Reason and PA800

[musicaviat]

I have been going all over the help box but haven't been able to find the answer.

If I want to sequence songs in Reason, how can I set up the 16 channels? Cause right now, when I sequence a song, it goes into Channel one when I load the midi file into my PA800.

There has to be a way to set up individual channels because when i load a midi file that was created on my pa800 onto Reason, the individual midi tracks are noted.

Any help would be appreciated.

Thanks

[Sam CA]

I have been going all over the help box but haven't been able to find the answer.

If I want to sequence songs in Reason, how can I set up the 16 channels? Cause right now, when I sequence a song, it goes into Channel one when I load the midi file into my PA800.

There has to be a way to set up individual channels because when i load a midi file that was created on my pa800 onto Reason, the individual midi tracks are noted.

Any help would be appreciated.

Thanks

According to the manual:

MIDI files exported by Reason will have the following properties:

The MIDI file will be of Type 1, with one MIDI track for each track in the Reason sequencer.

The tracks will have the same names as in the Reason sequencer.

Since the Reason sequencer doesn't use MIDI channels as such, all tracks will be set to MIDI channel 1.

I know the old OS would only recognize type 0 midi files. I don't know if that's changed in the latest OS. You can still use Reason to sequence your songs, but you would have to import your finished project into another sequencer that has the capability to export as type 0. Not all sequencers support that.

[musicaviat]

yea i guess i need type 0.

That's okay, it doesn't really matter. I can work with fruity loops too

[pcguy]

Not all sequencers support that.

Why is that? My son has a midi sequencer. That one doesn't do type 0 too.

[Sam CA]

Not all sequencers support that.

Why is that? My son has a midi sequencer. That one doesn't do type 0 too.

Because it's an old format.

[jg::]

It doesn't matter whether the file is Type 0 or 1 - all Pa series will read both.

The issue is that Reason sets all MIDI tracks to channel 1, as Assyrianpianist pointed out.

To fix it, Load the file into the Pa-series SONG mode (not Song Play), and change the MIDI channels for different tracks, BEFORE you try to play it.

Then, when you're done, save the file again, of course.

jg::

[Sam CA]

It doesn't matter whether the file is Type 0 or 1 - all Pa series will read both

Because you can't use type 1 midi files to create styles, i was under impression that PA series reject type 1 files in any mode....

[jg::]

It seems that for importing SMF to create a new Style, you need Type 0.

In Song Play and Song modes, you can use both Type 0 or 1 in all Pa-series. No difference with v2, it still works the same.

Type 0 is not an "old" format, by the way.

jg::

[Sam CA]

It seems that for importing SMF to create a new Style, you need Type 0.

In Song Play and Song modes, you can use both Type 0 or 1 in all Pa-series. No difference with v2, it still works the same.

Type 0 is not an "old" format, by the way.

jg::

by "old" i did not mean obselete. Type 0 was the first format that was developed or made commercially available. There was no need for midi type 1, because they could only send one note through one channel at the same time back then. Midi type 0 contains the same data, it's just all packed into the same channel.

[jg::]

Actually, Standard MIDI Files were introduced by Opcode in the late 80s (approx), years after MIDI was introduced. There were plenty of poly-synths around. Type 0 and 1 were introduced together, or within a short space of time. It's also not commonly known that Standard MIDI Files were introduced some years before General MIDI, simply as a means of transferring song files between different sequencers. Many people seem to think that SMFiles were developed for GM.

Type 0 and Type 1 contain the same basic data on the same MIDI channels. Type 0 contains all MIDI channels on a single Track. Type 1 has a different Track for each track that was in the original file. This often means a different track for each MIDI channel, but it doesn't have to. Tracks and MIDI channels are not the same thing.

But all that doesn't matter. The point, for this thread, is that in Song Play and Song mode, Pa-series will read either Type 0 or 1 without problem. And sequencing done in Reason should be fine, too, if you re-channelize the tracks in the Pa800 or something else.

jg::

[musicaviat]

It seems that for importing SMF to create a new Style, you need Type 0.

In Song Play and Song modes, you can use both Type 0 or 1 in all Pa-series. No difference with v2, it still works the same.

Type 0 is not an "old" format, by the way.

jg::

by "old" i did not mean obselete. Type 0 was the first format that was developed or made commercially available. There was no need for midi type 1, because they could only send one note through one channel at the same time back then. Midi type 0 contains the same data, it's just all packed into the same channel.

