Beginner’s Tutorial – Using VSTs in Reason

We continue our beginner’s guide to virtual instruments (read part 1 here) with a step-by-step look at using VSTs in Reason…

1. Reason has always been a great virtual instrument environment, with its own award-winning instruments such as Thor, Kong and Malström all easy to use via Reason’s virtual Rack.

2. You can even flip that Rack around and look at the virtual ‘back’ of the instruments within it, changing connections and routing the audio signals through different devices, such as effects.

3. In order to get third-party instruments into Reason, Propellerhead devised Rack Extensions, which enable external developers to run their instruments within the Reason Rack.

4. With the release of v9.5, though, Reason users now have access to the entire world of VST instruments and effects. 9.5 is free for Reason 9 owners and when you update, the software scans your system for VSTs.

5. Now Reason 9.5 shows all of the VSTs that you have installed within its Browser, which you can drag into the Rack, each with default VST Plug-in logos. They look pretty dull, but don’t worry…

6. Click on the VST logo to load it, then click the Screenshot icon, and the default logos are replaced with proper versions of the instrument. VSTs in Reason! Is this the best of all virtual worlds?

Click here for our buyer’s guide to the best virtual instruments