Hi Erik, I found your tutorial very useful. I noticed you provided a link to your Berklee Online course for Reason, and I have a question. I have been using Reason for 2-3 years and want to get better. I am interested in your course but fear some of the money spent will go to waste because you would go over a lot of things I already know. If that is the case, would there be another course adapted to perhaps an intermediate level of Reason?
Thanks for watching Valentin. I hear exactly what you’re saying. You’re right, if you’ve got experience in something and then you take a class on this thing you’re going to encounter some repetition, going over things you already know. But here’s the what I believe, it never hurts to refresh the basics and get another perspective. (For example, I’m sure you know how to browse for patches, but do you know how to use the Browse Focus feature while a MIDI sequence is playing to browse for patches?) Plus, throughout the course you have direct access to me (and your classmates) for all the additional exploration, “pick your brain” questions, and collaborations that you want, including weekly live video chats. So despite the repetition for you in some topics, it’s really about how far you want to take it and the time you’re willing to put into the class when you’re enrolled. You know the old adage, “you get out what you put in…” It’s true! Also, beginning in Week 5 the assignments become more creative giving you the opportunity to flex your skills and creative impulses. In Week 8 you begin arranging your class project which will be a fully produced song you should finish by the end of the term. For more advanced classes on specific topics, such as mixing/mastering, producing drum beats, remixing, etc., check out the other course offerings at Berklee Online, many of them can be done with whatever DAW program you prefer, but you must know your DAW well in order to take these classes since the emphasis isn’t simply on how to use your DAW but rather specific music production techniques. Hope this helps :-)
I've seen lots of videos but this one has taken Reason to another level. It is time to see all the full potential this DAW has and I'm sure there's a lot more. Thank you!!!
Wow!!! Thank you for this! Really nice to find a PROFESSIONAL who has put together a PROFESSIONAL grade video that is actually helpful! Just amazing! SUBSCRIBED!! Great rendition of the song too. So enjoyable to watch and listen to. Thanks again!!
@@Ryanthemusician Thank you and thanks for watching! Check my Music Projects playlist, believe it or not all the music in the last five music videos posted were created in Reason 10 and Reason 11. czcams.com/play/PLWV35I-kaeda9n65-uIoIxq-WRiUOGwe0.html
The mix controller toggles (by banks of 8) the channels I was working with into view on the screen. But yeah, that is a pain when you have so many mixer channels in a session, you literally can't show them all on the screen at once. Pro Tools has a narrow mix channel setting that helps to view more channel strips at once. That'd be helpful!
True, not internally. There's plenty of headroom inside the virtual mixer. Though, as soon as it goes red it has the potential to clip your audio interface's DAC. It's the DAC clipping that you might hear distortion.
It's not an external audio mixer, it's just a MIDI controller. No audio passes through it. It just allows you to get control of Reason's virtual software mixer from real knobs and faders. For that real-world hands on feel!
we've all purchased all of these third party plugins (waves, UAD). Why not just use those? Maybe click on the instrument in the rack and add the efx right there (eq, comp)?
If you purchased these, you should absolutely use them 😉 But if you haven't, the Reason mixer is awesome, especially since it's modeled after the SSL K series mixer and it sounds great. Plus, it has the added advantage of not requiring any extra processing power and having all the channel strip controls right in front of you for maximum efficiency, versus having to click around in the Rack looking for your inserts just to access an EQ or compressor setting. This type of mixing system is why top mixing engineers have enjoyed using analog boards for decades, they're a fast an efficient workflow.
Can I ask what mixer is that you're using, I want to invest in a mixer because I'm tired of using the daw mixer. But I know all mixes don't give you that same control
This is not a mixer, it's a MIDI control surface. It does not pass any audio signals, it's only for controlling the DAW program's virtual knobs and faders. If you want an analog mixer that's not too expensive, the Mackie VLZ mixers are solid. If you want to move up to a higher end compact analog mixer, check out the SSL Big Six mixer.
Thanks for watching. It's the old Mackie Control surface. Though the updated Mackie Control Universal is still sold, there are some good alternatives nowadays. Check out the Behringer X-touch series for half the cost or less, www.sweetwater.com/behringer-x-touch/series
@@vaughnmiller4371 You're right, teaming up with Behringer would be perfect. Though, technically the Behringer X-Touch does the Mackie MCU controller profile and Reason works with this profile. So there's that already... www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/XTouch--behringer-by-touch-universal-control-surface
It's not actually a mixer, it's just a MIDI controller. It's the Mackie Universal Control (MCU). You can still find them on the used market. But an even better deal these days is the PreSonus FaderPort, IMO Hope this helps.
Great video! A lot of things to apply. But Im still confused regarding the part in many other videos. Gain staging. What i have learned from other videos is that you should first balance all sounds to the same level. That sounds often not good. Then you add effect and EQ and after that you work with the faders?!. But here you do the opposite? Thanks!
