From recording the initial vocals of the chorus to mixing down the final electric bass track you eventually download, a lot goes into recording and producing the best possible sound for everyone to hear. Not many companies understand this better than Propellerhead, an award winning Swedish Software developer, who is responsible for developing the popular Reason software title. This DAW can be used by newbie musicians for simple editing to season veterans running an entire recording studio.

But, with the introduction of Reason version 10, many people are wondering why they should buy the upgrade and if it is worth it. In an effort to answer this question, we have done some in-depth research and tests that will help you to see exactly what the software can do. In this review, we have broken down the software in bite-sized chunks, making it easier for you to decide if version 10 is worth the investment or you should pass until the next major upgrade.

Key Features Of The New Propellerhead Reason 10 Software:

To help you understand the software a little better, we have designed a short breakdown of the most important features. Here is a listed version of the features that you will have at your disposal with Reason 10 by Propellerhead:

• A massive sound library (over 5,000 instrument patches, 1,000 sound effects, 3000 loops that are all built-in)
• Simple to use undo feature for backtracking with important projects
• Supports VST third-party plug-ins
• Advanced visual interface for connecting Rack extensions
• 7 GB total download with an additional 3.88 GB compared to older versions
• Real-time time stretch and audio transpose
• Easy to use with virtual rack-based DAW
• Multirack sequencer

These are only some of the marketed features that are highly discussed at the moment. However, the Reason 10 software also comes with numerous other features that will make recording and editing much easier. If you are looking for a complete set of features, this one should do the trick with relative ease.

Let’s Start With Europa:

Starting with Europa is the first thing that immediately comes to mind and it is also marketed as the crown jewel of the software. Europa can be seen as the wavetable synth that is a direct response to some of the legendary synths like Serum and Massive. This is also one of the reasons why Reason 10 seems to be taken to the next level.

Many style log entries are available with Europa’s stock waveforms. Pulse-Width and Saw-Triangle are amongst some of the interesting options that users can select. Europa also includes 4 envelopes and this is what we really found interesting as users can all be customized and they are loopable. Additionally, Europa adds 3 LFO’s.

Europa is actually really simple and easy to program even though it is the most advanced of all the Reason built-in synthesizers. Due to this, we found the software to be extremely user-friendly and effective for even beginners. Nevertheless, taking some training from a professional should open up the world for you even more.

Against The Grain Is Not The Right Way:

Reason 10 features four different grain algorithms. These include Spectral Grain, Grain Oscillator, Long Grains, and Tape. FFT analysis is used by the Spectral Grain for figuring out the harmonic content. This can then easily be filtered or even pitch-shifted to with user-drawn frequency curves. If you decide to use the grain oscillator, you will be able to play back to short grains and it also enables you to control the spacing between these grains.

With all the filters and unique technology integrated, we actually tried to see if it can be possible to list all of the sounds and effect that you can find. However, there are so many variations that it is basically impossible to do so. However, we can confidently say you will be able to find pretty much exactly what you need without any real hassles.

Grain also features a multi-mode filter and this will enable you to have additional coloration. It is worth noting that the multigrain filter features a highpass of 12dB and a lowpass shape of 24dB. In between, you also have access to bandpass and lowpass shapes. We love the overall versatility it offers and we think you’ll be please as well.

Multi-Sampled Instruments:

3 new sampler instruments have been included with the Reason 10 software. Humana, Klang, and Pangea. A subset of instruments from the third-party developer SoundIron has also been included, opening up a new world of even more instruments that can be used. Here is a small breakdown of the three sampler instruments:

• Humana: If you are looking for choir patches, Humana will be your best friend. It includes numerous patches including the sound of boys, girls, and even the adult versions of these genders. It is also perfect for recreating the organ sounds that you might need from the church of that is in your plans.
• Klang: If you are looking for acoustic percussion, the Klang sampler will be what you are using. It includes focus tuned percussion and even circle bells with the whale bells that could amp up the quality of your audios. Klang is the best place to start if you are looking for wood-based or any organic sounds.
• Pangea: Lastly, you have the Pangea addition. This is perfect for those with ambitions of creating sounds like the struck piano and the pump organ. What we really love about using Pangea is the subtle imperfections. These imperfections can actually lead to more perfection to your audio creations. We recommend starting with Pangea if you are looking for those Beethoven sounds in your composition.

Final Thoughts

Regardless of what you currently have in your music production arsenal,  Reason 10 is a must have. If you are new to Reason I’ts rack based user interface is very intuitive and unique from any other software on the market, this feature alone makes it worth the investment. And, if you currently own Reason and are still wondering if version 10 has enough new features to warrant your attention, the answer is absolutely YES!

If you already own Reason 10, let us know what you think, leave your review and/or rating. Finally, you found this article helpful and would like to read more like this, follow us on Facebook and be the first to know when a new review is posted.