• Reason 10 Vst Plugins Folder
• Reason 10 Vst Plugins

Reason by Reason Studios is a Virtual Instrument and a Virtual Effect Audio Plugin and an Audio Plugin Host and a Standalone Application for macOS and Windows. It functions as a VST 3 Plugin and a Standalone Application. It can host VST Plugins and Rack Extension Plugins. It supports ReWire. Reason 10.3 is a much-anticipated update, because it addresses a significant performance issue with VST plug-ins – without disrupting one of the things that makes Reason’s native devices work well. The bad news is, 10.3 is delayed. The good news is, it works really well. It puts Reason on par with other DAWs as far as VST performance.

VST in Reason is something people have been requested a lot of times. It has been stated back in the days that Propellerhead will not integrate the VST format. Nor are there any plans regarding integrating VSTs in the Digital Audio Workstation called Reason (yes, we can call it a DAW). At some point in time when Reason 6.5 got released the program got its own unique platform for external plugins. Which is a great step forward. Most of the external plugins as Rack Extensions work seamless in the workflow of the program itself. While this has been there for quite some time there is still an outcry for VST support in Reason. For those who really want to use VST support in Reason, this topic might be for you. Since we'll be diving right in to it. We'll also discuss the different downsides with this setups and different 'work flow issues' you may need to be aware of.

VST since Reason 9.5

While this is quite fresh, vst will be supported since Propellerhead Reason 9.5. The whole rack interface contains a VST Host, and you can seamless drag and drop VST intstruments and plugins in to the reason rack as of the latest version.

VST the old Method

driver main asrock g41m vs3 xp Before diving in to it, there is always the option of 'Rewire'. Rewire is a protocol which allows other DAWs (that do support VST) to run reason in the background. In this case the other DAW is the host and Reason just hangs in there in the back ground. For a complete list of daws that support the Rewire protocol you can check the wikipedia list. Bagpipe vst plugin free.

There is a lot to say about this type of set up. Since in theory you will need 2 different programs to make use of it. Where Reason is used as a Synth (since in rewire mode you connect directly to the Rack while sending midi data to different devices). At the same time you using the other DAW to make music with. This may sound fine as it is. But there are some major drawbacks to this workflow.
- the user needs to have full understanding working with 2 DAWs
- the reason file needs to be saved as well as the song file. If you want to reload the session you need 2 files. One for the DAW, the other for Reason. I am not 100% sure if this is still the case, but it used to work that way.
- memory load (since your running 2 programs next to each other)
- cpu load might become an issue
- latency might become an issue

At some extend, if there is no real other alternative to get VST working with Reason. Then this might eventually be the only real solid solution there is. Sure, there are issues. But I never said this would be easy.

VST with Midi Out

Since Reason 7 there is a new way to control a VST (where VST stands for Virtual Studio Technology). In this version you have a Midi Out in Reason to control an external VST program. While original Midi Out was implemented to control external hardware, yet it works perfect to control VST instruments that allow it. And this the catch: Not every VST allows this. And not every 'setup' (eg: hardware) allows this to happen. There are a few requirements for this to work. And I know there is Mac OS. I don't own a Mac, there for I cannot make any conclusion on how this works on a Mac.

Minimum requirements for this VST method:
- A Program to Loop the Midi (in this case I am using loopMidi)
- A VST that runs as stand alone
- Minimum Reason version: Reason 7
- multiple Audio Cards that support VST (not required, I will get back to this)

LoopMidi

The idea behind loop midi is to use this as a 'midi bridge' between Reason and the VST. In this case it allows you to control multiple VST instruments at the same time (while using multiple midi loop interfaces). After installing to program loop midi, you will need to set up a Midi interface. Just to keep things simple, give it a solid name that would define what you are using it for.

Midi Out in Reason 7

For the next step, you will need an instrument called Midi Out. This can be added inside the Rack. The only important thing is to select the proper Midi Out channel. In my case it is a setting called 'Reason Midi Out'. Because this is the midi port I created inside loopMidi.

