Reason 9 For Sale

[samardac]

I know exactly what you mean about using the same sounds and melodies. I too was influenced by the sounds of the 70s and 80s and 90s. To make even a demo back in the 90s was expensive and you had to be really into music to even want to buy equipment. And only you and your friends would be able to hear them unlike today. My Tascam 4 track portastudio cost me $500. I couldn't browse presets, auto-tune, copy/paste tracks and all that so I feel you. Never mind pressing CDs they cost about 30 to 50 bucks. Most studios in LA were $100 bucks an hour to rent. Endless takes, rewinding the reel-to-reel machine took long, manual fader automation, muting ans soloing on the console, sometimes two or three of us would automate during mixdown.

About the melodies... yest it is true what you say about melodies today. You can even hear the same chords being used in Hip Hop/Trap that they use with EDM tracks. However that was also the case in the 90s. They also used the same chords and melodies. Not only that but a lot of records also had the exact rhythm of the lead hook. example: "Understand this groove" by Sound Factory had the same rhythm as "Jump" by The Movement as well as many others. And as for melodies, example: "Everybody is in the place" by Prodigy the melody was used on other records like "Mallorca" by Lewis Lovebump and many others. They still use that today. Just listen to the Morongo Casino commercial. Even Jason Mraz, Maroon 5, etc. It had to sound like that or it wasn't cool remember?

Take "Your love" by Prodigy. So many cool rave records had that fast attack piano rhythm or it wasn't real rave. And the grown ups would ask me, "Why do you like that noise?" And to me those sounds were insane and awesome to me. But to them all they could hear was the thumpin' kicks and the simple staccato synths. I can show you many examples. Some tracks were so primitive like the one with the "oink" pig sound. Or even "Conquistadores Chocolate" by Cholate Tribe. Or how about "Everybody's Free" by Rozala. A lot of records had piano rhythms with alternating low piano notes. I could show you more example but remember that for us all that was new and cool. And others would try say we have no taste or whatever.

I have several piano Vines and Instagram videos on my feed of 90s techno, house, rave tracks if you want to check it out. Yes there are some artists who aren't that creative but there are many others who are. If you listen to Monstercat Tracks there are songs with not so primitive arrangements. And as far as Vaporwave and Retrowave, yes they use samples but the rave scene also sampled a lot but it was cool. Remember "Close your eyes" by Acen? They had those cool rave synths as well as The Beatles "Here comes the sun." The same today. I could write a book on this but hopefully you get where I'm coming from.

I think I will make a Youtube tutorial on how to make 90s tracks. Don't give up man. Music is cool. And today I don't have to pay 20 bucks to go to The Florentine Gardens in Hollywood to hear the latest records. There are so many labels out there making cool tracks if you just listen. Get drunk, smoke a blunt, or whatever but immerse yourself and get "into" the music. I still think Subtractor and Thor synths are cool! And with Reason 9 I think we will be hearing crazy melodies and tracks.

Cool post mate, I read it 2 times.Thanks for your thoughts! It helps.
I come to some conclusion for the last days. If you want to create someything original you have to use equipment that nobody use today or at least is used by a few people. Is very hard to create something orinal using the same equipminet as milions other use.
I decided to do not sell my Studio One and some unique plugins like Korg Wavestation, BBE sweet optimized, Focusright Red Suit. There is no any alternative to it in Reason and I think never be. Hopefully I can program Wavestation, and it makes me feel realy cool, because it is hard and workflow is unicue that gives unpredictable results. This synth is not very popular because you have to know something except clicking mouse on screen to program it. I do not go to use any other synths or drummachines only WS for everything. I thinks for now it is last thing that inspire me and make me feel that I do something different.
I decided to sell Reason anyway because I feel i can not make anything unicue with it.

[TritoneAddiction]

I love how this thread turned into a great discussion about music and creativity

I come to some conclusion for the last days. If you want to create someything original you have to use equipment that nobody use today or at least is used by a few people. Is very hard to create something orinal using the same equipminet as milions other use.

I don't agree with this at all. I can see your point and you might be right that it's easier to sound unique with equipment that not a lot of people use. That's why I buy REs like Snakebite and other specialized synths. But in the end it's all about how you use the gear. I made these to two tracks in Reason 7, no rack extensions, just stock devices that everyone has used a million times. Not saying these songs are the most unique songs ever made but they definitely don't sound like everything else. And also these two songs couldn't be more different from each other, even though they're made by the same person using the same DAW and the same tools. It really is about having a vision and being creative. At least that's how I see it.
But still Reason might not be where you feel most creative and I get that, totally understandable. We're all different.

