CREATING DUB WITH REASON

Reason isn't the only "Virtual Studio", even though they've set the standard. And there are things that Reason can't really do, like recording several different audio tracks. Yes, there is a possibility to sync Reason with an audio sequencer such as Cubase, or Cakewalk, or even to an external multi-track recorder by using the MIDI SYNC technology.

Some people would consider this to be the very weak spot of Reason. They would argue, that because of this Reason couldn't possibly be a studio. After all, what is a studio without the possibility of recording complete sessions of musicians playing their instruments? And they would have a point, there. But it's not unusual these days to find only electronic devices and a computer with sequencing software to play the hardware in studios that produce very catchy tunes. And for the purpose of creating DUB, this isn't the biggest worry either.

This will become clearer when we realize, how the computer is only a simulator. Software is merely the instruction for a computer to simulate a real life situation. Like a text editor actually is a simulation of a typewriter. And Reason is a simulator of a studio.

To re-create or simulate the DUB studio, it's not necessary to know all the gadgets of the Masters of DUB. The Art is the Art, and when you are an Artist, you will develop your Art. Others will inspire you, but you will not have to know every trick in their book in order to make your own Art. But knowing a few principals never hurts.

Reggae originated in the Jamaican Studio's. Only when it was popularized throughout the world, did live concerts of complete bands become a part of a global Reggae culture. However, the music remains predominantly a Studio Music.

Now, there were two kinds of studios on Jamaica. For example, there was CHANNEL ONE. This Studio recorded the works of the musicians. These musicians formed the Studio Band. The Aggrovators, The Revolutionaries, and later the Roots Radics. They played the instrumental riddims into the multitrack recorder in the control room.

However, when you say DUB, you say KING TUBBY. He had his own studio too, where he mixed his Dubs. This is where the riddims on the multitrack were transformed into the mono/stereo tracks we love so much.

Now if you want to translate this back into our "Virtual Reality", you could say that audio sequencers such as Cubase or Cakewalk are like Channel One, and Reason is like King Tubby's Studio. Reason will give you much more possibilities then Cubase or Cakewalk, when it comes to serious DUB mixing. And like King Tubby received his riddims from Channel One and other studio's, so can you import other people's material into Reason and DUB IT.

Let's take a look in your future Studio, all ye computer based DUB producers.

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