It's really better to figure out what you want loudest in your mix. For example, with EDM is't probably the kick drum. Set this to peak at -8 db on the Master Fader meter. Then mix everything else around this. Use a combination of the faders and your effect levels to balance your mix. People like to keep the mixer faders around 0 db for the best resolution/level control. But this isn't required. So long as you keep the Master at 0 db and you're not clipping your main mix output levels.
been having trouble connecting a a behringer mixer i have to use in reason, any tips/instructions on how to have it read properly. i've been stuck with using the digital mixer
You mean one of the X-Touch consoles? Is there a profile for it? Actually, it looks like it has a Mackie Control Universal (MCU) mode. So set it up as an MCU controller in Reason's Preferences. I think that should do it, at least in theory.
They're really different DAW programs with completely different interfaces. They can accomplish many of the same tasks but with very different approaches so you should try them both to see which one looks and feels right to you.
It's an old Mackie Control Universal. The Mackie Control Universal is still being sold. But I suggest Checking out the PreSonus FaderPort 8 at Sweetwater for $600. It has a HUI mode and Reason will recognize this control mode.
Hello, thanks for the vid. One of the best broad overview tutorials I've seen yet..straight and to the point. Question, when you bounced your session prior to this video, did you select the "Normalize" box?
You're welcome. Thank you for watching and commenting. No, I never use Normalize when bouncing out my mix. I'd use normalize for sound design, if I was creating a sample. But if my mix levels are good before mastering, my pre master levels should be about -3 to -4 db below 0, then I don't touch the Normalize option. If you're mastering right in Reason, your mastering plug-in should bring your peaks to 0 and you shouldn't need Normalize at all. Hope this helps.
@@ErikHawk Hi, thanks for the response. The trouble I'm having is that I add my fades while still in the recording process, *before* I bounce the mixer channels to begin mixing. So, when I go to start mixing with the stems, I have all the original fades intact. This helps tremendously in terms of my creative process. The issue is that when I bounce the mixer channels to begin the mixing process, there's severe distortion or clipping. The two ways I've found to remedy this is by either lowering the levels prior to bouncing, or clicking the Normalize box. The trouble with the former is that it effectively does away with all the fades I had in place. My (perhaps unnecessary) fear with the latter is that the normalizing will somehow degrade the audio quality. Any thoughts or insights? I hope this makes sense. I wish CZcams allowed for screenshots!
@@julianbannon3076 Yes normalizing degrades your audio because in the process of raising your peaks to 0 it also raises the noise floor of your recorded signal. When I stem out I bounce without any fades. But if I do want a little clean up fade on an audio clip I'll add it right to the clip instead of fader automation. But as a rule, it's a good idea to save most of your fader automation for your actual mix. Because, for example, if your signal is fading out and you're trying to compress this then you're losing your compression as it falls below the compressor's Threshold. The fade you add should be after your insert compressor. Hope this helps.
Thank you. So, not having known all of this until now, what would you recommend as my best course of action? I'm currently in the midst of trying to mix my album, and there's about half a dozen songs on it with the fades already added. I'm guessing the best thing to do would be to delete the fades, bounce the songs, then just re-add them to the stems? If that's so, I'm not sure what the best way is to go about bouncing without clipping. The only thing I know that works is bouncing with all levels at -12 dB..but perhaps there's a more precise method? Thanks so much :)
@@julianbannon3076 I recommend watching some tutorials on gain staging your mix. If you're stemming your tracks out they shouldn't be clipping. If you're bouncing your whole stereo mix out and that's what's clipping, then you need to work on proper gain staging in your mix. If you're lowering your Master by -12 db, that's too much. Honestly, without seeing what you're actually doing I can't really give you any more advice. Watch some gain staging tutorials, create a mix that's not clipping before you master.
Yes, it is! Plus, I'm currently updating the relevant sections to Reason 12. Keep in mind that there are only a few major changes on 12 compared to the older versions. Specifically: the Reason Rack plug-in for other DAWs, hi-res graphics (they really do look better), a few new devices, and a major overhaul of the combinator device.
@@ErikHawk well....That, and sampling with Mimic is a whole new (and big) topic in itself. Also the new Combinator introduces new aspects to sound design.
@@lenglain Yeah the new Combinator is powerful, as is Mimic! But the class is not a sound design course, that's another class. The Producing Music with Reason class is a get your song written, produced, and mixed course. If you want to get into the weeds on sound design, check out the dedicated sound design classes at Berklee.
The MIDI keyboard controller is a Nektar Panorama P6. The mixer work surface controller is a first gen. Mackie Universal Controller (aka, MCU). The newest model is an Mackie MCU Pro. But there are a lot more options now, including the PreSonus Faderport 8 and the Behringer X Touch. Hope this helps.
