Tonylongmusic.co.uk

Propellerheads Reason 5 and Record 1.5 are out now. Everyone is talking about them and I want to understand a bit more about how much Reason 5 has improved over Reason 4.

The first thing to think about are the various packages available. According to Propellerheads they come in four flavours:-

1. All new Reason 5 – This is the package to get if you don’t own Reason and you feel you don’t need Record yet.

2. Record Reason Duo – Combine Reason and Record and they fuse into one incredibly powerful music application

3.  Record for Reason Owners – Record for Reason Owners upgrades any version of Reason to Record 1.5 and Reason 5.

4.  Reason Upgrade – For owners of both Reason and Record, upgrades Reason to version 5 — and includes a free upgrade to Record 1.5 for Record owners.

Read the rest of this entry »

Looking Back – The Quasimidi Sirius

Does anyone remember the Quasimidi Sirius?  Over 12 years ago, Future Music did an article on this great machine and questioned “Was the Sirius the definitive dance tool?” This was a keyboard that I always wanted but never actually purchased. It was well ahead of its time and just sounded so much fun. I remember listening to the sounds on the CD that I was sent demonstrating it’s capabilities. I loved it’s drum sounds. It reminded me of music made with software rather than hardware. A bit like making music with Propellerheads Reason 5 and Kong but having an actual keyboard in front of you.

Yes it is German and has that very 90’s German analog Synth sound. If I remember correctly Kraftwerk did a couple of the demos for this. There are still some great You Tube clips that give you some idea of its potential. Some of the sounds that Sirius Users have created had such interesting qualities that I have not yet heard or believed it possible to recreate on such Synths like the Access Virus or Roland GAIA.

It even has a random sound button. I tried this in a store at the time and was very surprised what it came up with. Maybe I should buy one now second-hand on e-bay?  Unfortunately Quasimidi folded in 2000. Perhaps Access could develop the  Sirius mark II for 2011?