Why Reason?

[Spike]

Why Reason?

1. Reason just looks so good.
2. Propellerhead's independent spirit. Yeah I know they've jumped in with an investment company recently; but still, they've always had a unique way of doing things.
3. Humour

[BassmanJ]

From the perspective of someone who just started using Reason: I am brand-new to sound design/synthesis, having written and performed guitar music for years and performed onstage almost exclusively on the bass. I'll always write music for the guitar, but I want to spice it up with new timbres, an electronic/rock hybrid, so I've decided to give software synthesizers a try. I looked into the DAWs that are primarily used for electronic music (Reason, Ableton, FL) and just immediately felt at home in Reason. Everything is intuitive to me. I initially thought that the look was a little gimmicky, with the little screws and the cords behind the rack. But it didn't take me long to realize how helpful those cords are on keeping the signal path organised in the mind of someone who is used to seeing the signal flow represented in that way.

All in all, I use Reason because the whole thing is just so intuitive. If I want to, say, use the filters on Thor as a guitar processor, I know how to do that. If I want to build a good, live-sounding drum kit from samples, then mangle them with synthesizers halfway through a song, I can think of a bunch of different ways to do it, and they'll all work. I have (slightly) more experience with Ableton than with Reason, and I couldn't tell you how to do any of that. I'm sure that Ableton is a very capable beast, but it always felt so foreign to me, as though making electronic music would involve completely relearning how to make music. With Reason, the transition to using electronic elements in my music couldn't have felt more natural.

[kuhliloach]

Reason is my main DAW because I finally know how to use it. To be fair it took me many years to understand Reason's UI and workflow. I grew with it and learned many important mixing fundamentals right on Reason's SSL emulation. As someone who avoids VST's due to installation hassle I find Reason to be convenient and very powerful. Certain RE's have become my favorite audio plug-ins of all time, such as those by McDSP, KORG, and Kuassa.

That said I'd never recommend Reason to a new user. The user interface and workflow is initially very confusing and has become neglected by the developers who think its OK to release upgrades that do not improve the core code. Ableton Live is obviously the world's leading DAW, so while I have a deep long standing love for Reason I consider it a great "secret" that only a few people need to know about.

[avasopht]

Why Reason?

1. Reason just looks so good.
2. Propellerhead's independent spirit. Yeah I know they've jumped in with an investment company recently; but still, they've always had a unique way of doing things.
3. Humour

Funnily enough there's been a massive explosion of accordion music in Europe recently:

[nickb523]

It's fun.

It was always fun, but IMHO in never really hit maturity until V6. Loved it as a sketchpad but it always felt a bit like an iPad app before then.

I was a pure hardware user until around 2007. I was into Reaper/hardware combo until i eventually gave in and got into Reason properly @ V6.

Been lurking ever since.

Nick

[JRJulius]

That said I'd never recommend Reason to a new user. The user interface and workflow is initially very confusing and has become neglected by the developers who think its OK to release upgrades that do not improve the core code. Ableton Live is obviously the world's leading DAW, so while I have a deep long standing love for Reason I consider it a great "secret" that only a few people need to know about.

The really scary thing is that, not long ago, Reason’s UI and workflow were the easiest for new users to understand: turn the knobs to change the sound. Cables go from outputs to inputs, signal follows cable. Sequencer tells synth what to do. Mixer looks like an old console. Anyone who had seen a recording studio on TV could figure it out.

Nowadays, menu-driven flat UIs are common enough that they actually feel MORE intuitive to me. Imagine how cryptic Reason must be to someone born in 2001.

But I also fundamentally believe it needs to keep its workflow. Lots of DAWs are squabbling over the same user base and iterating new features on the same workflow, but Reason looks, feels, sounds, and acts unique.

[selig]

It’s my personal belief that skeuomorphism in general was a great way to introduce software concepts to hardware people, but not the best way to take advantage of all software has to offer.

One simple example: cables in Reason, specifically the need to stick to actual physics with regards to needing splitters/mergers. Software doesn’t need splitter/mergers - hardware does! Why not just allow plugging multiple cables into any input, or multiple output cables from a single output jack? Just because that can’t work IRL doesn’t mean it can’t work in software. And I would argue it seems more “obvious” to just connect as many inputs to as many outputs as necessary, even to someone like myself who is used to the hardware restrictions.

