fix the Browser!

[Billyuiio]

Got your attention! Good! Well, for me the little stones in the pathway that leads from the Browser are causing me a lot of little stumbles...

I work with audio tracts and stay mostly in the Mixer and the Sequencer. Here is what's happened to me, several times, while using the version 9 Browser:

Looking for a patch... searching for... 'Easy Vocals'... there it is, drag and drop it into the black box "Insert FX Patch:" in the Mixer at the top of FX section. Oh, doesn't drag and drop, it used to, I think.... humm... click the little folder icon below the black box... OH! browser has abandoned my search and now shows a location called "Reason combis and refills" and Easy Vocals is nowhere to be seen. ... search... nothing.. oh yes, the little orange box is filter by... what? the channel strip name, Audio Track 1, oh that is not so useful. ok click the x... search again... nothing.. oh, need to navigate back to 'Factory Sounds' , ok, search, there it is... double click! Oh! it put it in the Rack and not in the "Insert FX Patch:" box from which I started this. Not where I want it. I want to see it in the Mixer's "Insert FX Patch:" box.

My 'work flow' revolves around quickly loading my favorite patches, in the Mixer "Insert FX Patch" box. I have been doing this since Record 1.5. Six mic's, 2 or 3 line-in's, for 2 or 3 hours makes 15-20 Gbye files. 7 or 8 performers in an open mic night. I vary the patches to suite the performer. Quick and dirty. I don't do it all the time, 3 or 4 times a year. So, my habits are kind of ingrained and the browser in 9 is not working for me, and trips me up after being gone a while. Perhaps it is too smart, trying to anticipate where I might be going. Perhaps I am reluctant to adjust to the new ways. Yes, I am. Haha, I'll survive. But for me, I'd rather have the browser work for me, now, than have some VST's that will be cool to play with but won't make much difference in my 'day-to-day'. Come on.. filter the browser by the Channel strip name? Abandon my search?

In case you wonder: I give the really good performers, and the really bad ones, a CD with their songs. A nod of thanks on one hand and a 'you put me through this' statement on the other. Sometimes I give a guitar tuner with the CD, hint hint. Improvements have been inspired...

A few of the very best: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=P ... 37Va9mMasz

[dioxide]

Click bait.

[Gorgon]

Got your attention!

Yep.

tl;dr

Annnd it's gone.

[avasopht]

Got your attention!

Yep.

tl;dr

Annnd it's gone.

Exactly this!

And I say this with no malicious intent, but that is figuratively exactly what happened.

[Billyuiio]

Got your attention!

Yep.

tl;dr

Annnd it's gone.

Exactly this!

And I say this with no malicious intent, but that is figuratively exactly what happened.

Gentlemen! Thank you for your thoughtful replies and indepth analysis. Could you elaborate? How does the Browser filtered based on a Channel Strip name assist your workflow?

[Surfeast]

Point well taken. My biggest beefs are with the browser/directory and the inability to scale extensions in order not to have my nose pressing the monitor to see.

Would be nice to customize a scaled down what I use extension grab and go option in the browser along with one that responds to directory changes in real time .

As far as seeing what I am doing often it is the developer not doing a gui very well I know but being able to scale using a keyboard command would be nice

[dioxide]

Got your attention!

Yep.

tl;dr

Annnd it's gone.

Exactly this!

And I say this with no malicious intent, but that is figuratively exactly what happened.

Gentlemen! Thank you for your thoughtful replies and indepth analysis. Could you elaborate? How does the Browser filtered based on a Channel Strip name assist your workflow?

You don't need my attention you need Propellerhead's attention. I'm just not that interested.

[Olivier]

Got your attention! Good! Well, for me the little stones in the pathway that leads from the Browser are causing me a lot of little stumbles...

Click bait titles are not cool. It doesn't show you are taking the readers seriously. Be carefull with that.

I work with audio tracts and stay mostly in the Mixer and the Sequencer. Here is what's happened to me, several times, while using the version 9 Browser:

Looking for a patch... searching for... 'Easy Vocals'... there it is, drag and drop it into the black box "Insert FX Patch:" in the Mixer at the top of FX section. Oh, doesn't drag and drop, it used to, I think.... humm... click the little folder icon below the black box... OH! browser has abandoned my search and now shows a location called "Reason combis and refills" and Easy Vocals is nowhere to be seen. ... search... nothing.. oh yes, the little orange box is filter by... what? the channel strip name, Audio Track 1, oh that is not so useful. ok click the x... search again... nothing.. oh, need to navigate back to 'Factory Sounds' , ok, search, there it is... double click! Oh! it put it in the Rack and not in the "Insert FX Patch:" box from which I started this. Not where I want it. I want to see it in the Mixer's "Insert FX Patch:" box.

Dropping on the mixer doesn't work.
When you then click the browse button for the insert it will indeed go to the default location...
If you want to go back to your search results, all you have to do is click on the back icon.. this will take you back to your previous search results and you can then just doubleclick to load it. Easy peasy.

You could also: click the device you want to load a patch for, press cmd/ctrl B on your keyboard... and THEN do your search.

