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We will be using the Hardware Interface in Reason, and the Reason plug-in in Pro Tools to transfer audio between the two programmes. This process is called “Rewire”.

The two programmes will sync to the Pro Tools clock, and will therefore run at the same tempo. One programme is called the Master, and the other is called the Slave. We will be using Pro Tools as the Master and Reason as the Slave.

Make sure Reason is not open, launch Pro Tools, and then create a stereo instrument track.

In the Mix window, click on the first Insert and choose Reason (Stereo).

Inserting Reason in Pro Tools

After you have selected Reason as the Insert, Reason will automatically launch. When the Reason insert appears, make sure that the input selector is set to Channel3+Channel4.

Select Channels in Pro Tools

Starting from a completely empty Reason Song file, hold down the shift key and right click in a blank area in the rack in the upper half of the window. (Holding down the shift key creates an un-patched instrument).

• Create > NN19 Sampler.
• Do NOT create a mixer.

A sampler will be added to the rack. Load a patch into sampler.  Press the tab key to turn the rack around, and you will notice that none of the devices are attached with cables. Now, drag a cable from the left audio output of the NN19 to input 3 of the hardware interface, then drag a cable from the right output of the NN19 to input 4 of the hardware interface.

Connecting Audio Outputs to Channels 3 and 4 in Reason

Return to Pro Tools and make sure that the Reason pop-up menu on the ReWire plug-in is set to Channel 3 + 4, which corresponds to outputs 3 and 4 on the Hardware Interface in Reason, which is connected to NN19.

We now have an audio pathway between the two programmes. Any audio that the NN19 makes will now leave its audio outputs, and pass via the patch cables to inputs 3+4 on the Reason Hardware Interface. By plugging cables into the hardware interface, we are effectively connecting them to the Reason plug-in in Pro Tools. In other words, if the sampler makes a sound we will hear it on the instrument track in Pro Tools.

We now need to trigger the NN19 sampler with midi. Though we could do this from Reason, it is better to trigger the instrument with midi from Pro Tools. This will allow us to see our midi data in Pro Tools, as well as any subsequent audio we record in Pro Tools, on the same edit window.

In Pro Tools, make sure that you can see the Instrument view in the Mix Window, by choosing:

• View>Mix Window

Make sure that “Instrument” is ticked.

Instrument View in Pro Tools mix window

Record enable the track. Press the Return key to bring the cursor back to zero, and record some midi onto the track.

The signal flow will be as follows :

• Midi from controller keyboard
• To Instrument track input
• To NN19 sound module
• Audio leaves the NN19,
• To Hardware Interface inputs 3+4
• To Reason Rewire plug-in
• To Pro Tools fader.

Some points to be noted :

• We need to be sure that when we record midi into Pro Tools, we do not have the midi track in Reason record enabled. If we did this we would be recording midi twice and on playback we would have two midi parts playing the same sampler. For this reason, most people delete the Reason sequencer track as soon as they create a device.
• If we are working on a TDM setup, the automatic delay compensation feature does not work with Reason.
• If we are working with a mono device in Reason, i.e. a Subtractor, then we only need a mono Instrument track and a mono Reason plug-in in Pro Tools. We will then take a single cable from the mono output of the Subtractor and plug it into the Hardware interface output that corresponds with the Reason plug-in’s input.

Subtractor in Reason

• Pro Tools and Reason, though Rewired, are still running as independent programmes. When we close the session, we have to save the Pro Tools session and the Reason session independently of each other. Saving the Pro Tools session will not automatically save the Reason session. Also, you must close Reason (the slave) before we close Pro Tools (the master) or we will see a warning message telling us to close and save the Reason session first.

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3 Responses to “How to Rewire Reason in Pro Tools”

1. huncke Says:
   May 7th, 2010 at 9:10 am

   hi, thanks for the explanation.
   But why after recorded the track in PT (reason4 rewored), I’m not able to listen the track recorded ??

   any suggestions

2. Shaun Schmid Says:
   July 26th, 2010 at 12:36 pm

   Hi, really a fine blog. I think it is really a great topic to write about on my Site. Also here is some great information: free drum loops

3. Michael Gabriels Says:
   September 18th, 2011 at 7:49 am

   D best rewire tutorial for reason to pro tools ….kudos

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