RAZOR - Native Instruments' Low-End Menace Exposed

[qkyqky1]

What's that program that you using to create notes like that. At 1:30 you got this paper and this really cool drawing of the things. How did you do it?

[bkallmer]

@qkyqky1 Actually, I just took a note pad and drew the pictures with a Sharpie. Then I scanned it and converted to JPEG.

[elijaremski]

does razor work with out reactor on ableton live?... sorry, noob question :)

[bkallmer]

@elijaremski No, it's a good question. You do need REAKTOR to run RAZOR. (Think of REAKTOR as the operating system, and RAZOR as the program you're running on it.) But you don't need the full version of REAKTOR; you can use the free player version.

[MrMusiclover922]

can you run razor and create your own music on the free reaktor player platform?

[bkallmer]

@MrMusiclover922 Absolutely; RAZOR will run in the free REAKTOR player. (Though if you want to create tracks you'll need a sequencer as well... I use Ableton Live. Cockos Reaper is also highly recommended).

[MrMusiclover922]

@bkallmer what would be a good cheap sequencer cuz i'm not ready to drop $800 on ableton

[bkallmer]

@MrMusiclover922 Check out Cockos Reaper... it's only $60.

[realtv2011]

@MrMusiclover922 maybe i can help you with that

[MrMusiclover922]

Do you need a keyboard to operate razor??? Someone plz reply

[bkallmer]

@MrMusiclover922 You don't have to have a MIDI keyboard—you can use your computer (qwerty) keyboard.

[MrMusiclover922]

@bkallmer if your using your qwerty keyboard would that still be enough to make dubstep track or something or would it just be really basic?

[bkallmer]

@MrMusiclover922 Sorry to take so long getting back to you, To answer your question, you're not limited by using a qwerty keyboard. If you're using it to play melodies, for example, you can record some MIDI and then go back and alter the velocity information and just about everything else. You're really just using it to input notes—you can then use all the features of your DAW and make it as complex as you like.

[officialmythik]

@MrMusiclover922 Are you stupid man?

[Alexfignewton]

@officialmythik First rule in life: Don't be a condescending asshole.... First rule of Dubstep: Show some F***ing Respect!

[ISR48L]

what hardware do you use to play RAZOR with? and turn the knobs?

[meshlife88]

@ISR48L You can use any decent hardware USB midi controller. Check out Akai, Novation etc.

[squeakysnowful]

Does this program run by itself or do you need a program like fl studio?

[meshlife88]

@squeakysnowful It runs inside the free Reaktor Player.

[ARandomChannell]

ok so someone help i want to buy massive or razor i dont know what to choose though!

[PhokusOner]

@ARandomChannell Get Razor man!

Massive is good but Razor is something else! Plus the layout to me is more user friendly.

[JimBobJrJackson]

@ARandomChannell I bought both. They are totally different.

[DirtyFilthyDubstep]

how much? 79? that's amazing

[bkallmer]

@DirtyFilthyDubstep Absolutely right. The cool thing is that since RAZOR is built on the REAKTOR platform (instead of being built from the ground up), NI can charge far less for it. $79 is really a steal for an instrument like this...

[gabochore]

@DirtyFilthyDubstep Check Native website now 39.50

[meshlife88]

@DirtyFilthyDubstep It's on sale now for half price on the NI site, as is most other apps. Hard to not get this for 40 bucks.

[MittaSpitta]

Great vids!! how do you record your videos? i have been wondering for a long time.. thanx!

[bkallmer]

@MittaSpitta Hi there. I use a program called ScreenFlow (the maker is Telestream). It's a wonderful program; highly recommended if you're looking to get into screencasting.

[chez117]

Could i get a MIDI controller for this to control the filters and what not.?

[bkallmer]

@chez117 Absolutely; just map the parameters you want to control by right-clicking over them and selecting "MIDI learn."

[lushfauna]

@bkallmer can you "midi learn" it too the pitch bend wheel on a midi keyboard?

[bkallmer]

@chez117 I believe so; have you tried it?

