Are you taking advantage of blocks?

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avasopht
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02 Oct 2021

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!!

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RoryM0
Posts: 390
Joined: 21 Jun 2017

02 Oct 2021

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

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Biolumin3sc3nt
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02 Oct 2021

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

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Billy+
Posts: 4157
Joined: 09 Dec 2016

02 Oct 2021

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.

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guitfnky
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02 Oct 2021

at this point it’s one of the standout features of Reason DAW. that, and the pitch editor.
I write good music for good people

https://slowrobot.bandcamp.com/

JunctionArsonist
Posts: 38
Joined: 23 Sep 2018

02 Oct 2021

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.

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gullum
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02 Oct 2021

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

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guitfnky
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02 Oct 2021

gullum wrote:
02 Oct 2021
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?
I write good music for good people

https://slowrobot.bandcamp.com/

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QVprod
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02 Oct 2021

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.

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rgdaniel
Posts: 592
Joined: 07 Sep 2017
Location: Canada

02 Oct 2021

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.

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AttenuationHz
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Location: Back of the Rack-1

02 Oct 2021

Disabled in the menu!
It is not too much of an ask for people or things to be the best version of itself!

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Ottostrom
Posts: 845
Joined: 13 May 2016

02 Oct 2021

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.

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gullum
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02 Oct 2021

guitfnky wrote:
02 Oct 2021
gullum wrote:
02 Oct 2021
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 :D :oops:

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Jackjackdaw
Posts: 1400
Joined: 12 Jan 2019

02 Oct 2021

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

djadalaide
Posts: 234
Joined: 11 May 2018

02 Oct 2021

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
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02 Oct 2021

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. :puf_smile:

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DaveyG
Posts: 2499
Joined: 03 May 2020

02 Oct 2021

Jackjackdaw wrote:
02 Oct 2021
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.

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orthodox
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02 Oct 2021

DaveyG wrote:
02 Oct 2021
Jackjackdaw wrote:
02 Oct 2021
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.

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dioxide
Posts: 1780
Joined: 15 Jul 2015

02 Oct 2021

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.

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Greg Savage
Posts: 73
Joined: 02 Oct 2021

02 Oct 2021

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.
Music Composer/Sound Designer
Music Licensing - Credits

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LaudusDeWire
Posts: 24
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Location: Hamburg, EU
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02 Oct 2021

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 😉
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:reason: R12 | 🎹 Sequential Pro 3 | 🥁 Arturia Drum Brute Impact | 🎛 Synapse Dune 3

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jam-s
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02 Oct 2021

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/

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plaamook
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Location: Bajo del mar...

02 Oct 2021

I diabled em.
I make music that's not repetitive that way and arranging is too fluid.
Perpetual Reason 12 Beta Tester :reason:

You can check out my music here.
https://m.soundcloud.com/ericholmofficial
Or here.
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC73uZZ ... 8jqUubzsQg

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ColdBeast254
Posts: 5
Joined: 12 Jul 2019

03 Oct 2021

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.

🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥

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moofi
Posts: 1024
Joined: 19 Jan 2015
Location: hear

03 Oct 2021

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.

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