Logic Live Loops and Reason 11 - What You Need to Know to Use the Reason Rack in Logic 10.5

Logic Pro X 10.5 added a ton of incredible new features to Logic, including Live Loops, a non linear sequencing tool. And Reason 11 (affiliate link) added the ability to use Reason as a plugin inside of other DAWs. Using Reason in Logic is pretty straightforward, although there are a few quirks that address in this blog - especially regarding how to record midi data from players.

But Logic's Live Loops add a few new wrinkles and twists to using the Reason plugin. The video below will walk you through the main ways of triggering Reason with Logic's Live Loops.

Using Dr. OctoRex with Logic Live Loops

First, you can directly drag Dr. OctoRex loop patterns into live loops and trigger the patterns directly through Logic Live Loops. To copy the Rex pattern data to the Live Loops, simply drag the music note into your desired Live Loop cell.

Then be sure to turn off "Enable Loop Playback" on the Doctor OctoRex, otherwise it will keep playing the loop, even if Live Loops aren't triggering it.

One final thing to note about using Dr. OctoRex with Live Loops. You'll need to manually change the selected loop and paste in a new pattern if you want to use multiple loops from a single instance of Dr. OctoRex.

This same method works with just about every pattern based tool in Reason, including Matrix and ReDrum. For more tips on getting started with Reason, check out this article.

Copying Reason Player Data to a Live Loop Cell

Reason Players are powerful midi sequencing tools that let you do thinks like easily create chords and arpeggios. Unfortunately, there's not a native way to record the data into Logic. First, you'll need to download the free plugin MidiFX Freeze.

Then create an instance of the Reason Player in Logic's Midi FX area, followed by an instance of MidiFX Freeze. After you've created your part, you need to open MidiFX Freeze. Then follow these steps:

Hit the record button in the middle of MidiFX Freeze and play your song. When done hit stop and the recording will stop.
You'll now see that a new icon that says Midi and has some musical notes
Drag that icon directly onto the Logic sequencer (NOT into a Live Loop cell)
Now drag the clip from the Logic sequencer into a Logic Live Loop cell.

Using Reason with Logic's Drum Sequencer

If you right click on a cell in Live Loops, you'll see the option to "Create Pattern Cell."

From there, a powerful step sequencer will pop up that you can use to trigger sounds in Reason. The main thing to note is that the default notes for trigger drum hits in Reason is different from the default notes on the sequencer. So if you want to program a Kong drum beat, you'll need to lower all of the notes down an octave, starting at C1.

Other ways to Use the Reason Rack with Live Loops

You can also use the Reason Rack with live loops in a more straightforward way. First, you can create a Reason Rack instrument and directly record it into a loop cell, just like you would with any instrument, by hitting the record button on that cell. Second, you can draw in notes directly to the sequencer for the Live Loop cell.

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!