John Keston Classes

Week 8

Session 1: After a brief introductory demonstration of Reason, I’ll be demonstrating how to interface Reason and ProTools, import MIDI into a ProTools document and setup the MIDI tracks to play specific virtual instruments in Reason while the class follows along in the lab. This demo includes a 15 point exercise due Session 1, Week 9. The steps for the exercise follow:

1. Open Reason and add a 14:2 channel mixer device to the rack (Create > Mixer).

2. Import a .mid file into Reason (File > Import > MIDI File). Use www.classicalarchives.com or www.creativecommons.org to find a MIDI file use can use for this exercise. Other sites, like mididb.com have many files available as well.
3. A Combinator is automatically created for each track in the MIDI file.

4. Create instruments for each of the Combinators by pressing “show devices”.

• Right+click on the black rectangle in the Combinator and select an output device
• Devices that produce pitched instrument sounds include: Subtractor, Maelstrom, Thor, NN-19, NN-XT
• These devices produce percussive sounds or loops: Redrum (drum computer) and Dr. Rex (loop player)
• Most other devices are processors of some sort (reverb, compression, etc.)
• The Matrix is a pattern sequencer

5. Try applying processing as axillary sends.

• Right+click on the mixer
• Choose a processor such as the RV7000 for reverb



• Turn up Aux 1 on the mixer for each track you’d like to process

6. Also try adjusting the tempo, transposing notes, and applying automation.
7. When you’re happy with your mix, render your document to an audio file named midi_exercise1.wav and copy it to the drop off under John Keston/ca2431/<your name>.

• Choose File > Export Song as Audio File
• Choose Reason WAVE File under Format
• Choose 44,100Hz and 16bit

Session 2: We’ll be covering audio compression today in our group lessons. Audio compression (not to be confused with file compression) is a way to automatically adjust the dynamics of sound. Mixing multiple tracks of audio can often become difficult when some of the audio has varying or inconsistent levels. Audio compression can help resolve these difficulties. It as also widely over-used, especially in the mastering process resulting in the “loudness wars“. Please look at the following articles regarding compression for more information:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Audio_level_compression
Compressor / Limiter (article with audio examples illustrating compression)
The Death of Dynamic Range (Atricle on the so called “Loudness Wars”)