CV Converter (root note in), Scales&Chords, MIDI-CV Converter (chord in), Dual Arp or Kompulsion in arp mode. I have combi button number 4 set to toggle MIDI-CV root note on/MIDI-CV chord off (so they aren't competing/clashing, and you don't have too many notes/chords playing). Harmonic Inverter can be used in the Slave stacks to get more variations.

I have all the Combi knobs/buttons programmed to control Scales&Chords. I have Number of Notes, Inversion, Oct Up, Oct Down controlled by the knobs. Color, Alter and Open Chords are controlled by the buttons. Aftermath's free RE CV8x4 is also used to control the chord Inversion for each combinator (CV1 input). This will allow you to change the inversion of each slave from one convenient location. I keep CV8x4 near my Master combi.

-Player that takes my crappy baseline and makes it better

See ideas above. I also have a secret weapon player in my arsenal that just got out of beta. I'm waiting for it to hit the shop before I can talk about it. It works really well for coming up with sweet bassline (with Kompulsion arp mode behind it in the chain). As soon as that player hits the shop, I will upload a copy of my template song file.

-player that humanizes it’s inout (or quantizes)

Enlightenspeed's Humanizer. Lectric Panda's RND

stax.JPG (152.24 KiB) Viewed 1492 times

[Reasonable man]

In my magical fantasyland:

That is a magical list, indeed! Maybe these ideas can help. I think stacking players is a good way to build your own custom player (and also heavy use of LoveOne's MIDI-CV Converter)

I love players, too!

-a player that lets me drag and drop a clip from sequencer into the player, then play that clip using keyboard

Robotic Bean's Sequences can record played notes (and notes from the DAW sequencer). This isn't drag and drop, but it will work to get the notes in the DAW sequencer into the player sequencer. You could also use MIDI-CV Converter (input) placed above Sequences to record notes from other devices (sending the notes from another instance of MIDI-CV to the output).

-same as beatmap, but for bass lines. Bassmap

Can't Beatmap be used for instruments? I haven't tried it, yet, but I think it can. Use TonicMint's free AB Transpose to drop the octave. You could also use Lectric Panda's UTL, Enlightenspeed's Note Alter (you might as well buy their Loopcracker Suite), or Tonicmint's Inrange to filter/adjust notes into the bass range.


Another idea I use for interesting basslines is to use Scales&Chords with Dual Arp or Lectric Panda's Kompulsion (in arp mode) beneath it. Kompulsion has random, so randomize some note lanes and see what you get. You can also throw Enlightenspeed's Harmonic Invert into the mix to experiment with some variations (followed by Scales & Chords with chords turned off - to keep the notes in the right key).

-a player that lets me play a chord , and then lets me manipulate (eg invert) and trigger that (and 10 other) chords

In one of my song templates, I have heavy use of MIDI-CV Converter. Master stack and Slave stacks, all in their own Combis.

In the Master stack, I have a chain of players: Robotic Bean's Sequences, MIDI-CV Converter (set to mono, this is sending out a root note to the Slaves), Chord Player of choice, MIDI-CV Converter (this one is sending out the chords to the Slaves).

In the Slaves, I have player stacks, as well: Sequences (this is first so I can input new notes that are unique to this instrument/not chained with the rest), MIDI-CV Converter (root note in), Scales&Chords, MIDI-CV Converter (chord in), Dual Arp or Kompulsion in arp mode. I have combi button number 4 set to toggle MIDI-CV root note on/MIDI-CV chord off (so they aren't competing/clashing, and you don't have too many notes/chords playing). Harmonic Inverter can be used in the Slave stacks to get more variations.

I have all the Combi knobs/buttons programmed to control Scales&Chords. I have Number of Notes, Inversion, Oct Up, Oct Down controlled by the knobs. Color, Alter and Open Chords are controlled by the buttons. Aftermath's free RE CV8x4 is also used to control the chord Inversion for each combinator (CV1 input). This will allow you to change the inversion of each slave from one convenient location. I keep CV8x4 near my Master combi.

-Player that takes my crappy baseline and makes it better

See ideas above. I also have a secret weapon player in my arsenal that just got out of beta. I'm waiting for it to hit the shop before I can talk about it. It works really well for coming up with sweet bassline (with Kompulsion arp mode behind it in the chain). As soon as that player hits the shop, I will upload a copy of my template song file.

-player that humanizes it’s inout (or quantizes)

Enlightenspeed's Humanizer. Lectric Panda's RND


stax.JPG

Yip that's the stuff right there lol

I have tried simialr set ups that are variants of the psq thread but because that isn't a player device there is slighly more wiring involved.
2 and a half hours of wiring on average per template for me , controlled by a hamu mod panel and about 5mins making music!
I have huge problems remembering whats wired to what and why.... thats my problem.

I have realised that making music this way is experimental at best for me as i dont find it naturally intuitive so i save the midi clips (notes to track) and export them into a new project to try add more 'natural' or evolving arrangments. I really wish i could finish a track completley using this approach though..maybe some day .
The main advatage to these setups is that they kind of 'write' music for you always in time and key with the original idea (which is useally a chord progression for me) but using different types of euclid pulses....never something that can be written by drawing or playing notes or rhythms by one's self. Happy accidents i guess . I have alot of clips and ideas saved now that sound like they were shat out by the late 80's detroit house artists and i have very little idea how they were written as i just pressed play on the psq!

[challism]

[Yip that's the stuff right there lol

I have tried simialr set ups that are variants of the psq thread but because that isn't a player device there is slighly more wiring involved.
2 and a half hours of wiring on average per template for me , controlled by a hamu mod panel and about 5mins making music!
I have huge problems remembering whats wired to what and why.... thats my problem.

I have realised that making music this way is experimental at best for me as i dont find it naturally intuitive so i save the midi clips (notes to track) and export them into a new project to try add more 'natural' or evolving arrangments. I really wish i could finish a track completley using this approach though..maybe some day .
The main advatage to these setups is that they kind of 'write' music for you always in time and key with the original idea (which is useally a chord progression for me) but using different types of euclid pulses....never something that can be written by drawing or playing notes or rhythms by one's self. Happy accidents i guess . I have alot of clips and ideas saved now that sound like they were shat out by the late 80's detroit house artists and i have very little idea how they were written as i just pressed play on the psq!

I've found that using Jiggery Pokery's TMA-1, 4 and 9 are great for taking notes. You could make yourself a map of what is wired to what, and the reason for it.

Also, once you have something wired just the way you like it (after 2 hours) save it as a template (*.rsndemo) and drop it into your music/Reason/template folder. Then you can spend those 2 hours writing 24 new songs, instead of wiring devices.

Man, I really wish there was a better way to wire devices. Somebody here in RT came up with a brilliant solution to the problem and saved it as their signature. I don't remember who that was, but it was a good feature request. Something about using the little rack map to click on two devices and it would wire them somehow (I don't remember the details, but it was good). It would be cool if RS developed some kind of smart wiring system. If I hook up the gate cv of a device, it would make sense that the note cv is going to be next. Wouldnt it be nice if Reason was smart enough to do that for me?