So far in this series, we’ve looked at the basics of getting started with the Reason Rack plugin in your DAW and how routing works in the Rack plugin. We recommend you take a look at those articles if you haven’t already.
If you’re up to speed, this article is where you’ll put all of that theory into practice. These three pro tips will give you a sense of what’s possible when using the Rack plugin in your DAW, with a focus on MIDI and the Combinator.
Since the first two tips in this article deal with MIDI output from the Rack plugin, keep in mind that they won’t work in Logic Pro or when using the AU version in other DAWs, since AU plugins don’t output MIDI.
But if you’re using the Reason Rack Plugin in a DAW that supports VST3 (like Ableton Live, FL Studio, Reaper, and Cubase), or using the AAX version in Pro Tools, then you’ve got a super powerful MIDI sequencing and modulation tool on your hands!
With all of that out of the way, let’s make some sounds.
Tip 1: Use the Rack as a MIDI sequencer
One of the most underrated ways to use the Rack is as an arsenal of MIDI sequencing and processing tools. This is where the Player devices really shine. Just like the instruments and effects, they are crafted with a focus on musicality, ease of use, and immediacy.
You can, of course, use them to sequence instrument devices in the Rack, but you’re not limited to this. If there’s a drum machine, synth, or other instrument plugin you already know and love but want to sequence in a more immediate and musical way, the Player devices can open up a new world of possibilities.
Here’s how to set up the Reason Rack in your DAW as a MIDI sequencing plugin:
- Add the Reason Rack Plugin to a track in your DAW (remember that this won’t work with the AU version)
- Set up another track in your DAW that holds the instrument plugin you want to sequence
- Route MIDI from the track holding the Rack Plugin to the track holding your instrument plugin (check your DAW’s manual if you’re not sure of how to do this)
- Add a Player device to your Rack (a MIDI Out Device will be added automatically)
- Make sure the MIDI channel that the MIDI Out Device is sending to matches the MIDI channel that your external instrument plugin is receiving on
- If you’re sequencing a sampler or drum machine, make sure that the notes being sent by the Player device match the notes that you want to trigger
Here’s an example where we’ve set up Beat Map Algorhythmic Drummer to sequence an instance of BeatSkillz GRX-L in Ableton Live:
Here’s an example where we’ve set up PolyStep Sequencer and Bassline Generator to sequence a pluck sound and a bassline, both using Arturia Analog Lab Intro:
Tip 2: Use the Rack as a source of MIDI modulation
Sequencing isn’t the only thing that the Rack can do with MIDI. As you’ve seen before in our recent article on routing, an important part of the Rack’s routing system is CV (control voltage). This is a pretty powerful kind of signal to use within the Rack, but what would happen if you used it to control other plugins?
For this we’ll pull up the Pulsar Dual LFO, a very handy device that generates CV for modulating parameters throughout the Rack. The MIDI Out Device, meanwhile, can not only convert sequencer signals into MIDI notes, but CV signals into MIDI CC control data. Check out this section of the manual to see how MIDI CC output is set up in the MIDI Out device.
This means that you can use the Pulsar Dual LFO device as an LFO to modulate any plugin or piece of hardware that can be controlled with MIDI CC. On top of that, any instance of Pulsar can modulate not only itself but other instances of Pulsar, so you can get some pretty complex modulation going on for the parameters of your external plugins or hardware.
Let’s return to the setup we had earlier where PolyStep is sequencing Arturia Analog Lab. This time, we’ve set up Pulsar to modulate the MIDI CC controls assigned to the Brightness and Time parameters in the synth. It adds some variation and movement to give the synth line a bit more life and energy.
Tip 3: Use the Combinator to build and save device combinations
One of the most powerful aspects of the Reason Rack is the Combinator.
The Combinator is a container device that lets you combine multiple instruments, effects, utilities, and Players into a single, reusable setup called a Combi patch. When you load a Combi, it recalls all included devices, their parameter settings, and their internal audio and CV routing in one go. This makes it easy to build layered instruments, complex effect chains, or complete signal paths that can be saved and reused across projects.
Beyond simple grouping, the Combinator also gives you powerful control over how those devices behave together. You can map multiple parameters to a single control, create key and velocity splits, and design custom front panels with macro controls for performance or sound design. Because everything is contained within the Combinator, it acts as a flexible, self-contained instrument or effect that can range from simple to highly complex setups. You can even design the layout and appearance of the Combinator, which allows you to make each combi patch a fully customized and self-contained instrument.
There are countless different uses for the Combinator, but there’s a very simple one that can be great for getting started: building a multitimbral instrument by putting several instrument layers together as one.
In the example below, we built a huge and atmospheric pad for classic ‘90s style ambient drum ‘n’ bass. You can see all the devices we layered to do it and how they were balanced to sound like one cohesive patch (including the Chord Sequencer device for getting some vibey jazz chords going). To take care of drum break duties, we also set up another Rack plugin with three layered instances of Dr. Octo Rex Loop Player.
This Combinator patch uses:
- Europa Shapeshifting Synthesizer for an airy, spectral pad as the main base
- Humana Vocal Ensemble processed through Quartet Chorus Ensemble for an ethereal vocal layer
- Polytone Dual-Layer Synthesizer for the Rhodes-like synth chords
While you can layer devices like this in the Rack by default, the advantage of using the Combinator is that you can save the full setup as a patch and access via the Browser whenever you use the Rack. Most importantly, though, you can map any parameters in the contained devices to controls on the main panel of the Combinator to get more streamlined control.
To learn more about the Combinator and using it to build your own custom instrument setups, check out this section of the manual.
A playground for your sound
These are just three examples of the many ways you can make the Rack a major part of the music-making process in your DAW of choice.
We highly recommend exploring and experimenting with what you’ve learned so far, and don’t forget that you can learn more from the Reason Rack plugin manual and our video material.
If you think that using the Rack in your current DAW is inspiring and powerful, it’s even better in the Reason DAW. It’s fully integrated into the workflow and offers features you can’t get in the plugin alone, like instant live sampling into the sample-based devices and much more. If you’re ready to explore Reason as your next DAW, you can learn more here!
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