Reason opens with a demo song. Close it and open empty rack. you will need to add the mixer first. Every time you add a synth, it will automatically wire itself up to the mixer. To add synths, click in the empty black space of the rack. Then go to the create menu and add the synth of your choice.

A good synth to start with is Redrum. this is a beat box. Load a patch in the lower left of the synth. Press the select button on the individual instruments. With select pressed, press run on the pattern. It is in 16 steps (4 groups of 4). Keep adding drums to the pattern until you like the sound. You can also create different patterns (up to 32).

Dr. Rex can also create beats. It works with loops. Load a loop and preview it. If you like it, push the to track button. This maps each sound to MIDI notes. In the edit window, this can be copied and repeated.

From here, you need a melody and bass. The Subtractor synth is a great analog synth. Load a patch you like to get started. Since this synth generates sound, you will need to tell it what notes you want it to play. You can use a MIDI keyboard to record, add notes to the edit window, or use a matrix pattern generator.

If you add a matrix, make sure you click on the synth just prior to adding it. this will make the matrix wire up to the synth. It works just like the pattern genetator on the Redrum. Choose the pitches you want by clicking in the grid. Don't forget to choose the strength (gate) of each note also.

For some really interesting sounds, add a Malstrom synth. you can add notes the same way you added them for the Subtractor.

There are two sampler synths also. They too work the same way as the Subtractor and the Malstrom.

The play controls are very straight forward.

Effects can be added to either the mixer or the synth. Click on the device you want to add them too first, the add the effect.