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How to Install Reason Music Software

Reason is an audio sequencing software made by Swedish software company Propellerhead. It is one of the industry's standard brands, and various high-profile producers and musicians use it, including Liam Howlett from The Prodigy. Reason is a sophisticated and complex program, which is why it is quite expensive (as of May 2011, Reason Premium was priced at $400). However, Propellerhead lets you try before you buy. You can download a demo version of Reason to check that it suits your needs before investing in the full version.

Things You'll Need

  • Windows Vista, Windows XP or Windows 7
  • Mac OS 10.4 or later version
  • 2 Gb hard-disk space
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Instructions

    • 1

      Go to www.Propellerheads.se/products/reason and click on the "Download" link in the orange bar near the top-right of the page. Click the link next to the logo for your particular operating system. For example, if you use Windows, click "Reason Demo for Windows." This particular download is 542 Mb. You must have a minimum of 1 Gb of random access memory (RAM). If using Mac OS, the download is 559 Mb.

    • 2

      Click "Save File" when prompted by your operating system. This action downloads the file into your "Downloads" folder. The download may take a few minutes.

    • 3

      Click the "Downloads" folder. Some Web browsers are configured so the "Downloads" folder automatically opens when you download a new file. If this isn't the case, click "Computer," "Users," and then "Downloads."

    • 4

      Double-click on the file "Reasondemo_win.zip" folder. You will be prompted to select an action. Click "Extract" and select a location for the files to be extracted to; for example, "Desktop" or "Program Files." "Zip" folders contain compressed files; when you extract them, your operating system will uncompress them.

    • 5

      Double-click on the file named "install_reason_demo.exe" and wait for it to open. Any file that ends in ".exe" is an "executable" file, meaning it will cause an action to occur when opened. In this case, the installation screen will open. However, many viruses are delivered in ".exe" format files, so your computer may issue a warning before opening. If so, click "Continue."

    • 6

      Click "Next" when the welcome screen pops up. The next page will ask whether you want a desktop icon. Click "Yes." From this point on, the Reason installation software will issue a series of prompts, such as "Choose Language." Once you have responded to each prompt, Reason will ask you for configuration information.

    • 7

      Click "Yes" or "No" in response to each prompt, according to your preferences. For example, Reason will ask, "Automatically Open Demo Song?" If you want to open a blank session each time you call up the program, click "No." If you want to hear the demo song every time you open Reason, click "Yes."

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