rsTouch FAQs | Delora

rsTouch Pro FAQ’s

No. rsTouch is a "remote control" for Reason Studios Reason running on your Mac or PC. It gives you the ability to perform Reason's transport and Mixer operations using the iPad's touch screen instead of your computer's usual mouse and keyboard. It does not replace Reason.

rsTouch is a type of "control surface" for Reason's "Main Mixer", Master Section, Rack Devices and transport functions. (Note: It only controls these parts of Reason). Professional music production applications include support for a variety of hardware devices that provide direct control over the application's mixer faders and buttons to control playback, recording, muting, and other common recording functions. rsTouch allows your iPad to become a "hardware controller" for Reason's Main Mixer and Device Rack.

2. What versions of Reason can be used with rsTouch?

rsTouch works with Reason Studios Reason 6.5 through 11.3 or Reason Essentials 1.5 through 10.4.

Reason Essentials includes a subset of Reason's Main Mixer so rsTouch adjusts its user interface accordingly. rsTouch automatically recognizes whether you are running Reason or Reason Essentials.

3. What do I need to use rsTouch with Reason?

rsTouch uses MIDI to communicate directly with Reason so you must have a MIDI connection between the computer where you are running Reason, and your iPad. This can be a wired MIDI cable setup if you have a USB interface that works with your iPad, OR a "network MIDI" setup.

If you use network MIDI, you must have a Wi-Fi connection between your computer and iPad. If you wish to use network MIDI and are running Reason on Windows then you must install a third party network MIDI driver on your PC. Mac users do not require this additional step since network MIDI is built into OSX. See the "Connecting to Reason" section of the Getting Started chapter of the user manual for more information about MIDI setups.

You also need support files that are a type of "Reason control surface driver". These are available free from Delora Software and can be downloaded from the rsTouch product page on this website. Once downloaded, click on the file that is appropriate for your computer (.pkg for Mac, .msi for PC's) and run the installer. NOTE; DOWNLOAD AND INSTALL THE FILES ON YOUR COMPUTER, NOT YOUR IPAD.

4. I have upgraded to rsTouch Pro 2.9.7 from the App Store from a previous version of rsTouch that was already setup. Do I have to do anything more?

Yes, you need to update the codec support files on your Mac to the most recent version.

If you updated from a version of rsTouch 1, you must also do some additional setup steps. Follow the Setup instructions on the rsTouch product page/Requirements and Setup. These new steps are required to get the Device and Perform modes working that you did not have to do originally with rsTouch 1.0-1.1

5. Can you recommend an iPad USB MIDI interface?

rsTouch requires a CoreMIDI compatible iOS USB MIDI interface. However some iOS USB MIDI interfaces have issues handling MIDI SYSEX data. The "language" that rsTouch uses to converse with Reason makes extensive use of short-length SYSEX messages that are sent to and from the iPad. Under fully loaded conditions, such as when a song is being played, quite a number of these messages are sent from Reason to rsTouch. This can stress an iOS MIDI interface with weak SYSEX handling to the point of failure.

A few iPad MIDI interfaces have reportedly suffered from overall SYSEX compatibility issues. This has been reported as an issue by owners of the Alesis IO Dock (see Alesis 10 Dock SYSEX compatibility). We have not tested the IO Dock so we cannot confirm this alleged problem. If you are considering an IO Dock we recommend you contact Alesis directly to determine what the current status is. In general we recommend confirming full MIDI support for any iOS MIDI interface by testing it with the apps you wish to use before investing in it.

6. I want to use network MIDI - can I use my cellular data network for Wi-Fi?

No. Network MIDI requires a local area network and the iPad and computer must be on this same network.

