When we launched the plugin Freequel bundle, we got a lot of questions about it working in Reason. Many of you may know that we have had Rack Extensions of several of our products available for several years, so it was a logical question. This paralleled questions on the ReasonTalk forum and user emails over the years when we’d have more Reason releases. And we’ve been promising a return for a while. 

So today’s news is Hey Reason Users! We’re back!

We’re excited to announce two new Reason Rack Extension bundles for you! And one of them is FREE!  That’s right, you can now get three Noise Engineering Rack Extensions completely free. Right now. And you can also buy the new Bundle 1, and it’s on sale! Right now!

So, download your copy of the Freequel Bundle for free here.

And buy your copy of Bundle 1, on sale now, here.

And continue reading if you want to learn more!

Are you wondering what Reason is? We love Reason because it’s a DAW that bridges software and modular synths really well. Reason Racks offer front-panel GUIs like you know and expect from any DAW, but on the back, you can “patch” them just like in a modular synth. It’s a ton of fun and worth checking out if you enjoy the patching workflow and want to try it in the box too.

Rack Extensions are a very different beast from plugins to us: we love the Reason ecosystem and want to release native REs that really embrace the ethos of the DAW. People who use the plugins and the REs will find that while the core synthesis is the same, the products are really pretty different.

The Freequel: Ruina, Sinc Vereor, Virt Vereor

The Freequel is our free bundle of two synths and one effect. The synths, Virt Vereor and Sinc Vereor, are designed for simplicity and ease of use -- there’s nothing better than getting a great sound with just a couple of tweaks. Ruina is our epic multidistortion that can be used to gently distort, subtly subvert, or totally transform any sound into something wild, gnarly, epic, and a whole bunch of other words we’re probably too old and / or uncool to use.

Basslines and chords: Freequel has it all

You may be wondering what these REs can do. A lot, as it turns out! Versatility is a core tenet of our design. 

In this example, we’re creating some wide chords using Virt Vereor in Sawx mode. We’re using a lowpass filter modulated by its ADSR envelope to create some movement, and the chorus creates some width and variety as the chord rings out. 

Of course, lush and pretty sounds like that aren’t the only thing we can make. Here, we’ve cranked the filter resonance and turned off the chorus to create an acid bassline, and we’ve run it through Ruina to give it some distorted attitude. We’re using some Fold and Overdrive to distort things, and slowly increasing the DOOM parameter introduces distorted suboctaves.

Everything plus the kitchen Sinc (Sinc Vereor, that is)

We’ve yet to hear from the last RE in the Freequel, Sinc Vereor. Sinc makes sound design simple with three oscillator modes controlled by a single Tone parameter, so whether you want traditional waveforms, wavefolded sines, or unique flavors of noise, Sinc can create a wide variety of timbres. Here, we’ve patched the envelope output on the back of the module to the Tone parameter, and we’re modulating the filter frequency with the envelope, too, to create plucky sounds evocative of classic modular systems.

 A new look for old favorites

While we were working on the new REs, we decided to give some of the old ones a bit of an update. Currently, Basimilus and Cursus Vereor fit this description. The new ones will be apparent because the panels have a new look (black!) and they have a slight rename (from Basimilus Iteritas and Cursus Iteritas Vereor). If you already owned any of these REs, you’ll automatically get licenses for the new-and-improved versions (not upgrades -- separate licenses for new products!). The new ones will NOT replace the old extensions in your sessions, so your old projects will look and sound exactly the same, too.

But why? 

The goal of this shift is to line up with our plugin releases. Bundle 1 is available in AAX and will soon be released in VST3 and AU as well. And we have a lot more coming in RE and plugin formats, so we want to line up these bundles as much as possible. This is to say: hold on tight, there’s a lot more where these came from!

Bundle 1: It’s awesome, and it’s on sale! 

Bundle 1 contains some of our most popular Eurorack modules, adapted for Reason. Want a reverb like you’ve never heard before? Desmodus is the answer. Need an easy way to create awesome percussion and synth stabs? Basimilus is there for you. Want some sparkly leads, pads, and basses? Cursus Vereor does all that and more. And wouldn’t you know it, all three of those plugins are included in Bundle 1 for just US$109...but get it on sale through November 30, 2021 for a low introductory price of US$59!

Eternal ambient

Desmodus is a creative reverb designed to be a whole lot more than your traditional room emulator. In fact, it’s really a voice of its own: the Regen knob goes up to 200%, meaning that it’s easy to create ambience that lasts forever and takes on a life of its own. Here, we’ve got a gentle sequence from Cursus Vereor running into Desmodus. Desmodus is in Shift mode which creates sparkling octaves as it feeds back, adding extra layers on top of Cursus. Of course, we’re slowly modulating Cursus to give it some timbral variety -- these REs are based on modules, after all, so they’re designed to be modulated. And Reason makes it easy to do it.

Drums? Drums.

We here at NE have a particular love for drums. Now, none of us actually play the drums, which is why we created Basimilus: it’s a synthesizer that can do almost anything, but it’s especially good for percussion. Any kind of percussion, really. Here’s a clip of a few instances of Basimilus creating a whole drum kit.

Desmodus has a fun trick up its sleeve: if you crank up Regen past 3:00, it’ll duck its reverb tail based on the dynamics of the input signal. This creates some really unique effects with sounds like simple kicks. This clip is just a Basimilus into Desmodus: Desmodus creates the atmosphere, Basimilus supplies the thwomps. 

A note on VST

We’ve released the Freequel as VST/AU plugins (get them free at the Customer Portal!), and many users have emailed asking for more. Don’t worry! Bundle 1 is coming to VST/AU soon, too, and we’ve got lots more plugins planned. Stay tuned!

Get your Rack Extensions today

Both Bundle 1 and the Freequel Bundle are available now. Grab yours today! And if you want to see more of what they can do, check out our video manuals for a deep dive into their functions and sounds.