reason versus reaktor versus protools versus...

New answers, bitte!

I think the new Reason software is pretty much hands-down the winner. Check out some of the reviews online. The thing looks like a regular piece of hardware that you can spin around and check out the plugs in the back. The interface is similar to those plastic boards of buttons and levers you buy kids. Click and drag buttons and knobs. Choose drum loops to mix and match, copy and paste, throw on professional effects with ease. Record live into your computer or from another source (like a multitrack, for instance), mix and save settings, burn to a cd and test out in several radios, car stereos and high performance home stereos. Reason is so very complete.

Incidentally, you need not buy this software. It's free to those who really look for it. Most people I know don't actually own audio software. It's fricken expensive.

Ahso--that sounds like what my friends say... although a few purists still scoff at anything that is "complete"--I have no pride though. Unlike them, I don't work for Hooj Chooj or play big raves in NYC. Sniff.

So Reason is it, no? Have you tried the others? The reason I ask is that while I've played a little around with Reason (demo)--I don't really know of many other pro-level options. (i.e., not Vegas or ReBirth or Acid or any of those more simplified things.)

And as for getting it for free-I actually am one of those silly buggers who like to pay for the software. I know, I know, expensive-- but I can't justify ripping them off since it's not like they make tons of money off of it.

Anyhoo, danke!

Actually, Reason is like the new and improved Rebirth or something. It pretty much makes Rebirth outdated. As for Acid, is it's full name Acid Pro Tools? I've used Pro Tools but never owned it. From what I remember, I was happier to have more control with really basic programs like SoundEdit and Virtual Drummer (not a loop thing, a programmable drum kit with decent sounds-- FREE!). Once I started using Reason, I said, "This is it. This is what I've been waiting for." It's a whole work station without the mess of wires and stuff.

Ah sink zat Acid Pro is the full name. ProTools is completely different--a professional digital audio multitrack editor. Not to be confused with sequencers, i.e. midi controlling devices--ProTools is pretty much what most of the studios use to record digital audio.

It's neat though, you can, or at least I do, use it for massive wave manipulations and you can use plug-ins for fx. But you can also use it to do SMPTE timecode stuff for tv/films/commercials, and you can, of course, use it as if it were a normal multitrack recorder. The only problem is that it is sehr pricey.

Ok, Pro Tools is what confused me and seemed too complicated (without a manual, anyway) and Acid Pro is a loopy thing, right? Reason is beyond acid pro and simpler to use than Pro Tools. I don't have a clue if it does SMPTE time coding for movies, though.

"Reason" r0x0r. You can do fantastic instrumental ELECTRO on it. Fux0r that tho', for soon I will be saving up for Max/MSP!!!! LOLOLOLLOLOLOLOLOLLLO!!!! I AM 31337!!!!! I O\/\/\|\|Z J00 ALL!!!!!

What's 31337? |-| 3 |_ P . A . ƒ 3 |_ |_ A . 0 |_| †

a textual varition on 'elite' that norman fay invented a few months ago.

reason is for house fags and toys. reaktor is for lamors like me and max/msp is for smart people. supercolider is for even smarter. reaktor is like a baby version of max/msp but i can use it on my pc. i first started making live patches on audiomulch and if you have a pc and want to get into this shit you should too. protools, logic etc shouldnt even be compared, for they are sequencers and not audio application development environments like the others.

DANCE EJAY!!!!!

ƒ4|\|X, 3t|-|4|\|. ! †|-|0|_|6|-|† !† |\/|!6|-|† 83 e|_!†e, 8|_|† \/\/45 (0|\|ƒ|_|53|) 8y †|-|3 5p3|_|_!|\|6.

Writing like that is something.

ahem, where I wrote "e|_!†e" I really meant "3|_!†3". Sorry about that.

Thanks to Mr. Nude, Norman, and Chaki for your responses.... hmmm.. now I am more confus-ed than ever...

so I should try maybe Reaktor and MAX/MSP first?

Chaki--ProTools isn't a sequencer, it's a digital audio recorder, kinda different... the reason I mentioned it is because a lot of people use it to chop stuff up and make "dance" music... more like IDM stuff... certainly the Tortoise crowd and actually many other musique concrete people too...

hmmm.... can you explain more about Max/msp?

Oh wait, is MAX/MSP that Ircam proggie? Ah, I've used it--my friend summered at IRCAM this past year, so we toyed with the thing... so basically MAX/MSP is a sound generator--hmmm... not quite what I had in mind, because if that were the case, I'd much rather just use some good sound editing programs--seems like MAX/MSP is designed for dynamic sound processing... is that right? And I'm guessing that Reaktor is like that too... is there a cohesive beatbox/sound proc proggie besides Reason?

mickey, get "Reason" It's fucking great, sounds good, is (fairly) cheap if U shop around, and is a piece of piss to use.

And no way did i invent "31337".

What about Jeskola Buzz?

Norman, I'm on that tip. Thanks!

It seems that most of these posts are comparing apples to oranges. Each of these software packages does a pretty different thing in the studio. Pro-tools is a multitrack recording and mixing program with midi sequencing and other goodies. It's goal is to record audio sources and sequence external keyboards, samplers and the like. It is what most recording studios use to produce tracks for their artists. Most electronic musicians that have a studio setup would use something like Cubase or Logic instead of Pro-tools, because they are more economical and do essentially the same things. Reason is similar to Pro-tools, in that it features extensive midi sequencing, but it only sequences it's own internal drum machines, loop players, samplers and software synths. It doesn't really record audio the way that Pro-tools does. It is essentially self-contained, though you can import .wav files that you create and use them as drum machine sounds, samples, loops or whatever. Reason may seem simple at first, but is actually a very powerful tool when you start creating your own drum kits with .wav files and importing your own samples. Reaktor is the most unique of these programs, in that it is basically just a gigantic modular synth with effects that you can configure in nearly infinite ways. You can't really build a song with Reaktor, but you can use Reaktor with Pro-tools as a virtual instrument, and also use it with Reason in a more limited way. I use Reaktor to create synth sounds that I export to .wav format in Reaktor and then import them into the sampler in Reason and sequence away to my heart's content. So, which program is better? Depends on what you are doing with them. I'd say leave Pro-tools for the studio, and set yourself up with Logic, Reason, and Reaktor. For those on a budget, go with Reason alone.