From my electronic metal project Synthetic Flesh. No guitars, only Reasons stock synths and effects.

This is all short samples from my own voice. All NN-XT and stock effects.

[samardac]

I love how this thread turned into a great discussion about music and creativity

I don't agree with this at all. I can see your point and you might be right that it's easier to sound unique with equipment that not a lot of people use. That's why I buy REs like Snakebite and other specialized synths. But in the end it's all about how you use the gear. I made these to two tracks in Reason 7, no rack extensions, just stock devices that everyone has used a million times. Not saying these songs are the most unique songs ever made but they definitely don't sound like everything else. And also these two songs couldn't be more different from each other, even though they're made by the same person using the same DAW and the same tools. It really is about having a vision and being creative. At least that's how I see it.
But still Reason might not be where you feel most creative and I get that, totally understandable. We're all different.

You know things is that any device put trace on your music, it makes you follow some paths. For example Thor one path, Subtractor another, etc... All that paths was passed thousnads time by me and thousands others. Our brain have mental patterns, when you see this or that device that patterns enables and make you follow defined behaviour patterns, and thousands Reason users continue repeat that patterns and follow that paths again and again. Just read what users write here - you must have this sytnh or this... And at the end 90% Reason users have Antidote and start to pass the same brain patterns, and continue saunds the same again and again. That patterns tell them - use this presset or this, detune, add voicess it will sound fat etc, etc. Why I have to spend my life doing the same stuff with the same equipment and follow the same mental patterns? What is the reason at the end? To have some cheap fun? I think I can do more and at least will try to do it.
Also the gratest problem is that endless count of tutorials spread that common, generic brain patterns...
You can use the same synth with different UI and you will get different results... I tried it many times, just remap synth controls to some cv generator and tweak it...
For example you can program drum patterns using Redurm sequencer and it will give you much more unpredictable new results than if you will draw drums as you used to do in Reason Seq, because you do not see notes of other samples and you can accidentally put some notes in the way you never put them before using you mental patterns. But you will get absolutley new results if you will try to program drums with Wavestaion waveseqs.
Draw patterns in Reason Seq is the most popular way, in Redrum seq is not very popular because you have to spend more time and efforts, but result will be a bit different and create drums in Wavestation is really versatale work. So where the most brain patterns and stereotypes leave? Sure in the most popular way.
Unfortunatley there is no way to clear all that brain patterns that was created for decad and reset you brain system by continue using the same equipment again and again. The only way is to jump to something complitley new and try to not create brain patterns again by learning this or that tricks but let the accidents happen.
For my life I understood that the most unicue things happen accidentally when your brain is not take control under your behaviour and you could not even predict that this cool thing could happen.
You have just to have in mind general idea and than create all conditions that will allow accidents happen...

[8cros]

For my life I understood that the most unicue things happen accidentally when your brain is not take control under your behaviour and you could not even predict that this cool thing could happen.
You have just to have in mind general idea and than create all conditions that will allow accidents happen...

All of us will soon become unique / outsiders.
I do not see the activity of the fans the players or pitch correction. The euphoria has passed.

[TritoneAddiction]

You know things is that any device put trace on your music, it makes you follow some paths. For example Thor one path, Subtractor another, etc... All that paths was passed thousnads time by me and thousands others. Our brain have mental patterns, when you see this or that device that patterns enables and make you follow defined behaviour patterns, and thousands Reason users continue repeat that patterns and follow that paths again and again. Just read what users write here - you must have this sytnh or this... And at the end 90% Reason users have Antidote and start to pass the same brain patterns, and continue saunds the same again and again. That patterns tell them - use this presset or this, detune, add voicess it will sound fat etc, etc. Why I have to spend my life doing the same stuff with the same equipment and follow the same mental patterns? What is the reason at the end? To have some cheap fun? I think I can do more and at least will try to do it.
Also the gratest problem is that endless count of tutorials spread that common, generic brain patterns...
You can use the same synth with different UI and you will get different results... I tried it many times, just remap synth controls to some cv generator and tweak it...
For example you can program drum patterns using Redurm sequencer and it will give you much more unpredictable new results than if you will draw drums as you used to do in Reason Seq, because you do not see notes of other samples and you can accidentally put some notes in the way you never put them before using you mental patterns. But you will get absolutley new results if you will try to program drums with Wavestaion waveseqs.
Draw patterns in Reason Seq is the most popular way, in Redrum seq is not very popular because you have to spend more time and efforts, but result will be a bit different and create drums in Wavestation is really versatale work. So where the most brain patterns and stereotypes leave? Sure in the most popular way.
Unfortunatley there is no way to clear all that brain patterns that was created for decad and reset you brain system by continue using the same equipment again and again. The only way is to jump to something complitley new and try to not create brain patterns again by learning this or that tricks but let the accidents happen.
For my life I understood that the most unicue things happen accidentally when your brain is not take control under your behaviour and you could not even predict that this cool thing could happen.
You have just to have in mind general idea and than create all conditions that will allow accidents happen...

