"Clips" in Reason 4 - What's the advantage here?

[the tits]

OK, I'm sure this is a stupid question, so be easy on me....

It's been a while since I used Reason, learned on v.2/2.5 and then later used V.3. Recently got hold of V.4 and thought I'd give it another shot, but when I loaded up some old tracks, I noticed the switch to "frames". Can someone just quickly explain why this is an improvement over the "frame"-free type layout in V 2 and 3?

For something like redrum, I find the change infuriating because now to simply to see/edit the sample sequences, I have to use the select tool, double-click the frame to get into edit mode, then select the draw tool. Seems to extra steps for nothing--- furthermore, unlike the older versions, now I can't see the details of the frames to the left/right of it, just greyed out blocks.

When programming fast and chaotic drum sequences (think snares), I used to draw them directly onto the main sequencer layout (I don't use the built in redrum sequencer as I almost never repeat the same rhythm twice), it worked great. Now, with the shift to frames, I cannot see the details of the frames that come before and after the one I'm working on which makes it incredibly time consuming and frustrating because I have to continually go back and forth between frames to see the details, which means changing tools multiple times etc. Used to be that you could see and edit any "block" without going into "edit mode" and messing about with tool switching etc.

Is there a way to turn "frames" off? It basically killed my old workflow... Anybody have any suggestions/insight?

EDIT: Changed subject line, thought they were called "frames", haha, oops

[decree]

first off you can make it so switching between the select tool and draw tool is only pressing and holding the command key (mac)

second it did take me a couple days to get used to the change but it is easier... you can now shift things over very easily and organize your drums and any other midi by sections to move around and structure the songs better

[Bazzle09]

First things first, few shortcuts you should be using...

Hold ALT for the pen icon, i dont think iv ever clicked that icon.
Hold CTRL and drag to copy things.
Select a clip (frame) and press M to mute it.

Clips are better as everything HAS to be in a clip now, which makes it easier moving copying ect imo, that goes for any automation too.
When you are in edit mode, editing inside the clip, you can go to the next clip by just double clicking the strip at the top above the piano roll part, and you can also copy and paste (drag with CTRL) in this mode too.

You can split clips with the razor tool (press R, then Q to get the select tool back), this works on the time ruler to split ALL clips at that point. Also you can join them back up with a right click, no shortcut for that though.

With your drums, not sure if you have noticed the "Add new lane" feature, where you can have say, 4 lanes in one track for one device. So you could have your redrum unit, with seperate lanes for your BD, SD, HH and perc.

Just keep at it, you'll get used to it like we all did.

[AFL]

Heres a simple way to do it (forgive me if this has been posted previously, I didn't read the whole thread just the initial post):

Highlight all the Frames and (on PC) use ctrl+j to join all frames together, viola, now you have one big frame you can edit.

Hope you find this useful.

Cheers!

[Bazzle09]

Heres a simple way to do it (forgive me if this has been posted previously, I didn't read the whole thread just the initial post):

Highlight all the Frames and (on PC) use ctrl+j to join all frames together, viola, now you have one big frame you can edit.

Hope you find this useful.

Cheers!

wow, thanks

[the tits]

Hey guys, thanks so much for the help and tips, hugely appreciated

Ha, and looks like I'm semi-retarded---- they are called CLIPS! Not sure where I got frames from, but I remember reading the lit on R4 when it first came out and had it in my head they were called frames... anyway updated the subject line.

SORRY THIS IS SO FRIGGIN LONG!!!

First things first, few shortcuts you should be using...

Hold ALT for the pen icon, i dont think iv ever clicked that icon.
Hold CTRL and drag to copy things.
Select a clip (frame) and press M to mute it.

Thanks for the tip, yes I have to remember: "keyboard shortcuts are my friend".... I'm such a mouse fiend, for whatever reason it always takes me ages to finally get around to learning keyboard shortcuts and when I do I always curse myself for not having done it sooner.

Clips are better as everything HAS to be in a clip now, which makes it easier moving copying ect imo, that goes for any automation too.
When you are in edit mode, editing inside the clip, you can go to the next clip by just double clicking the strip at the top above the piano roll part, and you can also copy and paste (drag with CTRL) in this mode too.

You can split clips with the razor tool (press R, then Q to get the select tool back), this works on the time ruler to split ALL clips at that point. Also you can join them back up with a right click, no shortcut for that though.

I guess part of the problem for me if that I almost never loop drum patterns--- so the ability to move them around, slice em up etc etc is really lost on me. For pads, melodies etc, I do sometimes copy and paste sections, but for drums I never do as no two "clips" are ever alike.

The thing that really gets to me though is having the surrounding clips shaded out, the ones that come before and after the ones I'm working on, because when doing really fast complex drum sequencing I need to see what comes before/after--- I just can't understand how this is an improvement? Also, forcing people to enter a clip's edit mode to make small changes also seems like the adding extra steps for nothing, was this actually an improvement for some folks?

Again, I guess if I was working strictly with loops, this wouldn't be a problem. Just seems that these changes are reducing the number of ways a person can program tracks, and if there is no work around, I fear it might end up being a deal breaker for me

Heres a simple way to do it (forgive me if this has been posted previously, I didn't read the whole thread just the initial post):

Highlight all the Frames and (on PC) use ctrl+j to join all frames together, viola, now you have one big frame you can edit.

Thanks for the tip--- and yeah, I'd actually thought about doing this. It'd most certainly work, but used to be really helpful to have color coded bars so that I knew where one bar starts/ends (in sync with pads/melodies etc)--- what I mean to say is that I'd lay down some synth melodies or whatever, setting up some kind of loop, then I'd go program madman drums afterward, this way I'd know approx where the synth melody bars started and ended, making it much easier to program drums in sync without leaving the redrum sequencing screen.

I'm guessing I'm a very small minority here though, stuff I program is more experimental and less typical of dance music's loop based approach. Basically all my probs would be solved if I could just do away with the clips/edit-mode/shaded-out business. For now I'll just program drums in one massive clip

Anyway, I'll keep at it and see how it goes. Thanks again guys

And if there IS any way to turn em off, drop me a line and give me the deets, I'll luv you longtime <3

[the tits]

first off you can make it so switching between the select tool and draw tool is only pressing and holding the command key (mac)

Hold ALT for the pen icon, i dont think iv ever clicked that icon.
Hold CTRL and drag to copy things.

OK, I feel like such an idiot, just as an aside, this is already improved the experience immeasurably on my laptop, got a thinkpad with one of those little nib controllers and using it in tandem with the shortcuts makes for a fantastic experience

Still want to smash shit up with respect to the shaded out clip nonsense though