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So I've been a FL user for a while and have spent some time learning music theory and figure with a more professional DAW with a different workflow, I can break out of my old shitty habits. I know, its mostly preference, but bear with me here.

I'm having a hard time understanding the flow behind reason, like how you send instruments to tracks, how you send a beat from redrum to the actual track, and so on. I'm used to fruity's rather simple way of doing things, and frankly I'm frustrated enough to go back.

So I ask, where can I learn absolute beginner material about the Reason family? I've tried google and searching, but 99% of results lead me to some paid tutorial site. Apoligies if it seems like this topic is repeated weekly, but I'd appreciate any help.

it flows like real gear, you have to route your signal flow like you would in the real world

Just out of interest, what makes you think Reason is "a more professional DAW"?

If I remember correctly (and dont quote me on this, its been years since I touched reason) redrum has a button along the lines of Send to piano roll.

In b4 Reason is just not a DAW, FL is just fine, etc etc.

I can throw you one piece of advice that will no doubt come up in this thread that will actually be helpful, which is: If it's already working for you there is no need to change it. Work with what you're comfortable working with. If that's FL, no need to "upgrade" to a more "professional" DAW.

The only REAL mostly undisputed upgrade (not sidegrade) you could make is the jump to Pro-tools which... let's face it you're not going to jump to Pro-tools.

drokkr wrote:Just out of interest, what makes you think Reason is "a more professional DAW"?

Soulja boy didn't crack it.

But seriously it just seems more advanced with more studio-like interfaces, rather than how FL tends to dumb things down. Maybe I'm confusing complicated with more professional?

Kodachrome wrote:In b4 Reason is just not a DAW, FL is just fine, etc etc.

I can throw you one piece of advice that will no doubt come up in this thread that will actually be helpful, which is: If it's already working for you there is no need to change it. Work with what you're comfortable working with. If that's FL, no need to "upgrade" to a more "professional" DAW.

The only REAL mostly undisputed upgrade (not sidegrade) you could make is the jump to Pro-tools which... let's face it you're not going to jump to Pro-tools.

I don't know what it is about FL, but I just can't seem to get work done. I can make endless drum beats and endless alright basslines, but making a full length track escapes me. I'm hoping by switching I can start new and learn how professionals/more advanced users use it, rather than trying to figure it out on my own and thus getting myself into simplistic habits. Idk i smoke trees

right click the instrument (redrum) in reason and hit "copy pattern to track".

and as far as reason being more professional than FL, i think FL shouldn't have told people it stood for fruity loops lol,

both programs are just as possible. you just have to pick which one you like best.

Not to advertise another site and forum, but http://www.boyinaband.com has fantastic Reason specific tutorials. I recommend starting there.

(You'll learn a lot from the 7-day song tutorials there).

lyons238 wrote:right click the instrument (redrum) in reason and hit "copy pattern to track".

Wow fuckin life saver here. God damn I'm dumb.

Jokes bro, Reason isn't going to write songs for you.

I will tell you the daw that will write songs for you though. Ableton live. Ableton live is the only daw that you can truly play like an instrument and arrange and compose as an instrument. Everything else is either audio or midi into a playlist or an arrange type page, then fx in some kinda mixer. Linear bullshits.

If you really want to find a daw that will change the way you write songs, live is your best chance. If you want to take a daw vacation, reason is a nice place to visit.

Check out DaMuseBlog for a long winded discussion of Reason. Check the first dialectic to that post, for further discussion strictly dedicated to Reason.

^^ this sounds right... switching to reason wont help u break that looping mentality cuz it's really great for making loops so you' might love it but would fall right into that...

but imo the intro flow behind reason is to flip over the rack and route shit til you understand it.

borrowed wrote:So I've been a FL user for a while and have spent some time learning music theory and figure with a more professional DAW with a different workflow, I can break out of my old shitty habits. I know, its mostly preference, but bear with me here.

