Daily Archives: April 4, 2009

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(compMus1) Combining Synths in Reason, Part 2

April 4, 2009 – 8:48 pm

Following up on part 1 of this topic, controlling multiple synths that are being used as one involves setting up Digital Performer to output a MIDI track to more than one port/channel, and enabling the Multi-Record option in DP to specify what MIDI input device gets used for a specific MIDI track.

MIDI tracks in Digital Performer default to having only one MIDI output port/channel. If you want to use one track to control multiple synths, you will need to create a Device Group. Device Groups are combinations of MIDI outputs. You create Device Groups from the MIDI output section of a MIDI track in DP.

First, make sure that you are properly set up in Reason. Each synth should have its own MIDI channel assignment in the Adv MIDI Control section of the Hardware Interface. It is assumed that you already have setup DP for interapplication MIDI.

Create a device group by choosing the output of a MIDI track and selecting New Device Group.

devicegroupselect

In the Device Group edit window you can assign as many outputs to your device group as are defined in your Core MIDI setup. Click on the triangle below Device Group 1 and you get the MIDI output assignment popup menu. You can rename the device group by option-clicking on the name. When you’re done assigning outputs, close the edit window.

devicegroupedit

Note that if you want to edit a device group (add or subtract outputs), you need to navigate to the window via the Studio | MIDI Device Groups menu command. You can also create device groups from scratch through this command. From a track, you only have the option of creating new device groups. You can still edit old ones through the track popup, but a new device group will be created and selected for your track.

Once you’ve created a device group to control multiple synths in Reason, you’ll encounter an interesting problem. If your track with the device group is record-enabled in DP, moving any slider or knob in Reason for any of the grouped synths will change the same parameter on all the other grouped synths. For example, say you have three Subractor synths grouped in DP. Moving the Attack time of the Amplitude Envelope on any of the synths will move all the Attack time sliders of all the Amplitude envelopes on the other synths. This happens because moving one of the sliders in Reason causes a MIDI message to be sent from Reason to any application or device that is listening to MIDI messages. In DP, any record enabled track is listening to all MIDI input from any device/app on any channel.

To correct this problem, you need to enable Multi Record in DP (Studio | Multi Record). This allows you to record more than one MIDI track at a time. More importantly, it allows you to set the MIDI input for each record enabled track. We probably won’t be recording to more than MIDI track at a time, but being able to set the MIDI input to a record enabled track with a device group allows us to specify what device the track will listen to (and echo to its output device group). Choose the Korg Kontrol49 Port 2 (or Port A) device, any MIDI channel for your input. Now DP will ignore the changes you make to the front panels in Reason.

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computerMusic1 lectureNotes_cm1

(compMus1) Combining Synths in Reason, Part 1

April 4, 2009 – 2:38 pm

I wasn’t sure how to name this post. I’m going to go over how you can combine synths in Reason for expanded synthesis and control capabilities. In this context, multiple synths are used to produce one composite output. For example, you can combine two (or more) Subractors to have four (or more) oscillators in your output sound. Or you can add an additional Subractor and use its LFO, Filter, and Mod Envelope as additional CV sources.

Reason has a device called the Combinator that can combine multiple synths, effects, and control units, but you give up a lot of control over individual parameters with this type of setup. For our projects, we will use Device Groups in Digital Performer to output one MIDI track to multiple MIDI channel outputs. I’ll cover device groups in a subsequent post.

Some things to keep in mind when combining multiple synths in Reason.

  • Envelopes are triggered by noteon commands, or gate messages from a step sequencer. If you’re using noteon commands, you will need to use device groups in DP.
  • Make sure each synth is assigned a MIDI channel in the Adv MIDI control interface.
  • If you are combining synths for more oscillator outputs, then you will probably want to mix the output of the synths. You can use a Line Mixer 6:2 instead of a full Mixer 14:2. The Line Mixer has gain, pan, and aux send controls for each input pair.
  • If you are using a synth for CV purposes (Env, LFO, etc.), you will make CV connections on the back panels of the synths.
  • Back panel CV outputs are not scaled by the front panel “amount” controls. Back panel outputs are always at full level. You control how much effect the CV has by adjusting the input gain control of the target parameter.
  • Synth patches store only front panel controls. Back panel controls and connections are only saved with the rack (Reason song).
  • It is a good idea to save synth patches even if you are only using a synth for one its envelopes. Recalling a patch is still quicker than setting four sliders, and you can save variations of envelopes that can be recalled for multiple uses.
  • If you want one back panel CV output to control multiple parameters, you need to use the splitter section of a Spider CV Merger & Splitter. The Spider has two splitter sections, with one CV input being multiplied to four outputs. You can even combine the two splitters if you connect one split output (from A) to the B input. This will give you seven outputs for one input. You could even combine CV outputs into one using the merge section. You could combine an envelope and an LFO to provide a pitch envelope with vibrato.
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