How to use Reason Multitrack in Reaper

 

Reaper + Reason = Multitrack

 


 

Create a new track and in fx put the REASON:

 


Let Reason open, remove the mixer and open as many instruments as you like. In the example below, we will make 5 instruments:

 

Press the TAB key to see the connections. In the marked part you have the AUDIO I/O inputs that will send the sound to the output automatically:

 


            Connect cables, but don't use input 1 and 2 unless you want to use the mixer. If you use 1 and 2 you will not be able to control the volume, effects and pan by Reaper in a multitrack way.


          Manually connect the instrument output cables to the AUDIO I/O, two cables per instrument. This connection will use what we call a BUS (the input and output channels that connect two different devices) and each BUS has two channels (minimum). Use the outputs (Audio Output) of the instruments and connect to the AUDIO I/O BUS, ignore BUS 1 and 2, connect the first to 3 and 4, second to 5 and 6, third to 7 and 8, etc:

 

 
Remember connections:

mixer/unused: 1/2

Instrument 1: 3/4

Instrument 2: 5/6

Instrument 3: 7/8

Instrument 4: 9/10

Instrument 5: 12/11

 These are the Reason outputs that you will connect to REAPER. Save the RACK to REASON before continuing.

        In REAper, go to the REASON track route and put 12 track channels (it's always double the available instruments + 2 extra channels (also count the unused BUS 1/2). In total we have 12 (5 instruments + 1 bus not used X 2= 12).


In the FX of the REASON track go to MIDI TO REWIRE and route each BUS with every instrument, DO NOT USE BUS 1 CHANNEL 1 (equivalent to 1/2):

 
 
Now in AUDIO FROM REWIRE, put in track channel each channel corresponding to the correct input, DO NOT USE MIX L & R BECAUSE IT IS BUS 1/2 (Channel 1 and 2):


 
Create 5 new tracks and name them MIDI tracks:


On each new track click on route and on SEND send it to the REASON track for CHANNEL 2, on the second track channel 3, third channel 4, etc., avoid channel 1, as it will be equivalent to 1/2:

 

These are the tracks where you will record the MIDI information, then they will be sent to REASON, click on the route of the REASON track and check, REAPER will have to receive in its channels (2,3,4,5,etc) the audio BUS 1/2 of the created tracks (in this case 1 and 2 are the outputs of the tracks you created, so here it has to be 1 and 2) :


Create 5 more new tracks that will be the output, name the instruments:

 


Click on the REASON track route and send the REASON audio to the new output tracks, using the BUS of each instrument as the output (BUS 3/4 on the first, BUS 5/6 on the second, etc):


Look bellow:

        set it to “ALL” at the end of each send, as this will ensure that the audio from each instrument arrives correctly on the destination tracks.


Enable recording on one of the midi tracks:


The MIDI will be recorded on MIDI track A, the effect will be processed by the REASON track and will be output by the INSTRUMENT A track:


Record to the other tracks. It is now possible to apply effects to the output tracks (In Insert or Send/Parallel Effect), control volume, pan, etc. You can even freeze it if you want.

                Don't forget to color the tracks and also save everything as a template so you don't have to do it all over again in other projects. Click on any track and press ctrl + A to select all, right mouse button, save as track template:


I hope you enjoyed this tutorial. good luck and great productions to you.