Tempo Changes During Real-Time

[Inv1ctus]

Okay, I've had this question for a really really long time.

Does anyone know if there is a way to change the tempo mid-song in reason? It is a pain in the butt trying to keep the whole thing in 1 tempo and then change to another by simply arranging the parts, since the loops are a little more difficult to find and the grid is no longer synced. Trying to change back is an even bigger pain. Essentially what i want is to set certain bars at different tempos without it messing up the whole grid. Anybody know? is it possible?

p.s. im using reason 2.5 so i dont know if thats different

[tweek]

Tempo change automation was something added to Reason 4, so no, there isn't a way to do it in 2.5 :(.

The only option is if you can use Reason as a slave in a program that does allow for temp automation. I.e. Live, Protools, etc.

[Sengin]

You could do what I'm doing with Reason 3 and have separate .rns files for each tempo changes, and then stitch them together in Audacity (free) or some other program.

[anosou]

You could do what I'm doing with Reason 3 and have separate .rns files for each tempo changes, and then stitch them together in Audacity (free) or some other program.

this is quite possible but if you're look for a gradual tempo change it will be very strange.
I recommend upgrading to Reason 4 (and we're talking buying here, support pheads! :D). The new sequencer is love, temp automation, time signature automation, Arpeggiator and THOR!

[Sengin]

You CAN do a gradual tempo change, I use it in my current WIP (see here: http://www.ocremix.org/forums/showthread.php?t=10486 - mostly check out the speed up at the end of the WIP as the slowdown near the beginning will likely change- oh, and leave critiques please, it tends to slip under the radar), but while it is possible, it does require a bit of work; how much so depends on how "gradual" you want it to be and how less "step-like" you want it.

[anosou]

what I was talking about was not steps so I guess we missunderstood eachother.
What I mean is, if you want to go from 120BPM to 140BPM seemlessly it's hard to do it with out an external daw or reason 4.

[Sengin]

Hard to do, but not impossible. A person can't really tell the difference between say 124 and 124.5 bpm without a metronome or some other thing constantly reminding them of what 124 bpm is. So, depending on how much of a tempo change you want, you could have it at 124 for half a measure, and then at 124.5 at the next half, then 125 for the first half of the next measure, etc... I'm not saying use a new file for each tempo change in a gradual change, use the tempo change in the events dialog. Have a listen to the WIP and you'll see what I mean (the ending increases tempo from 100 to 128 in 8 measures, or a 3.5 bpm increase per measure, but since Reason can't do an event change of non-integers, the first measure is 103 (3 bpm increase), the second is 107 (4 bpm increase), the third is 110 (3 bpm increase), etc..) Sure, it's not 100% gradual, but it still doesn't sound "stepish." It's the best thing you can do with Reason 3 and below if you don't have a program to make it a slave.

Besides, it's technically impossible for a computer to generate a seamless transition because a computer is digital, and somewhere, it's got to define how long a step is, even if it's only 1 picosecond (which it's not at this point), it's still a step and not gradual. But that's really damn technical and of course the human ear cannot tell steps in lengths of single picoseconds (or nanoseconds or milliseconds - anyone know the resolution where humans can detect something non-gradual?).

[anosou]

but 3.5 BPM in each measure is slightly noticable. Mainly if you want a higher BPM increase in shorter time it's a dumb technique :)

[Sengin]

Exactly. But if it's the only technique you have, then you have to do it in chunks of maybe 1/4 a measure, or even less. But at things like that, it's pretty dumb, as you say. But if it's all you got..... :)

[anosou]

I bet he's got Live Lite if he's ever purchased a piece of music hardware / software ever haha

[Inv1ctus]

I bet he's got Live Lite if he's ever purchased a piece of music hardware / software ever haha


program list:

reason 2.5
guitar rig 2
acoustica mixcraft
mixmeister fusion
virtual dj
audio studio
sonic stage

all purchased.

Not all the greatest programs, but for a broke ass college student i do what i can with what i got.

feel free to donate to the broke ass college dude fund to support my future wish list:

guitar rig 3
reason 4.0
ableton live
ewql gold
tapco link.usb
etc etc etc
insert other expensive ass shit here.

Exactly. But if it's the only technique you have, then you have to do it in chunks of maybe 1/4 a measure, or even less. But at things like that, it's pretty dumb, as you say. But if it's all you got..... :)

thanks for the input sengin, that bpm technique is good to know, and should at least get me by