A couple questions: Did you have to do any remapping with your Universal Controller or did it work flawless with Reason? Would provide additional information on how to take a class with you through Berkeley? Thanks in advance
@@ChristianValdezMusica The Mackie worked seamlessly with Reason right out of the box. This is because there's a profile for it available right in Reason's MIDI setup page. No MIDI mapping required :-) Oh yes, there are a lot of classes available through Berklee Online! During the school year I always teach the classes that I developed: Producing Music with Reason, Remixing, Programming and Producing Drum Beats, and Performing with Ableton Live. Look for these classes in the course catalog and speak to a student adivisor about the details including tuition, degrees, and financial aid. online.berklee.edu/
The Master is always gray, unless you select it and then the bar is red in the Main Mixer. The other red faders are sub mix channels (New Output Bus, Control G). Right click on a a channel's name, and from the pop up menu select Channel Color to change its color. Hope this helps.
Thanks for watching, glad you enjoyed the video. That's an old, original (first gen.) Mackie Control. The original, not the updated Mackie Control Universal (2nd gen.), is around $200 on ebay. If you want a more up to date controller for a reasonable price check out the PreSonus FaderPort 8 or the Behringer X-Touch (Compact and Universal).
Thanks fir making this video love the info, i got a qustion when u said u find the loudest element in the mix the mix around it i see your master meter db going pass 8dp. what do u mean by mixing around your loudest element
As in, which element in your mix do you want the focus to be on? Solo this track, so it’s the only thing playing, and set its level so that its loudest peak is at -8 db on your Master Fader meter. Now, don’t touch this track level for the rest of your mix and mix all of your other tracks around this signal. In the end, you overall mix level will be louder than -8 db, but you should still be able to hear your focus element clearly and your total mix shouldn’t be clipping. At least that’s the objective :-)
Yes, the Maximizer, aka a "brick wall" limiter. Mastering for loudness should be done after you've got a great sounding mix, with proper gain structure, IMO. Then it's time for mastering and adding the loudness.
Hi Hawk, how are you pal? I just received my Music Producer T-Shirt today, it is awesome. Thanks again. I came across this video tutorial you made about mixing in reason, it is great I have to say. Is this the same mixing workflow you use in every project you create? I worked on a project the other day. A house track. I've got all the elements I want to use but my mixing is just not right.
Awesome! Glad you like the t-shirt. Thanks for letting me know. Yes, this video represents a good overview of the process. Of course, it's difficult to encapsulate all the details that go into mixing in a single video. (I need to make more of these mixing vids because people really seem to enjoy this one.) If you're having problems with balancing the levels of your different tracks, I suggest checking out iZotope's Tonal Balance Control to help meter your mix's frequency content. Also, house music tip, start by setting your kick drum to peak at -8 db on the Master. Then mix all the rest of your parts around this. Good luck and have fun, learning to mix is a process.
@@ErikHawk I also have another question for you Hawk. I noticed on the video you've used an external control surface digital mixer. What brand was that you used? Are there larger digital mixers? Thanks in advance.
@@ivanvelez7668 To be clear, it's just a mixer control surface, not a digital mixer. It doesn't pass any signal. It's an old Mackie Control surface. Though the updated Mackie Control Universal is still sold, there are some good alternatives nowadays. Check out the Behringer X-touch series for half the cost or less, www.sweetwater.com/behringer-x-touch/series
Yes, each pad in Kong can be assigned to its own output. Assign the pad's output, create a main mixer channel, and then plug the Kong output into the mixer channel. This is an old video, with an old version of Reason, but Kong is the same. I show you how to assign Kong's outputs here, czcams.com/video/XhZLaf9oxnk/video.html
It's an old Mackie Control Universal. The Mackie Control Universal is still being sold. But I suggest Checking out the PreSonus FaderPort 8 at Sweetwater for $600. It has a HUI mode and Reason will recognize this control mode.
Glad you enjoyed the video, thanks for watching. It's the old Mackie Control surface. Though the updated Mackie Control Universal is still sold, there are some good alternatives nowadays. Check out the Behringer X-touch series for half the cost or less, www.sweetwater.com/behringer-x-touch/series
Automation clips. Since Reason's automation is contained in clips, you could just write a bunch of clips and the copy/drag them to the next location where you want the scene to occur.
Use the Block clips. If the Block lane isn't visible, from the main Options menu, Enable Block. Then, you can draw in the Block automation clips for use as song markers. Hope this helps.
That's an old, original (first gen.) Mackie Control. The original, not the updated Mackie Control Universal (2nd gen.), is around $200 on ebay. Yes, it auto maps, or more specifically Reason recognizes the controller. The Nektar P4 only has one motorized fader, the Mackie has nine. If you want more motorized faders, a more up to date controller for a great price is the PreSonus FaderPort 8. Though I haven't specifically used the FaderPort 8 with Reason so I'm not sure how Reason recognizes it.