My 'work flow' revolves around quickly loading my favorite patches, in the Mixer "Insert FX Patch" box. I have been doing this since Record 1.5. Six mic's, 2 or 3 line-in's, for 2 or 3 hours makes 15-20 Gbye files. 7 or 8 performers in an open mic night. I vary the patches to suite the performer. Quick and dirty. I don't do it all the time, 3 or 4 times a year. So, my habits are kind of ingrained and the browser in 9 is not working for me, and trips me up after being gone a while. Perhaps it is too smart, trying to anticipate where I might be going. Perhaps I am reluctant to adjust to the new ways. Yes, I am.

Good you notice this yourself.. You are almost there, just realise the search is not abandoned, but its easily found by pressing the back button.

Haha, I'll survive. But for me, I'd rather have the browser work for me, now, than have some VST's that will be cool to play with but won't make much difference in my 'day-to-day'. Come on.. filter the browser by the Channel strip name? Abandon my search?

In case you wonder: I give the really good performers, and the really bad ones, a CD with their songs. A nod of thanks on one hand and a 'you put me through this' statement on the other. Sometimes I give a guitar tuner with the CD, hint hint. Improvements have been inspired...

A few of the very best: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=P ... 37Va9mMasz

I'm getting the impression you're a bit dismayed that it doesn't work the way you expect. That is allright.
But I would like to advice you that Instead of tricking us into reading something that is clearly getting on your nerves, while at the same time you admit you don't use it often, you could benefit from checking the manual . Browser workflow is defenitely in there and the description includes the back-forward buttons. .

[PSoames]

Looking for a patch... searching for... 'Easy Vocals'... there it is, drag and drop it into the black box "Insert FX Patch:" in the Mixer at the top of FX section. Oh, doesn't drag and drop, it used to, I think.... humm... click the little folder icon below the black box... OH! browser has abandoned my search and now shows a location called "Reason combis and refills" and Easy Vocals is nowhere to be seen. ... search... nothing.. oh yes, the little orange box is filter by... what? the channel strip name, Audio Track 1, oh that is not so useful. ok click the x... search again... nothing.. oh, need to navigate back to 'Factory Sounds' , ok, search, there it is... double click! Oh! it put it in the Rack and not in the "Insert FX Patch:" box from which I started this. Not where I want it. I want to see it in the Mixer's "Insert FX Patch:" box.

It sounds as though you are trying to load non-combinator files as inserts.

If it isn't a CMB file, they will not be visible when the audio or mix channel has browser focus. A bit like trying to open an MSWord document in MS Excel.

If I may make a suggestion. If you have a series of favourite effect patches, put them in a combinator, save them in a folder of your choice or put them in your showcase folder. When you hit the Browse Insert Patch button, click the folder or showcase icon and select the required patch.

[Olivier]

Looking for a patch... searching for... 'Easy Vocals'... there it is, drag and drop it into the black box "Insert FX Patch:" in the Mixer at the top of FX section. Oh, doesn't drag and drop, it used to, I think.... humm... click the little folder icon below the black box... OH! browser has abandoned my search and now shows a location called "Reason combis and refills" and Easy Vocals is nowhere to be seen. ... search... nothing.. oh yes, the little orange box is filter by... what? the channel strip name, Audio Track 1, oh that is not so useful. ok click the x... search again... nothing.. oh, need to navigate back to 'Factory Sounds' , ok, search, there it is... double click! Oh! it put it in the Rack and not in the "Insert FX Patch:" box from which I started this. Not where I want it. I want to see it in the Mixer's "Insert FX Patch:" box.

It sounds as though you are trying to load non-combinator files as inserts.

If it isn't a CMB file, they will not be visible when the audio or mix channel has browser focus. A bit like trying to open an MSWord document in MS Excel.

If I may make a suggestion. If you have a series of favourite effect patches, put them in a combinator, save them in a folder of your choice or put them in your showcase folder. When you hit the Browse Insert Patch button, click the folder or showcase icon and select the required patch.

In this case it was a cmb file.
When you for example, search for fuzz, you will get a list of patches with fuzz in the name. Scream, pulverizer and combinator patches.
If you then click browse on an insert, you should realize that inserts only take cmb patches. Click back on the browser to go to your previous search results and you will see only those patches that can be loaded into the insert which are the CMB's

[devilfish]

LOL... where are all my Threads of f.... Browser sadness??

[kuhliloach]

I was recently assisting a producer in Reason who could not find a proper crash cymbal for their project. They gave up searching and then eq'd the wrong cymbal sound, and pitched it, in an attempt create their desired result. When I dug through the "browser" and located a folder full of various amazing crashes it was too late -- they had already sent off a mix. Reason's browser is, in fact, so bad it prevents users from finding the goodness that does exist.

[Oquasec]

Am I gonna have to batch somebody for this thread? I think it's about time they switch daws. lmfao I'm done right now

[ejanuska]

Using the browser does require getting used to the way it operates. It's like a one night stand. Get what you need and out the door you go. You want to come back? You have to buy more drinks.

