Propellerhead Software
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| Private | |
| Industry | Technology |
| Founded | 1994 |
| Headquarters | |
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Area served
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Digital audio production |
| Products | Reason, ReCycle, Record, ReBirth RB-338, Figure |
| Website | www.propellerheads.se |
Propellerhead Software is a music software company, based in , Sweden, and founded in 1994. It produces the studio emulation Reason.
Propellerhead Software was founded in 1994 by Ernst Nathorst-Böös, Marcus Zetterquist and Peter Jubel, who still hold prominent positions within the company. Their first release was ReCycle, a sample loop editor that could change the tempo of a loop without affecting the pitch. The export medium was Propellerhead's own REX format. ReCycle was launched in conjunction with Steinberg, who marketed it as a companion to Cubase, as it brought a simple way of gaining control over tempo and timing of audio loops.
In 1997, Propellerhead released ReBirth RB-338, a step based, programmable sequencer which emulated classic Roland instruments commonly associated with techno: TB-303 Bass Line Synthesizer and the TR-808 and TR-909 drum machines. It was hailed as an affordable alternative to buying old, unreliable hardware devices. Roland Corporation requested that an acknowledgment be added to the ReBirth packaging and splash screen; the unofficial endorsement became a marketing boost for Propellerhead, and they have retained a close relationship with Roland ever since.
ReWire was developed jointly between Propellerhead and Steinberg for use with their Cubase sequencer. Released in 1998, it provided a virtual audio and synchronization connection between Cubase and ReBirth. In January 1999 the protocol was opened for general use by third parties without any license fee, to allow communication between different sequencers.
Propellerhead soon focused their attention on their new product, the award winningReason, released in 2000. Reason was an entire studio emulation complete with virtual cables and representations of a subtractive synthesizer, sampler and drum machine, alongside a REX file loop player, a pattern step sequencer and a multitude of effects units. Making Reason's appeal even greater was the ability to create as many of each device as a computer could handle and a simple sequencer for notes and device automation. Additionally, Reason could run on average spec computers and was extremely competitively priced.
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