Insert channel compression helps to control the dynamics of the signal on that mixer channel. This is ideal for controlling the perceived level of a signal in your mix. Think of the Master Compressor as a pre-mastering effect, often referred to as “glue” for the whole mix. Use the Master Compressor when you want to add this “glue” effect to your mix. It’s not something you need all the time, it just depends on the mix. Hope this helps.
Great idea. I’ll keep this in mind for a future video. Also, since Reason does VST plug-ins now, I highly recommend the iZotope Ozone plug-in for mastering. It sounds fantastic and has lots of great stock mastering presets that will get you going right out of the box.
Yes absolutely. But that said, a reminder note, you get out of it what you put into it. So, the lessons are online, but you’ve got to participate regularly and ask lots of questions both of your instructor and fellow students. Think of it like a job for 3 months, set this time aside each week to work on your studies while the class is in session and your skill set will blow up!
Berklee still offers a Producing Music with Reason course. After you've completed the course your class section stays online for you to access for one year, then it disappears.
You can set the location to where Reason will look for the VSTs installed on your system in Reason’s Preferences. Then, assuming you have VSTs installed on you system, they will appear in Reason’s Browser. Then you can simply drag and drop the VSTs into Reason’s Rack. Hope this helps.
Assuming you’re using Reason 10 or 11, from the main menu choose Window and from the drop down menu select View Main Mixer. You can also use the keyboard shortcut, F5.
It only shows channels for existing tracks. So when you start there are only one or two channels on your mixer. Just add more tracks and your mixer will keep expanding.
Ha ha, very funny :-) I kind of like that I can see which ones I use most often. Those are the ones I usually snapshot. There, now I can see all the money I spent on plugs that I don't use regularly, LOL.
Hi Erik,
I found your tutorial very useful. I noticed you provided a link to your Berklee Online course for Reason, and I have a question. I have been using Reason for 2-3 years and want to get better. I am interested in your course but fear some of the money spent will go to waste because you would go over a lot of things I already know. If that is the case, would there be another course adapted to perhaps an intermediate level of Reason?
Thanks for watching Valentin. I hear exactly what you’re saying. You’re right, if you’ve got experience in something and then you take a class on this thing you’re going to encounter some repetition, going over things you already know. But here’s the what I believe, it never hurts to refresh the basics and get another perspective. (For example, I’m sure you know how to browse for patches, but do you know how to use the Browse Focus feature while a MIDI sequence is playing to browse for patches?) Plus, throughout the course you have direct access to me (and your classmates) for all the additional exploration, “pick your brain” questions, and collaborations that you want, including weekly live video chats. So despite the repetition for you in some topics, it’s really about how far you want to take it and the time you’re willing to put into the class when you’re enrolled. You know the old adage, “you get out what you put in…” It’s true! Also, beginning in Week 5 the assignments become more creative giving you the opportunity to flex your skills and creative impulses. In Week 8 you begin arranging your class project which will be a fully produced song you should finish by the end of the term. For more advanced classes on specific topics, such as mixing/mastering, producing drum beats, remixing, etc., check out the other course offerings at Berklee Online, many of them can be done with whatever DAW program you prefer, but you must know your DAW well in order to take these classes since the emphasis isn’t simply on how to use your DAW but rather specific music production techniques. Hope this helps :-)
I've seen lots of videos but this one has taken Reason to another level. It is time to see all the full potential this DAW has and I'm sure there's a lot more. Thank you!!!
You're welcome. Thanks for watching. It's a great DAW.
Best video I have watched specifically focusing on reason. Cheers.
Thanks for watching. I'll try to do more like this in the future. Cheers!
Wow!!! Thank you for this! Really nice to find a PROFESSIONAL who has put together a PROFESSIONAL grade video that is actually helpful! Just amazing! SUBSCRIBED!! Great rendition of the song too. So enjoyable to watch and listen to. Thanks again!!
You're welcome. Glad you enjoyed the video. Thanks so much for watching :-)
Eric this tutorial is a game changer for me!!! No lie🕉
I appreciate this A LOT🙌🙌🙌
Peace🎹
You're welcome. Really glad it helped. Thanks for watching, have fun mixing!
This has to be the greatest tutorial bar none on CZcams!
Thanks for watching! :-)
So that's how you get the professional sound man been forever watching videos and this 60-minute video change my whole mixing life
The sound of yr mouse clicks... fabulous!!!
I love reasons and one of the main reasons (no pun intended) is the mixing board. And of course the reasons rack. Nice job Mr. Hawk...
Thanks Vaughn! Yes, I have reasons, ha ha. Thanks for watching.
Hawk the Man!! 💪🏾
Thanks for watching!
Hawk trained my bro at Berklee and made him a mixing god. So listen up!
Wait what, damn you’re Erik Hawk. You’re music is awesome.
Thank you :-)
Thanks for your simple and concise tutorial.there's alot of bad ones,but I look for ones like this to aid a better music productions.cheers
Thank you! So glad it was helpful. Thanks for watching and commenting.