[kuhliloach]

I like the urgency of this thread. The way the poster describes the browser debacle and run-around like a chicken with its head cut off is beyond accurate. Let's review some stuff:

1. The orange bar. Yes, it's orange. Yes, you have to click the 'x' to unhide stuff. Thoughts?

2. Path memory. OK, what exactly is Reason doing here? And how should paths be handled within the UI going forward? Thoughts?

3. Tagging. Imagine the possibilities. Should Reason be running a smart database of some kind?

4. Folder Structure itself. Does this become less relevant once tagging is in place?

[Billyuiio]

I like the urgency of this thread. The way the poster describes the browser debacle and run-around like a chicken with its head cut off is beyond accurate.

Thank you, I did have to re-create the experience to get it just right. As I'd had plenty of practice, it was a quick rehash.

[Billyuiio]

Thanks everyone for your replies. I did write to Propellerhead support 4 or 5 days ago.
Then I saw this post in Reddit /r/reasoners yesterday:

"I've been using reason about 12 years, and finally upgraded to Reason 9 from Reason 7. For the life of me I cannot use the browser."

Which was exactly how I've felt. Yes, I can eventually get what I want and will find some efficient workarounds, but that is not the way it should work.

The Browser is front and center, everyone uses it, all the time. It shouldn't lead you down rabbit holes. It shouldn't require special workarounds.

Give me the browser of 7 in the body of 9...
Or maybe just a Preferences option, check box for "Smart Browser", default checked. Unchecked you get 7's browser.
Or maybe just some icon changes and a taming of the search box. I don't know. But I was able to get the work done in Reason 3, 4, 5, 6 and 7, without serious navigation frustration. But not now in 9.

There are enough little issues with what's there that new, and old users, are sometimes put off. And that is not good. Basically if you are frustrated with the browser, write propellerheads support.

[lowpryo]

it took me like a week to get rid of my old browser habits. and yeah, in that week I was probably as annoyed as you. but don't worry, you'll be fine eventually.

[aeox]

"tl;dr" seems like such a childish remark. if your time is that important that you refuse to read something because of its length, i suggest you get off the internet because you will be filled with constant disappointment.

time to grow up imo

[Billyuiio]

it took me like a week to get rid of my old browser habits. and yeah, in that week I was probably as annoyed as you. but don't worry, you'll be fine eventually.

Thanks, yes, eventually for sure. But what has been happening to me now is I keep putting it down for weeks or more. Then next time, old habits come back! But I've learned a few things here and they will help.

[Billyuiio]

So here's the best solution for a better browser:

"Reason Voxxie" = browser voice control. My preference would be a deep female voice with a slight Swedish accent. Example of how it would work with Reason open:

Bill: "Voxxie?"
Reason Voxxie: "Yes Bill"
Bill: "Where's my shit Voxxie?"
Voxxie: "The usual places Bill."
Bill: "Easy Vocals combo"
Voxxie: "Where should I put it Bill?"
Bill: "Mixer"
Voxxie: "Active channel, Insert FX?"
Bill: "Yes"
Voxxie: "Anything else Bill?"
Bill: "Open external link to Reasontalk.com, PM to user ozonekkz"
Bill: "Open RE 'Audiocentrik Shakesperian Insult Generator"
Voxxie: "Careful Bill, last time you were almost banned."
Bill: "Generate.."
Voxxie: "May Thou EQs fluctuatith like a guts-griping leprous witch?"
Bill: "Hummmm... Next"
Voxxie: "Thou bounces soundith like pox-marked maggot-pie"
Bill: "Bounce. Ok Voxxie, I'll take it from here..."

The future is just around the corner, guess I'll just have to wait.

Hey, I'd buy a license for an "Audiocentrik Shakespearean Insult Generator" RE or VST. Insult severity should be selectable by a knob labeled 'Voltage Control'. Includes both audio output and text to clipboard. A good addition to every rack.

[EnochLight]

Meh.. It literally took me less than 1 week to get used to the new browser. I can say with certainty that I don't share the OP's frustration. The only "fix" I need for the browser is for proper MIDI import to track and for all of my samples to be time stretched to my project's tempo when I'm auditioning content. Other than that, everything works as I need it. I do think drag and drop to the mixer would help, but certainly not a show stopper for me.

[joeyluck]

I wasn't a big fan of the new Browser at first.
But became a big fan within a few weeks (and after some updates Propellerhead made shortly after).

But sorry to say you are almost 3 years late to this conversation. And quite a bit late to tell Propellerhead to reprioritize during a beta test for a huge release

I always apply to beta test and test when I can and always use demo modes before I have a chance to buy. Even if you were on 7, you have to at least have tried Reason 8 or Reason 9 before now? If you want to have say in future versions, you should consider it.

Again, this time, you are simply very late to this party.

[Zac]

Am I gonna have to batch somebody for this thread? I think it's about time they switch daws. lmfao I'm done right now

I'm loving you and your bs authority :/

[bunja]

I dont get this browsing problem dont you know what you have and where its stored? Why do you need to search for crash cymbals ? , ie i know where all my refills are and have my fav patches stored in one list , i know where my samples are in my hard drive , keep it simple