Are you taking advantage of blocks?

[avasopht]

So I was watching a video on Maschine when I suddenly remembered we have a similar feature in Reason (which has the added feature of being able to play over them).

I've got a few tracks where build simple blocks that I play over in the arranger but seeing this video reminded me of an entirely different workflow that is available in Reason.

I mostly use blocks to label sections of a track!!

[RoryM0]

I haven't used the feature once but keep telling myself I should explore it...

[Biolumin3sc3nt]

Never, nor will I ever. Die and go back to Your 2005 home

[Billy+]

I would have to say it's definitely in my top five used sequencing features.

I might start straight in the main sequencer but as soon as I've got the main section concept working it gets dropped into a block and then I start creating the rest in other blocks and it's been like that since it's introduction.

[guitfnky]

at this point it’s one of the standout features of Reason DAW. that, and the pitch editor.

[JunctionArsonist]

I think blocks would be more useful of they let you sequence over block tracks in an additive way without having to duplicate all the tracks involved. If they don't want to do that, then give us track folders so I can clean up my sequencer.

[gullum]

not once and get me mad ever time I accidentally have pressed down b instead of space and getting no sound.

[guitfnky]

not once and get me mad ever time I accidentally have pressed down b instead of space and getting no sound.

can’t you disable Blocks mode in the menu options?

[QVprod]

Eh…. Tbh they feel very different from each other. I wouldn’t compare them. The workflow for patterns and scenes in Machine is so fluid the Blocks doesn’t match up. They are similar as far as arranging though to which I would give blocks in Reason a slight edge.

I use blocks on occasion, but usually my track count is low enough where basic copy and paste it the sequencer is manageable.

[rgdaniel]

I don't use the Blocks, but I've seen them used to great advantage by others, particularly when Adam Fielding was doing his livestreams. He almost made me a believer. But not quite.

[AttenuationHz]

Disabled in the menu!

[Ottostrom]

I recently started using blocks for the first time and for one specific purpose only, which is chorus vocals that get repeated multiple time in a song. This way I can make adjustments to them later on in production and they get updated throughout the whole project.

[gullum]

not once and get me mad ever time I accidentally have pressed down b instead of space and getting no sound.

can’t you disable Blocks mode in the menu options?

yes but got mad a few times before I found that option

[Jackjackdaw]

I like blocks but I’d trade them for markers and an arranger track.

[djadalaide]

You can overwrite blank spaces to make an arrangement out of one block repeated, but recently i've just been using them for trying different ideas (changing key of the track etc.) and copy-pasting them in.

[elMisse]

Blocks would be great IF you could instantly create a block of something you did, right in the sequencer (No need for Block-MODE) and also move/copy it around and drop it in somewhere. Dropping it in somewhere should move the previous stuff a block-length forward of course. This way you could REALLY try different structure arrangements fast and it would be pretty unique to daws...? maybe. There is sooooo much that could be done to it.

[DaveyG]

I like blocks but I’d trade them for markers and an arranger track.

I don't like blocks so I’d definitely trade them for markers and an arranger track.

[orthodox]

I like blocks but I’d trade them for markers and an arranger track.

I don't like blocks so I’d definitely trade them for markers and an arranger track.

I love blocks and I am not trading over it.

[dioxide]

I use Blocks although I’d still like clip launching or some live control. The idea of arranging without Blocks in Ableton is one reason I didn’t switch over.

[Greg Savage]

I like the concept of blocks, but it slows me down a lot especially when writing music for tv and games. I use them more so as organizational placeholders.

[LaudusDeWire]

Hey,

I don‘t use blocks. Tried them a couple of years ago and meanwhile almost forget why I don’t like them

Thanks for your post, will try blocks again tomorrow

[jam-s]

I'm usually using Blocks for all the elements that form the basic track. And then sprinkle FX, automation and extra variations on top in the sequencer.
Examples can be seen in the screen shots from my sessions here: https://demozoo.org/sceners/13229/

[plaamook]

I diabled em.
I make music that's not repetitive that way and arranging is too fluid.

[ColdBeast254]

I start off in blocks mode. That's my template. Blocks are a feature that many overlook and is very helpful when constructing and arranging a track. It makes sense to me and it was one of the reasons I upgraded when the feature came out. Although, I didn't use them much initially. When I began to use blocks it helped me think about song structure and arrangements in a deeper way. Blocks make it easier to focus on a particular section and make different variations and try them out in your song with ease.You can master and album in Reason using blocks by putting a song in each block and trying different album arrangements with ease. Blocks help to get me out of making loops to jam to. RS should make them double as markers where you can snap to blocks on the timeline.

[moofi]

Blocks are too rigid I find. At least last time I checked them out.
Unless they changed, so you could edit moodifications into every block with instance + unique behaviour, saying, you can define what part of the block translates itself to other blocks when modified and what parts can be edited individually, I prefer standard sequencing.