Damn Looks like i will be doing all my work in Reason now
And this is a few years back, it's even better now!
@@ErikHawk i would love to hear some more of your work i just upgraded to Reason 11
@@Ryanthemusician Thank you and thanks for watching! Check my Music Projects playlist, believe it or not all the music in the last five music videos posted were created in Reason 10 and Reason 11. czcams.com/play/PLWV35I-kaeda9n65-uIoIxq-WRiUOGwe0.html
Wow a fool college-level mix class in 16 minutes went straight past the b******* and got to the point man this is incredible
Thanks for watching. I'm glad you found the video helpful!
Great video Prof. Hawk,
Thanks for the info!
You're welcome! Thanks for watching.
Awesome video! Thanks for your clear explanation of each process- very helpful.
You're welcome. I'm glad that you found the video helpful. Thanks for watching! :-)
im running three x touch compacts with reason 9.5 and loving it...
Violent Grey as in Behringer X-touch?
Outstanding!
Thank you! Thanks for watching.
We don't have your controller, perhaps moving it or shrinking it so we can just see the mixer?
The mix controller toggles (by banks of 8) the channels I was working with into view on the screen. But yeah, that is a pain when you have so many mixer channels in a session, you literally can't show them all on the screen at once. Pro Tools has a narrow mix channel setting that helps to view more channel strips at once. That'd be helpful!
So even though the master fader is showing yellow- it’s not actually near clipping?
True, not internally. There's plenty of headroom inside the virtual mixer. Though, as soon as it goes red it has the potential to clip your audio interface's DAC. It's the DAC clipping that you might hear distortion.
nice DAW Controller.good Tutorial.thanx
..yeah..what is it ?
Why using external mixer while REASON comes with everything?
It's not an external audio mixer, it's just a MIDI controller. No audio passes through it. It just allows you to get control of Reason's virtual software mixer from real knobs and faders. For that real-world hands on feel!
we've all purchased all of these third party plugins (waves, UAD). Why not just use those? Maybe click on the instrument in the rack and add the efx right there (eq, comp)?
If you purchased these, you should absolutely use them 😉 But if you haven't, the Reason mixer is awesome, especially since it's modeled after the SSL K series mixer and it sounds great. Plus, it has the added advantage of not requiring any extra processing power and having all the channel strip controls right in front of you for maximum efficiency, versus having to click around in the Rack looking for your inserts just to access an EQ or compressor setting. This type of mixing system is why top mixing engineers have enjoyed using analog boards for decades, they're a fast an efficient workflow.
Great video Hawk.
Can I ask what mixer is that you're using, I want to invest in a mixer because I'm tired of using the daw mixer. But I know all mixes don't give you that same control
This is not a mixer, it's a MIDI control surface. It does not pass any audio signals, it's only for controlling the DAW program's virtual knobs and faders. If you want an analog mixer that's not too expensive, the Mackie VLZ mixers are solid. If you want to move up to a higher end compact analog mixer, check out the SSL Big Six mixer.
Nice lessonThx alot
Thanks for watching! Glad it helped.
Excellent tutorial. Thanks for it!
Thanks for watching!
What is the mixer controller? Great video!
Thanks for watching. It's the old Mackie Control surface. Though the updated Mackie Control Universal is still sold, there are some good alternatives nowadays. Check out the Behringer X-touch series for half the cost or less, www.sweetwater.com/behringer-x-touch/series
A dedicated controller for Reason would be great that controls the mixer.
Maybe Propellerhead could team up with Akai to make this happen? :-)
Teaming up with Behringer would be the way to go. It would be nice...
@@vaughnmiller4371 You're right, teaming up with Behringer would be perfect. Though, technically the Behringer X-Touch does the Mackie MCU controller profile and Reason works with this profile. So there's that already... www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/XTouch--behringer-by-touch-universal-control-surface
Master of mix...thank'ssss!!!!
You're welcome. Thanks for watching!
well done
Thank you for watching and commenting. Much appreciated!
Hello 👋 which mixer you use ? Thank you
It's not actually a mixer, it's just a MIDI controller. It's the Mackie Universal Control (MCU). You can still find them on the used market. But an even better deal these days is the PreSonus FaderPort, IMO Hope this helps.
Great video! A lot of things to apply. But Im still confused regarding the part in many other videos. Gain staging. What i have learned from other videos is that you should first balance all sounds to the same level. That sounds often not good. Then you add effect and EQ and after that you work with the faders?!. But here you do the opposite?
Thanks!