7. I run Reason on a Windows PC. Is there any difference in rsTouch setup vs a Mac?

The only difference is if you want to use a network MIDI connection. Mac's have network MIDI built-in and you can set it up with the Audio Midi Setup application. For PC's, there is a third party application, rtpMIDI, that may provide this capability (see Appendix 2 of the user manual). However PC users must also have Bonjour installed and working on the PC and network. Bonjour is part of the standard iTune's installation so if you have skipped that you will need to install Bonjour yourself.

8. I set up the MIDI interface but my MIDI port connections are not showing up in Reason's preferences.

If you are running Reason while you setup your MIDI interface, Reason may not be able to find your connection. Quit Reason, get the MIDI port working, then restart Reason and they should now be showing.

9. I just opened rsTouch for the first time on the iPad, but nothing is happening. The info button is glowing red.

rsTouch requires some setup actions. See "Requirements and Setup" on the rsTouch product page on this website or the user manual.

10. I started up rsTouch (I have used it before with no problem) but there's no data on the screen - just a red glow around the info button. What do I do?

The info button pulses red when it is unsuccessful connecting to Reason. This could be because the computer it last connected to is no longer on, or the Wi-Fi network or Reason may not be running. It may also involve general Wi-Fi network problems.

Tap on the info button. The Connect text/bar will be red for a problem, yellow for a warning. Tap on it to see the MIDI Connections screen. Messages at the bottom will give some clue as to what is wrong.

If you have previously used rsTouch successfully, make sure that rsTouch has been "locked" to Reason's Main Mixer for the song you are currently working on. See "Assign/Lock Reason's Main Mixer to rsTouch" in the Getting Started chapter of the user manual.

See the Troubleshooting chapter of the user manual for more diagnostic information.

11. Do I have to "lock" rsTouch to the main mixer every time I open a song?

If you have performed the assign/lock sequence for this song before and saved the song, you should not have to do it again. Also, if you perform the assign sequence in a template, save the template, then use that template to start new songs, those songs "inherit" the lock setting. This is a convenient way to ensure that your Reason projects are always "rsTouch ready".

Why is locking/assigning necessary in the first place? Reason control surface support defaults to controlling the "currently active device". Usually this is the synthesizer you have assigned to the current sequencer track. When you change to a different sequencer track, Reason automatically switches the control surface to that track’s device.

rsTouch’s “Master and Mixer” section is a different kind of Reason controller. Instead of offering generic control of any Reason device, it is specifically designed to control Reason’s Main Mixer, as well as many “global” Reason functions like the sequencer transport buttons. However for this part of rsTouch to function, Reason’s “Master Section” must be the actively selected device. The way to do this is to have Reason “lock” its Master Section to the control surface that corresponds to rsTouch’s Master and Mixer section.

Reason offers a simple way for you to manually "lock" rsTouch to the Main Mixer. Once locked, rsTouch continues to control the Main Mixer, regardless of the selected track or rack device. Locking is a very simple procedure, and can be done in any of three different ways, each described in the Getting Started chapter of the rsTouch user manual.

Note that this only applies to rsTouch’s Master and Mixer section. The Device and Perform controls normally are left to follow Reason’s currently selected sequencer track. However you can lock either the Device or Perform controllers to a Reason device if you want to control that particular device regardless of which sequencer track is active.

12. rsTouch and Reason seem generally out of sync - what should I do?

This should be a rare occurrence, but if it happens, click on the info (button), and tap on "Refresh Controls" at the bottom. You can also use a "short cut", just tap on the currently active mode button at the top of the rsTouch screen.

13. What is the 'Busses' button for on the rsTouch Pro Mixer screen?

When the Reason version setting is 'current' (in the iOS Settings app/rsTouch), the button below the 4 bank buttons is labeled 'Busses'. (Otherwise it is labeled 'Last'). We named it Busses because we offer the ability to differentiate bus channels if you put the word "bus' at the beginning of a channel name or "**" at the end. If you position your bus channels at the end of your song, tapping on the "Busses" button on rsTouch is a way to go directly to them.