Was just talking to another developer about the general need for a new approach to music creation software that uses the best of all possible solutions: skeuomorphism if/when it makes sense, “flat” UIs when they make sense, totally new concepts when they make sense.

Things need to be much simpler and allow the creation process to be much quicker IMO. Additionally, technologies like AI need to be included to enhance the user experience and make it more like collaborating with “live” people. This includes compositional aids as well as text/voice control and predictive commands, etc.

One example that was mentioned was the ability to choose a sound source based on a description of the desired sound, or create a backing track based on the mood you wish to create. Also important is the iterative process where ideas are refined, just like IRL. Not all ideas appear fully formed, including from AI tech, so it’s imperative there are ways to refine things over time.

Things like “tags” for synth patches are a start, but even then you have to choose the synth first. So IMO there is much room for improvement, even if it means starting from scratch (legacy code is a batch to maintain, let along innovate).


Sent from some crappy device using Tapatalk

[kuhliloach]

Since Reason is already sort of a build-your-own UI why not open that idea up further with a way to allow people to design UI's, putting their own front-end onto Reason's UI?
Or even DJ tools that allow Reason to be mapped in a way it could be operated eyes-free, with no screen.

[RobC]

Reason has some sort of perfection to it, and just because of that, it will always be my main sequencer to say the least.

[gullum]

Reason because it's the only DAW I fell in love with I like some other DAW's but not like I love Reason no messy menu system no 1000 floating windows with Reason I feel I am in control not so much with any other DAW

[Psuper]

It inspires creativity. Any shortcomings of Reason can be overlooked when it augments the source of all music - creativity.

[fieldframe]

It inspires creativity. Any shortcomings of Reason can be overlooked when it augments the source of all music - creativity.

This is the truth. I may continue beating the drum on features and functionality I want to see in Reason (and honestly I have much less need to ever since VST support), but new features or not, what it always comes down to is having a tool that’s conducive to inspiration. And that has been Reason’s strongest point since the beginning.

[Klaus—Morlock]

I started with Reason way back at version 3, but became frustrated with the stock devices. For years I used Cubase and Logic, but when Reason introduced things like the ssl mixer, and later VST support, I found that could do everything within Reason much better and more efficiently than compared to the other programs.

[Raveshaper]

My first exposure to anything MIDI related was Jeskola Buzz in 1999. Worth a look, just for a bit of history.
The modularity of that app set me up for migrating over to Reason when I became aware of it.
I like that you can make feedback loops and code your own surfaces, but I have outgrown it through learning how to take that as far as I can.
I am now shifting my arrangement focus to other apps while switching into a more experimental/organic use of Reason for sound design.

[ilikestargazing]

Tried a bunch of other programs before knowing about Reason, none of which felt, for lack of a better word, comfortable enough.
Wasn't looking for easy or auto features, just something that made sense to me, and Reason was it. At age 15 in high school they had Reason 1.0 installed in the music class which was where I first heard of and tried it. A teacher was nice enough to let me "borrow" one of the original copies.

I mainly wanted to create sounds and make electronic, non vocal stuff so Reason made a lot of sense and the rack is undeniably fun. Have always used a few other programs like CoolEdit/Audition, some Melodyne and Recycle but the need for those have dwindled with newer versions of Reason and I'm quite happy to keep as much as possible in one program.

[S1GNL]

The most creative, intuitive and inspiring DAW out there. Why? I don't know. Probably the rack and cabling thing. You just know what to do instantly.
Very low on CPU (if you limit your VSTs, or bounce a lot). Crashed 4-5 times in 10 years.

Does it have everything I need? No.
Do other DAWs have features I miss using Reason. Yes.

But no DAW is perfect. I tried them all... Best second DAW is Studio One 3.

[Bixbambi]

Reason is a nice drug.
I started with reason 3.0
Since Reason 7.0 with audio integration. I only use Reason.
But do not lie to yourself.
Only talent makes the difference!