It's really better to figure out what you want loudest in your mix. For example, with EDM is't probably the kick drum. Set this to peak at -8 db on the Master Fader meter. Then mix everything else around this. Use a combination of the faders and your effect levels to balance your mix. People like to keep the mixer faders around 0 db for the best resolution/level control. But this isn't required. So long as you keep the Master at 0 db and you're not clipping your main mix output levels.
been having trouble connecting a a behringer mixer i have to use in reason, any tips/instructions on how to have it read properly. i've been stuck with using the digital mixer
You mean one of the X-Touch consoles? Is there a profile for it? Actually, it looks like it has a Mackie Control Universal (MCU) mode. So set it up as an MCU controller in Reason's Preferences. I think that should do it, at least in theory.
excellent video
🙏🙏🙌🙌 praise Hawk
What´s the cool mixer you have in the table? 😍
The Mackie Universal Control. This is the old MIDI model, now there's a USB model available.
It's pretty cool seeing what reason can do. Anyone know how it compares to Ableton?
They're really different DAW programs with completely different interfaces. They can accomplish many of the same tasks but with very different approaches so you should try them both to see which one looks and feels right to you.
What's the name of the mixer board you're using? I'm not seeing in your links list Trying to find it to purchase online.
It's an old Mackie Control Universal. The Mackie Control Universal is still being sold. But I suggest Checking out the PreSonus FaderPort 8 at Sweetwater for $600. It has a HUI mode and Reason will recognize this control mode.
Hello, thanks for the vid. One of the best broad overview tutorials I've seen yet..straight and to the point. Question, when you bounced your session prior to this video, did you select the "Normalize" box?
You're welcome. Thank you for watching and commenting. No, I never use Normalize when bouncing out my mix. I'd use normalize for sound design, if I was creating a sample. But if my mix levels are good before mastering, my pre master levels should be about -3 to -4 db below 0, then I don't touch the Normalize option. If you're mastering right in Reason, your mastering plug-in should bring your peaks to 0 and you shouldn't need Normalize at all. Hope this helps.
@@ErikHawk Hi, thanks for the response. The trouble I'm having is that I add my fades while still in the recording process, *before* I bounce the mixer channels to begin mixing. So, when I go to start mixing with the stems, I have all the original fades intact. This helps tremendously in terms of my creative process. The issue is that when I bounce the mixer channels to begin the mixing process, there's severe distortion or clipping. The two ways I've found to remedy this is by either lowering the levels prior to bouncing, or clicking the Normalize box. The trouble with the former is that it effectively does away with all the fades I had in place. My (perhaps unnecessary) fear with the latter is that the normalizing will somehow degrade the audio quality. Any thoughts or insights? I hope this makes sense. I wish CZcams allowed for screenshots!
@@julianbannon3076 Yes normalizing degrades your audio because in the process of raising your peaks to 0 it also raises the noise floor of your recorded signal. When I stem out I bounce without any fades. But if I do want a little clean up fade on an audio clip I'll add it right to the clip instead of fader automation. But as a rule, it's a good idea to save most of your fader automation for your actual mix. Because, for example, if your signal is fading out and you're trying to compress this then you're losing your compression as it falls below the compressor's Threshold. The fade you add should be after your insert compressor. Hope this helps.
Thank you. So, not having known all of this until now, what would you recommend as my best course of action? I'm currently in the midst of trying to mix my album, and there's about half a dozen songs on it with the fades already added. I'm guessing the best thing to do would be to delete the fades, bounce the songs, then just re-add them to the stems? If that's so, I'm not sure what the best way is to go about bouncing without clipping. The only thing I know that works is bouncing with all levels at -12 dB..but perhaps there's a more precise method? Thanks so much :)
@@julianbannon3076 I recommend watching some tutorials on gain staging your mix. If you're stemming your tracks out they shouldn't be clipping. If you're bouncing your whole stereo mix out and that's what's clipping, then you need to work on proper gain staging in your mix. If you're lowering your Master by -12 db, that's too much. Honestly, without seeing what you're actually doing I can't really give you any more advice. Watch some gain staging tutorials, create a mix that's not clipping before you master.
Hi Eric what controller is that you are using
Mackie Control Universal.
Great video. Is your Berklee course still ongoing? And how current is it? (Reason 12?)
Yes, it is! Plus, I'm currently updating the relevant sections to Reason 12. Keep in mind that there are only a few major changes on 12 compared to the older versions. Specifically: the Reason Rack plug-in for other DAWs, hi-res graphics (they really do look better), a few new devices, and a major overhaul of the combinator device.
@@ErikHawk well....That, and sampling with Mimic is a whole new (and big) topic in itself. Also the new Combinator introduces new aspects to sound design.
@@lenglain Yeah the new Combinator is powerful, as is Mimic! But the class is not a sound design course, that's another class. The Producing Music with Reason class is a get your song written, produced, and mixed course. If you want to get into the weeds on sound design, check out the dedicated sound design classes at Berklee.
Great tutorial and straight to the point. But please what controller are you using for this video?
