The Plugin Rack Device

When you create a VST in Reason it’s automatically housed in a Plugin Rack Device. The Plugin Rack Device is a “container” for the VST plugin and represents the VST in the Reason rack. The Plugin Rack Device much resembles a Combinator device and features audio inputs and outputs as well as CV connectors and a CV Programmer section.

If the VST is detected as an instrument the Plugin Rack Device is automatically connected to a Mix Channel device, just like any other instrument device in Reason.

Front panel

A Plugin Rack Device representing an Arturia ARP 2600 V3 VST instrument.

A Plugin Rack Device representing a Sonic Charge Permut8 VST effect.

A Plugin Rack Device for a VST instrument has Pitch and Mod Wheel controls, whereas a Plugin Rack Device for a VST effect has the standard “Bypass/On/Off” switch (like any other Effect device in the rack).

Note that setting the device in “Off” or “Bypass” will not disable the VST. This means the VST will still affect the CPU/DSP Load.

•	The center and right sections of the Plugin Rack Device are identical, regardless of if it represents a VST instrument or VST effect.

•	The Patch Load/Save section works in the same way as for the other device types in Reason (see “Loading patches” and “Saving patches”).

There are also Next/Previous VST Program buttons to the right of the patch display, where you can step through the programs loaded in the VST plugin itself, see “Selecting VST programs”.

•	Above the Patch Load/Save section is the name of the corresponding VST, as well as the manufacturer’s name.

•	Below the Patch Load/Save section is a button for unfolding the CV Programmer (see “The CV Programmer”).

•	The display shows a screenshot of the corresponding VST (or a default logo).

•	At the bottom of the display is the Open button. Clicking this (or the image of the VST) brings up the VST in its Plugin Window (see “The Plugin Window”).

•	To the far right are audio input and output level meters, as well as indicators for Note On, Automation data and CV input.

•	Below the indicators is an On/Off button for enabling/disabling the VST plugin completely.

Disabling a VST plugin will also reduce the CPU/DSP Load.

The CV Programmer

The CV Programmer of the Plugin Rack Device.

On the CV Programmer panel you can route CV signals from other (modulation) devices in the rack to parameters of the VST plugin. Each of the eight CV slots can receive a CV signal connected to the corresponding Modulation CV In connector on the rear panel of the Plugin Rack Device (see “Rear panel” below).

Refer to “CV modulation of VST parameters” for information on how to route CV signals to VST parameters.

Rear panel

The rear panel of the Plugin Rack Device, with the CV Programmer unfolded.

The rear panel features Sequencer Control connectors for controlling VSTs from e.g. step sequencers and arpeggiator devices. This section is available only if the Plugin Rack Device represents a VST Instrument. To the right are audio inputs and outputs.

On the unfolded CV Programmer panel are eight CV modulation inputs, for controlling VST parameters from connected CV modulation sources.

To the right on the CV Programmer panel are optional audio inputs and outputs. If the VST supports the use of multiple audio inputs and/or outputs, the available jacks are indicated by green LEDs.

For more details about CV controlling VSTs, see “CV modulation of VST parameters”.

About auto-routing of VSTs in the rack

Auto-routing of VST instruments

The auto-routing rules for VST instruments are very straight forward:

•	VST instruments that output a stereo signal are automatically connected from Audio Out 1 (L) and 2 (R) of the Plugin Rack Device to the L and R inputs of a Mix Channel device.

•	VST instruments that output a mono signal are automatically connected from Audio Out 1 (L) of the Plugin Rack Device to the L input of a Mix Channel device.

Auto-routing of VST effects

Unlike with native Reason effects and Rack Extension effects, there can be mono VSTs, with mono in/mono out. Also, Reason doesn't know whether a stereo VST effect device is "dual mono" or generates stereo from a mono signal.

There are two cases to be aware of:

•	If you insert a Mono In-Mono Out VST effect in a stereo signal path, only the left output will be connected (resulting in a mono signal path):

•	If you insert a Stereo VST effect in a mono signal path, Reason will route it as mono in-stereo out (changing the signal path to stereo):

The Plugin Window

The VST plugin panel is shown in a separate floating window - the Plugin Window - that is kept on top of the song window(s). Several Plugin Windows can be open at the same time.

