If you are using Reason, you may want to use a MIDI controller to provide more control while using the software. This article will go over how to make sure your MIDI controller is set up for use in Reason.

1. Open the Reason Preferences menu and then click the MIDI tab. You can open the Preferences menu on macOS by clicking Reason in the top left corner of your screen and then Preferences. Note that in some versions of macOS, Preferences may be called Settings instead. On Windows, you'll click Edit and then Preferences. 
2. If you'd like to use your controller as a control surface, first click the Auto-detect Surfaces button. Note that setting up your controller as a control surface will allow for automatic control of parameters, transport, and more.
   • If your controller isn't found after you click the Auto-detect Surfaces button, you can click the Add manually button, select your controller from the drop-down menus, select the appropriate MIDI Input and MIDI Output, then click OK. 
   • If your model isn't available for selection after clicking the Add manually button, select <Other> for the Manufacturer, and then either MIDI Control Keyboard or MIDI Control Surface (depending on whether your controller has a keyboard) for the Model. Then select the appropriate MIDI Input and click OK.

3. If you added your controller successfully in Step 2, the Use with Reason checkbox should be checked automatically; check it if not. With that box checked, you should now be able to use your controller as a control surface in Reason.

4. If you didn't add your controller in Step 2, you should see an entry for it in the Easy MIDI Inputs section. Make sure the Enabled checkbox is checked. Once checked, you should be able to use your controller for inputting notes and basic parameter control. Note that any ports in use in the Remote keyboards and control surfaces section will not be available in the Easy MIDI Inputs section.