Propellerhead REASON 4.0 is a music production software that allows you to alter music the way you want! It comes equipped with sound banks full of loops, sounds, and patches for all genres of music. Being that it is Version 4.0 it has some extra bells and whistles than Version 3.0 does.

Version 4.0 comes with a ReGroove mixer that allows you to shuffle, slide, change the timing, note lengths and velocity in real time. The mixer also has up to 32 groove channels available all at the same time. If you look in the sound bank you can search through many patches that are available for you to choose from. Me personally I haven't played with this one too much, seeing as though this version is packed with many new things. I tend to want to master each synthesizer, mixer, or arpeggiator by its self for a while and than move on to the next one and than combine them all to see what I may have learned!

The Thor Poly-sonic Synthesizer is a semi modular synthesizer created to produce synth sounds virtually, however you want. Adjusting range of the synth from huge or warm, to sharp FM or wave table textures. The Thor also includes 3 oscillator slots that allows you to insert 6 different oscillator types. I personally love messing around with the knobs on this synthesizer, to create one's sound is my goal and it allows you to do just that!

RPG-8 Monophonic Arpeggiator produces note patterns in a rhythmic form from chords to notes in many different modes, running freely or in sync with the tempo. It is equipped with a 16 step pattern editor which can create rhythmic variations. When the arpeggio is turned off it works as a MIDI to CV converter allowing you to adjust parameters. I specifically enjoy this one and tend to get caught playing with it more than any other in this new and improved Version 4.

Some other additions and/or changes to Version 4 may include:

• the position displays
• recording and transport functions
• the precount
• combinator changes
• some NN-XT changes
  

Version 4.0 also includes some usability changes which are:

• it is now localized to German, French, and Japanese
• when routing cables using pop up menus there is an indication of which jacks are in use
• numerical value fields use a signal control to the right
• has support for unmodified key commands and an overhaul of the command list to make them more logical and useful
• REASON now comes on DVD
• by default the last selected track will have Master Keyboard Input indicated by an icon and frame around it in the track list.

With all that Version 4.0 has available that Version 3.0 did not there are many more great opportunities they have presented us producer's with. I live to learn as the creators of these amazing programs continue to create lives for us as we embark on their journeys that allow us to bend some rules and boundaries of music and take are own path and explore our own world of sound.