The MIDI keyboard controller is a Nektar Panorama P6. The mixer work surface controller is a first gen. Mackie Universal Controller (aka, MCU). The newest model is an Mackie MCU Pro. But there are a lot more options now, including the PreSonus Faderport 8 and the Behringer X Touch. Hope this helps.
A couple questions:
Did you have to do any remapping with your Universal Controller or did it work flawless with Reason?
Would provide additional information on how to take a class with you through Berkeley? Thanks in advance
@@ChristianValdezMusica The Mackie worked seamlessly with Reason right out of the box. This is because there's a profile for it available right in Reason's MIDI setup page. No MIDI mapping required :-) Oh yes, there are a lot of classes available through Berklee Online! During the school year I always teach the classes that I developed: Producing Music with Reason, Remixing, Programming and Producing Drum Beats, and Performing with Ableton Live. Look for these classes in the course catalog and speak to a student adivisor about the details including tuition, degrees, and financial aid. online.berklee.edu/
HOW U GET THE YELOW INSTEAD OF THE RED ON THE MIAN VALUME
The Master is always gray, unless you select it and then the bar is red in the Main Mixer. The other red faders are sub mix channels (New Output Bus, Control G). Right click on a a channel's name, and from the pop up menu select Channel Color to change its color. Hope this helps.
Wow great video what kind of Mixer board is that in the video that controls reason that’s nice
Thanks for watching, glad you enjoyed the video. That's an old, original (first gen.) Mackie Control. The original, not the updated Mackie Control Universal (2nd gen.), is around $200 on ebay. If you want a more up to date controller for a reasonable price check out the PreSonus FaderPort 8 or the Behringer X-Touch (Compact and Universal).
Can you please tell which mixer you are using
Mackie Control Universal, the first gen. There's an updated version that's call the MCU Pro and it's off white.
appreciate it brother
Thanks fir making this video love the info, i got a qustion when u said u find the loudest element in the mix the mix around it i see your master meter db going pass 8dp. what do u mean by mixing around your loudest element
As in, which element in your mix do you want the focus to be on? Solo this track, so it’s the only thing playing, and set its level so that its loudest peak is at -8 db on your Master Fader meter. Now, don’t touch this track level for the rest of your mix and mix all of your other tracks around this signal. In the end, you overall mix level will be louder than -8 db, but you should still be able to hear your focus element clearly and your total mix shouldn’t be clipping. At least that’s the objective :-)
@@ErikHawk This is so helpful. Now let's see if I can make it work!
@@arcachata4137 You're welcome. Have fun!
How do you get that mix loud? Maximizer? When? During mastering?
Yes, the Maximizer, aka a "brick wall" limiter. Mastering for loudness should be done after you've got a great sounding mix, with proper gain structure, IMO. Then it's time for mastering and adding the loudness.
all that work and it still sounds like Reason if u know you know :)
Hi Hawk, how are you pal? I just received my Music Producer T-Shirt today, it is awesome. Thanks again. I came across this video tutorial you made about mixing in reason, it is great I have to say. Is this the same mixing workflow you use in every project you create? I worked on a project the other day. A house track. I've got all the elements I want to use but my mixing is just not right.
Awesome! Glad you like the t-shirt. Thanks for letting me know. Yes, this video represents a good overview of the process. Of course, it's difficult to encapsulate all the details that go into mixing in a single video. (I need to make more of these mixing vids because people really seem to enjoy this one.) If you're having problems with balancing the levels of your different tracks, I suggest checking out iZotope's Tonal Balance Control to help meter your mix's frequency content. Also, house music tip, start by setting your kick drum to peak at -8 db on the Master. Then mix all the rest of your parts around this. Good luck and have fun, learning to mix is a process.
Erik Hawk alright I will try it out. Thanks for the tip.
@@ErikHawk I also have another question for you Hawk. I noticed on the video you've used an external control surface digital mixer. What brand was that you used? Are there larger digital mixers? Thanks in advance.
@@ivanvelez7668 To be clear, it's just a mixer control surface, not a digital mixer. It doesn't pass any signal. It's an old Mackie Control surface. Though the updated Mackie Control Universal is still sold, there are some good alternatives nowadays. Check out the Behringer X-touch series for half the cost or less, www.sweetwater.com/behringer-x-touch/series
This may be a simple question, but do you use Kong for your drum sequencing? If so how can you individualize your drums in the mixer?
Yes, each pad in Kong can be assigned to its own output. Assign the pad's output, create a main mixer channel, and then plug the Kong output into the mixer channel. This is an old video, with an old version of Reason, but Kong is the same. I show you how to assign Kong's outputs here, czcams.com/video/XhZLaf9oxnk/video.html
What mixer are you using in this video ?
It's an old Mackie Control Universal. The Mackie Control Universal is still being sold. But I suggest Checking out the PreSonus FaderPort 8 at Sweetwater for $600. It has a HUI mode and Reason will recognize this control mode.
The best sound in your video is the mouse click :-)
Great video! What’s the hardware you are using to mix?