[full-of-life]

I can see both !

[Oquasec]

I have my favorite daws in this Exact Order.
Reason, Reaper & Protools.

[ilikestargazing]

I have my favorite daws in this Exact Order.
Reason, Reaper & Protools.

Curious, aside from UI, Rack and other common Reason favourites, what makes you like it more than Protools?
I feel very much the same but wondering what makes others feel that way.

[Oquasec]

I feel like Reason is what protools is, but it took the analog workflow way more serious.

[jlgrimes]

Just wondering why you guys chose Reason and if you find it does everything you need or whether you need to augment it with VSTs or even other DAWs.

For me, it's the first DAW I've actually owned (I've had some experience with lite versions of others). What made me buy this, and not cubase, Ableton live, sonar etc is very simple. Reason has everything in the box and it's designed that way. Ok others have instruments, effects and things included but Reason is the only one that I feel doesn't *need* additional stuff (mostly as a result of its sandbox approach).

My PC has crashed and died various times and this has meant new hard drives etc, with fresh installs of countless instruments and effects. It just takes too long. It's soooooooo frustrating to open up song 678 and get a "plugin XYZ could not be found" popup just because you went mad and wrote every new song with a different eight synths and twenty new send effects

In contrast, I know that won't happen with reason (my intention is to resist every single refill and rack extension that doesn't come bundles with it, and concentrate on making music with what I have and getting the most out of every included bit of kit).

I came from a hardware background. In 2003 when I decided to try software I bought Sonar and Reason.

Both programs were great but I like Reason for composing. It had great sounds, was stable and efficient, and had an easy to understand sequencer that I found to be perfect for sketching and molding ideas. I actually liked that many of the sounds were dry as I found a lot of its sounds would sit right in the mix.


Fast forward to today, I still use Reason. It has came a long way. My biggest gripe is they need to get the efficiency back to where it was. I also use Ableton. I will say Ableton version 10 is not as efficient either but at least they have freezing.

Reason has many unique devices Ableton don’t have (and same vice versa) and Reason seems a bit better for linear arranging and traditional DAW style recording. But neither side wins. I just use both of them.

[PortendingHonor]

I'd actually say my favorite DAW is Ardour(Linux). For years I actually had Reason 5.0 running better in Linux than in windows. It's like Rewire or crack! With the JACK audio backend in Linux you have inputs and outputs from EVERY program can be patched in a virtual patchbay(including all 64 in/outs of Reason.) Reason 10 has dragged me back to windows for the time being. If ever it runs on Linux, I'll be going back, because it takes reason's rack approach to a whole new level!

[Nielsen]

Because it's the first one I tried and grew comfortable with. Fortunately, the self-contained package also happens to fit my preferences rather well. I find the myriad of separate windows in some other popular DAWs quite intimidating to look at, whereas Reason for the most part is all about alternating between the respective rack, sequencer and mixer views. Also, Reason upholds the creative spark thanks to its combination of effective workflow and inspiring visuals.

[Mati Navas]

Why Reason?

After a long time and many big tries with DAWs like Ableton, Reaper, Bitwig, Renoise and Cubase I'm switched back to Reason. I loved to get rid of all the different VSTs with there different licenses philosophies. What a waste of time and money. The last time I used Reason was in the year 2005. Now I bought Reason10 and could work with my old stuff without any adjustments...that was an awesome experience. I love to by home in Reason, where everything I need is in the box in one product. It feels like a complete musicstudio again.

Now I will stay with Reason on my side and will never use any VSTs again.

Thanks Propellerhead for being alive such a long time

This reminds me a lot of my situation. I also went on a journey trying different DAWs (Live, Logic, Renoise...), but always kept an eye on the development coming from the Props. There somehow is a strong connection towards Reason, which keeps me coming back again and again. The fact that I have gathered a lot of REs by now certainly plays a role too.

Why Reason?
Reason was the first DAW I could comfortably make music with. I started out with version 6.
What I like the most about the software, is that it enhances creativity in many ways. Besides sound creating devices and effects, there is CV/Audio routing, helper devices and the Players, which invite for experimentation which in turn often leads to the desired happy accidents.