I can see what you mean. Different gear and GUI can certainly affect how a song is created, no doubt. And I agree that new ways of doing things can lead to new ideas and happy accidents. If that's what it takes to break you out of a boring predictable routine then do it. I do that too sometimes, mostly (like I mentioned before) by setting up self made limitations on myself or coming up with crazy ideas. Or buy a new toy/gear.

But I don't think it matters that much if many people use the same equipment or not. Well I know it doesn't because I've heard countless times where people use the same instruments/gear and it ends up sounding nothing alike. If everyone sound the same I think it has more to do to the fact that most people want to sound like their favorite artist or whatever is popular. The result might sound good but it's not very creative or interesting. Unfortunately too many people do that and it takes some time to plow through endless copycat music to find something unique. But I guess it's natural for most people to want to sound like their favorite artists rather than themselves. And also it seems a lot of people actually want to hear the same generic shit over and over again, especially non musicians.

Anyway, always interesting to hear other peoples perspective on these things. I'm gonna stop rambling now and actually go make some music. Good luck with your music making in whatever way you choose to do it.

[8cros]

I'm gonna stop rambling now and actually go make some music. Good luck with your music making in whatever way you choose to do it.

You do not need to leave. Make music while remaining online. Using a parallel process.

[altron]

High-Five! It has always been true that real art not only requires passion but also skill. The best artists are driven by constantly experiment and try new things. But with music software today everything becomes very formulaic. I went through Allihoopa today trying to find some users I could follow but it was very difficult to find anything at all that I remotely found worthy listening to. Most of it sounded like crap. And I'm not even biased by saying that when it sounds as if you let a two year old child hammer on a keyboard with some bitcrushed lead sound on it (that's not a far-fetched description).

Thanks for the link to the PG-8X! Yes, the MKS-70 is probably my favourite. Such an underrated synth. Patch-management is a pain but the sound makes up for it!

Hay man did you tried Wavestation? I think it will be the best synth for your atmospherical music.

Not a wavestation but a Korg Kronos which can 'kind of' do the same thing -wave sequencing.

Here's my take on lack of creativity and motivation:

Sometimes I'm burned out by all music and just take a break from it. But the desire to be creative comes back sooner or later. It has always been like that for me.

What really inspires me if I hear somebody's music and it's something that I can fully tune-in. For example often I listen to SomaFM DroneZone. I like the sound of almost anything played on that station. Very often a track comes up that instantly catches my attention. I could be a majestic piece by Steve Roach or a subtle soundscape by someone whose name I've never heard before. And it's these pieces that inspire me and restore my faith in music. Cultivate the music you love and you will always find new inspiration. Sometimes I hear just a simple but beautiful melody in a song and that gives me enough inspiration to sit down and try something similar.

Now, because with all the help of software and tools today it feels so easy to make music. It feels almost like cheating. But here comes the important thing to remember: as long as you will like it and you put something of your own into it, it's an original piece of work made by you that doesn't exist quite the same anywhere else. It dies t matter how easy or difficult it was to create it! The people who will listen to it and who like it don't care about that. And neither should you!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[samardac]

Not a wavestation but a Korg Kronos which can 'kind of' do the same thing -wave sequencing.

Here's my take on lack of creativity and motivation:

Sometimes I'm burned out by all music and just take a break from it. But the desire to be creative comes back sooner or later. It has always been like that for me.

What really inspires me if I hear somebody's music and it's something that I can fully tune-in. For example often I listen to SomaFM DroneZone. I like the sound of almost anything played on that station. Very often a track comes up that instantly catches my attention. I could be a majestic piece by Steve Roach or a subtle soundscape by someone whose name I've never heard before. And it's these pieces that inspire me and restore my faith in music. Cultivate the music you love and you will always find new inspiration. Sometimes I hear just a simple but beautiful melody in a song and that gives me enough inspiration to sit down and try something similar.

