Recording with Reason Adapted

[jayrivers]

OK, we're stumped - we have Protools 6.9 which came with Reason Adapted and a host of other stuff. We worked out how to use plugins and have successfully recorded many tracks. HOWEVER, we have been very limited to the drum patterns etc that we can use because we don't know how to trigger the virtual instruments, eg Reason Adapted.

All the current tutorials on the net show Protools 8 and tell you to create an instrument track - but we don't have that option.
We have reached the point where we can here the sound, say in Redrum, but can't get it to record.
In Create New Track do we choose Audio or Aux or Midi?

Do we have to midi up a keyboard (we have a DX7s) in order to trigger Reason and the other virtual instruments? (and that'll be another nightmare in itself)

PLEASE, we're musicians not IT experts - step by step - WHAT DO WE DO??

[DonaldM]

I don't know 6.9, but you should be able to create an AUDIO track (either stereo or mono). Then set the INPUT for that track to an available bus and then set the OUTPUT of whatever track your Reason module is on (Re-Drum, say) to the same bus. Now what you're doing is sending the AUDIO of Redrum out from the instrument track to the input of the audio track. Record arm the audio track and you should be able to then record whatever comes off the Redrum track. Adjust your outlut/input levels and simply record as audio as you normally would. That should do it.

If you want to get really fussy, you could solo each individual drum part right on Redrum and then record each part of the kit on its own separate Audio track the same way. It'd take a few passes, but could be done. Then you'd be able to EQ/COmpress add fx to each part separately your mix.

Hope that helps a little.

[DonaldM]

Originally Posted by jayrivers

Do we have to midi up a keyboard (we have a DX7s) in order to trigger Reason and the other virtual instruments? (and that'll be another nightmare in itself)

PLEASE, we're musicians not IT experts - step by step - WHAT DO WE DO??

You could use a DX7 as a controller. You'd have to have a midi input for your computer. Then you use the MIDI Studio set-up in Pro Tools to tell PT what controller you have. With that, you can use the keyboard to play the various virtual instruments you have on instrument tracks, including drum parts on redrum. Your PT manual should explain how to set up a midi controller for your version of PT. I'd recommend you take the time to set this up and learn how its done as it would open up all sorts of possibilities for you. You could create midi tracks on PT, edit them, and then play back your DX7 and record as audio, or use the DX to play other instrument tracks, or layer up sounds between the DX and virtual instruments, etc etc. Good luck.