Reason101 Visual Guide to the Reason Rack

Complete coverage of Reason 7.0 Core devices & 8 Rack Extensions, with 101 in-depth Tutorials focusing on Basics, Utility constructions, Sound Design, Advanced usage and Rack Extension integration. This book is built from the ground up to explore all aspects of the Reason Rack.

With forewords from Kurt Kurasaki (Peff) and Ed Bauman (EditED4TV).

Robert Anselmi's Reason101 Visual Guide to the Reason RackRobert Anselmi’s Reason101 Visual Guide to the Reason Rack

Complete coverage of all Reason 7.0 core devices & 8 Rack Extensions, with 101 in-depth tutorials focusing on basics, utility constructions, sound design, advanced usage and Rack Extensions. This book is built from the ground up to explore all aspects of the Reason Rack.

With forewords from Kurt Kurasaki (Peff) and Ed Bauman (EditED4TV).

The first half covers all core rack devices & 8 Rack Extensions front and back. All sliders, rotaries, buttons, and audio & CV connections are explored visually. The second half of the book provides 101 different ways you can integrate those devices together to create practical applications.

This manual provides all you need to know to start out using reason and take your skills from Basic to advanced, and beyond. Save time learning the Rack in the most intuitive way possible, and keep your copy handy as a desk reference while you work.

Features & Benefits:
  • Save time and learn Reason visually, in the most intuitive way possible.
  • All 43 Core Devices & 8 Rack Extensions comprehensively & concisely explained.
  • 101 detailed step-by-step tutorials cover basic to advanced Reason lessons.
  • Device section cross-referenced with Tutorial section for easy navigation
  • Learn the secrets of Reason sound design, FX & audio routing, and utility construction.
  • Merges the theory with the practical, offering many creative ideas along the way.
  • Useful as a handy desk reference when looking for answers.
  • Premium options provide an additional 250-patch ReFill and coil binding.
  • Full Color options with higher quality paper.
  • All options provide both an electronic PDF & printed book.
  • Picks up where the Operation Manual leaves off.
Ordering Options
Black & White Color
Standard Premium Standard Premium
Black & White Perfect Binding
Black & White Book
(Perfect Binding).
B&W PDF Copy*
Black & White Coil Binding
Black & White Book
(Coil Binding).
B&W PDF Copy*
Companion ReFill*
Color Perfect Binding
Color Book
(Perfect Binding).
Color PDF Copy*
Color with Coil Binding
Color Book
(Coil Binding).
Color PDF Copy*
Companion ReFill*
$49.99 USD.

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$69.99 USD.

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$109.99 USD.

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$129.99 USD.

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*Note: To receive the PDF Copy and Companion ReFill, you must forward the receipt that was sent to you from www.lulu.com after your order is placed. Forward the receipt to webmaster@reason101.net. Once I receive your receipt, I will send you the PDF and ReFill download links (depending on the order option you chose). The PDF and ReFill download links will be sent to you in two separate emails, and will be sent to the same email you used to forward the receipt. This is a manual process, so please allow up to 24 hours for download file delivery.

 

Sample Files:

pdf-iconTable of Contents

pdf-iconBook Introduction

pdf-icon“Hardware Interface” (Device Section)

pdf-icon“Random Audiomatic Kong FX Selector” (Advanced Tutorial)

FAQ

How do I order? / What’s the order process?

When you click the “buy now” button, you are directed to www.lulu.com to order the hard copy book. You will then receive two emails from Lulu: a “Thank You” email and a “Receipt” email. To receive the electronic PDF copy and Companion ReFill, forward a copy of your Lulu receipt to webmaster@reason101.net. Once I receive your receipt, I will send you the electronic PDF, and ReFill file (depending on the order option you chose). The PDF and ReFill are sent to you in two separate emails, and are sent to the same email you used to forward me the receipt. This is a manual process, so please allow up to 24 hours for download file delivery.

This process must be performed because Lulu does not provide customer information to publishers. Without this information, there is no way for me to track your order, and no way for me to know where to forward the electronic files. The receipt is only used to confirm you have placed an order, and to fulfill the electronic portion of your order. This information will not be shared with any other third parties.

Are the tutorials provided on your Reason101 website found in the book?

While many of the tutorials found on my website are found in the book, most of them have been updated and expanded. I took a year off to organize and update them. In addition, there are numerous tutorials in the book that are not found on the website. Finally, the first half of the book where all the devices are outlined are exclusive to the book, and not found on the website.

What are the product specifications?