Midi Input VST

Here is the 'tricky' part. Since not every VST instrument will work the same. The most important parts are:
- The VST instrument needs a stand alone version of the plugin (not every VST has this, but most instruments from Native Instruments work as a stand alone version. #1)
- The VST needs to accept a Custom Midi Port.
- Per VST the workflow may be different

As an example, I will show a screenshot from Native Instruments Massive on how the Midi Port configuration may look like:

As far as most native instrument I have tested, these will have a similar set up. Under the menu 'file' there is a setting called 'Audio and Midi' settings. This will display the above picture after selecting the Midi Tab. When done so, make sure the Midi Port you are using in loopMidi is turned 'on' (by default, it is turned off!). When done so, you can go back to reason. Select the Midi Out, and play notes. This even works with the on screen piano.

Multiple Audio Cards

In case you want to play the VST as is, you can stop here. Since it should already be working as it is. However, sometimes you may need to 'sample' the input from the VST to another track. Jasper from therSitez has presented an awesome video which displays this method. It comes down to have the Audio Output from the VST going through a specific audio port. Next you create an audio track. There you will select the same audio channel as input. Hit record. and you are all set to go. At this point in time I can't display any images regarding this technique because the laptop I am writing on does not have multiple audio card, my desktop does. Since I have already tested this workflow, I therefor can confirm that it works. Only disadvantage with the audio cards: they need to work with Asio4All. Other wise. it is going to be a no-go.

VST Samples in Reason

Some VST instrument have data libraries where the sound sources are RAW wave files. I know that for instance Battery has this, same goes for AbSynth 4. At some point you are able to use the sound source from different VST and load these up directly inside an NN-XT. Or Kong. I depends if they sound proper enough, and if the VST instrument is using raw sample data by default. In most cases, this is not the case. But I thought I would just add this option to the list of ways to get VST sounds inside the Reason Rack.

There is also the method to record every single note from a VST inside a DAW that supports it, export the sound as a Wav File and import those back inside the NN-XT. While this workflow is really time consuming, I can say I have done this method once using Legacy Cell in the past. There for I know. it is a real time consuming job to export it, load it up, layer it and so. This method also has some limitations to it (since your only using raw souns). But I am just saying, it can be done.

For now, this kind of sums up my chain of thoughts when it comes to using VST instruments in Reason. Have a good evening!

1. This is based on experimenting with VSTs from Native Instruments like Monark, Reaktor 6, AbSynth 4 and Massive

VST in Reason is something people have been requested a lot of times. It has been stated back in the days that Propellerhead will not integrate the VST format. Nor are there any plans regarding integrating VSTs in the Digital Audio Workstation called Reason (yes, we can call it a DAW). At some point in time when Reason 6.5 got released the program got its own unique platform for external plugins. Which is a great step forward. Most of the external plugins as Rack Extensions work seamless in the workflow of the program itself. While this has been there for quite some time there is still an outcry for VST support in Reason. For those who really want to use VST support in Reason, this topic might be for you. Since we'll be diving right in to it. We'll also discuss the different downsides with this setups and different 'work flow issues' you may need to be aware of.

VST and using Reason Rewire

Reason Rewire is a protocol which allows other DAWs (that do support VST) to run reason in the background. In this case the other DAW is the host and Reason just hangs in there in the back ground. For a complete list of daws that support the Rewire protocol you can check the wikipedia list.

There is a lot to say about this type of set up. Since in theory you will need 2 different programs to make use of it. Where Reason is used as a Synth (since in rewire mode you connect directly to the Rack while sending midi data to different devices). At the same time you using the other DAW to make music with. This may sound fine as it is. But there are some major drawbacks to this workflow.
- the user needs to have full understanding working with 2 DAWs
- the reason file needs to be saved as well as the song file. If you want to reload the session you need 2 files. One for the DAW, the other for Reason. I am not 100% sure if this is still the case, but it used to work that way.
- memory load (since your running 2 programs next to each other)
- cpu load might become an issue
- latency might become an issue

At some extend, if there is no real other alternative to get VST instruments working with Reason. Then this might eventually be the only real solid solution there is. Sure, there are issues. But I never said this would be easy.

