ReWire Doesn't Deserve to Die

[Anderton]

With Propellerheads dropping ReWire from Reason, I can't help but wonder who's going to maintain the spec. Hopefully Steinberg will, since they co-developed it, but I also get the sense that not that many people know how to use ReWire, or its advantages.

 

I think part of the reason it might not have gotten serious traction was because when it was introduced, computers weren't really powerful enough to handle running two CPU-intensive programs simultaneously. So ReWire got the reputation of being a CPU hog, whereas actually, the ReWire part itself requires hardly any CPU at all.

 

Every time I see someone on a DAW forum say "I wish my program could do all that cool looping and Session View stuff Ableton Live can do, oh well, maybe someday" I want to tell them you can just ReWire Ableton Live into your DAW of choice, and do all the Session View stuff you want.

 

So I really hope ReWire doesn't fade into nothingness, like mLAN, various plug-in formats, and the like.

[Piktor]

I have used Rewire between Finale and Cubase, as both are important to my writing process.

[Anderton]

Well, at least there's two of us:)

[Greg Mein]

I've certainly used Rewire but admittedly it's been a while. It wasn't hard to do and worked quite well as I recall.

[Anderton]

I've certainly used Rewire but admittedly it's been a while. It wasn't hard to do and worked quite well as I recall.

 

Today I rewired both Ableton Live AND Acid Pro into Studio One. The computer didn't even break a sweat.

 

I'm opening a bunch of "legacy" Acid projects I did back at the turn of the century, running them through Studio One, taking advantage of the more user-friendly mixer, stripping out lead lines, adding instruments from Studio One, and creating soundtrack material. This would take forever if ReWire didn't exist.

[Al Coda]

With Propellerheads dropping ReWire from Reason, ...

 

I hate they did because their VST3 Reason rack is disappointing up to now since it didn´t replace ReWire functionality at all.

I kept RSN 10.4 on my machine just only for ReWire and even I have RSN11.3.9 installed as well.

 

I also hate they want to ditch the Propellerhead dongle and do that cloud based thing.

 

A.C.

[Anderton]

...their VST3 Reason rack is disappointing up to now since it didn´t replace ReWire functionality at all.

 

Is it at least multi-timbral, so you can have discrete outputs for each of the instruments? Does it still include the mixer?

 

I also hate they want to ditch the Propellerhead dongle and do that cloud based thing.

 

Yeah, that's kind of annoying. I don't really mind dongles, because they make it so easy to get up and running if there's a hard drive crash, you change computers, or whatever.

[RABid]

I used Rewire a lot back in the days of Rebirth. Don't think I have used it in the past 10 years. Not since audio loops became so easy to create and store.

[Anderton]

Today I was playing Ableton Live's instruments and crazee, time-synched effects in real time, while recording the results in a project I was doing in Studio One. ReWire is far and away the easiest way to do this kind of thing.

[Greg Mein]

I installed Reason 11 a while back but to date I'm not sure that I've even opened it, things are hectic for me and the only music work I've had time for is backing track building for our duo. That's all going to change after July when my wife and I are retired. We'll still be busy getting our house ready to sell and looking for our new place but when we get settled I really look forward to getting back to some of my own recording projects. At that point I'll find out how far behind I am on all that has changed with recording software and plug-ins.

[Al Coda]

 

Is it at least multi-timbral, so you can have discrete outputs for each of the instruments? Does it still include the mixer?

 

Well, only ONE (1) MIDI channel for 1 instance of the RSN VST3 rack.

You can load any and multiple Reason device(s) into the rack,- create big instruments and/or FX chains,- the line mixers included,- but the SSL fake is not.

So, it´s multitimbral, but not MIDI-multitimbral.

 

You cannot create a "multi" inside the rack, like you p.ex. can w/ NI Kontakt (many instruments, each on a dedicated MIDI channel).

It´s a shame because THAT is what I hoped for.

It´s cool we can now load almost any RSn device (REs incl.) into any DAW, but it´s waste of ressources when you´d have to put everything, you want on it´s exclusive MIDI channel, into a new instance of the rack.

 

For my demands, ReasonStudios released the VST rack much too early.

 

Another disadvantage is, you cannot host VST(i) together w/ RSN devices and REs in the rack,- you can only in RSN standalone.

And because the rack is VST3,- it doesn´t listen to MIDI program changes.

 

 

Yeah, that's kind of annoying. I don't really mind dongles, because they make it so easy to get up and running if there's a hard drive crash, you change computers, or whatever.

I never had issues w/ the Propellerhead Reason dongle.

It´s a peaceful and unremarkable device.

My DAW computer´s mainboard offers a upright USB2 port on it´s surface inside the computer where the dongle is inserted.

That way I cannot lose the dongle, except someone steals the rack w/ the 4HU rackmount PC and all the outboard gear connected.

 

A.C.

[Nathanael_I]

I could never find joy in Reason. The UI felt contrived and clunky, I thought the soft synths didn't sound good compared to Omnisphere and other things I had. It just wasn't for me. I gave the license to a friend and kept going with Logic and then ultimately switched to Cubase/Nuendo. Of course, it is actually powerful software, and in the right hands, more than capable. I've never used Rewire, so I guess I have no idea what I'm missing. I treat Nuendo and Ableton as completely separate universes and will export/import audio as required.