Now, because with all the help of software and tools today it feels so easy to make music. It feels almost like cheating. But here comes the important thing to remember: as long as you will like it and you put something of your own into it, it's an original piece of work made by you that doesn't exist quite the same anywhere else. It dies t matter how easy or difficult it was to create it! The people who will listen to it and who like it don't care about that. And neither should you!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

I try to make practically the same things except I have no idea what to liste to

As I remember Kronos have built in Legasy Wavestation, or I am wrong?

[dagwood]

LMAO!! This thread is awesome. It's like watching a bunch of senior citizens reminisce about the "old days". ;p FYI, there's a ton of awesome music out there still happening in this day and age. Just because you're not inspired or think it's all shite doesn't mean there's not any. The fact that it's never been easier to make music (and publish it worldwide) isn't a barrier; it's awesome. There's never been a better time to be a musically creative person, IMHO.

[Rene Disco]

LMAO!! This thread is awesome. It's like watching a bunch of senior citizens reminisce about the "old days". ;p FYI, there's a ton of awesome music out there still happening in this day and age. Just because you're not inspired or think it's all shite doesn't mean there's not any. The fact that it's never been easier to make music (and publish it worldwide) isn't a barrier; it's awesome. There's never been a better time to be a musically creative person, IMHO.

I agree. Today is awesome. Not only can you enjoy all that is happening now but you can time travel (sort of) and listen to a massive archive of humanity's contribution to music.

[jfrichards]

...I went through Allihoopa today trying to find some users I could follow but it was very difficult to find anything at all that I remotely found worthy listening to. Most of it sounded like crap...

That's weird, I just went through it in great detail. I went to Allihoopa>Explore>Reason app> Latest, and found dozens upon dozens of Reason-composed songs done just in the past few days that had great composition, melodies, chord changes, rhythms, orchestration, and changes. Maybe if you think your stuff is drastically different and original, you should listen around more. For example, XM Chill, channel 53 on Sirius satellite radio, and online, and a Youtube channel, has a lot of songs that include stuff like yours, especially what they play later in the evening. Your stuff is good, but not exceptional. There's quite a bit in your genres, especially in Reason circles. Actually, you might try to get your songs played on XM Chill, contact the content manager. It would fit right in. That station has saved my ass many times when driving through those states that only have country music. And Texas is really big. And I agree with the others, Today is awesome.

[electrochoc (PRX-A)]

LMAO!! This thread is awesome. It's like watching a bunch of senior citizens reminisce about the "old days". ;p FYI, there's a ton of awesome music out there still happening in this day and age. Just because you're not inspired or think it's all shite doesn't mean there's not any. The fact that it's never been easier to make music (and publish it worldwide) isn't a barrier; it's awesome. There's never been a better time to be a musically creative person, IMHO.

^^This! plus a little dose of pseudo-elitism!

[altron]

Not a wavestation but a Korg Kronos which can 'kind of' do the same thing -wave sequencing.

Here's my take on lack of creativity and motivation:

Sometimes I'm burned out by all music and just take a break from it. But the desire to be creative comes back sooner or later. It has always been like that for me.

What really inspires me if I hear somebody's music and it's something that I can fully tune-in. For example often I listen to SomaFM DroneZone. I like the sound of almost anything played on that station. Very often a track comes up that instantly catches my attention. I could be a majestic piece by Steve Roach or a subtle soundscape by someone whose name I've never heard before. And it's these pieces that inspire me and restore my faith in music. Cultivate the music you love and you will always find new inspiration. Sometimes I hear just a simple but beautiful melody in a song and that gives me enough inspiration to sit down and try something similar.

Now, because with all the help of software and tools today it feels so easy to make music. It feels almost like cheating. But here comes the important thing to remember: as long as you will like it and you put something of your own into it, it's an original piece of work made by you that doesn't exist quite the same anywhere else. It dies t matter how easy or difficult it was to create it! The people who will listen to it and who like it don't care about that. And neither should you!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

I try to make practically the same things except I have no idea what to liste to

As I remember Kronos have built in Legasy Wavestation, or I am wrong?

Something like that yes. But I have only scratched the surface of it yet.

[altron]

...I went through Allihoopa today trying to find some users I could follow but it was very difficult to find anything at all that I remotely found worthy listening to. Most of it sounded like crap...