VST instruments and Midi Out in Reason

VST (Virtual Studio Technology) instruments can be controlled since Reason 7. Since this version you have a Midi Out in Reason to control an external VST program. While original Midi Out was implemented to control external hardware, yet it works perfect to control VST instruments that allow it. And this the catch: Not every instrument allows this. And not every 'setup' (eg: hardware) allows this to happen. There are a few requirements for this to work. And I know there is Mac OS. I don't own a Mac, there for I cannot make any conclusion on how this works on a Mac.

Minimum requirements for this VST method:
- A Program to Loop the Midi (in this case I am using loopMidi)
- A VST that runs as stand alone
- Minimum Reason version: Reason 7
- multiple Audio Cards that support VST (not required, I will get back to this)

LoopMidi

The idea behind loop midi is to use this as a 'midi bridge' between Reason and the VST. In this case it allows you to control multiple VST instruments at the same time (while using multiple midi loop interfaces). After installing to program loop midi, you will need to set up a Midi interface. Just to keep things simple, give it a solid name that would define what you are using it for.

Midi Out in Reason 7

Reason 10 Vst Plugins Folder

For the next step, you will need an instrument called Midi Out. This can be added inside the Rack. The only important thing is to select the proper Midi Out channel. In my case it is a setting called 'Reason Midi Out'. Because this is the midi port I created inside loopMidi.

Midi Input VST

Here is the 'tricky' part. Not every VST instrument will work the same. The most important parts are:
- The VST instrument needs a stand alone version of the plugin (not every VST has this, but most instruments from Native Instruments work as a stand alone version. #1)
- The VST needs to accept a Custom Midi Port.
- Per VST the workflow may be different

As an example, I will show a screenshot from Native Instruments Massive on how the Midi Port configuration may look like:

As far as most native instrument I have tested, these will have a similar set up. Under the menu 'file' there is a setting called 'Audio and Midi' settings. This will display the above picture after selecting the Midi Tab. When done so, make sure the Midi Port you are using in loopMidi is turned 'on' (by default, it is turned off!). When done so, you can go back to reason. Select the Midi Out, and play notes. This even works with the on screen piano.

Multiple Audio Cards

In case you want to play the VST as is, you can stop here. Since it should already be working as it is. However, sometimes you may need to 'sample' the input from the VST to another track. Jasper from therSitez has presented an awesome video which displays this method. It comes down to have the Audio Output from the VST going through a specific audio port. Next you create an audio track. There you will select the same audio channel as input. Hit record. and you are all set to go. At this point in time I can't display any images regarding this technique because the laptop I am writing on does not have multiple audio card, my desktop does. Since I have already tested this workflow, I therefor can confirm that it works. Only disadvantage with the audio cards: they need to work with Asio4All. Other wise. it is going to be a no-go.

VST Samples in Reason

Some VST instrument have data libraries where the sound sources are RAW wave files. I know that for instance Battery has this, same goes for AbSynth 4. At some point you are able to use the sound source from different VST and load these up directly inside an NN-XT. Or Kong. I depends if they sound proper enough, and if the VST instrument is using raw sample data by default. In most cases, this is not the case. But I thought I would just add this option to the list of ways to get VST sounds inside the Reason Rack.

There is also the method to record every single note from a VST inside a DAW that supports it, export the sound as a Wav File and import those back inside the NN-XT. While this workflow is really time consuming, I can say I have done this method once using Legacy Cell in the past. There for I know. it is a real time consuming job to export it, load it up, layer it and so. This method also has some limitations to it (since your only using raw souns). But I am just saying, it can be done.

For now, this kind of sums up my chain of thoughts when it comes to using VST instruments in Reason. Have a good evening!

1. This is based on experimenting with VSTs from Native Instruments like Monark, Reaktor 6, AbSynth 4 and Massive

1. The Initial Scan

VST plug-ins in Reason have the same priviliges as any other rack module or Rack Extension, so they can be used in exactly the same way. However there are a few extra things to know about. When you first launch Reason 9.5 it will scan your VST folders. In case you have any custom VST folders set up, you can go into the Preferences > Advanced tab and under the folder location section, add any custom folders. If you are only using your system’s default locations on Mac or PC, they should be set up automatically.