  • Book: 360-pages. Publisher: Reason101. Author: Robert Anselmi. Language: English. Product Dimensions: U.S. Letter 8.50 x 11” or 21.59 x 27.94 cm. Shipping Distribution: www.lulu.com.
  • PDF (black & white or color): Encrypted PDF Optimized for fast web view (smallest file size). PDF stamped with customer Name / Email / Transaction ID.
  • Print Cover Stock (all options): 100# / 270gsm laminated stock
  • Print Interior (black & white): 60# / 90gsm white text stock. Perfect or Coil binding, depending on order
  • Print Interior (color): 80# / 115gsm matte white text stock. Perfect or Coil binding, depending on order

Navigate the Reason Rack with Ease

The “Reason101 Visual Guide to the Reason Rack” is a book loaded with information. Part technical manual, part creative resource, and part practical “how-to” guide, this takes you on a tour through the past 10 years of my Reason experience, and provides it to you in one comprehensive 360-page volume. Use it as a reference to save you time, and shorten your Reason learning curve. Time to show you what’s inside the book.

The Reason101 Visual Guide to the Reason Rack is a book loaded with information. Part technical manual, part creative resource, and part practical “how-to” guide, this takes you on a tour through the past 10 years of my Reason experience, and provides it to you in one comprehensive 360-page volume. Use it as a reference to save you time, and shorten your Reason learning curve.

I’ve shown you the video and a few still shots from the hard copy. See my previous post for that. So what are you going to get when you purchase?

The book is divided into two main sections:

  1. The Core Reason Devices & 8 Rack Extensions outlined fully front to back (see the image below for all the devices covered).
  2. 101 in-depth Tutorials that cover Basics, Utility Construction, Sound Design, FX Design, Advanced Setups, and Rack Extension Integration. (see the PDF Table of Contents for a listing of all the Tutorials).

Both of these sections are cross-referenced, so that it’s easy to navigate between the two sections. For example, when you are reading about the SubTractor device, all the tutorials related to the SubTractor are outlined (by number) in the SubTractor heading section. When you are in a specific Tutorial, all the devices used in that Tutorial are outlined in the Tutorial’s heading section.

Note: There’s also a Companion ReFill that will be provided with “premium” options, containing 250 patches. These patches serve to complement the Tutorials. There’s also several additional routing and sound ideas in there for you to explore.

I wanted to give you a few samples from the book. So I’m providing them here as free PDF files:

pdf-iconTable of Contents

pdf-iconBook Introduction

pdf-icon“Hardware Interface” (Device Section)

pdf-icon“Random Audiomatic Kong FX Selector” (Advanced Tutorial)

That should give you a pretty good idea of what you get with the book and the book’s layout. Now for a visual listing of all the devices covered in the first half of the book:

The Book covers all 43 Core Reason Devices, as well as 8 additional Rack Extensions; all of which are shown here.
The Book covers all 43 Core Reason Devices, as well as 8 additional Rack Extensions; all of which are shown here.

I think you’ll agree that this is unlike any other Reason book on the market. This is the only Reason book you’ll find that offers a Coil-Bound, full Color purchase option. And the only book that provides a full copy PDF with all purchase options.

You can pick up your copy of the Reason101 Visual Guide to the Reason Rack  exclusively at http://www.reason101.net/shop

An Inside Look at the Rack

A picture is worth a thousand words. 864 pictures and 312,000 words on 360 pages becomes an invaluable story. Especially when what it conveys is everything you’ve ever wanted to know about the Reason Rack in a logical, easy-to-follow way. Take a sneak peek inside the “Reason101 Visual Guide to the Reason Rack” – There’s a lot to cover, with 51 devices presented in full detail, along with many creative and practical ideas, tips, tricks, sounds, and utilities. Stay tuned for more updates to come.

A picture is worth a thousand words. 864 pictures and 312,000 words on 360 pages becomes an invaluable story. Especially when that story conveys the inner workings of the software tool used to get the music in your head out to the world. And especially when that story is packaged in a logical, easy-to-follow book. That’s what you’ll find in the Reason101 Visual Guide to the Reason Rack

Want to know a bit more? Here’s a video that should answer most of your questions about what it is and why you should invest in it:

Here’s a little preview of some of the test copies I got back from the printer. 51 devices are covered top to bottom, and there are full visual outlines of how every parameter on each one of them functions. And all this is cross-referenced with the 101 Tutorials on everything from basic to advanced sound design, effects design, and utility construction.

A few pages from the Kong device section (Color test copy)
A few pages from the Kong device section (Color test copy)

The idea was to create a dual purpose book whereby the Device section can be used as a quick reference as well as completely cover all front and back panel parameters. The Tutorial section can open up new ideas on how all the devices can be integrated together to create different sounds, effects, and utilities. A complete course in a book.