Sam, when you sequence your songs for the keyboard, how do you do it? Like I know how to sequence but what is the most efficient way?

do you do the drums, percussion, and bass on the computer and record the rest on the keyboard and finally load it all up on ur comp sequencer to adjust notes that are not time?

If you could let me in on your secret to efficiently sequence that would be great, because I remember you were critiquing the fact that I had taken 30 hours to sequence a song. And it seems to me like there is this whole other way of efficiently sequencing

Lastly, why is it that the Drums go to Track 10? anyway to set it to track 1?

Cheers

[BasariStudios]

There is no secrets in Sequencing and Arranging, i do that since 1993 and
never came across any secrets, it is only the way you will get used and becomes a habit.

[Sam CA]

Sam, when you sequence your songs for the keyboard, how do you do it? Like I know how to sequence but what is the most efficient way?

do you do the drums, percussion, and bass on the computer and record the rest on the keyboard and finally load it all up on ur comp sequencer to adjust notes that are not time?

If you could let me in on your secret to efficiently sequence that would be great, because I remember you were critiquing the fact that I had taken 30 hours to sequence a song. And it seems to me like there is this whole other way of efficiently sequencing

Lastly, why is it that the Drums go to Track 10? anyway to set it to track 1?

Cheers

It's just part of midi specification. Channel 10 is reserved for drums and percussions (non-pitched perc. ).

I start off with the top solo lines (intro, bridges, ending and of course vocals) ,then add drums, because in most songs drums usually play all the way through. If there are pads, that's next for me , because it gives a chordal quality to the frame. Bass track is next...and then i pick the rest of the tracks in any order...I recommand that you make the frame first, because then you know where you're heading in your song. If there are tempo changes? Time sig. changes? etc.....Or you might find it easier to use a style to record the frame, and then replace the style tracks one by one ....it'be faster if you focus on one track at the time, rather than jumping from one to another every other measure. Also don't forget to add markers for diff. sections, because in most pop songs there are identical repeated sections, so you can just copy and paste the entire section...I always reserve channel 16 for the main vocal melody, so if there's a singer or guitarist who's going to play/sing that line, i know where to look for that track. Try to come up with a pattern and be consistent with it. Just reserve certain channels for certain instruments in general, so you will not be confused later on.

[abo59]

What is Song Mode? I can find Song Play but nothing about Song Mode. Explanation please.

[musicaviat]

Sam, when you sequence your songs for the keyboard, how do you do it? Like I know how to sequence but what is the most efficient way?

do you do the drums, percussion, and bass on the computer and record the rest on the keyboard and finally load it all up on ur comp sequencer to adjust notes that are not time?

If you could let me in on your secret to efficiently sequence that would be great, because I remember you were critiquing the fact that I had taken 30 hours to sequence a song. And it seems to me like there is this whole other way of efficiently sequencing

Lastly, why is it that the Drums go to Track 10? anyway to set it to track 1?

Cheers

It's just part of midi specification. Channel 10 is reserved for drums and percussions (non-pitched perc. ).

I start off with the top solo lines (intro, bridges, ending and of course vocals) ,then add drums, because in most songs drums usually play all the way through. If there are pads, that's next for me , because it gives a chordal quality to the frame. Bass track is next...and then i pick the rest of the tracks in any order...I recommand that you make the frame first, because then you know where you're heading in your song. If there are tempo changes? Time sig. changes? etc.....Or you might find it easier to use a style to record the frame, and then replace the style tracks one by one ....it'be faster if you focus on one track at the time, rather than jumping from one to another every other measure. Also don't forget to add markers for diff. sections, because in most pop songs there are identical repeated sections, so you can just copy and paste the entire section...I always reserve channel 16 for the main vocal melody, so if there's a singer or guitarist who's going to play/sing that line, i know where to look for that track. Try to come up with a pattern and be consistent with it. Just reserve certain channels for certain instruments in general, so you will not be confused later on.

I am very nitpicky with respect to the drums since I've been drumming for a long time. Maybe that's why it takes so long for me hehe. I was basically working on the drum and bass tracks yesterday from about 11AM to 8PM. I was off from work so it was time well spent. Just wondering if that's how much time you guys put on those two, afterall it is the rhythm section.

I am working on "Dooset Daram Kheili Ziyad" by K and H. I'll upload the midi as soon as I am done with it and I want your opinion Sam.


Thanks