[Adeptmind]

@ZomePro Eh.. I know, but it's 2011.. I know Reaktor is capable of being programmed to do it.. seems like a pretty simple thing to leave out of such a dynamic synth.. but c'est la vie

[Adeptmind]

@ZomePro Yeah, my problem is I wanted it to retrig using a timing by Hertz (free run) rather than Beats (quantized) for a modulation I wanted to do. So in other words I didn't want it perfectly sync'd to the beat, I wanted some swing.. but unfortunately it seems to be incapable of doing retrigger with free run.. as are a few other synths I've run into.. my work around is to sample them individually into a program like kontakt and then just perform them through the plugin. A pain, but it works

[djflee0]

Nice

[obidunkenoe]

You're a beast.

[az0empty]

ok im new but i really want this, what do i have to have i already have a computer and a interface and speakers whatelse?

[bkallmer]

@az0empty You need either the full version of NI's REAKTOR or the free REAKTOR player. You probably also want a DAW—such as Ableton Live, Apple Logic, or Cubase—to sequence it. Otherwise you can use RAZOR in REAKTOR standalone mode.

[ForevaSniping]

@az0empty I highly recommend you get Massive (another amazing synth but subtractive) and also a midi controller. Midi controllers are great for composition as well as performance.

[sbussard21]

@az0empty need studio monitors too or studio headphones

[tregenza77]

Thanks dude, very helpful.

[C4pitalise]

Bought this today and have to say it is impressive after some good old fiddling... Can you do any dubstep/drum and bass ish tutorials in razor at all? There's only one and as much as it's great to make your own I like to see how others do it then change it around? :)

[bkallmer]

@C4pitalise Can't make any promises, but I'll see what I can do. I'm currently working on a tutorial for Rob Papen's Punch, so that's taking a fair bit of time. Thanks for watching.

[Adeptmind]

@bkallmer Do you know how to set the lfo as retrigger rather than free run?

[bkallmer]

@Adeptmind It's a good question; will have to look into it. Anyone else know?

[Adeptmind]

@bkallmer I dug a little in the manual.. it looks like there is no real way to set the lfo to retrigger. It's automatically set to free run in Hertz mode.. it's automatically set to retrigger in beat mode. Doesn't appear to be any way to change that without modifying the schematics. Setting it to the evelope will also retrigger, though it's not quite capable of what I was attempting to do. I'll prob just have to sample the patches into kontakt to get the effect I want

[MissBombastiQue]

a synthesizer?

is this when you have a beat, you can add effects on your beat?

And the thing he's doing on 2:55 , How can you keep that effect? You have to record it, and thn add the effects you want or ?

can somebody plz explain?

[MissBombastiQue]

Hey, is this a beat making program??

[ultimatenerd22]

Can you use this with any DAW?

[bkallmer]

@ultimatenerd22 Yes (except Reason, of course), but you have to have either REAKTOR or the free REAKTOR Player for it to work.

[PhokusOner]

@ultimatenerd22 Pretty much, I know it will work with Fruity Loops, Ableton and Logic Pro.

[TeepzTunez]

What's it like compared with MASSIVE? Could anyone tell me?

[djkruzz13]

@TeepzTunez yes its kinda like massive just different kind of synth additive

[PhokusOner]

@TeepzTunez It shit's all over massive in my opinion, it produces better low end whilst keeping the high end nice and crisp.

[TeepzTunez]

@PhokusOner I know man! Got it last month. Fucking incredible

[chemicalBR0]

I never used an native instruments software before

I had a look on the website but its trying harder to be cool than give people good easy to find information.

if i was to buy razor would i be able to use it with the free reaktor player via midi.

(as if it was just another external instrument)

[djkruzz13]

@chemicalBR0 yes u can what kind of midi device u have

[chemicalBR0]

@djkruzz13

i've got a couple of midi controllers , an E-mu Xboard and a novation launchpad.

since my original post i've bought razor and i'm mostly using it in ableton as a VST plugin

it works a treat with the free reaktor player.

[MatthewLeggMead]

Can I use this in the same way that I use NI's MASSIVE without any hassle?

[jakeadamsonmusic]

is it easy to assign things to a midi controller like the amount etc

[Ceb773]

this video was actually hilarious. I'm really interested in razor... seems really cool

[swarm69]

haha pain staking detail...i lold

[6ecko]

I bought Razor on the strength of this review alone, thanks for putting the effort in. So far apart from a few hassles with the NI website, it's been a really good buy, I'm gonna be caning this in all my productions.

