Context menus

Context menus are “tailored” to contain only menu items that are relevant to the current circumstances. Using the various context menus allows you to work more quickly and more efficiently with Reason Essentials.

To bring up a context menu, right-click (Win) or [Ctrl]-click (Mac) on the desired object, section or area in Reason Essentials.

The Mixer 14:2 device panel context menu

If you are using a Mac with a two button mouse, you may want to set this up so that clicking the right mouse button generates a [Ctrl]-click. This way, you can right-click to bring up context menus.

The contents of the context menus depend on where you click. These are the primary types of context menus you will encounter in Reason Essentials:

Parameter context menus

If you click on an automatable control (a mixer parameter, a device parameter, a fader, etc.), the context menu will contain the following items:

•	Functions for editing and clearing the recorded automation data for the control.

•	Functions for associating computer keyboard commands and/or MIDI messages to the parameter.

This allows you to remote control parameters from a MIDI device or from the computer keyboard.

Device context menus

If you click anywhere on a device in the Rack (but not on a parameter or display), the context menu will contain the following items:

The Mixer 14:2 device panel context menu

•	Cut, Copy, Paste, Delete and Duplicate Device and Track items, allowing you to rearrange and manage the devices in the rack.

•	Commands for managing Device Groups.

•	A duplicate of the Create menu, allowing you to create new devices.

•	A “Go To” submenu, listing all devices connected to the current device.

Selecting a device from the Go To submenu scrolls the rack to bring that device into view.

•	Auto-routing and Disconnect functions.

This allows you to automatically route (connect) or disconnect a selected device in a logical way.

•	Combine and Uncombine are used when you want to use the selected device in, or exclude it from, a Combinator setup.

•	A Browse Instruments item which lets you browse for sounds for a selected Instrument device.

This item is available only for Instrument devices.

•	Additional device-specific items.

If the device is pattern-based, there will be various pattern functions (Cut/Copy/Paste, Clear, Shift, Randomize, etc.). These affect the currently selected pattern in the device.

If the device uses patches, there will be functions for managing patches.

Depending on the device there may also be various device-specific functions available. For example, the drum machine device has functions for manipulating the pattern for the selected drum sound only, etc.

•	“Create Track for...” and “Delete Track for...” are used if you want to create a Sequencer Track for the selected device, or delete the Sequencer Track used for the device without deleting the actual device.

•	The “Go To Track for ...” will scroll the corresponding Sequencer Track into view in the Sequencer.

•	The “Lock Control Surface to this Device” lets you lock a connected control surface to the selected device.

•	The “Track Color” item lets you select color for the associated Sequencer Track (and Main Mixer channel strip, if the selected devise is an Audio Track device).

Main Mixer channel strip context menu

If you click anywhere on a channel strip in the Main Mixer (but not on a parameter or display), the context menu will contain the following items:

The Channel Strip context menu.

•	Cut, Copy, Paste, Delete and Duplicate Channels and Track items, allowing you to rearrange and manage the channel strips in the Main Mixer.

•	Commands for managing Device Groups.

•	A duplicate of the Create menu, allowing you to create new devices.

•	The “Create Send FX” lets you browse for an effects device, or Effect Combi patch, to connect and use as a send effect.

The send effect will be automatically connected to the first available Send FX connectors of the Master Section device in the Rack.

•	The “Copy Channel Settings” item lets you copy groups of settings for the selected channel strip.

The groups that can be selected are: “Filters and EQ”, “Insert FX”, “FX Sends” and “All”.

•	The “Paste Channel Settings” item appears if you have previously copied any channel settings and want to paste these to the selected channel strip.

•	The “Browse Insert FX Patches” lets you browse for, and load, Effect Combi patches to the Insert FX section.

•	The “Clear Insert FX” lets you remove any devices currently in the Insert FX area.

•	The “Reset Channel Settings” resets all channel strip parameters to their default values.

It also automatically removes any used Insert FX devices from the channel strip.

•	The “Set Remote Base Channel” item lets you set the remote base channel to the selected channel strip.

This is useful when you remote control channel strips from a control surface via MIDI.

•	The “Lock Control Surface to this Device” lets you lock a connected control surface to the selected channel strip.

•	The “Channel Color” item lets you select color for the Main Mixer channel strip (and the associated Sequencer Track, if the selected channel has a track in the sequencer).

Rack “background” context menu

If you click in an empty area of the rack, the context menu will contain the following items:

•	A Paste Devices and Tracks item, allowing you to paste any copied or cut devices and tracks.

•	A duplicate of the Create menu, allowing you to create new devices.

Main Mixer “background” context menu

If you click in an empty area of the Main Mixer, the context menu will contain the following items:

•	A duplicate of the Create menu, allowing you to create new devices.

•	The “Create Send FX” lets you browse for an effects device, or Effect Combi patch, to connect and use as a send effect.

The send effect will be automatically connected to the first available Send FX connectors of the Master Section device in the Rack.

Sequencer context menus

If you click in the Sequencer, the context menus will contain items related to editing tracks, clips and events. The available items will differ depending on in which section or lane you click (Track List, note lane, etc.), and depending on whether you click on a note or automation event or not.

For example, the sequencer context menus contain functions for inserting or removing bars, deleting tracks, changing or deleting note and automation events.