Wow. First a Mac OS X version of Cubase is announced. Now it’s official: the folks at Propellerhead Software will bring Reason to the operating system. Mac OS X support will include Core Audio, the Aqua graphical user interface, and any MIDI interfaces recognized by Mac OS X.
Version 2.0 of the music software program is due in the second quarter. Reason 1.0 users will be able to upgrade for US$89. No word on what the suggested retail price for new users will be.
Reason is the cross platform solution that emulates a rack of electronic synthesizers, samplers, drum machines, FX’s and sequencers. The upcoming version will sport a Malström Graintable Synthesizer, a new invention from the Propellerheads that combines granular synthesis with wavetable synthesis.
Graintables are flexible and expressive sound sources that allow for comprehensive manipulation. This includes being able to move through a sound by controlling the movement with real-time controllers, velocity, modulators and finding exciting new possibilities by controlling the spectral harmonics of the Graintable.
Then there are the filter and crunch sections. Malström’s two filters both have five different modes, including 12dB/oct low pass, band-pass, subtractive and additive comb-filters, and an AM mode. A shared filter envelope is also included which can control either or both of the filter sections at the same time.
As a part of the second filter, the Shaper basically shapes the input signal with either a sine wave or noise. Or it can transform the sound using saturation, digital distortion or bit-reduction. What’s more, the oscillators can be routed in many different ways to the two filter sections providing a variety of sound manipulation options. Malström also feature 2 modulators/LFO’s with a wide variety of curves available.
The most dynamic sound generating parameters can be controlled using CV and Gate controls from the Matrix sequencer or other Reason devices, according to the Propellerheads. Malström even provides audio inserts between oscillators and filters with the added benefit of being able to use both filters as stand-alone devices.
Reason 2.0 will also boast a new sampler: the NN-XT. Whereas the existing NN-19 is a “fast-track” sampler, the new NN-XT is for more demanding sampling tasks. Features include automatic pitch detection and mapping of samples, graphical zone editing, loop editing, layering plus zone velocity switching, and crossfading.
Each selected zone can be programmed individually using the synthesis facilities. These include filters with six different modes, two LFO’s, two envelopes, micro tuning capabilities, and routing to any of the 16 audio outputs.
The alternate function is another unique NN-XT feature, the Propellerheads said. By randomly alternating between zones whenever the same key is played repeatedly, the NN-XT makes sure the same sample is never triggered twice in a row to add realism.
Reason’ 2.0’s graphical editing display can be folded in or out, depending on whether advanced editing is required. Macro controls located on the front panel simplify editing of commonly used parameters and patch adjustment. The NN-XT also loads SoundFont 2 patches and samples.
In Reason 2.0, the main sequencer can expand fully across the screen or be resized and moved, even to a second monitor. New tools designed to add flexibility include Zoom, Line and Eraser.
And the new version comes with lots of patch and library material for the two new instrument devices. An orchestral ReFIll, created exclusively for the NN-XT, is also included.
For more info, cruise on over to the Propellerheads’ Web site. (Thanks to MacCentral reader Christopher Kerian for the heads-up on this news item.)