Producing with Reason3.0

[ninjadog]

I just found out about dubstep last friday and I havent been this inspired by electronic music since the mid 90's. Dubstep is the future.

So I dusted off my controllers and been getting back up to speed with Reason. Just got a few questions.
After some expirementing and trying to figure out how the hell to make it here is what I'm doing.
BPM is 138'ish
I usually make hip hop so I'm sued to snares on steps 5 and 13, but I found it is on double time at 138 bpm. So at first I halfed the resolution on the redrum. Now I put one snare on step 9 and it seems to work out. I can see advantages to both ways.
What effects do you all put on your drums? I guess a better question is how do you keep all the verb from drowning out the mix?

My biggest annoyance is trying to bring in a rex loop, I want it to play at half the bpm, not at 138. Am I screwed without recycle? I thought there was a way to play rex files at half the tempo thru one of the sample players no? I know you can with a wav file.

And fianally with the wobbles. Is it possible to set selected rates of the lfo to a knob on the combi? Like only get 1/4 1/8 1/16 ect so I dont get that cycling sound when I go by the odd time sigs like the 3/4 1/8t kinda stuff. Or is that easier to do in the sequencer.

Any other tips or tricks would be greatly appreaciated.

[christophera]

don't slow the redrum down

put the hits further apart if you want space

[bitter]

I just found out about dubstep last friday and I havent been this inspired by electronic music since the mid 90's.

Good innit!

What effects do you all put on your drums? I guess a better question is how do you keep all the verb from drowning out the mix?

Heavily EQ'd / high-passed verb, only on certain hits for me. Also automation so different instances of the same hit are dry or wet depending on where they drop in the loop. Otherwise compression (is that an effect?), delay, filters, ring modulation, downsampling, overdrive / distortion, warming... whatever you think sounds good!

My biggest annoyance is trying to bring in a rex loop, I want it to play at half the bpm, not at 138. Am I screwed without recycle? I thought there was a way to play rex files at half the tempo thru one of the sample players no? I know you can with a wav file.

I only use Reason as a sound module rewired into Logic so I'm not expert, but is it possible to open the rex file in an instance of NNXT to get the individual hits? Otherwise you may need recycle which is what I tend to do most of the time.

And fianally with the wobbles. Is it possible to set selected rates of the lfo to a knob on the combi? Like only get 1/4 1/8 1/16 ect so I dont get that cycling sound when I go by the odd time sigs like the 3/4 1/8t kinda stuff. Or is that easier to do in the sequencer.

I can't see how you could set it to skip the values you didn't want (maybe someone else knows better?). Automation of the LFO in the sequencer would be the way to get it nailed the way you want it. I personally quite like the effect of the lfo moving quickly through different rates to get to the intended one - gives the track a looser, more musical feel...

Just my £0.02, hope some of that helps.

[serox]

I can't see how you could set it to skip the values you didn't want (maybe someone else knows better?). Automation of the LFO in the sequencer would be the way to get it nailed the way you want it. I personally quite like the effect of the lfo moving quickly through different rates to get to the intended one - gives the track a looser, more musical feel...

Just my £0.02, hope some of that helps.

Correct.

You can draw in the automation so it switches instantly to the desired rate in Reason if you want.

@nijadog: Listen to the music and see what people are doing with regards to FX. There are no rules.

[ninjadog]

I realize there are no real rules, but I dunno, I wish I could just get past the learning stage faster. I guess there is no substitute for practice, but help from the inside will deff help.

The thing about moving a rate synced lfo is sometimes it will cut off like half a wub, or youll hear one just start and get turned off so you get a click type of sound. Hmmm I just had an idea to not sync it and just remember what values = the synced values.

As far as bpm I have found 140 to be the average. But I have started to make a track at 69 bpm so I can throw on my hip hop loops with ease and have it at the right time without finding a workaround. Again I realize nothing is set in stone, but anyone else produce this way. I find it way better to do it this way, but I have to tweak the redrums resolution if I want faster high hats which isint a big deal.