A few pages from the Thor device section (Color test copy)
A few pages from the Thor device section (Color test copy)

As I progressed with the devices, I found that you could explain most all of them in a very concise way over 3-4 pages each. Of course, some devices took considerable more space, such as Thor and Kong, which are each about 9 pages. But each page had to be laid out according to the device’s design, not a “one-size-fits-all” book layout. Each page was hand-crafted, and required completely different layouts, balanced against the consistency of the headings, fonts., page size, and other elements to give the book its flow.

I’ve been a technical writer for 12 years, and that often involves working on your own layouts and graphic design. I was very mindful of this when crafting the book to give you the best learning experience I could. Part technical manual, part creative index of ideas, and part practical “how-to,” I hope this book encourages you to push your limits with the Reason software.

A few pages from the section on Thor
A few pages from the “Thor” section (Black & White test copy)

One of the most important aspects of working on this project was ensuring that all the visuals presented the devices in full view as you would see them on-screen. I wanted to make everything easy to follow and simple to navigate. I didn’t want to intrude too much on the imagery. Therefore, all the call-out lines are simple and don’t cover any important device areas.

A few pages from the Alligator section
A few pages from the “Alligator” section (Black & White test copy)

As you can see, all the tutorials have full visuals as well, so you can follow along and recreate exactly what I’m explaining. And with 101 Tutorials, there’s plenty in there to work on. Many of these tutorials also have alternative ways to accomplish something, or additional ideas and tips. This isn’t a rehash of what you’ll find on my website. There are many new tutorials, as well as expansions and re-workings of many of the most popular articles found on my site.

A few pages from one of the many tutorials
A few pages from the “Tutorials” section (Black & White test copy)

Well, that’s a quick look at the actual copy. Let me know what you think.

You can pick up your copy of the Reason101 Visual Guide to the Reason Rack  exclusively at http://www.reason101.net/shop

More details to come. . .

Coming Soon. . .

10 Years in the making. What I will present to you on December 1st, 2013 is the book I always envisioned for the program, and I want to invite you to stand over my shoulder and see why I find this software such a compelling and creative tool for anyone with a love of music and audio. I wrote the “Reason101 Visual Guide to the Reason Rack” so that I could convey all the amazing things this program can do in a logical, easy-to-follow way. I wanted to shorten your learning curve, and at the same time share my 10-year Reason journey with you. I hope you enjoy learning about Reason as much as I do.

Robert Anselmi's Reason101 Visual Guide to the Reason RackRobert Anselmi’s Reason101 Visual Guide to the Reason Rack

When I first started working with Reason, I was amazed at the breadth and depth of the program. It had such a wide array of devices and options, it made my head spin. And the visual design of the software was truly stunning. I was excited and wanted to learn more. I had longed for a book that would walk me through all these Rack devices, and more importantly, would explain how to connect all these devices together to create what I wanted. It had to be highly visual as well, doing justice to the fine artistic efforts put into the Reason software design. I searched everywhere for a concise and comprehensive book that would teach me all the possibilities. Yet, nothing like that existed at the time. And it was at that point I decided to eventually write that book. I’m more than happy to provide it to you now, a decade later.

What I will present to you on December 1st, 2013 is the book I always envisioned for the program, and I want to invite you to stand over my shoulder and see why I find this software such a compelling and creative tool for anyone with a love of music and audio. I guarantee two things will happen when you invest in it: 1. It will save you time when seeking out answers to how the software operates; making you more efficient, and 2. It will teach you something new; no matter what level of expertise. These are bold claims. And I promise to deliver.

Reason is a gigantic Lego set, and you’re free to construct anything you can think up. Using the devices, audio, CV, and all the related sliders, rotaries, and buttons as your building blocks, you’re free to construct an endless amount of sounds, effects, and utilities.

But without an understanding of how these blocks fit together, it’s difficult to build anything. And that’s where this book comes in. The first half will provide you with the theory. Every core device and 8 Rack Extensions are comprehensively outlined in a clear, concise, and visual way. You’ll learn how each device operates, front to back, A-Z. It can be read straight through, or used as a desk reference when you are seeking out how a particular control or connection works.

The second half of the book will provide you with the practical side of Reason, and can be thought of as a complete course, from basic to advanced, over the span of 101 in-depth lessons. You can read them straight through, or focus on specific tutorials that interest you. To help you navigate through these two sections, I’ve cross-referenced them. This way, you can see the tutorials that relate to a specific device in each device section, and which devices are used in a specific tutorial in each tutorial section.

I wrote the Reason101 Visual Guide to the Reason Rack so that I could convey all the amazing things this program can do in a logical, easy-to-follow way. I wanted to shorten your learning curve, and at the same time share my 10-year Reason journey with you. I hope you enjoy learning about Reason as much as I do.

You can pick up your copy of the Reason101 Visual Guide to the Reason Rack exclusively at http://www.reason101.net/shop

More details to follow in the coming days. . .