Using the 1k to Control Reason

So I just had my homie come over with his new 1k to see how well it would work with Reason and other software.

We can't even get it to control Reason for some reason. Any help would be appreciated, we're both relatively new with this stuff.

I did a search on this and came up with a lot of results. None helped however. We followed some instrucitons on how some 2k users hooked there MPCs up to the computer to use as a controller, but still not working out for us.

We've got OUT on the 1k to IN on the interface. The keyboard controller is working, so we can't figure out why the MPC is not (as a controller).

Feeling pretty stupid right now, cuz this should be a real easy task...

My dumbass figured it out...

What's what.

Setup for the cable looks right, but one word to you: You'll need to save the eventual midi data to a .mid file on the MPC and import it to Reason to export your final wav files, loops or whatever.

Software setup is basically like this:

On the MPC, set a track to MIDI and select No Program, set to Channel 2A, and set up a bunch of consecutive tracks all as MIDI, No Program, 3A and up. Channel 1 has issues when run with Reason, though I couldn't specify what off the top.

In Reason (2.0 anyhow...), under Edit->Preferences, go to the Advanced MIDI page, for Bus A select the appropriate MIDI Interface input. For instance, I run a MIDISport 2x2 and my MPC runs in on port B. Select that and a green check should appear next to the Bus. Make sure you have your Buffer Size (if any) primed for the audio driver. (When I select my best driver, the ASIO MOTU FireWire Audio driver, there is no option for Buffer Size but the sound is exceedingly crisp and instantaneous) Play with the Buffer Size, making it as small as possible without distorting the sounds played in Reason over MIDI. (a procedure you'll be able to test in just a second)

Within Reason, create a Mixer and a Redrum drum machine, making sure it hooks into the Mixer and the Mixer is hooked properly into the Hardware Interface. You'll also want to select Redrum 1 In on the MIDI In Device's Channel 2 selector. At this point, the LED beside the selector should light up whenever you hit a pad on the MPC. Pop open a drumkit for the redrum and away you go. Run the latency test by playing with the Buffer Size setting as described above, as you tap pads on the MPC. You'll want the sounds to react as quickly as possible after hitting a pad but you don't want distortion from aliasing.

Continue adding instruments in Reason and assigning them to further MIDI channels, adding tracks on the MPC as normal, selecting MIDI and the appropriate channel for each instrument.

Peace,
-tank.

Thanks bro. Your posts are always very helpful (you, mpc3000, and stereoroid lace this place).

Actually, all I did was turn the MIDI selector on the 1k to 1A, and the two things started working together (MPC1K controlling Redrum). I didn't do anything under Advanced MIDI in Reason. No issues with latency either.

Been playing with the 1K all night. This thing is pretty easy to use on its own. I think I might buy one. Obviously, I haven't gotten into intricate midi setups with my computer yet, but after all the reading, sounds like the 2 should work fine together.

How do I know what buffer size is primed for my audio driver?

Thanks for the words.

If channel 1 works, more power to you. Just watch out because I'm pretty sure it's got quirks.

Not sure what version of Reason you're running. It may be that in 2.1 Reason automatically assigns MIDI channels to instruments, but it doesn't do that for me.

If you've got no issues with latency consider yourself lucky. What kind of soundcard/interface you running? I run a MOTU 828 for audio, which has some kickass features in a tiny amount of space, and a MIDI sport 2x2 which is plenty for my MIDI setup. Before I ran the MOTU I had issues with latency using the motherboard's built in soundcard (some shitty SoundMAX nonsense) except when I ran a Mia MIDI for a minute. You're probably already running ASIO drivers if you're on a PC and have no latency whatsoever.

The 1k is a tight little mug. Lot of features packed into that space and it's good for controlling anything in your setup. Works real well with Reason, particularly if you run Reason into a DAW of some kind for effects and so on.

The Buffer Size setting is on the Audio page of Preferences, and selects the number of samples (not complete wav samples but individual samples, ie 44,100 samples per second, etc) you want Reason to look ahead before actually playing sound. The more samples it looks at, the more pristine your audio will sound and with fewer glitches as you layer sounds. However, longer look-ahead time means sounds play back several miliseconds (or even a few seconds) after you hit the key or pad. If you were having latency problems you'd go in and toy with the buffer size setting till you had a good balance of speed and audio fidelity.

-tank.

Well, I've played isnstruments since I was a kid, and only recently got into all this technological ish. I've bought a few things in the past year after finally getting a real job, ha. Sometimes I get overwhelmed though, cuz I think I've purchased more than I can handle.

First bought a Fantom-S last year. Then I bought a G5 and started running some simple software like Reason 2.5, Recycle, etc. Problem was, I needed a DAW so I could use the Fantom-S with Reason. So yesterday I bought a Digi002-Rack (also because I want to record my guitar and bass).

So that should answer your question as to what I'm using.

Now could that answer why I'm not experiencing latency? Good computer and interface? Also, I don't see why there would be a lot of latency if all I'm doing is using the 1k to control sounds from Dr.Rex of Redrum.

