Automatic routing

Auto-routing enables the automatic routing of cables between devices according to certain rules. Auto-routing is performed under the following circumstances:

•	When you create a new (Empty) Song, the Master Out L & R on the Master Section device are by default connected to Outputs 1 & 2 of the Reason Hardware Interface.

•	When a new device is created.

•	When moving, duplicating or pasting devices with [Shift] pressed.

•	When selecting “Auto-route Device” from the Edit or context menu, with one or several devices selected in the rack.

•	Audio input signals from the Reason Hardware Interface to the audio tracks in the sequencer are automatically routed “in the background”.

When applicable, auto-routing is performed in stereo.

Auto-routing of audio input signals

•	Available audio inputs on your installed audio interface are auto-routed from the Hardware Interface to audio tracks in the sequencer “in the background”.

This means that no patch cables are necessary for routing audio to audio tracks in the sequencer.

Auto-routing of Instrument devices

Routing to the Main Mixer

•	When you create an instrument device, it is automatically connected to a new Mix Channel device in most situations.

However, if the instrument device is created directly below an unused (no inputs connected) Mix Channel device in the rack, it will be connected to this instead.

Routing to the Mixer 14:2 or Line Mixer

•	If a Mixer 14:2 or Line Mixer 6:2 is selected when you create an Instrument device, or if you create an Instrument just below the mixer device in the rack, the instrument will be auto-routed to the first available inputs on the mixer device.

Auto-routing of Effect devices

Routing as a Main Mixer insert effect

•	When you have a Mix Channel or Audio Track device selected and create an effect device, it will be automatically connected as an insert effect in the Mix Channel/Audio Track device. See “Adding Insert effects”.

The above does not apply to the Master Section device - see below!

It’s also possible to select Effect Combi patches as insert effects - see “Loading Effect Combi patches”.

Routing as a Main Mixer Master Section insert effect

Routing an effect device as an insert effect in the Maser Section device can be done in the following ways:

1.	Click the “Show Insert FX” button on the Master Section device and then click inside the Insert FX container.

A red insertion line is shown.

2.	Create an effect device from the Create menu, or by selecting it from the device context menu, or by double-clicking on the device in the “Devices” tab in the Tool Window.

The device will be automatically connected as an insert effect in the Master Section device.

By dragging and dropping an effect device from the “Devices” tab in the Tool Window to the open Insert FX container in the Master Section device, it will be automatically connected as an insert effect.

It’s also possible to select Effect Combi patches as insert effects in the Master Section - see “Loading Effect Combi patches”.

Routing as a Main Mixer Master Section send effect

•	When you have the Master Section device selected and create an effect device, it will be automatically connected as a send effect to the first available Send FX connectors on the Master Section device. See “Creating Send effects”.

It’s also possible to use the “Add Send FX” function to add effect devices or Effect Combi patches as send effects in the Master Section - see “Creating Send effects”.

Routing directly to another device

•	When you have an instrument device selected and create an effect, that effect will be connected as an “insert” effect between the instrument device and the Mix Channel/mixer device.

Examples of effects that work well as insert effects are distortion, compression and modulation effects.

Routing as a send effect to a mixer device

•	When you have a mixer device (the Mixer 14:2 or Line Mixer 6:2) selected in the rack and create an effect device, it will be automatically connected as a send effect (to the first free Aux Send/Return jacks).

Auto-routing of CV/Gate signals

The Matrix Pattern Sequencer

•	When you have an instrument device (e.g. a Subtractor/Thor/Malström/NN-19/NN-XT/Combinator) selected and create a Matrix Pattern Sequencer, the Note and Gate CV signals will be auto-routed to the instrument device.

The Matrix Note and Gate CV outputs are automatically connected to the Sequencer Control CV and Gate inputs on the instrument device, respectively.

The RPG-8 Arpeggiator

•	When you have an instrument device (e.g. a Subtractor/Thor/Malström/NN-19/NN-XT/Combinator) selected and create an RPG-8 Arpeggiator, the Note CV, Gate CV, Mod Wheel and Pitch Bend signals will be auto-routed to the instrument device.

The RPG-8 Note CV and Gate CV outputs are automatically connected to the Sequencer Control CV and Gate inputs on the instrument device, respectively. The RPG-8 Mod Wheel and Pitch Bend outputs are automatically connected to the Modulation Inputs Mod Wheel and Pitch Bend inputs on the instrument device, respectively.

Auto-routing devices after they have been created

Some additional rules regarding auto-routing devices that are already in the rack:

To reroute a device already in the rack, you can select it and choose “Disconnect Device” and “Auto-route Device” from the Edit menu or context menu.

When you use “Auto-route Device” it will be connected in a logical way according to its current location in the rack.

If you hold [Shift] and drag a device to a new position in the rack, it will be re-routed (as if you deleted it and created it in its new position).

This allows you to e.g. change the order of effect devices in a signal chain by Shift-dragging them.

•	If you delete a device connected between two devices, the connection between the two remaining devices is preserved.

A typical example might be if you have an effect device connected between an instrument device and a Mix Channel device. If you delete the effect device, the instrument device will be re-routed directly to the Mix Channel device.

•	When you move a device in the rack, the connections are not affected.

•	When you duplicate devices by dragging and dropping, or using copy and paste, the devices are not auto-routed.

If you would like them to be auto-routed, hold down [Shift] while performing the operation.

If you are duplicating a complete Device Group (see “Duplicating devices”), this will often include a Mix Channel. In this case, the Mix Channel will also be duplicated, with no need for further auto-routing.

Bypassing Auto-Routing

If you wish to create a new device without any auto-routing taking place, press [Shift] when creating the device.

About re-routing devices in songs created in Reason Version 5 or earlier

If you open a Reason song, created in Reason Version 5 or earlier, the song will open with the outputs of the Mixer 14:2 connected to the inputs of a single Mix Channel device in Reason Version 10. To make better use of the Main Mixer in Reason Version 10, you will have to re-route all instrument devices in the older Reason song to separate (new) Mix Channels in Reason Version 10. To make this re-routing a little easier, proceed as follows:

1.	Open the older (Version 5 or earlier) Reason song in Reason Version 10.

2.	Delete the Mixer 14:2. *

3.	Select "Select All" from the Edit menu to select all devices.

4.	Select "Auto-route Device" from the Edit menu.

This will create a Mix Channel device for each instrument in the old Reason song, keeping any connected effect devices in the signal chain.

* If you have send effects connected to the Mixer 14:2, you will need to re-route them manually to the Main Mixer Master Section device. You might also want to make a note of fader and pan settings on the Mixer 14:2 before deleting it.