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Does ANYONE else out there use Reason at all? I've tried so hard making tunes in it for the past 9 months, but every bass patch I make sounds like absolute shit. I can't even switch back to another DAW because Reason's envelopes and parameter automation function is easier to use that other DAW's, but I just can't seem to make any nicely produced basses. DOES ANYONE HAVE ANY ADVICE OR COMBINATOR PATCHES?

no daw is going to make your sounds better. synthesis is synthesis, learn the basics and start simple. once you create a patch your happy with apply subtle effects like distortion and reverb and chorus etc...

Check out the propellerheads site they literally give free patches from popular artists.

If you want to sound like Koan Sound, use Maelstrom and set the wavetable to Throat, fuck with the index.

The main problem is you are not skilled at sound design yet. It will come with time. It was very difficult for me to get good sound design when I used to use Reason. I understand your frustration.

Another tip, initialize the patch for whatever you're using. Right click empty space on the synthesizer -> initialize patch or something like that.

Less is more.

Start out making simpler sounds first.

Youtube is wealth of information and knowledge and its free

I feel your frustration mate. I was there, alot.

Just got to keep going, and you're not going to like this but practice. Fiddle around with the knobs in either maelstrom/Thor or the Subtractor. Know on of those on the inside out and you're good to go.

is that 9 months of production in total or just reason? if its the former then don't let it get to you. 9months isnt that long to have been producing really....there is a limitless amount to learn!!

check the links in my sig, 90% of my sound comes reasons synths, the other 10% is samples that iv mangled.
they arent the be all and end all but they arent bad

Acro wrote:Does ANYONE else out there use Reason at all? I've tried so hard making tunes in it for the past 9 months, but every bass patch I make sounds like absolute shit. I can't even switch back to another DAW because Reason's envelopes and parameter automation function is easier to use that other DAW's, but I just can't seem to make any nicely produced basses. DOES ANYONE HAVE ANY ADVICE OR COMBINATOR PATCHES?

What are you using for your bass? I ask, because the low frequencies disappear from Thor if you put any resonance on the filter at all, so if you use it, make sure and put a proper sub under it. Apart from that, just experiment with different timbres - and remember, the Scream 4 completely rules for griming things up.

Best bass patch I ever made in reason - I had 1 Thor up that I used for oscillators, and had a couple of saws going through it unfiltered, and then through the chorus unit at the end. Then the output was going to another thor with a lowpass filter, and a CV cable going from the note output of the first to the second. The point of that laborious set up was to keep a sharp attack on the filter and amp envelope, which the Thor chorus effect blurs and flams a bit...but there was a glitch somewhere which meant the filter envelope only opened on about 2/3 of the midi notes, which gave the thing a really nice groove completely by blind accident. Also got me my first release

That's how you do nice bass (or, indeed, nice anything) on Reason - chain everything to everything else and see what happens.

Do a sound design session separately from your tune making session, so when starting tune, you don't have to start with empty patches, instead you'll have something already to choose from/work with.
Record long note (8bars or whatever), Bring decay, sustain, release all the way up on your synth instrument, Automate the hell out of it (alternatively add more FX instruments on top, automate). Bounce to wav, open in some audio editor, keep the best parts (alternatively bring back to reason add more FX instruments on top, automate).

Well thats my process anyway, hope it helps.

I don't know what sounds your trying to get, but Subtractor can usually work for heavier bass sounds just adding distortion and unison can thicken it up and then I automate literally everything on the subtractor patch and just play around with the envelopes and see what sounds you make.

Then malstrom can make the grittier patches like funtcase, getter, trampa sounds.

Just play around with automation its key

Thanks for the replys everyone. I'm mostly trying to make really dirty almost robotic bass like in Torqux & Twist's G7. Thank You for all of the advice and I will try to follow it as best as possible.