Advanced Patterns With Reason's Alligator Gater / Filter

Alligator is one of Reason's coolest tools for making unique, wild sounds. It's a multi-band gater, with the ability to apply per-band processing for incredible rhythmic sounds. But Alligator also has one glaring flaw: by default, there are only a set number of onboard gate patterns to choose from.

Until you look under the hood!

It actually turns out that there is unlimited power awaiting you with Alligator. You just need to tap into its CV gates. Watch this video to see three different ways of harnessing this power, from beginner to advanced.

The three ways of creating your own patterns in Alligator

The first way to create a pattern in alligator is simply to use CV from an old school reason device, like the Matrix. Draw connect the gate out of the matrix to the gate in of the Alligator, and voila, you've got your own custom sequence!

The second way is to use one of Reason's players that includes CV, like Reason's drum sequencer. This is probably the most user-friendly method of programming complex patterns, given all of the drum sequencer's built-in flexibility. You can also try using other players, you just need to make sure the have CV out.

My favorite trick is to side chain alligator to your drums to have it trigger the gates on chords and pads. It creates the most richly evolving sounds that change perfectly as your beat evolves! If you're not sure how to do this, check out this tutorial on how to use side chain in Reason.

From a Frustrated Producer in a Ragtag Bedroom Studio to Major Placements on TV Earning $1,000s!

My name is Evan, and I've been making music since around 3rd grade. I'm from San Diego, California, but I've lived in Washington, DC for the last 20 years.

After 3 grueling years of grad school, though I had put aside serious attempts at making music. I found myself spending my days doing work that was dreadfully uncreative, with a ton of student student loan debt.

Which made me feel like my favorite parts of myself were withering.

But I didn't know what to do about it.

Being in my early 30s with tons of student loan debt, in a world where there is "no money in music," I felt like my youthful dreams of trying to "make it big" were dead. Like my music would remain unheard in my head and hard drive.

Frustrated by my inability to get my music heard, I started researching solutions.

Instead, I wanted to find a way where I could focus on making the music and let someone else deal with promoting it.

I realized the music licensing was the perfect opportunity for a solo artist like me to get my music heard, without having to do any promotion. I just need to focus on improving what I could control - my songwriting and my production skills.

While I still have a full-time day job, I have created systems that have allowed me to produce dozens of songs a year in my spare time.

My songs have been on Netflix, TV shows like the 90 Day Fiance, an award-winning indie film, and NPR’s “All Thing Considered.” They've also been streamed millions of times.

In addition to being a music producer, I am passionate about teaching people how they can make professional-sounding music and earn money licensing it, all in their spare time.

Thousands of musicians, like yourself, have trusted me to guide their musical journey. My YouTube videos have been watched nearly a million times. And my story has been in Forbes, Side Hustle Nation, and the Side Hustle School.

You Can Achieve Your Musical Dreams Too - Attend the Free Music Licensing Workshop!