[Al Coda]

I could never find joy in Reason. The UI felt contrived and clunky, I thought the soft synths didn't sound good compared to Omnisphere and other things I had. It just wasn't for me. I gave the license to a friend and kept going with Logic and then ultimately switched to Cubase/Nuendo. Of course, it is actually powerful software, and in the right hands, more than capable. I've never used Rewire, so I guess I have no idea what I'm missing. I treat Nuendo and Ableton as completely separate universes and will export/import audio as required.

 

 

Well, for me, it was never using the one or the other exclusively.

I use many.

 

There ARE good synths in Reason and surprisingly you´ll find te best patches collections in freeware department,- EXODE´s "Massive Synthesis" collection p.ex..

And there´s good 2rd party stuff like Bitley WBF R2 and many more.

I like the modularity of "THOR" and as a Creamware and S|C SCOPE user, being familiar w/ virtual patchcables, I also like Reason device´s rear patch panel features when toggling the rack.

In Reason operating standalone, it´s unique, VST fx and VST instruments being loaded into the rack, introduce this (CV-) connectivity too.

That´s why I´m pi##ed the Reason VST3 rack plugin doesn´t offer that feature up to now.

 

As a keyboardplaysr, I don´t see Reason as a sequencer/recorder per sé,- it´s more a soundgenerator for me.

So I use it inside Studio One, Reaper or even Tracktion 7.

 

Omnisphere is very good, but it´s basicly a ROMpler w/ synthesizer type modifiers,- which isn´t bad at all, but also not comparable to the modularity of Reason and other like Reaktor etc..

 

 

 

A.C.

[RABid]

For me the joy of Reason is the imaginative modules that some people have come up with. Combining sequencing and arp extensions with note restrictors to force the results into a key, then randomize everything from rhythm to notes, it is like modular for arps.

[Anderton]

I installed Reason 11 a while back but to date I'm not sure that I've even opened it

 

When you do, you'll find ReWire isn't supported any more because it's been "de-activated." You can re-enable it by entering EnableReWire in options.txt, but it seems the handwriting is on the wall. ReWire was a truly elegant concept, it would be a shame if the industry just kicked it to the curb.

[Theo Verelst]

It would beinteresting if Jack would be adopted, because of it's sample accuracy, preferably with Jack Midi as well, which would ha similar functionality when coupled with a network Audio/Midi interface with provisions for error checking and the option to trade some network latency for getting a proper Tcp connection instead of Udp. Time stamps with proper relative timing data with respect to one master clock being available and synthesizers Midi interfaces using sample accurate Midi timing would be great as well.

 

T.V.

[Greg Mein]

I installed Reason 11 a while back but to date I'm not sure that I've even opened it

 

When you do, you'll find ReWire isn't supported any more because it's been "de-activated." You can re-enable it by entering EnableReWire in options.txt, but it seems the handwriting is on the wall. ReWire was a truly elegant concept, it would be a shame if the industry just kicked it to the curb.

 

That's good information to know, thanks! I will certainly be using it again when I get back to my original recording projects, it was one of those programs that blew me away when I first discovered it and wow, has it changed over the years. I'd created a couple tunes using Reason exclusively but only in a electronica instrumental sort of vein.

[Anderton]

That's good information to know, thanks! I will certainly be using it again when I get back to my original recording projects, it was one of those programs that blew me away when I first discovered it and wow, has it changed over the years. I'd created a couple tunes using Reason exclusively but only in a electronica instrumental sort of vein.

 

Just remember that if you move over to Apple silicon, there's nothing you can do because no ReWire library has been developed for it. ReWire should be made open source.

[Al Coda]

I installed Reason 11 a while back but to date I'm not sure that I've even opened it

 

... ReWire... You can re-enable it by entering EnableReWire in options.txt, but it seems the handwriting is on the wall. ReWire was a truly elegant concept, it would be a shame if the industry just kicked it to the curb.

 

What ?

You say, it´s possible to re-activate ReWire in RSN 11 or do I mistake something here ?

I doubt you can !

 

We´ll have to accept "Reason Studios" isn´t "Propellerhead" and they now make their own decisions.

It might need several payable updates until the ReasonRack VST3 gets to ReWire comparable functionality,- if at all.

The "Ignition Key" isn´t supported anymore too.

It just only runs on some users systems and not every user owning the Ignition Key can use it.

On my system, it works,- my DAW is Win 7 Pro SP1 x64.

Can be it already doesn´t work in Win10 anymore.

Dunno what´s up w/ Mac.

 

The day I cannot use what I payed for in the past will be the end w/ Reason Studios for me !

I´m also not willing to pay for a Reason 12 update/upgrade when ReasonRack gets only minor improvements and will lack functionality of ReWire still.

 

Reason Studios are so stupid.

I don´t understand why the up to now unfinished Reason Rack and since a long time established and working ReWire cannot co-exist in Reason code !

 

A.C.

[Anderton]

I installed Reason 11 a while back but to date I'm not sure that I've even opened it

 

... ReWire... You can re-enable it by entering EnableReWire in options.txt, but it seems the handwriting is on the wall. ReWire was a truly elegant concept, it would be a shame if the industry just kicked it to the curb.

 

What ?

You say, it´s possible to re-activate ReWire in RSN 11 or do I mistake something here ?

I doubt you can !

 

I'm sorry, I had Live 11 on my mind, where you can in fact re-enable ReWire. Reason 11...no.