Keyboard Control

Assigning computer keyboard remote commands does not involve MIDI, so there is no special setting up required. Keyboard commands can be assigned to parameters just as when using Remote Override mapping, but the functionality differs in one central aspect:

•	Keyboard Control commands can only be used to toggle on/off or min/max values for an assigned parameter.

Hence, if you assign a computer keyboard remote command for a knob, slider or spin control, it will only switch between the minimum and maximum values for that parameter. The only exception to this are the multi-selector buttons used for various parameters such as envelope destination, for example. These will cycle through the available options when using keyboard control.

Note that Keyboard Control cannot be used for the ReGroove Mixer parameters.

Enabling Keyboard Control

To enable Keyboard Control, select “Enable Keyboard Control” from the Options menu.

Editing Keyboard Control

To get an overview of which parameters are remote controllable select “Keyboard Control Edit Mode” from the Options menu.

When done, each device you select in the rack will show a yellow arrow symbol beside every parameter that can be assigned a keyboard control.

A section of a Redrum drum machine with Keyboard Control Edit Mode enabled.

The Main Mixer channel strip parameters can also be controlled using the Keyboard Control function, but there is no Edit Mode for this. Instead, you have to right-click (Win) or [Ctrl]-click (Mac) on individual channel strip parameters and select “Edit Keyboard Control Mapping” from the context menu.

If you click on an assignable parameter to select it, you can then select “Edit Keyboard Control Mapping” from the Edit menu.

This opens a dialog allowing you to select a key command for that parameter.

You may use any key except the [Space bar], [Tab], [Enter], the Numeric keypad keys (which is reserved for Transport functions) and the function keys (except [F2] and [F3]) - or a combination of [Shift] + any key (with the same aforementioned exceptions).

The Keyboard Control dialog.

Simply press the key (or Shift-key combination) you wish to use to remote control the parameter.

The “Key Received” field momentarily indicates that it is “learning” the keystroke(s), and then the dialog displays the name of the key you have pressed. If [Shift] was used, the box beside the word Shift in the dialog is ticked.

You can also double-click on the arrow for an assignable parameter to set up keyboard control:

A rotating yellow rectangle appears, indicating Learn mode. Press the key (or key combination) you wish to use to control the parameter.

The rotating stops and the rectangle will now display the key or key combination you used.

About the two Edit Keyboard Control Modes

If Keyboard Control Edit Mode is enabled (ticked) on the Options menu, assigned parameters in the rack are “tagged”, showing the remote key for that parameter. In this mode, however, you cannot operate Reason normally. This mode is primarily for overview of available parameters and the current assignments.

Another way to assign keyboard remote commands is to have “Keyboard Control Edit Mode” deselected on the Options menu, and to simply right-click (Win) or [Ctrl]-click (Mac) the parameter you wish to remote control.

This opens a pop-up menu, where one of the options will be “Edit Keyboard Control Mapping”. Selecting this opens the Keyboard Control dialog. Thus, you do not have to enable/disable Edit mode from the Options menu if you know that a parameter is assignable.

This is the only way Main Mixer channel strip parameters can be assigned to Keyboard Control.