I'm having a hard time understanding the flow behind reason, like how you send instruments to tracks, how you send a beat from redrum to the actual track, and so on. I'm used to fruity's rather simple way of doing things, and frankly I'm frustrated enough to go back.

So I ask, where can I learn absolute beginner material about the Reason family? I've tried google and searching, but 99% of results lead me to some paid tutorial site. Apoligies if it seems like this topic is repeated weekly, but I'd appreciate any help.

Yet another misguided soul. The fact is, if you can't make a full track in FL chances are it won't come out in reason. You're probably going to spend the next month just trying to learn the ins and outs of reason, at which point you probably won't even be able to get out anything resembling a track. There's also the lack of vst support, so any synth you became comfortable with while using FL is now gone. You will now have to learn the synths that come with reason as well as all the effects, so you can probably tack on a little extra time for that.

Personally I would suggest sticking with what you know. The reason you can't get a full track out has nothing to do with the program, but more to do with you as a producer. It takes time, and there's no program that is going to magically make you create great music. Have some patience, you'll get there.

I'm pretty sure there's a Reason Q&A thread right??

Anywhoo, I love reason cus it seems really intuitive, whereas I think FL can be counter-intuitive. Reason DOES flow like real outboard equipment and that's why it's so good. Plus, some of the plugins (RV700, Scream 4, etc) are some of the best I've heard.

I was a Logic man before, when I was making audio based music. But when I started on the dub, I did it all in Reason, sequencing and the lot. It's only downside is that sequencing can get messy, and you can't really put audio in unless it's a compressed and dirty WAV.

JBE wrote:

borrowed wrote:So I've been a FL user for a while and have spent some time learning music theory and figure with a more professional DAW with a different workflow, I can break out of my old shitty habits. I know, its mostly preference, but bear with me here.

I'm having a hard time understanding the flow behind reason, like how you send instruments to tracks, how you send a beat from redrum to the actual track, and so on. I'm used to fruity's rather simple way of doing things, and frankly I'm frustrated enough to go back.

So I ask, where can I learn absolute beginner material about the Reason family? I've tried google and searching, but 99% of results lead me to some paid tutorial site. Apoligies if it seems like this topic is repeated weekly, but I'd appreciate any help.

Yet another misguided soul. The fact is, if you can't make a full track in FL chances are it won't come out in reason. You're probably going to spend the next month just trying to learn the ins and outs of reason, at which point you probably won't even be able to get out anything resembling a track. There's also the lack of vst support, so any synth you became comfortable with while using FL is now gone. You will now have to learn the synths that come with reason as well as all the effects, so you can probably tack on a little extra time for that.

Personally I would suggest sticking with what you know. The reason you can't get a full track out has nothing to do with the program, but more to do with you as a producer. It takes time, and there's no program that is going to magically make you create great music. Have some patience, you'll get there.

Can't have you speaking sense, bro.

Kodachrome wrote:The only REAL mostly undisputed upgrade (not sidegrade) you could make is the jump to Pro-tools which... let's face it you're not going to jump to Pro-tools.

This is total horse shit.


As for the OP. Your problem isn't with the software you are using, it's with you. You haven't learnt enough, haven't spent enough time trying to get to know your equipment and you're expecting everything to happen too quickly. Changing DAW will only slow you down further.

Put the leg work in.

1., Open Reason

2., Press 'Tab' Key

3., HOLY SHIT!

Agreed about the leg work. It's not meant to be easy to make music, hence it being a skill.

Get Reason 5, it's easier to use imo with Kong and what not. Also, YouTube is one of your best friends when you're starting out! Not OuTube though, no no not your friend at all. I learned so much by just watching YouTube vids my first week or two and trying to follow along with them and then later doing stuff on my own. Check out Boyinaband.com, they have some great videos on making dubstep and stuff.

Reason just takes a bit of practice and patience, keep at it, you'll get a hang of it.

i have reason 4 and its hard