That's weird, I just went through it in great detail. I went to Allihoopa>Explore>Reason app> Latest, and found dozens upon dozens of Reason-composed songs done just in the past few days that had great composition, melodies, chord changes, rhythms, orchestration, and changes. Maybe if you think your stuff is drastically different and original, you should listen around more. For example, XM Chill, channel 53 on Sirius satellite radio, and online, and a Youtube channel, has a lot of songs that include stuff like yours, especially what they play later in the evening. Your stuff is good, but not exceptional. There's quite a bit in your genres, especially in Reason circles. Actually, you might try to get your songs played on XM Chill, contact the content manager. It would fit right in. That station has saved my ass many times when driving through those states that only have country music. And Texas is really big. And I agree with the others, Today is awesome.

I'm not saying there's not great music being made these days. It's just that it drowns in the tons and tons of masses of crap that is out there and therefore its hard to find. Now this might seem a very subjective viewport depending on your taste but in general i agree fully and 100% with this guy

[jfrichards]

...I'm not saying there's not great music being made these days. It's just that it drowns in the tons and tons of masses of crap that is out there and therefore its hard to find...

Sascha, this can be said on any given day for centuries, literally. You think most people cared or liked the latest sonata by Bach extolling the godly virtues of the bishop in Bavaria who was taxing them to death? No, they had their favorite tavern minstrels and wandering gypsy violinists, extolling the breast size of the bishop's latest mistress. Chaucer was much more accurate in his comments on then popular culture than the organ-master in Cologne. It may be shoved down our throats how perfect Rhianna is, but people have their own inclinations that morph with the powerful tides of change. Masses of crap have been even bigger with the dramatic commercialization after TV, and now the internet. And you can always find alternative stuff and make your own.

[selig]

...I'm not saying there's not great music being made these days. It's just that it drowns in the tons and tons of masses of crap that is out there and therefore its hard to find...

Sascha, this can be said on any given day for centuries, literally. You think most people cared or liked the latest sonata by Bach extolling the godly virtues of the bishop in Bavaria who was taxing them to death? No, they had their favorite tavern minstrels and wandering gypsy violinists, extolling the breast size of the bishop's latest mistress. Chaucer was much more accurate in his comments on then popular culture than the organ-master in Cologne. It may be shoved down our throats how perfect Rhianna is, but people have their own inclinations that morph with the powerful tides of change. Masses of crap have been even bigger with the dramatic commercialization after TV, and now the internet. And you can always find alternative stuff and make your own.

Hear hear - the more things change, the more they stay the same.

[tibah]

This thread went... somewhere.

What everyone is trying to say here basically - keep Reason. Pretty please.

[kitekrazy]

This thread went... somewhere.

What everyone is trying to say here basically - keep Reason. Pretty please.

Except the person who wants to buy it.

[jfrichards]

This thread went... somewhere. What everyone is trying to say here basically - keep Reason...

Yep, stay in the Reason Union, vote no on Propexit.

[jfrichards]

This thread went... somewhere.
What everyone is trying to say here basically - keep Reason. Pretty please.

Except the person who wants to buy it.

That's true, Reason 9 for $299 is amazing.

[samardac]

I'm not saying there's not great music being made these days. It's just that it drowns in the tons and tons of masses of crap that is out there and therefore its hard to find. Now this might seem a very subjective viewport depending on your taste but in general i agree fully and 100% with this guy

This guy is awaysome, the same shit is happen not only with rock...
Hay guys stop talking that old man only can tell this, even 10 years ago amount of music was thousands time less. Now in one day I think releasesed the same amount of music as in 80s was released in one year...
Now everybody can produce music, every f×ckin kid now is producer, that is why thousands of terabytes of shit is laying in the Internet.
You say now there is a lot of great music, but damn how much time I need to spend to find that good music? To listen to what was released in last year I will spend half of my life, and looks like I will die faster than will finish listening because of 90% of that music is awful.
In 90s to produce something you have to pay at least 1000$, at least... And it was damn good barrier...

[altron]

I'm not saying there's not great music being made these days. It's just that it drowns in the tons and tons of masses of crap that is out there and therefore its hard to find. Now this might seem a very subjective viewport depending on your taste but in general i agree fully and 100% with this guy

This guy is awaysome, the same shit is happen not only with rock...
Hay guys stop talking that old man only can tell this, even 10 years ago amount of music was thousands time less. Now in one day I think releasesed the same amount of music as in 80s was released in one year...
Now everybody can produce music, every f×ckin kid now is producer, that is why thousands of terabytes of shit is laying in the Internet.
You say now there is a lot of great music, but damn how much time I need to spend to find that good music? To listen to what was released in last year I will spend half of my life, and looks like I will die faster than will finish listening because of 90% of that music is awful.
In 90s to produce something you have to pay at least 1000$, at least... And it was damn good barrier...