Use them all. Each have there cons and pros. My thing is reaktor,logic,live and soon to be checkin max. Mix it up. I'll tell you this though mpc's and 909s can go bye bye......

How is ProTools as a sequencer? I think they just added that functionality in, like, 5.1? Right? I've not used it as such. Yeah, the question was kind of misleading. As for Reason--I got it! YAY! Of course, now I have to figure it out--it's still a huge transition for me working with 303 or 909 and this, because it just feels less intuitive. I mean, it's all there--but it's so, for lack of a better word, WEIRD.

u need to go out more. go get a girlfriend or something.

Ortisha? Is that you? What happened to your hair?

Mickey, you really don't want to know. It's way too harrowing.

Right, if this isn't cleared up already - basically, you'd be best off listening to Mike in the answer above. All this talk of Pro-Tools is a load of shite - as these people clearly haven't got it and are just getting mixed up with Acid Pro; another kettle of fish. Cubase/Logic are pretty evenly matched as sequencers, but on their own, they're very limiting. You need something to generate the sound - which is where Reaktor comes in. And then you need plugins too, to make your sounds sound sound, if you get my drift (which can cost thousands, or like someone else said, they're free if you're resourceful enough). All in all, although in the long run, it's worth it, there's a frustratingly big learning curve before you get to grips with your whole system. And then there's Reason. I know a lot of people get understandably sniffy about Reason. Why? Because 95% of the songs made on it are total shit techno/trance, and I mean, really really shit. Which isn't the most inspiring start. But it is simple to use on a basic level, getting progressively more complicated as and when you need it to be. And I've recently heard some decent tunes from Reason which has restored my faith in it. And unlike Rebirth, although everyone seems to favour the techno vibe, (it's a lot easy to make a 4 to the floor beats than something with any soul), Reason is capable of pretty much anything. The overall sound can be a bit weak, but it's nothing that can't be sorted with running it through something like T- Racks/Soundforge whatever.

Thanks! So what kind of plug-ins should I get?

p.s. actually I know a few techno/glitch-tech kids who use pro-tools on a regular basis. i hear even jim o'rourke is a pro-tools kind of guy. or maybe it was john wassists from tortoise.

Well it all depends on what your doing,if your looking at an all in one, reason is an option, but another option is orion pro, it goes for about $49,It can also run VST instruments (such as reaktor) which reason cannot. however if you record other instruments (aside from just stuff on your computer) you should get your protools set-up up and running again, as it is probably uyour best option. Reaktor is whole different thing, It's more of a synth than a total music production program. The closest thing you can compare it to is a nord modular. The learning curve for it is very high (although not as bad as max/msp (which can involve C or C++), It also sucks up processor power (although the new version is supposed to be better. So if you you want to do whole tracks on your computer would be Orion Pro,Reaktor,and Pro Tools(you can also record whatever other gear you have in Pro Tools, which is what you were doing before )

I'd like to confuse matters even more by saying that you CAN create an entire song with Reaktor alone. Load up a drum machine ensemble that also has the ability to chop up loops on the fly, then start up a separate instance of Reaktor and load the grainsynth ensemble. You can easily do a live jam session. There's alot of different combinations you can try. You can record everything in Reaktor and export it. You probably don't want to work like this all the time however. Just letting you know that it's possible.

OK ProTools, Reaktor, Reason..

I have used them all. Are you trying to make music or save money? If you want to make music stop wasting money on drugs and trendy clothes and buy a protools LE rig and reaktor. These are the two best programs in the universe. If you think you are making music with reason, quit kidding yourself, do us all a favor, and do some more drugs. Acid and fruity loops? Please, you suck. Maybe if you are 12 and it is all you can afford with your paper route money. But if you are over 18 you can afford a decent computer and protools le and reaktor, and you will never want for the power you crave, This system lets you color outside the lines, so to speak. The others are nice toys, but they will always be just that, toys. I mean get real why does reason cost $279. and reaktor $379? Cuz reaktor kicks ass. You want to record what you are doing? put logic and acid away and get protools, you will thank me.

The Green Life model "GL2000i" is a new model of Green Power juicer using twin-gear titurating technology. It will juice all fruits and vegetables as well as wheatgrass. It has a more compact and stronger housing than the Green Power it supercedes. Magnets and a bio-ceramic material in the Twin-Gear system produce fresh juice which can be stored for a longer period of time (up to 48 hours in the refrigerator) by delaying oxidation. Standard accessories include fine screen, coarse screen, soft fruit attachment, glass pitcher, homogenizing blank, plastic plunger, wooden plunger, strainer, cleaning brush.

Gee, thanks Tommy! I don't know anyone who would suggest ProTools as a sequencing platform. Logic is the way to go there, but there are problems with Logic and Reaktor. Seems like most of the Pros are going with a 2-computer setup for integrating Reaktor with a DAW app right now. This is a page that is for other people's information, not to 'leet out on everyone. Also, it ought to be noted that my bandmate uses Reason for some serious coloring outisde of the lines -- it allows you to stack 20+ Dr.Rex machines with recycled loops all twisted and in sync with each other. Any app (even fruityloops) can make a better track than you (or I) will ever make in the right hands. It is about the music, hey.

i use a dictaphone