2. Manage Your VSTs

Reason 10 Vst Plugins

Reason should warn about any incompatible plug-ins during the scan. Go to the Window > Manage Plugins option and you will see a list of available plugs. Audio plugins vst torrent. You can select any one to manually disable it, although it’s unlikley you would need to do this. If any plugs have been disabled by the scan you can choose them and press Enable to make Reason look at them again. If a plug has been disabled it probably means it needs an update, so try this via the plug-in’s own product website.

3. Load A VST

With those initial steps out of the way, you’re ready to roll. The Browser now has extra sections under the Instruments and Effects tab so while you’ll see Propellerheads’ own modules at the top, if you scroll down either list you will see your VSTs grouped by manufacturer, and of course you can simply type in a search for the name of any plug that you want, or add them to a favourites list for quick access. Double click on any VST or drag and drop it to load just like you would any regular module.

4. Add A Screenshot

One fun thing you can do is add a manual screenshot of a plug. Since Reason can’t guess what every VST will look like, you can click on the black area of the VST rack module to open the instrument or effect’s own interface, just like it appears in any other DAW. This associates a thumbnail with the plug’s Browser entry, and it will stay there. This means you can now identify a VST by sight. If you want to replace the screen shot of any VST, just click the Screen Shot button on its window again to replace with the current view.

5. Assign CV To VSTs

While VST instruments and effects can be patched, routed and played by MIDI just like any module in Reason, the VST rack module has a few new tricks up its sleeve. If you go to the CV programmer section and expand it, you can click on the Parameter column for any of the 8 slots and see all assignable parameters for that instrument. Each one will have a different set of controls that you can send CV to. This section also has Learn, Base Value and Clear buttons for each slot, so you can make custom configurations easily. The idea here is to take CV signal from elsewhere – other modules or generators – and send it to modulate VST parameters. Previously this would have required lots of workarounds and involved ReWire.

6. A CV Example

One use for this might be to take one of Reason’s trigger modules like an arpeggiator and hook up some of its CV outs to the CV ins of the VST module using the rear panel. CV assignment works the same way it always did in Reason, only now you can easily patch that CV signal into your favourite VST instruments.

7. Using VST Effects

Using VST effects in the rack works the same way – drag and drop an effect wherever you want it to go. The CV assignment from the front panel also works the same as with instruments. And around the back, the VST rack module has identical ins and outs. Although there are 8 additional audio inputs and 16 audio outs, these will only light up in green (meaning they can be used) when the VST supports them. So for example some plugs will just work in stereo, but others will have up to 16 or more outputs. You can see how many by looking in this area.

8. Multi-Output Plug-ins

In an example where a plug supports multiple outputs, Reason won’t manually create mixer channels for every output as this could quickly cause the mixer to become overcrowded. If you want to use more than two outputs, right click on the multi-output instrument or effect (here it's Kontakt) and choose Create Mixer Channel for as many stereo channels as you want. Then name them and route the relevant outs from Kontakt to them. It’s quick and easy, and this screenshot shows you how to set it up.

9. Connect VSTs To Remote

In cases where a VST uses the .fxb / .fxp preset format, presets will be accessible using the regular patch browser button on the VST rack module. Many do not use this format however so you will need to open their GUI in order to select a preset. The Props have made other Reason features available to VSTs. For example if you click on the Remote button on a VST’s window header, you can assign any physical MIDI control to a parameter inside the VST just like you can with Reason’s own modules. This means no tedious mucking about with MIDI maps.

10. Automate Any VST

Another button on the title bar is Automate. For devices that don’t yet have a sequencer track like effects, you must remember to right click on the device in the rack and click Create Track For… so it can record automation information. With record enabled and while playing back, hit the Automate button and move a parameter, and data will be recorded in the new sequencer track.

11. Export Your Stems

Finally, VST channels appear just like regular channels when it comes time to export stems, so you can esily export instrument or effect channels for mixing elsewhere.