Up and Running: A REAPER User Guide v 6.80 Version 6.80 May 2023 This guide will be updated regularly as the software itself is further improved and developed. Check for updates and other information at http://www.cockos.com/reaper/ This document has been produced, compiled and rendered to PDF format using the wonderful LibreOffice Writer software. For more information about LibreOffice go to https://www.libreoffice.org/ How to Use This Guide REAPER is a complex program and there is no single obvious or easy way or order to present all of the information contained in this guide. If you need more information about any topic than appears on any particular page, try searching! The PDF edition is bookmarked, and your PDF reader includes a Find or Search feature on its toolbar. Also, both the PDF and printed editions include an index. Note: The What’s New In This Edition summary can now be found on Page 1 3 For a bound printed hard copy of this User Guide go to LULU.com 1 Up and Running: A REAPER User Guide v 6.80 ReaRead : REAPER books and training manuals printed and spiral bound are now available from http://www.lulu.com/spotlight/glazfolk Up and Running: A REAPER User Guide The essential and definitive guide to recording, editing and mixing with REAPER. Fully updated for each dot version. Includes sample project files and step by step examples to help you learn how to use many features of REAPER. Includes special sections on routing and audio channel splitting, as well as numerous examples of how to use and apply many of the supplied FX plug-ins. " Up and Running is not only a comprehensive guide to using REAPER, it's also full of an amazing amount of information on audio recording and engineering. I simply cannot recommend it enough!" - Justin Frankel (COCKOS Inc and REAPER Developer). ReaMix: Breaking the Barriers with REAPER This book does much more than just teach you how to use basic tools (such as volume, panning, EQ, gates, compressors, delay, reverb etc.) to get an OK mix. It also guides you thru the relationships – some simple, some complex – that exist between the dimensions of sound and the dimensions of space to transform your OK mixes into great mixes. Although not light on theory, it has a definite practical emphasis, with links to archives containing some 40 or so project files, with step by step examples to help you put your knowledge into practice. "Wow! So much good stuff - from mindbending advanced techniques to solid sensible advice. This guide should have a positive effect on just about anybody interested in mixing (and especially those using REAPER)!" - Justin Frankel , Cockos Inc, developer of REAPER. REAPER Web Resources The REAPER project is a live, dynamic and ongoing one. Be sure to check these web sites often: http://www.cockos.com/reaper/ The REAPER Home Page http://www.cockos.com/reaper/download.php The REAPER Downloads Page http://www.cockos.com/reaper/about.php REAPER Features summary http://www.cockos.com/forum/forumdisplay.php?f=20 The REAPER Forums http://www.cockos.com/wiki/ The REAPER Wiki Sample Project Files These are available for download from http://www.cockos.com/wiki/index.php/REAPER_User_Guide The links are case sensitive. After unzipping the files, follow the instructions in README.txt to install. The media files are in .MP3 format. Some of the examples outlined in this book require recording further tracks in MP3 format. In order to be able to do this, you will need to have an MP3 encoder installed in your REAPER program directory. The Lame encoder included in the REAPER install package will by default be installed there. Acknowledgements Much thanks goes out to the many people who have assisted with or contributed to the production of this guide over the last dozen years or so. There are so many of you that that if I was to attempt to list names I’d be sure to miss some out! Thank you very much – you know who you are! Disclaimer This document is intended to introduce you to REAPER and to assist you in learning and understanding how to use this software. It is not, nor is it intended to serve as, a 100% comprehensive encyclopaedic repository of every detail, every aspect or every application of all of REAPER’s many, many features. This User Guide is not intended to serve as a comprehensive generic and universal guide to the world of digital audio. If you feel you need a better understanding of the meaning of terms like bit, byte, amplitude, fast fourier transformation (FFT), and so on, you can post your questions on the REAPER forums, or find your answers by searching the internet. For a bound printed hard copy of this User Guide go to LULU.com 2 Contents 1 Setting Up and Getting Started ........................................................................................... 15 1.1 Downloading REAPER ............................................................................................................. 15 1.2 Installing REAPER on a MacOS ................................................................................................ 15 1.3 Installing REAPER on a Windows PC ........................................................................................ 15 1.4 The Install Options (Windows only) ......................................................................................... 16 1.5 REAPER’s Default Settings and Preferences .............................................................................. 16 1.6 REAPER Software Updates ...................................................................................................... 17 1.7 Starting REAPER .................................................................................................................... 17 1.8 REAPER Startup Tips .............................................................................................................. 17 1.9 REAPER Selections, Controls and Commands ............................................................................ 17 1.10 The REAPER Screen ............................................................................................................. 18 1.11 The Track and Track Controls ................................................................................................ 19 1.12 Setting Up For Audio ............................................................................................................ 20 1.13 Input Aliasing ...................................................................................................................... 21 1.14 Output Aliasing .................................................................................................................... 21 1.15 Setting Up For MIDI ............................................................................................................. 22 1.16 VST, CLAP and LV2 Plug-ins .................................................................................................. 23 1.17 REAPER’s Installed Folders and File Location .......................................................................... 24 1.18 Localization and Language Packs ........................................................................................... 26 1.19 Backing Up Settings ............................................................................................................. 