Using dual screens on Reason 9

[Kaz1983]

I'm sure there isn't any difference between Reason 5 and Reason 9 but yes I'm using the latest edition if that makes any difference....

Anyways yeah can you use dual screens with Reason? My plan is to have one screen for my sequencer and one for my rack/mixer.

I recently saw a screen you can pivot 90 degrees (so its longer up and down, rather than your general 'widescreen' side to side type screen) .. this is with the idea of having my rack on there but I'm not sure if you can detach the rack or mixer windows and drag and drop them onto a second screen..... is this possible?

I know in a certain other DAW you can but it has windows you can click open and drag around like you do in other computer programs ... so I'm not suprised you can there, Reason tho is a different beast - well it looks that way to me hahaha

But yeah does anybody know?

[Raveshaper]

You can use up to three screens I believe. The mixer detaches, as does the sequencer (I think). If not, I know the sequencer and the rack can share a screen and the mixer can be placed in its own full size window.

As others have mentioned elsewhere, you will have to fight with the browser every time you open Reason. Every time.

[Dante]

I use 2 screens, left hand for racks up top and sequencer below, and the other for the SSL.

[WongoTheSane]

Yes you can, I have the sequencer on the left and two vertical windows on the right for rack & mixer:

dual.jpg (144.49 KiB) Viewed 7695 times

You can also mix-n-match monitor orientation (one horizontal + one vertical, or two horizontals + one vertical, or 3 vertical for instance). Orientation is defined through the driver of your graphics card (on PC at least, I suspect it's available on Mac too).

[joeyluck]

You can use up to three screens I believe. The mixer detaches, as does the sequencer (I think). If not, I know the sequencer and the rack can share a screen and the mixer can be placed in its own full size window.

As others have mentioned elsewhere, you will have to fight with the browser every time you open Reason. Every time.

What do you mean by fight with the Browser?

Yes, you can have the Sequencer, Mixer and Rack on separate windows. There are Browsers attached to both the Rack and Sequencer windows which work independently. So you can leave them both open to different locations and you can minimize one or both. Works well on my end and opens just as I have saved it.

[Raveshaper]

Minimize, minimize, minimize, I thought I minimized this last time I saved! I wouldn't know, but that's what I've heard.

[WongoTheSane]

As others have mentioned elsewhere, you will have to fight with the browser every time you open Reason. Every time.

The browser state (unfolded/folded + width + folding on device folders + whether the info box at the bottom is hidden or shown) is saved with the song. So simply open your default song, set the browsers as you like them, fold them, save back the song and voilà, no more fighting!

[Raveshaper]

So, you can cause it to be folded on both screens at startup? Every time? Is this one of those RTFM complaints then?

Sent from my SM-G935V using Tapatalk

[WongoTheSane]

So, you can cause it to be folded on both screens at startup? Every time? Is this one of those RTFM complaints then?

Sent from my SM-G935V using Tapatalk

Lol, yes, I'm afraid it is! Well, in this case it's RTF1100pagesM so you're forgiven

Lots of other small things are saved as well, like the tempo, zoom, block/song mode, snap/quantize values, Hardware and Master Section folding state, Transport bar status per window, locators, click on/off... It's a fantastic time-saver.

[JCBendock]

It could definitely use some improvements , but does work as you describe. Mixer and rack can both be undocked separately and positioned on a second or third screen. What I don't like is that the two cant be combined and maximized. You have to manually resize each window to your desired ratio and it really doesn't look that clean. I'd also like it if it let me dock the tool panel on the right side of the sequencer.

[joeyluck]

I'd also like it if it let me dock the tool panel on the right side of the sequencer.

+1
I'd like that!

Similarly, I like the way the Browser works—whereas others would like it to be detachable. Which I wouldn't mind as long as I could keep it locked in place. But it's so much better for me having it attached and resizable in relation to the window in which it is attached (instead of juggling a floating window that always finds itself in the way).

[Aquila]

I had 3 screens in my last place and loved having the same sized space for each window open simultaneously.


I've had to settle for a single laptop screen since moving to the UK this year though. Kinda hard to work after being spoiled for so long

[ilikestargazing]

Hi there.
It sure works fine yep, but as others mention, there is still some room for improvement. But everything works as usual.
I switch between 2-3 screens and it works like a charm. Reason also stores your window placement in the song files.

I've gone back and forth between using a vertical screen for the rack. While it does look and feel great, it kind of disrupts the workflow of everything else I do, having the screen at a 90 degree angle. I daily go between Reason and film editing and it simply doesn't work in that context, not to mention web browsing almost makes me dizzy because of giant smartphone associations. So flipping the screen back and forth several times every day is just not great but that might just be me.

Little by little though, it's gettin' better!

[Raveshaper]

I think if I dedicated a screen to rack view, I would only place that monitor in portrait and leave the others landscape. From left to right: sequencer, rack, mixer.

[ilikestargazing]

I've tried a number of different solutions in the past decade but none fit me just right. I think it just comes down to switching apps very often and being thrown off by the screen layout. If I only used Reason or almost only, then I'd probably be very happy with it.