Word! And it's not only the music on the web. It's the crap that is forced upon you... when you have to watch a commercial, when you go into a clothing store, etc. The absolute worst, awful crap I hear is when I enter a clothing store! Insta headphones on and turn on loud, droney shoegaze the suppress the horror that would enter my ears (and mind) from the shop music.

But back on topic ... I rather like you to go for Reason if you want to stay making music. Because it's a fine tool, despite all the bland music advertisement that is associated with it (in part thanks to the Props themselves who only seem to want to cater to mainstream pop/rock/dubstep crap). My next studio setup will reduce the DAW into a corner even further and surround myself with keyboards more. it's very inspiring!

[altron]

...I'm not saying there's not great music being made these days. It's just that it drowns in the tons and tons of masses of crap that is out there and therefore its hard to find...

Sascha, this can be said on any given day for centuries, literally. You think most people cared or liked the latest sonata by Bach extolling the godly virtues of the bishop in Bavaria who was taxing them to death? No, they had their favorite tavern minstrels and wandering gypsy violinists, extolling the breast size of the bishop's latest mistress. Chaucer was much more accurate in his comments on then popular culture than the organ-master in Cologne. It may be shoved down our throats how perfect Rhianna is, but people have their own inclinations that morph with the powerful tides of change. Masses of crap have been even bigger with the dramatic commercialization after TV, and now the internet. And you can always find alternative stuff and make your own.

The fact is that just about everywhere bad music is shoved down my ears. Do you mean we have to accept this state of affairs? Or is it OK to express our displeasure? I know, one voice in a million won't be heard but I just can't be a hypocrite or ignorant.

[8cros]

...I'm not saying there's not great music being made these days. It's just that it drowns in the tons and tons of masses of crap that is out there and therefore its hard to find...

Sascha, this can be said on any given day for centuries, literally. You think most people cared or liked the latest sonata by Bach extolling the godly virtues of the bishop in Bavaria who was taxing them to death? No, they had their favorite tavern minstrels and wandering gypsy violinists, extolling the breast size of the bishop's latest mistress. Chaucer was much more accurate in his comments on then popular culture than the organ-master in Cologne. It may be shoved down our throats how perfect Rhianna is, but people have their own inclinations that morph with the powerful tides of change. Masses of crap have been even bigger with the dramatic commercialization after TV, and now the internet. And you can always find alternative stuff and make your own.

The fact is that just about everywhere bad music is shoved down my ears. Do you mean we have to accept this state of affairs? Or is it OK to express our displeasure? I know, one voice in a million won't be heard but I just can't be a hypocrite or ignorant.

I think this is necessary because Now it is a matter of life or death.
Dubstep / Pop, however ridiculous it may sound, not a reason to kill herself.IMHO
Yes it is popular. Yes, it's hype. But it still works.
In Reason there are many other features. Their more.

[samardac]

But back on topic ... I rather like you to go for Reason if you want to stay making music. Because it's a fine tool, despite all the bland music advertisement that is associated with it (in part thanks to the Props themselves who only seem to want to cater to mainstream pop/rock/dubstep crap). My next studio setup will reduce the DAW into a corner even further and surround myself with keyboards more. it's very inspiring!

I decided to go with Studio One because I can not see any advantages of using Reason against it.
I love Korg Legasy, I love my BBE and Focusright Red plugins there is nothing like them in Reason. The only thing I really love in reason is CV, but it is not game changer for me. Also I do not like sequencer in Reason it looks not very good for me and it lacks a lot of commands/hotkeys for fast workflow. I really hate Reason Mixer, navigate it is real pain, because it is so big and looks the same on every stage and you alwas need time to understand where you are. I alwas avoid using that Mixer, it have some crappy effects on it, compressors - I do not like how they works at all, eq also is not top notch, buss compressor is absolutley awfull like and MClass devices. I think PH spend a lot of money and affords to create and maintain that Extantion system and do not pay enough attention to vital devices.Built in Synths also are far behind top quality ones. Also I do not like that framed UI. For me Reason was cool when it was 2,5, its gesign was absolutley Perfect! I still have cracked version of it installed, it was simple and it was awaysome. Other versions of Reason become complex and complex and complex. First concepton of Reason do not assumed so dramatic updates and changes so PH had to generate tricks any time to addopt it to current market demand, and it turns into really havy complex mutant with intermediate quality devices.