If you do nothing special, tapping on 'Last' or 'Busses' (depending on your version setting), the bank you see is the last in your song.

14. The legend on the meters is not the same for rsTouch and what Reason shows for the current song.

Reason provides a way for you to change the Big Meter's "VU offset" but it does not send the value to the control surface, nor does it "listen" for this value from the control surface. If you change the VU offset value on rsTouch only, or change it on Reason only, it will not show up on the other. You must manually change it on both if you wish them to be in sync. This setting is not something that normally requires changing, and for most users Reason's (and rsTouch's) default value of 12 dB works well.

Note: Changing the VU offset changes that setting for the Big Meter, Master Meter and all channel meters.

15. How do I change the Big Meter settings on rsTouch?

Double tap on the Big Meter (top left of screen). A popup will show. Note that changing the mode on rsTouch's Big Meter also changes it on rsTouch's Master meter.

16. The Connect text/bar on the info screen is yellow. What does that mean?

Yellow indicates that there is some problem but it should not prevent you from using rsTouch. Think of it as a reminder that you need to correct the problem before you next use rsTouch.

The most common cause of this would be if you are trying to use an old version of the Reason support files with a new version of rsTouch, or an old version of rsTouch with new Reason support files. In either case the remedy is to simply install the most recent versions.

Sometimes you will see the yellow warning if your MIDI connection is experiencing occasional errors. This can happen with Wi-Fi network MIDI if you are in a marginal signal area, or there is some type of interference.

17. How do I see Send Effects 5 - 8 (or the Gate controls of Dynamics, or additional EQ screens, etc.)?

When you tap on one of the vertical selector buttons (FDR, FX, INS, EQ, etc), the first screen of controls for that function appears. However, the FX/Sends, INS and EQ functions have additional screens of more controls available. To see those, repeatedly tap on that selector button and it steps through the screens.

Alternatively, you can scroll. Start at the selector button,then slide your finger in the vertical selector channel to see the additional controls. This is most beneficial if you want to see controls on the same screen that normally show on different screens when you tap. For example, you can view Sends 3-6 on the same screen using scrolling.

18. My song has more than 32 mixer channels - how do I see those beyond 32 on rsTouch?

Use the "by 8" or "by 1" buttons to step through your project mixer channels. You can also scroll through channels by swiping your finger left or right in the black horizontal strip that contains the channel numbers and names.

You can also program the bank buttons to any consecutive set of 8 channels. First, view the 8 channels you want on any of the Mixer screens. Then press and hold one of the bank buttons for 2 seconds. When released, that button will now show the preset bank range. To go back to the original default settings, tap on the Reset button.

rsTouch Pro adds another bank button: 'Last' (if used in Reason version setting 'prior to Reason 7'), or 'Busses' (if used with the 'current' version setting). This shows the last tracks in your song.

19. Some of the rsTouch controls are sluggish and rsTouch isn't always showing changes I make on Reason. What's going on?

These symptoms may occur if you have Bluetooth enabled on your iPad during an rsTouch session. Go to the Settings application on the iPad, click on "General", and set Bluetooth to OFF. When your rsTouch session is over, you can turn Bluetooth back on if you wish.

20. Why are the channel faders not working on some tracks in my song, or moving by themselves?

If automation is enabled on that channel in Reason, that takes precedence over rsTouch. If it is annoying or not allowing you to make the changes you want, turn off automation on Reason for that channel when using rsTouch.

21. I run my local network with a firewall. Do I have to perform any additional steps to get rsTouch running?

Typically the firewall is operating in your network router or Wi-Fi access point that connects to the Internet. Those firewalls do not normally interfere with the local network traffic used by network MIDI.

However, if the firewall is one that runs on your Mac or PC, then the answer is probably yes. These "personal firewalls” do not usually pass the necessary network MIDI "traffic" until they are properly configured. If you are having difficulties connecting, then you should check if you have enabled the OS’s built-in firewall, or have another firewall application running on your computer.

