Why in the hell can't we see steps beyond 16 in Drum sequencer??

[joeyluck]

The problem with copying notes to track and working on it there is that if you decide to change anything basic about the pattern later, you have to go through and change that note through the entire track (assuming you've made other edits to the drums in the sequencer.)

You can get around this with blocks, but the problem with blocks is they're not per-instrument so you can't just play around with the order of the drum blocks independently of your bassline blocks, for example. (Wouldn't per-instrument sub-blocks be lovely? Like "master" clips.)

Maybe an approach to take would be to have a separate Drum Sequencer device for each drum. That way you don't have to spend patterns on hi-hat variations that you'd like to spend on snare fills, or whatever etc. When you copy them to track each drum will have its own note lane by default giving you the best options for quickly making song-wide changes to any given lane later on, or scrapping a whole lane and starting again.

There are a couple tricks you can do in Reason's Sequencer that can be helpful.

First, you can double-click on a key in the piano roll (or drum channel for something like Redrum/Kong) to select all the events for that note/drum. You can then move them to a different note/drum or shift them in time together.

The other thing you can do is 'explode' the notes for a sequence.
Via the Tool Window: Extract Notes to Lane > Explode > Move

[Lempface]

The players appear to be stackable so you could automate several Drum Sequencers to increase the number of patterns.

EDIT: Just confirmed this works. Stacked 2 above a Europa and toggled between pattern 1 of each on the sequencer.

[Ostermilk]

I tend not to bother with drum sequencers/'machines' because I find it quicker easier and more flexible just to shovel midi around the piano roll, but this is succinct and quick enough that it might actually get some use here.

Seeing Hydlide's video back there would likely be how I'd end up using it, just to lay out a few bars of variants tweaking probabilities and velocities whilst hearing what is happening as I go. I can see me actually using this from time because of its simplicity.

YMMV

[jimmyklane]

You know, I never really got into blocks at all....every time I hit B, I frantically back out as all the music stops! I think I need to RTFM and see if I’m missing something deep about Reason.

Blocks are great, especially when you want to try out different song structures quickly. they also have the benefit of delineating the different sections of your song when you're done.

if you ever do tempo or meter changes, Blocks are amazing too; you lock your tempo or meter into the Block, and then wherever you paint that Block into the sequencer it'll automatically switch to the correct meter/tempo.

I’ve been automating the timeline for all these years?:facepalm:

[guitfnky]

I’ve been automating the timeline for all these years?:facepalm:

there's so much to Reason it's easy to overlook stuff sometimes. I'd been copying and pasting clips from Blocks view into the Sequencer view when I wanted to edit them, until I stumbled across the fact that you can right-click the block and pull the clips into the Sequencer view for editing. I found that last month, and thought it was new, until someone pointed out that functionality has been there since day-one in Blocks.

TLDR; don't feel bad-you're in good company.

[JerrelTheKing]

Blocks are really great. It seems like only a small percentage of Reason users take advantage of them so they're not talked about much. Disappointed the Drum Sequencer is only 16 steps though when for me it would be replacing my use of ReDrum which has 64. I'm gaining some features but losing steps. If I dont upgrade by the end of the month for the same price Kompulsion might be a no brainer.

[stratatonic]

If I dont upgrade by the end of the month for the same price Kompulsion might be a no brainer.

If you don't upgrade, you wouldn't be able to use Kompulsion as you need to upgrade to 10.1 to use it.

[antic604]

If I dont upgrade by the end of the month for the same price Kompulsion might be a no brainer.

This doesn't make sense - if by upgrade you mean Reason to v10 from earlier version*, then it's better to upgrade before the end of May, receive Drum Sequencer for free and spend $69 on Kompulsion. If you upgrade on 1st June or later, you'll still have to pay for Reason upgrde and Kompulsion, but won't have the free Drum Sequencer.

* because if you already have v10, I see no reason to not update to 10.1

[madmacman]

It makes sense (I know it, because I'm in the same boat), but the chain of argumentation is a bit longer:

1. If I don't upgrade, I don't get DS for free - true!
2. But probably I don't like it, anyway. (not enough steps, too short of features, dust collector in my rack, etc.)
3. After May 31st DS costs the same as Kompulsion
4. And (finally): with the same price tag, Kompulsion is the better choice (feature wise)

With this argumentation one can easily wait until R11!
(Given that I'm not a device collector)

[EdGrip]

Plus the money we've not spent on upgrading to R10 can go on a sequencer Player when we get R11.

[chimp_spanner]

Kompulsion is really good! However I still like using DrumSeq for simple stuff. It’s more immediate and quicker to build a groove in. Kompulsion is deep and has a lot of display tabs. Of course it can do more too so, there’s that. Personally I like having both

[stratatonic]

It makes sense (I know it, because I'm in the same boat), but the chain of argumentation is a bit longer:

1. If I don't upgrade, I don't get DS for free - true!
2. But probably I don't like it, anyway. (not enough steps, too short of features, dust collector in my rack, etc.)
3. After May 31st DS costs the same as Kompulsion
4. And (finally): with the same price tag, Kompulsion is the better choice (feature wise)

With this argumentation one can easily wait until R11!
(Given that I'm not a device collector)

True true. I was in the the same boat when I bypassed Reason 7 upgrade and then 7.1 came out with a free Synchronous offer.
I passed on that one as well, though I had almost 3 months of a free offer staring me in the face everytime I checked in.
And now it's free in Reason 10.

There's only a three week window to get the free Player. Propellerhead must want the money in May to pay for Mattias's Superbooth expenses.

[madmacman]

There's only a three week window to get the free Player. Propellerhead must want the money in May to pay for Mattias's Superbooth expenses.

Ha ha. Maybe I should offer Mattias bed & breakfast for Superbooth 2019 - and he could pay me with a free license for the all-new Reason 11.

But anyway. They would push my trigger if they reduce the upgrade fee during May Madness down to 99.

[JerrelTheKing]

It makes sense (I know it, because I'm in the same boat), but the chain of argumentation is a bit longer:

1. If I don't upgrade, I don't get DS for free - true!
2. But probably I don't like it, anyway. (not enough steps, too short of features, dust collector in my rack, etc.)
3. After May 31st DS costs the same as Kompulsion
4. And (finally): with the same price tag, Kompulsion is the better choice (feature wise)

With this argumentation one can easily wait until R11!
(Given that I'm not a device collector)

You get it. Those that already had 10 seem to have trouble understanding. However I am hoping for the upgrade discount in May Madness like they've always done and will probably get it in that case. Giving users 3 weeks to upgrade or else you miss out on the big feature of the upgrade which would be players and an included player is a trigger as well. Having the sale on the upgrade during that 3 weeks is an incentive that helps.

[stratatonic]

There's only a three week window to get the free Player. Propellerhead must want the money in May to pay for Mattias's Superbooth expenses.

Ha ha. Maybe I should offer Mattias bed & breakfast for Superbooth 2019 - and he could pay me with a free license for the all-new Reason 11.

Ha, if that's the going rate for several days stay out there, I'll buy you an upgrade when I travel there in the future.

[madmacman]

Ha ha. Maybe I should offer Mattias bed & breakfast for Superbooth 2019 - and he could pay me with a free license for the all-new Reason 11.

Ha, if that's the going rate for several days stay out there, I'll buy you an upgrade when I travel there in the future.

I'm sorry: only valid for Swedish, Viking-bearded product managers of PropellerheadSW Reason