Dear Reason users,
I've been into electro/house music for a really long while now and I'm at the point that I want to make it myself. One of the things that I really love about electro are the distorted synths (I don't know if that's the right word?) anyways I'm talking about synths like the one this guy uses in his songs "cut the dust" and "high five" (high five is the best example)
http://profile.myspace.com/index.cfm...endid=95783230

Now I'm not a copycat but I really would like to know how people make these sounds? What kind of effects should I use and such?

Thanks alot for your help,
michiel.

p.s. Is it okay for me to sample from other electro and using their kicks/hats etc.(afcourse tweak them a little)? Or is this frowned upon? The default ones just don't do it for me.

You can use square or sawtooth waveforms in the oscillators on your synths, these sound a bit more distorted since the waveform is meant to sound like its clipping. another thing would be to run your synth(s) through the scream distortion device in reason, you can get some crushing sounds this way. hope this helps a bit.

wowthat did help , thanks. any comment on the p.s. thing?

well, I don't see why sampling just one hit of a kick or a snare and using that for your beat is bad, thats how many artists get the sounds they like, whether its sampling from an old funk record (like many hip hop artists do) or sampling from a newer recording, its pretty much the same thing. If it is frowned upon, its certainly not illegal, and if it helps you achieve the sound your seek it can't be that bad.

Using saw oder square is only the half way.
You should try out the scream4 device. This is exactly what you need!

well scream 4 is nice but i miss the cuts between the tones. is there another way to do it apart from the saw tooth shaped osc thing you just told me. to make more/longer cuts between the tones.

what do you mean by "cuts between the tones"? it seems like your trying to achieve some justice-style fat, fuzzy, cut up bass. If so, try programming the notes with a little space between them, make sure the attack and release on your synth(s) are very quick.

That's exactly what I'm trying to achieve! Justice is Electro House at its finest. Thanks for the advice!

i have to say -- if you are looking for how to make a specific sound, there are two excellent approaches -- i have even used these personally

first -- look up "reason tutorials" on youtube -- check out any tutorial by AcePincter -- they are easy, fun, concise and clear -- very amazing -- i have done several of them -- just follow along and do what he does -- then i save it named for the tutorial, and i can go back to the wiring and look at it or tweak it whenever i want

second -- open up some of the combis, synths, patches, whatever that you like the sound of -- flip the rack and figure out what is wired to what -- this is a great way to start to understand the power of reason and the more you pick stuff that is already made apart, the more you can use the same tricks in your own work -- also, again, you can tweak it however you want and build off of and create brand new sounds

several times i have picked apart a combi, seen how the sound was made and then used my own samples or instruments with those type of wirings to get the sound i want --

seriously, if you invest the time in these two things you will learn and grow by leaps and bounds, and so will your music!

That's really great advice. I appreciate it very much. I plan on following it in the next day or so..I expect to be enlightened. :-)