ReWire Reason & Cubase

This tutorial will give you a step by step instruction guide to rewiring cubase & reason. We will be using Cubase LE & Reason 3, although Cubase SX & Reason 2.5 will work identically.

The most important thing to remember when rewiring instruments & software packages (much like their hardware equivalents) is that, as in any syncing relationship, there must be only one master & one / more slaves. It is important to recognise that in most cases, our sequencer will act as the master, keeping everything in time & sequence.

Once we have decided which program will be the master, we then need to go about connecting them.

In this case, as cubase will act as our master, we will start cubase first (in the usual way, either by double-clicking the desktop icon or using the start menu icon). Once cubase has loaded, create a new project & give it a saving location (as you normally would when starting cubase).

Cubase Arrangement Window

Now open reason by your regular method (desktop icon or start menu button).You should now see both software packages open, and reason should be displaying "ReWire Slave Mode" in the hardware interface at the top of the Reason arrangement.

Cubase and Reason Arrangement

Once you have both programs open, click on the devices menu in cubase and then select "Reason". and click Mix L + R (they should be linked & therefore highlight simulaneously).

Cubase Devices Menu

Cubase & Reason should now run & work in perfect sync & you should be very proud of yourself!

Additional Tips

Think back to when we selected Mix L + R from the cubase devices menu - wondering what the Mix 3, 4, 5 etc. buttons were for? These additional inputs correlate to the outputs from reason (on the back of the hardware interface). These extra inputs allow you to route, for example, a single drum machine to its own output, then use the input options in cubase (via ReWire) to have a dedicated channel for your drum machine, completely bypassing Reason's horribly inadequate mixer.