Opening the Plugin Window

Open the Plugin Window by clicking the Open button - or the VST image - on the Plugin Rack Device panel:

The Plugin Window opens up and shows the VST panel:

The MicroTonic VST in its Plugin Window.

General functions in the Plugin Window

•	The title bar of the VST Plugin Window shows the name of the device instance (same as tape strip).

This is for helping you finding the correct Plugin Window, especially if there are several instances of the same plugin.

At the top of the Plugin Window are a number of icons:

•

Keep open

If you activate the “Keep open” function, the Plugin Window(s) will not be automatically closed when you select another device in the rack. Having the “Keep open” selected on several Plugin Windows makes it possible to have several VST panels open at the same time.

•

Automate

Click this button when you want to assign a VST parameter for automation in the Reason sequencer, see “Automating VST parameters”.

•

Remote

Click this button and then select a VST parameter you want to remote control from your MIDI keyboard/control surface, see “Remote controlling VST parameters”.

•	Screenshot

Click the camera symbol to take a screenshot of the VST front panel:

The screenshot is then automatically scaled down and placed on the corresponding Palette in the Browser, and in the Plugin Rack Device display:

The screenshot of the MicroTonic VST is scaled down and displayed in the Browser and in the Plugin Rack Device.

Closing the Plugin Window

The Plugin Window can be closed in a number of different ways:

•	By clicking the Open button on the Plugin Rack Device panel (the same as for opening the Plugin Window).

This works regardless of whether the “Keep open” function in the Plugin Window is on or off.

•	By clicking the standard “window close” button in the upper corner of the Plugin Window.

This works regardless of whether the “Keep open” function in the Plugin Window is on or off.

•	By selecting another device in the rack.

If the “Keep open” function in the Plugin Window is active, selecting another device in the rack will NOT close the Plugin Window (see “Keep open” above).

Editing the VST parameters

Editing a VST is done in the same way as when editing a native device or a Rack Extension device, only VSTs are edited in their Plugin Windows - not in the rack.

Note that the standard “Reason” functions, such as holding [Shift] while turning a knob/moving a slider to improve the precision - or holding [Ctrl](Win) or [Cmd](Mac) to reset parameters to their default position/value - won’t work for most VSTs. This is because the VST manufacturers define this type of functionality themselves.

If the VST plugin has a built-in on-screen keyboard (etc), this can be used for auditioning sounds but you cannot use it for recording into Reason’s sequencer!

About Undo and Redo

The Undo/Redo functions in Reason also work in most situations when editing VST parameters in the Plugin Window(s).

Automating VST parameters

Automating VST parameters in the Reason sequencer works in a similar way as for native devices and Rack Extension devices. Basically, there are three ways of automating VST parameters in the Reason sequencer:

Start recording in the Reason sequencer and then edit the desired VST parameters while recording.

Each of the edited VST parameters automatically gets their own automation lane on the sequencer track, with clips and automation points recorded. Make sure the Parameter Automation is record-enabled on the track first.

Another alternative is this:

1.	Click the Automate button in the Plugin Window.

2.	Then, click the parameter you want to automate on the VST panel.

The automated VST parameter gets an automation lane in the Reason sequencer:

3.	Then, you can draw automation clips and automation points, the same way you would for a native device or a Rack Extension device.

A third alternative is to select the parameter from the Track Parameter Automation popup above the track list in the sequencer, see “Creating/adding parameter automation lanes”.

CV modulation of VST parameters

There are eight CV inputs on the rear panel of the Plugin Rack Device. These CV inputs can be assigned on the CV Programmer panel of the Plugin Rack Device.

Click the CV Programmer button on the VST Rack Device panel to unfold the CV Programmer:

The CV Programmer of the Plugin Rack Device.

For each slot on the CV Programmer panel you can:

•	Select a CV input.

Several slots can use the same CV input.

•	Set a bipolar modulation Amount.

