Setting up Reason with the MODX8

[Aerokyte]

What's up fellow not so popular DAW users? So, I took the plunge and splurged on a Yamaha MODX8 and holy shit, it's the biggest labour of love in the world. I love it, but I'm having an awful time trying to figure it out and using it in conjunction with my bae reason is an even bigger challenge.

I can't figure this shit out, I don't know what I'm doing and the Yamaha Manual is so obtuse. Does anyone have any experience setting it up to use with some fluidity. I can't figure out how to switch between midi inputs and recording as audio, I can't figure out how to control multiple instruments independently. There's so much potential in this one instrument, but there's so little information on it because of how new the line is. All the tutorials I've found have been for cubase, like, fuck. I know Reason isn't the go to saw for many but you'd expect to see at least a logic or Ableton tutorial. Can anybody here recommend me a forum or a Reddit post or at least a more comfortable brick wall to bang my head against so I don't damage the keybed on my new $2000 paperweight. Thanks in advance guys.

[QVprod]

I have a MODX7. Yamaha owns Strindberg which is why you’ll mainly find Cuba’s tutorials. That said, DAWs aren’t that drastically different so the knowledge is transferable. As far as tutorials, just search for the Montage. The processes are exactly the same. Seems most of your issue is with configuring the keyboard itself.

Make sure you’re on the latest firmware if you aren’t already. The MODX actually has DAW modes in the utility menu under Settings>Quick Setup. MIDI record on DAW will make the keys only send midi and not trigger the keyboard sounds. You can toggle off an on Kbd Ctrl (on the performance screen) to select which sounds you want to trigger in a performance, or in the Audio Rec on DAW setting, I believe they’ll respond to incoming midi (from the DAW) separately.

Here’s a complete walkthrough. Yes it’s with Cubase but all he’s doing on the DAW side is setting up audio audio and midi inputs (done in Reason’s preferences), and on individual midi tracks setting the midi channel which is done on the individual midi out devices in Reason. Everything else is basically the same.

[QVprod]

Side note: you can use DAW remote in Reason by setting up a Mackie Control surface and setting its i/o to port 2. On mine, I labeled it “MODX Control”. You then want to right click the master section and lock that surface to it. You can do this on a new song and save it as a template so that it’s set up for any new song you start.