When comparing Reason vs LMMS, the Slant community recommends LMMS for most people. In the question“What are the best DAWs?” LMMS is ranked 3rd while Reason is ranked 14th. The most important reason people chose LMMS is:
-Interface look like FL Studio interface. -Main workspace for composing and editing melodies and harmonies is piano roll.
Specs
Question Ranking
Pros
Pro Now supports VST
As of version 9.5, Reason now supports VSTs.
Pro Easy to learn
Reason is as easy to learn as any DAW, yet has incredible depth once you delve deeper, with some options that are just not possible in other DAWs.
Pro Easy and intuitive while being feature rich
You can go really deep into creating sound and routing. Find possibilities you cant do with any other DAW.
Pro Amazing automation arrangement
Using clips makes it very easy to automate precisely.
Pro Multi FX presets
The multi fx are very nice. Great for transitions and complete sound management.
Pro Loop, convert and overdub on the fly
Pro Offers an easy way to quantize and slice audio
Reason makes it easy to stretch audio or slice it up for glitchy sound effects. When audio is loaded, it is analyzed so slice markers can be placed at the beginning and end of each note. Slice markers appear when the audio sample is double clicked.
Pro Mimics true hardware through a skeuomorphic GUI/UX
Reason's rack and mixer visually emulate real studio hardware through a skeuomorphic GUI/UX, allowing you to route audio cables and CV very intuitively. Hit "tab" on your computer keyboard, and you can see the rear of the rack, making routing very easy to understand.
Pro Modular enviroment
Synths, effects, and utilities can be modularly wired via audio and CV.
Pro Can convert audio to REX files
REX files record effects and slices on top of the original file, and will play audio at the tempo of a project. REX files provide many uses and are a great addition to Reason.
Pro Supports MIDI out
MIDI out is a new addition in Reason, allowing feedback to MIDI devices.
Pro Built in Audio Pitch Editor
Reason's Audio Pitch Editor easily can hold its own to Melodyne Essentials. Makes editing vocals and other monophonic sound very easy.
Pro Massive free video tutorials content
Professionally produced tutorial videos often released by Propellerhead that show you how to use the software. Reason also has a thriving user base that offers video tutorials showing you how to do almost anything you need.
Pro Great built in instruments and effects
Mulitple high quality built in synthesisers, drum loops, samplers and effects with plenty of pre-built patches to explore plus the ability to create your own unique sounds.
Pro Great for live peformances
Pro Has the possibility to become a great open-source alternative to FL Studio
-Interface look like FL Studio interface.
-Main workspace for composing and editing melodies and harmonies is piano roll.
Pro Free and open source
LMMS is available for free with source code licensed under GPL and available on GitHub allowing anyone to edit and extend the software as they see fit.
Pro Cross-platform
LMMS works on Linux, Windows and OSX.
Pro VST Support
Uses VeSTige as the VST plugin. It has some bugs but most VSTs work with it.
Pro MIDI controllers support
Just plug in and play. Plug in the MIDI keyboard before opening LMMS and it'll automatically pick up that you've connected the keyboard.
Pro JACK Audio Connection Kit support
Pro LADSPA plugins support
Pro Portable
LMMS is lightweight enough to be run off of a flash drive.
Pro VST plugins support
Pro Multiple languages support
Pro Works with many VSTs and effects
Pro Preloaded with basic VST instrument plugins and modifiers
LMMS comes with a triple oscillator, Gameboy sound emu, NES sound emu added into the software, which makes it easier to create sounds without the inclusion of external plugins. It is very accessible for beginners.
Cons
Con Mix only by ear
You can not type in a value in the mixer.
Con Dated low resolution graphics (GUI/UX does not scale for 4K displays or higher)
Rack and mixer are still low resolution, designed for displays in the "pre-4K" era. Even on 1080p HD displays, the rack and mixer can be difficult to see and work with.
Con Program crashes a lot
This happens more frequently when loading VST files.
Con No merging or splicing options
There is no feature that allows you to merge or splice tracks in LMMS.
Con Pitch bending could be more native
Sometimes you can pitch bend with the Piano Roll Editor but with many instruments you cannot and are limited to the pitch knob in the main plugin interface.