The range is -100 to 100.

•	Select a VST destination parameter from a drop-down list.

This can also be done with Learn function (see below).

•	Set a Base Value.

The Base Value is the value the parameter has the time you select it on the VST panel. This is similar to the “Static Value” used when automating parameters on native Reason devices and Rack Extension devices. The exact Base Value is shown in the corresponding value slider.

•	Clear the CV assignment.

CV controlling VST parameters using the Learn function

1.	Press [Tab] to flip the rack around.

2.	Connect a CV cable from the device you want to use as control source, to the CV IN 1 input of the Plugin Rack Device.

3.	Press [Tab] to flip the rack back to the front again.

4.	Click the topmost Learn button.

The Learn button lights up and the Plugin Window is opened and brought to front. In the Plugin Window, the text display tells you to move a parameter.

5.	Click a parameter in the VST Plugin Window.

In this example we click the Fine Tune slider of Oscillator 1 to assign it.

The Fine Tune Osc1 parameter is now assigned in the Parameter column for CV slot 1:

6.	If desired, change the CV (bipolar) modulation amount by clicking the Amount bar and dragging up/down:

7.	Repeat the procedure for the other CV slots you want to assign.

You can also change the VST parameter’s “start” value by clicking the Base Value bar and dragging up/down.

If you want to reassign a VST parameter, just click the Parameter drop-down and select the desired VST parameter from the list:

Remote controlling VST parameters

It’s possible to assign Remote Overrides to VST parameters, to be able to control VST parameters from your connected MIDI Control Keyboard/Surface.

Adding a Remote Override to a parameter

1.	Click the Remote button at the top of the Plugin Window.

The button is highlighted and a text display tells you to click a parameter.

2.	Click a parameter on the VST panel in the Plugin Window.

The Remote Override Edit dialog appears for this parameter:

3.	Use the “Learn from control surface input” function and turn a knob on your MIDI Control Keyboard/Surface to assign a physical knob/slider to the VST parameter.

Knob 8 on the MIDI keyboard assigned to control the DistAmt1 parameter on the MicroTonic VST.

4.	Click OK to close the dialog.

Removing a Remote Override from a parameter

1.	Click the Remote button at the top of the Plugin Window.

The button is highlighted and a text display tells you to click a parameter.

2.	Click the parameter you want to remove from the Remote Override.

A context menu appears where you can select “Edit Remote Override Mapping...” (to reassign an override), or “Clear Remote Override Mapping” to remove the override.

Selecting VST programs

Programs for VST plugins can be selected from the Plugin Rack Device (if the VST supports programs). For example, if you load a bank (fxb) using Reason’s Browser, the fxb bank may contain a number of different programs, which are then loaded into the VST.

1.	Click the patch name display on the Plugin Rack Device to show the list of programs loaded in the VST plugin.

2.	Select the desired VST program/patch from the list.

Alternatively, click the VST Prog up/down selectors to step between and load the VST programs:

These methods also work if the VST has presets that are automatically loaded when you create the device.

Note that the VST Prog selector buttons only appear if the plugin has a bank of programs or presets loaded.

About saving songs that contain VSTs

When you save a Reason song document, all VST patch/program data is automatically embedded in the song document. This means that you can load VST patches/programs, edit them and then save the Reason song without needing to save the edited VST patches/programs separately. This works exactly the same way as for patches in native Reason devices and Rack Extension devices.

Combining VST plugins in Combinator devices

A Plugin Rack Device can be Combined just like any other device types. In the Combi Programmer, all VST parameters are listed. See “The Combinator” for more information.

About missing VST plugins

When you open a Reason song from another user, it might have been created using VST plugins that you don't have. When you open such a song, any missing VSTs are replaced by empty Plugin Rack Devices in the rack:

An empty Plugin Rack Device representing a VST which is currently unavailable on your computer.

•	The empty VST device itself will be silent.

If it's an effect, it will bypass the audio (or be silent, if connected as a send effect).

•	If you're collaborating with a friend you can safely save the song and send it back.

When your friend opens the song, the missing VST will be restored with all settings intact.