Has anyone got a spare room? I've been kicked out of my apartment... ;)

[bkallmer]

@6ecko Thanks for that, and you're welcome. And I agree, RAZOR is a tremendous value for the money.

[TheBigSwelly]

smart dude

[luckystrke]

Best review I've seen in a while. Sub'ed:)

[DJChillmast3r]

you also must often RAZOR under REAKTOR?

[bkallmer]

@DJChillmast3r Yes, RAZOR works inside REAKTOR. But you don't need to have the full version of REAKTOR to use it... you can use the free REAKTOR Player.

[dylanmatheson]

@bkallmer So does that mean it wouldnt open in Ableton live as a VST like Massive?

[RandomPipes]

hey do i have to buy reaktor 5 player because mine free one is always saying it's just a demo and it closes after 30 minutes. does it work with razor? help pls

[bkallmer]

@RandomPipes Hey man: I would try uninstalling your demo of REAKTOR 5.5 (using the NI Service Center app) and then loading RAZOR in REAKTOR Player (this may require redownloading/installing REAKTOR Player). In other words, make sure that REAKTOR Player is the only REAKTOR program you have on your system. Let me know how it goes.

[RandomPipes]

@bkallmer hey thank you for replying i've already got the problem.. i had to register Razor in the service center but hadn't got my password. But yeah i found it in my email haha ..anyway thank you! ..btw do you know a video which shows how to make the typical techno/electro drop?

[doushebag]

@bkallmer Torley is horrible

[module8]

Really intelligently done video, to the point, and very informative. I can't wait to test this bad boy out. Looking forward to playing with an instrument that can potentially stretch the boundaries of sound design even further than massive has already done. 5 stars bro, thank you

[bkallmer]

@module8 And thank you for your thoughtful note. Appreciation like this makes it all worthwhile.

[TheExplodingBit]

Cool video, man.

[bkallmer]

@TheExplodingBit Thanks for watching...

[weloveketamine]

Think I might aswell throw my CPU out

[WalkAwayVietnam]

Good vid mate, how do you automate the lfo, are you doing it in cubase or do you automate in razor itself

[bkallmer]

@WalkAwayVietnam Good question. I automated the LFO in Ableton Live. (I originally tried to record the automation on the fly—turning the LFO rate knob in RAZOR—but the Live didn't record it... so I just drew in the automation in the arrangement.)

[WalkAwayVietnam]

@bkallmer Thanks for the quick reply i was just wondering because im gunna get this for logic, and just wondering if i can hyper draw it in logic

[pohatu559]

What synth would you recommend for someone who wants to produce Brostep, Breakbeat and Drum & Bass? Massive or Razor? Price is not a concern.

[bkallmer]

@pohatu559 You can't wrong with either synth, so I would base the decision on which one you intuitively like more... in other words, which one makes the most sense to you. As a first step, I would download the demo of MASSIVE and follow along with some of the many YouTube tutorials in your preferred genres, and then go from there. Good luck!

[flux302]

@pohatu559 if price is not the issue wouldn't you just buy NI komplete 7 and have both? then jsut use the sound pack voucher that comes with komplete to get razor? just a thought. and the route that I would go .

[SPFXsynthesisers]

@pohatu559 Kontakt 4 is good aswell-great sampler.

NI are awesome.

Imagine working for them as a programmer.Wow.

[MrEcomist]

really nice video!



[mikedhoward]

"If you play your cards right, will probably get you kicked out of your apartment" - HA!! LOL. Great intro!

[JudgeJudas]

This was pretty damn awesome. If I hadn't already bought it, I would now.

Source: God.

[bkallmer]

@JudgeJudas Cool... thanks for watching.

[catsimusss]

good video... definitely going to look into this more... Regards from Australia.

[bkallmer]

@catsimusss Thanks, and I think you'll find RAZOR to be quite deep.

[cprostudio]

want low end, go analog

[pontello3]

gosh!

this is a bit "nerdy" tutorial! :)

[bkallmer]

@pontello3 I know; I just can't fight it....

[pontello3]

@bkallmer

lol :)

only the first bit actually! the rest is ok!

[whoryanp]

I very much enjoyed your video! please make more w/ the razor :)

[bkallmer]

@whoryanp Thanks for that; I'll see what I can do...

[whoryanp]

womp womp

[bkallmer]

@whoryanp exactly...



[whoryanp]

oooh nice