Reason (program)

Reason is a popular real-time sound synthesis and sample-playback software program developed by Swedish software developers Propellerhead Software. It emulates a rack of hardware synthesizers, sample players, signal processors, sequencers and mixers. Reason can be used either as a complete virtual music studio, or as a ReWire synth application in other sequencing software. It can also act as a ReWire mixer application for Propellerhead's ReBirth.

Related Topics:
Sound synthesis - Swedish - Propellerhead Software - Virtual music studio - ReWire - ReBirth

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Reason 1.0 was released in November 2000. Its name is a reference to software used by the lead character in Douglas Adams' novel, Dirk Gently's Holistic Detective Agency. Early in development it was known as Realizer (after the PPG Realizer).

Related Topics:
2000 - Douglas Adams - Dirk Gently's Holistic Detective Agency

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Subsequent versions have added several effects and instruments to the Reason studio. The current version is 3.0, which began shipping on March 10 2005.

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The design mimics a studio rack into which users can place various modules. As of version 3.0 these include two mixers, a subtractive synthesizer, a graintable synthesizer and four different kinds of sample players - one with a step sequencer designed to be used for drums/percussion, two samplers for tonal instruments, and a sliced loop playback device. Available effects modules include distortion, reverb, chorus, a vocoder and mastering effects. The Combinator device, introduced in version 3.0, allows users to combine multiple modules into one. These modules can be controlled from Reason's built-in MIDI sequencer or, via Propellerhead's ReWire protocol, via other sequencing applications such as Pro Tools, Logic, and GarageBand.

Related Topics:
Pro Tools - Logic - GarageBand

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Unlike many other audio applications, Reason cannot record audio tracks or be expanded with third-party plug-ins. Some users complain about these limitations; others argue that they can be easily surmounted by using Reason in tandem with another application that has these capabilities.

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The English band The Prodigy has used Reason as a production tool. It is required, along with a laptop computer, by new students at the Berklee College of Music.

Related Topics:
The Prodigy - Laptop - Berklee College of Music

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