Is there a way to use MIDI alternatives/takes on a single track?

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bhuether
Posts: 33
Joined: 09 Oct 2017

20 May 2020

I am trying to figure out how to change a few bars of a MIDI track without deleting what is currently there. Is there a way to create a separate take so that I can turn takes on/off?

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diminished
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20 May 2020

with the instrument selected, press "." - or click the ALT button next to the looping button in the transport bar. Alternatively, right click on the image of your instrument in the sequencer and select "new note lane" :)
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bhuether
Posts: 33
Joined: 09 Oct 2017

20 May 2020

Ok, thanks. And once I have these multi lanes, I suppose to go about comping I would go to the non edit track view, use slice tool and just mute/unmute parts?

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diminished
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20 May 2020

That's probably the most non-destructive way. Personally I tend to merge them afterwards (right click on device image, "Merge Note Lanes On Track") so I can move the whole thing around / copypaste the final clip without messing things up.
Hopyfully, at some point in the future or with another DAW altogether, I'll be able to link&lock a group of clips with all their settings so that true non-destructive workflow is possible.
:reason: Most recent track: resentment (synthwave) || Others: on my YouTube channel •ᴗ•

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ljekio
Posts: 962
Joined: 21 Jan 2015

20 May 2020

If I need to do a lot of takes without being distracted in order to choose the best later, I do it in the Reaper.
Any methods onboard Reason while too weak.

Spaceship
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Joined: 11 May 2019

20 May 2020

Use blocks

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Boombastix
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20 May 2020

bhuether wrote:
20 May 2020
Ok, thanks. And once I have these multi lanes, I suppose to go about comping I would go to the non edit track view, use slice tool and just mute/unmute parts?
Reason doesn't have MIDI comping unfortunately - it has been requested many times.
So you need to stop - create a new note lane - record again.

If Reason had MIDI comping you could set a loop and just jam a few times and pick the best version of the loop without loosing the vibe by stopping each time. Never heard back if they plan to implement it unfortunately...
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bhuether
Posts: 33
Joined: 09 Oct 2017

21 May 2020

In my case I don't need to record, just edit in piano view. So I would have, say, 3 lanes, where I am muting/unmuting sections in each lane. I guess the New Note Lane works for that.

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mcatalao
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22 May 2020

Boombastix wrote:
20 May 2020
bhuether wrote:
20 May 2020
Ok, thanks. And once I have these multi lanes, I suppose to go about comping I would go to the non edit track view, use slice tool and just mute/unmute parts?
Reason doesn't have MIDI comping unfortunately - it has been requested many times.
So you need to stop - create a new note lane - record again.

If Reason had MIDI comping you could set a loop and just jam a few times and pick the best version of the loop without loosing the vibe by stopping each time. Never heard back if they plan to implement it unfortunately...
Yeah, i think in cubase you had a mode, where on each loop it would create a new lane inside the comp edit. In reason now i just create a bigger loop, like 4 times bigger than the take and keep working on for those 4 loops, then cut the best parts, and comp it on the multi lanes, then clean the rest. Comping like in audio, could be more streamlined. But it migth also be a bit more cumbersome.

Both methods are valid and reason should address that. Additionally to that we are in need o an auto punch in too (imho).

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selig
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Location: The NorthWoods, CT, USA

22 May 2020

Boombastix wrote:
20 May 2020
Reason doesn't have MIDI comping unfortunately - it has been requested many times.
So you need to stop - create a new note lane - record again.
You don't have to stop at all. Just create new alt note lane (one key) and start back at the top (one key). On a keypad this is 6 and "decimal". Not exactly looping, but almost as quick and exactly the same result in the end.
Or you can loop a section and just hit the "6" key at the end of each loop - again, not ideal, but much quicker than stopping and creating a new note lane and muting the previous note lane and starting recording again!

You can actually automate this by assigning a MIDI note to create an Alt take, then creating a track that uses MIDI loop back. In my case I can use the sequencer in my Novation keyboard to generate the note on each down beat that automatically creates the new Alt note lane each repeat.
Alternatively, you can just "play" the note that creates the Alt take which gives you more control over when the new take is created. Again, not ideal but better than doing it all "manually".
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