And since your good at this Midi stuff, how would I so this: The 002 only has a MidiIN, Midiout1, MidiOut2. So if I want to Midi up the FS, and a 1k so that I can open a midi track of each in PT (1 midi track of MPC, with clock synced to PT...and a midi track in PT to record the keys from the FS)...how would I daisy chain that?

Would this be right?
MidiOut on MPC > MidiIN on FS > then a MidiOut on FS > MidiIN on 002

Should I expect latency issues with that?

Right on. Growing up with music is a good thing for any kid. I myself picked up violin at one point and later played alto saxaphone during middle and highschool. I dropped off on playing instruments for a long time, but have always been musically inclined. Just happen to be a tech nut as well!

Fantom-S, huh? How's that treating you? I run a Karma myself, and I was just given an old Yamaha DX7 which is cool, I'm learning about FM synthesis and I'll be sampling a lot off that.

Reason and Recycle are both great programs, especially if you plan on using loops within Reason in Dr. Rex!

The Digi002 is an audio/midi interface, Pro Tools would be your DAW. I run Cubase on a PC. I'll have a listen to some of your stuff sometime if you like, I can always dig on a producer who can play instruments, especially if you're any good on that guitar and bass.

Yeah, if you went through the basic setup procedures for using the Digi and Pro Tools, etc, your latency should be nil. The Digi is a nice piece of kit. Latency is usually a result of poor audio drivers/hardware rather than the amount of softsynths you're running, unless you're seriously weighing your machine down with them.

Latency is not something that you'll really notice as a result of chaining MIDI devices together, unless one of the devices gets locked up or can't handle the load. You really should look into a slightly larger MIDI port setup so you can run the devices 1 in for 1 out. Chaining will make things complicated and you may or may not be able to route things the way you want. I think there's an option for turning soft MIDI thru on for all channels on the 1k (under MIDI mode) but I can't be sure.

Anyhow, sorry for the long blab.

Peace,
-tank.

thynctank wrote:Fantom-S, huh? How's that treating you? I run a Karma myself, and I was just given an old Yamaha DX7 which is cool, I'm learning about FM synthesis and I'll be sampling a lot off that.

Love it. Was kind of heated when the released the Fantom-X a year after I unload Gs on the FS. But hey, what are you gonna do. The sound set is hot, and the SRX expansion boards leave room for...expansion. The onboard sequencer is easy to use, and pretty powerful IMO compared to the MPC sequencer, but I know I'm probably gonna get heat for sayin that.

thynctank wrote:Reason and Recycle are both great programs, especially if you plan on using loops within Reason in Dr. Rex!

Word. I don't loop though...more into chopping.

thynctank wrote:The Digi002 is an audio/midi interface, Pro Tools would be your DAW. I run Cubase on a PC. I'll have a listen to some of your stuff sometime if you like, I can always dig on a producer who can play instruments, especially if you're any good on that guitar and bass.

Yeah, I plan on having PT as the hub of it all. You can check out my SoundClick if you want. Only an excerpt of one track on there, never got around to uploading anymore. http://www.soundclick.com/bands/6/alxproductions.htm And no instruments, I didn't have any multi-track to record audio, which is why I bought the 002.

thynctank wrote:Latency is not something that you'll really notice as a result of chaining MIDI devices together, unless one of the devices gets locked up or can't handle the load. You really should look into a slightly larger MIDI port setup so you can run the devices 1 in for 1 out. Chaining will make things complicated and you may or may not be able to route things the way you want. I think there's an option for turning soft MIDI thru on for all channels on the 1k (under MIDI mode) but I can't be sure.

Do you really think I'd need a Midi I/O? I dunno bro, all I plan on hooking up is the FS, and an MPC1k. Each should be able to respond fine with their own MIDI Tracks in PT, right?

For the FS, I will be recording in MIDI onto PT. I can do all the midi editing, quantizing, etc in PT, so I don't even think I'd need to sync anything. For the MPC, I will plan on sequencing drums in the 1k, so all I would need to do is sync the Midi Clock in MPC to slave to PT.

Hey, I did it last night - 2 millisecond latency (which isn't noticeable)

I used the 1000 as a sequencer for Reason - pretty nice - I used my extreme leads assignable controllers to control the various instruments in reason

So Reason became my sound module I used the 1000 to sequence some stuff and my assignable controllers to bring it to life - nice

My only question is - what should I record the whole thing into?

Nice set-up - highly recommended!

I just bought PTLE and it's working great.

Frankly wrote:I just bought PTLE and it's working great.

Can you run both application at the same time - while sequencing from your MPC and record REASON into a program like pro-tools

I don't see why not. You have Reason midi'd up to the MPC right? If you have the song done, you can just dump the audio from MPC to PT. If you want to dump MIDI, so that you can do further MIDI editing on PT, you should be able to slave the MPC to PT midi sequencer, and dump.

That should be the same with all the other hardisk recorders, like Cubase, Logic, etc. I am pretty new to this stuff too though, so hopefully someone else can get in on this.

I only use one sound card (digi001) so if I tried to open PT while Reason is open and using the midi ports Pro-Tools would let me the digi001 was still in use

yeah, any thoughts