[press]

instead of 5 and 13 put the snares on 9. (as a basic "rule")
138 works but imo 140 is better. barely a difference but when most tnes are 140 your tune will end up pitched up more then others and that can lose a lil punch and oohmph in your bass. hardly significant but i think 140 is better.

as for rex's try this

put your rex to track as you would

then move the first snare of the break onto the "9" aka the third beat.

move the slices that are now playing simeltaniously with the snare over to where the snare was. so there are continuous slices and no two slices playing at the same time.

delete the second snare and copy the same hits that were in the middle but are now where the snare started to where the second snare was before you deleted it.

that is a basic way to take a break and make it halftime without loosing the fulltime groove. try an amen first cuz that is super easy to get dope grooves with. try different combos of high hats in the spots where the snares were to get different grooves.

[darkmatteruk]

I have started to make a track at 69 bpm, but anyone else produce this way.

i started making tunes at 70 bpm about 6 months ago and have done ever since. much prefer it that way now, and when i finish something off it and stick it in traktor it always mixes well with others so i cant see a problem with it. and as for assigning the lfo rate to combinator knobs, yes you can, click show programmer and do it in the blue panel that appears

[futures_untold]

how do you keep all the verb from drowning out the mix?

-Set up a drums sub mix using the line mixer 6:2.

-Compress your kicks, snares/claps and hats/shakers seperately all going into your drums sub mix.

-Add a reverb as a send effect on the sub mixer/line mix 6:2 and adjust the send/return controls as you see fit. Don't over do it, because that will swamp your mix!


-Compress the output of the drums submix lightly and route it into your master mixer.

My biggest annoyance is trying to bring in a rex loop, I want it to play at half the bpm, not at 138. Am I screwed without recycle? I thought there was a way to play rex files at half the tempo thru one of the sample players no? I know you can with a wav file.

There are three options.

1. Obtain Recycle.

2. Click Send To Track on the Rex Loop player and then go into the arrange window. On the arrange window drag each midi slice to the right until you have your loop playing half time.

3. Bounce down a loop of your rex playing half time then drop the sample back into the NN-XT for sequencing.

-If you want more control over your half time loop, use any audio editing program to slice up the loop.

-Save each slice numerically ie, 1 thru 50 or whatever and import them back into the NN-XT. You may have to adjust the root pitch and key zone for each sample which is tedious however....!

With the wobbles, is it possible to set selected rates of the lfo to a knob on the combi? Or is that easier to do in the sequencer?

Yes it is possible to select exact rate changes using the Combi front panbel controls.

-Open the combi programmer.

-Assign the lfo to the combi control you want.

-Select the LFO rate you want in synced mode. Now switch it to non sync and hover the mouse over the lfo rate knob. A little tool tip should pop up telling you a number between 0 & 127. I(If it doesn't check your preferences under the general tab)

-Input this number into the combi programmer as the maximum range for the control you selected. Repeat the process to find the minimum range.

-Turn on the syncing again.

- Automate the combi control.

------------------------------------------------------------

Trivia:

A 4x4 bassline was heard on the Titanic as the disaster happened....

Everybody had that syncing feeling.....

[frankiss]

2. Click Send To Track on the Rex Loop player and then go into the arrange window. On the arrange window drag each midi slice to the right until you have your loop playing half time.

A quicker way is send to track then right click on the grouped box in the sequencer window, go to 'change events', then scale tempo, click on '/2' and then apply. I was having the same problem and re discovered that trick yesterday...

[ninjadog]

Thanks all, that will give me enough to get started for sure, I totally forgot about the change events thing, guess it's time to crack the books again.
...unfortunatley I gotta spend some time with the GF tonight (if I want to get laid[which I of course do])
BTW is this where I would post tracks?

[tempest]

Trivia:

A 4x4 bassline was heard on the Titanic as the disaster happened....

Everybody had that syncing feeling.....

hahahahah mate that is terrible.. shame on you