This is the second part in a series of screencasts about subtractive synthesis. In this part we take a close look at modulators, LFOs and external controllers. Hope fully these two tutorials will give you a basic all round knowledge of a standard subtractive synthesiser.
A Basic Guide to Subtractive Synthesis (Part 2) – Basix
Oct 28th in Instruments, Reason by Mo Volans
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How to Make a Trance Lead Synth in Reason 4
Oct 21st in Production, Reason by David BrownReason 4 is a brilliant synth-creating tool. The Thor Polysonic Synthesizer is one of the most powerful synths about and this tutorial will explain the basics of using it to create a massive trance lead synth patch.
The Secrets of Great Sounding Percussion in Reason
Sep 23rd in Production, Reason, Sound Design by Eric ShaferReason is a great program for percussion, particularly with the ease of use of the Redrum drum machine. However, stock sounds won’t always cut it, so in this tutorial, we’ll look at some secrets for turning those stock sounds into unique masterpieces. Of course, these techniques can be applied to virtually any DAW. Continue Reading
A Basic Guide to Subtractive Synthesis (Part 1) – Basix
Sep 14th in Instruments, Logic Pro, Reason by Mo VolansThis screencast is the first tutorial in a series on synthesis. This first installment shows a basic guided tour of Subtractor in Reason and covers oscillators, filters and envelopes.
How to Pump Up Your Drums Using Reason’s Scream 4
Aug 31st in Logic Pro, Production, Reason by Mo VolansReason 4 has some great instruments and processors. Even if it’s not your main DAW, it’s a wise move to check it out and use it as a Rewire slave.
Scream 4 is one of the standout plug-ins in Reason’s arsenal and can create some really extreme distortion and saturation effects. One of its lesser known modes is the tape compression setting, this can work wonders on just about any sound but really shines on drums.
How to Create and Use .REX Files
Aug 10th in Ableton Live, Cubase, Logic Pro, Production, Reason by Mo VolansA lot of DAWs allow the user to create tempo lockable grooves within their environment. These loops will change in tempo with our DAW’s master clock. This ability can be extremely useful for quick auditioning of new grooves or experimenting with different tempos in our projects.
The main problem here is that most applications use unique file formats that can only be loaded in the specific program you are using. In some cases, such as the Apple loops format, these files can even be dependent on a certain operating system.
How to Set Up Sidechain Routing in Logic, Cubase & Reason
Aug 5th in Cubase, Logic Pro, Production, Reason by Mo VolansThis tutorial contains three screencasts showing you how to set up sidechain routing in Logic 9, Cubase 5 and Reason 4.
In these tutorials I use a kick drum to trigger the sidechain and use a piano loop for the processed sound but obviously you can apply this technique to any two sounds you wish. I have also included the project files from each DAW so you can load them up yourselves.
Synthesizing Beats from Scratch in Reason
Jul 21st in Reason, Sound Design by Bratu SebastianIn this tutorial we cover how to create synthetic drums perfect for a house/trance track. We’re going to create a drum loop with only the synths and effects included in Reason. No drums from the Reason Soundbank will be used: we will be creating these drums from scratch in Reason’s Subtractor. A couple of known artists use this technique, as you can create your own sound and reuse your signature kit in future tracks.
Creating Thor Patches in Reason & Packaging a Refill
Jul 14th in Reason, Sound Design by Eric ShaferIn this tutorial, we’re going to work through a hands-on workshop and create several Thor synthesizer patches. Then we’ll take our new patches and combine them into a redistributable Reason refill using Reason Refill Packer.
How to Set Up Creative Delays in Reason
Jun 22nd in Mixing & Mastering, Reason by Gönenç GirayIt’s always been fun to play around with devices in Reason. When it comes to creating a unique device, synth or effect, you have limitless possibilities. You could call it playing Lego with audio devices. In this tutorial I will continue building blocks and explain three different ways to set up DLL-1 devices within Combinator.