Configuring the computer's firewall to properly pass network MIDI traffic can be a somewhat technical undertaking. Generally speaking, the firewall must be set up to "pass" the network port, and the one after it, that you assigned in your network MIDI set up. The details of this, however, depend on the specific firewall.

OSX's built-in firewall offers a straight-forward way to allow network MIDI to be used with the firewall. Use the firewall set up panel in System Preferences/Security & Privacy to set the firewall mode to "Automatically allow signed software to receive incoming connections". Then use the add application feature (the "+" button) and select Reason. Repeat this for Audio Midi Setup.

22. Why do some of the rsTouch Pro Device screens not have all of the same controls that are on the corresponding Reason device?

Unfortunately, Reason does not support sending and updating all of the controls available on every device. We have included those controls Reason provides that make sense for remote control.

23. Some of the devices in rsTouch Pro do not look in sync with the corresponding Reason device, such as Kong. A few also have some controls that are just labeled 'rotary', 'button' or 'FX'. Are these bugs?

These are not bugs. In the case of the generically labeled items, they are variable and Reason does not send their names. However, the controls are fully functional and you can see what they are controlling on the Reason device. Kong is a particular challenge, as the drum pad selected pad info is also not sent to rsTouch. So, you must select the pad desired on both rsTouch and Reason to keep them in sync. Kong also has some generically labeled effects and parameters that we do not get the names for. As just mentioned, though, they are usable for making edits.

24. Can I run rsTouch on multiple iPads at the same time?

Yes! rsTouch has always supported the use of multiple iPads, but previously all of the iPads controlled the same 8 Main Mixer channels. rsTouch v2.2 and higher allows up to four iPads to each control a different bank of 8 Main Mixer channels. So iPad #1 can control the first 8 channels, iPad #2 controls the next 8, and so on.

To use this feature you must set up a control surface entry for each iPad in Reason’s control surface preferences. Each iPad must use one of the four different “Mixer” controllers. These are additional setup steps beyond the standard installation. See “Enable Multiple iPads to Control > 8 Channels at a Time” at the bottom of the rsTouch Setup page for more information.

25. Can I use rsTouch to control devices in Reason 11's new Rack Plugin?

No. Reason 11's Rack Plugin does not support the Reason Remote control surface system. rsTouch, and other Reason control surfaces, all rely on Reason Remote to do their work. rsTouch does work with stand-alone Reason 11.

26. rsTouch no longer appears on my iOS App Store, and updates never show up as an available update. How do I download to a new device, and how do I update?

The way that the iOS App Store currently works is that you are able to download the most recent version of a purchased app that is compatible with the version of iOS installed on your iDevice. However, when the app is no longer available on your iOS App Store, you no longer receive update notices in the App Store app. If you want to be notified of app updates, we announce them on our Delora Software Twitter feed (https://twitter.com/delorasoftware) (It is a low activity feed).

Since the iOS App Store app does not show an available update, you have to take a few extra steps to download the new version. First delete the old version of the app from your iDevice, then download it from the iOS App Store app’s “Purchased” screen. This will retrieve the latest version that is compatible with your iDevice. Here are the steps:

1. Back up your iDevice. This step is probably unnecessary but it is good insurance.
2. Open up the iOS App Store app on your iDevice and tap the account icon that is in the upper right corner. This will show your App Store account. Look for the item “Purchased” and tap it. This will show all the apps that you have purchased. Locate the app in the list. Only proceed to step 3 if you see it!
3. Delete the app from your iDevice.
4. Open the iOS App Store app again and repeat step #2 to locate the app in your list of purchases. Tap the download icon at the right (looks like a cloud with an arrow) and the app will be loaded on your iDevice.

You can repeat this procedure whenever a new version is available. Note though, that apps which store preference settings will loose those settings because they are deleted when you delete the app. You will have to manually change these settings back to the way you want them.