Glad you enjoyed the video, thanks for watching. It's the old Mackie Control surface. Though the updated Mackie Control Universal is still sold, there are some good alternatives nowadays. Check out the Behringer X-touch series for half the cost or less, www.sweetwater.com/behringer-x-touch/series
whats the best way to do a Mix Scene in Reason 12?
Automation clips. Since Reason's automation is contained in clips, you could just write a bunch of clips and the copy/drag them to the next location where you want the scene to occur.
@@ErikHawk 🤔
hi how do you set markers?
Use the Block clips. If the Block lane isn't visible, from the main Options menu, Enable Block. Then, you can draw in the Block automation clips for use as song markers. Hope this helps.
what is that mixer controller? Does it automap w/reason? And what does it do beyond what your nektar can? Cool vid.
That's an old, original (first gen.) Mackie Control. The original, not the updated Mackie Control Universal (2nd gen.), is around $200 on ebay. Yes, it auto maps, or more specifically Reason recognizes the controller. The Nektar P4 only has one motorized fader, the Mackie has nine. If you want more motorized faders, a more up to date controller for a great price is the PreSonus FaderPort 8. Though I haven't specifically used the FaderPort 8 with Reason so I'm not sure how Reason recognizes it.
i was just about to ask the sam question because i know the Mackie MCU Pro
Makie control first gen? Thak you so much i want one!! Does the 2nd gen do the same?
i was looking at the behringer, but when i saw this i was omg i need it and want one!
The 2nd gen is better, mostly because it has a USB connection for plug and play. The older models were all MIDI ports only.
Good afternoon! What is the mixing device you are using?
I see you using a sound board device!
I notice you didn't use master bus compressor but you use channel or line compressor how does that work out?
Insert channel compression helps to control the dynamics of the signal on that mixer channel. This is ideal for controlling the perceived level of a signal in your mix. Think of the Master Compressor as a pre-mastering effect, often referred to as “glue” for the whole mix. Use the Master Compressor when you want to add this “glue” effect to your mix. It’s not something you need all the time, it just depends on the mix. Hope this helps.
Erik Hawk Thks for that info
Great video, Can you make mastering tutorial ?
Great idea. I’ll keep this in mind for a future video. Also, since Reason does VST plug-ins now, I highly recommend the iZotope Ozone plug-in for mastering. It sounds fantastic and has lots of great stock mastering presets that will get you going right out of the box.
thank you (:
How did he hide the cords when looking behind the rack
Flip the rack and then press "K" on your computer keyboard. The type of cable hide you prefer is set in Reason's Preferences.
@@ErikHawk Thanks
would i learn how to mix like this in reason if i take the berklee course?
Yes absolutely. But that said, a reminder note, you get out of it what you put into it. So, the lessons are online, but you’ve got to participate regularly and ask lots of questions both of your instructor and fellow students. Think of it like a job for 3 months, set this time aside each week to work on your studies while the class is in session and your skill set will blow up!
How good is the SSL in Reason compared to Waves, UAD, Brainworx, etc...?
Good question, I haven't done a side by side comparison. That's a good topic for a video!
@@ErikHawk I can't find any videos that includes Reason SSL in comparisons
What external mixer are you using?
It's the Mackie Universal Controller. It's just a MIDI controller, no signal passes through it, it's not an audio mixer.
Hi do I still have classes for reason?
Berklee still offers a Producing Music with Reason course. After you've completed the course your class section stays online for you to access for one year, then it disappears.
4:56 how did you pull up those vst's ??? do all of those plug ins come in reason 10?
Yup, Reason 10 recognizes third party VST plug-ins! Never thought the day would come but it's here and it is awesome.
how did you pull up those vst's? what buttons did you press?
You can set the location to where Reason will look for the VSTs installed on your system in Reason’s Preferences. Then, assuming you have VSTs installed on you system, they will appear in Reason’s Browser. Then you can simply drag and drop the VSTs into Reason’s Rack. Hope this helps.
I have a question how come reason sounds always sound soo d amnn scharp it kills my ears
1:50 if you didnt know you can highlight all the tracks then add a bus
Yes you can, great tip!
Sweet!😎✌👍
HOW HOW HOW HOW do your have the full mixer?!?! and not just a tiny 2 column on the right hand side? It's cried and screamed and need answers
Assuming you’re using Reason 10 or 11, from the main menu choose Window and from the drop down menu select View Main Mixer. You can also use the keyboard shortcut, F5.
It only shows channels for existing tracks. So when you start there are only one or two channels on your mixer. Just add more tracks and your mixer will keep expanding.
You should take a day off of work, just to fix the icons/images of your waves plug-ins. :p
Ha ha, very funny :-) I kind of like that I can see which ones I use most often. Those are the ones I usually snapshot. There, now I can see all the money I spent on plugs that I don't use regularly, LOL.