[ProfessaKaos]

I use to have dual screens but I found myself turning my head off axis to view the screens which changes my head/ears listening position of being central of the monitors/speakers, so in the end I went back to a single screen and am much happier, keeping my head in the sweet spot at all times. But maybe I'm just OCD.

[AttenuationHz]

Prefer 1 32" screen myself.

Screen.JPG (272.87 KiB) Viewed 7604 times

[joeyluck]

Prefer 1 32" screen myself.

Screen.JPG

I've tried managing floating windows on one screen. It just doesn't work for me. Although, I can appreciate wanting a different arrangement of the windows. How do you get along with it? Even though I'd like a different arrangement at times, I still stick with the windows attached when using one screen just because it cooperates better.

From this feature suggestion thread:
http://www.reasontalk.com/viewtopic.php?p=238237
You might like this arrangement I proposed as one of a few options:


This is from a 15" MBP screen, so you would see more on the 32" of course...

[AttenuationHz]

That is a nice arrangement but, I do prefer having the windows separate though I can focus more on what's going on at each part and double click to maximise the window if need be.

[joeyluck]

That is a nice arrangement but, I do prefer having the windows separate though I can focus more on what's going on at each part and double click to maximise the window if need be.

Gotcha. That makes sense. I suppose it's easier on a larger screen. The Sequencer still takes up 3/4 of my screen height-wise at it's smallest when detached.

Viewing all full screen when detached does work well though, by just calling them up with F5/F6/F7
And I do make use of the Exposé function on my Macbook by swiping three fingers down on my trackpad and then clicking the window.
But that doesn't solve the issue if I'm trying to see all the windows at one time in a different arrangement.

[C//AZM]

I've used dual screens a lot but currently, where I do most of my Reasoning, I'm on a 46 inch TV which is on the wall behind the sound field but between the monitors and I really like using the huge reason screens. (I'm getting old).
Here's my alternative to multiple screens. Using a mac with track pad I detach the rack and the Mixer and put each on a separate desktop. Then I just three finger left or right swipe between desktops. It's a remedy for getting three screens out of one...sort of. (and I guess this works with the gesture mouse)
Does anyone else here use this method?

[joeyluck]

I've used dual screens a lot but currently, where I do most of my Reasoning, I'm on a 46 inch TV which is on the wall behind the sound field but between the monitors and I really like using the huge reason screens. (I'm getting old).
Here's my alternative to multiple screens. Using a mac with track pad I detach the rack and the Mixer and put each on a separate desktop. Then I just three finger left or right swipe between desktops. It's a remedy for getting three screens out of one...sort of. (and I guess this works with the gesture mouse) Does anyone else use this method?

That's a great idea. Thanks. Will give it a try!
Removes a step of clicking in using the Exposé method; where I swipe with 3 fingers down and then click on the window.
We do have the function keys to switch, but I do feel like my track pad is more immediate since that's where my hand is most of the time.

[C//AZM]

And I do make use of the Exposé function on my Macbook by swiping three fingers down on my trackpad and then clicking the window.
But that doesn't solve the issue if I'm trying to see all the windows at one time in a different arrangement.

DOH!! I missed that.

[joeyluck]

And I do make use of the Exposé function on my Macbook by swiping three fingers down on my trackpad and then clicking the window.
But that doesn't solve the issue if I'm trying to see all the windows at one time in a different arrangement.

DOH!! I missed that.

All good! This separate desktop method with the three finger swipe is great!

Do you know if there's a way to save it so that it always opens with the windows assigned to the individual desktops?

I saved a default Reason file with each window on a separate desktop. Except when I open the file, it places all of the windows detached, but on one desktop. So I have to reassign them to the other desktops each time...

Not sure why this is because if I save it with them assigned to different physical displays, it will open with each window on a different display.

[AttenuationHz]

That is a nice arrangement but, I do prefer having the windows separate though I can focus more on what's going on at each part and double click to maximise the window if need be.

Gotcha. That makes sense. I suppose it's easier on a larger screen. The Sequencer still takes up 3/4 of my screen height-wise at it's smallest when detached.

Viewing all full screen when detached does work well though, by just calling them up with F5/F6/F7
And I do make use of the Exposé function on my Macbook by swiping three fingers down on my trackpad and then clicking the window.
But that doesn't solve the issue if I'm trying to see all the windows at one time in a different arrangement.

Its mind boggling how that's not set to CTRL + TAB instead of F5/F6/F7. I want to set a macro to cycle through f5/f6/f7 each time ctrl+tab is pressed for more convenience. Anybody know a good free macro program or a way to do that on windows?

Do you know if there's a way to save it so that it always opens with the windows assigned to the individual desktops?

I saved a default Reason file with each window on a separate desktop. Except when I open the file, it places all of the windows detached, but on one desktop. So I have to reassign them to the other desktops each time...

Save a blank session and go to preferences and change the default template to that file. Should open the way it is saved but I never had more than one monitor so maybe its broke!