26 1.20 Running REAPER on a Flash Drive ......................................................................................... 26 1.21 REAPER Start Menu Options (Windows only) .......................................................................... 27 1.22 REAPER File Types ............................................................................................................... 28 1.23 User License Information ...................................................................................................... 28 1.24 Pops and Clicks .................................................................................................................... 28 1.25 Uninstalling REAPER ............................................................................................................. 28 2 REAPER Project Basics ........................................................................................................ 29 2.1 Section Overview ................................................................................................................... 29 2.2 Opening an Existing Project .................................................................................................... 29 2.3 Project Settings ..................................................................................................................... 30 2.4 The Transport Bar .................................................................................................................. 32 2.5 Theme Adjuster: Track Controls Layout ................................................................................... 33 2.6 Using the Track Controls ......................................................................................................... 35 2.7 Pan Law and Pan Mode .......................................................................................................... 36 2.8 Navigation and Zooming ......................................................................................................... 36 2.9 Directing Audio and MIDI Output ............................................................................................ 38 2.10 Using the Navigator .............................................................................................................. 38 2.11 Track FX Basics .................................................................................................................... 38 2.12 Using the Supplied FX Presets ............................................................................................... 39 2.13 Controlling Track FX ............................................................................................................. 40 2.14 FX Window and Keyboard Shortcuts ...................................................................................... 41 2.15 Using an FX Bus ................................................................................................................... 42 2.16 Analyzing FX Performance ..................................................................................................... 44 2.17 Time Selections and Time Loops ............................................................................................ 45 2.18 Managing Time and Loop Selections ...................................................................................... 46 2.19 Navigating by Jumping ......................................................................................................... 47 2.20 Time and Loop Selections and the Transport Bar .................................................................... 47 2.21 Keeping a Window on Top .................................................................................................... 47 2.22 Item Names, Buttons and Icons ............................................................................................ 47 2.23 Online and Offline Media Items ............................................................................................. 47 2.24 REAPER Routing Essentials ................................................................................................... 48 2.25 Showing Sends in the Track Panel ......................................................................................... 49 2.26 The Routing Matrix ............................................................................................................... 49 2.27 The Track Wiring View .......................................................................................................... 50 For a bound printed hard copy of this User Guide go to LULU.com 3 Up and Running: A REAPER User Guide v 6.80 2.28 Docking and Floating ............................................................................................................ 52 2.29 The Undo History Window .................................................................................................... 53 2.30 Multiple Project Tabs ............................................................................................................ 53 2.31 Managing the Play Cursor ..................................................................................................... 54 2.32 The Big Clock ....................................................................................................................... 54 3 Recording Audio and MIDI ................................................................................................. 55 3.1 Creating a New Project ........................................................................................................... 55 3.2 Setting Media Project Options ................................................................................................. 56 3.3 Saving the Project File ............................................................................................................ 56 3.4 Creating and Naming Tracks ................................................................................................... 57 3.5 To Prepare and Record One Track ........................................................................................... 57 3.6 To Prepare and Record Multiple Tracks .................................................................................... 58 3.7 Auto Arming T r acks ................................................................................................................ 59 3.8 Using the Metronome ............................................................................................................. 59 3.9 Recording Stereo Tracks ......................................................................................................... 60 3.10 Multi-Channel Recording ....................................................................................................... 60 3.11 Track Templates .................................................................................................................. 61 3.12 Importing an Existing Project ................................................................................................ 61 3.13 Project Templates ................................................................................................................ 61 3.14 Layered Recording ............................................................................................................... 62 3.15 Overdubbing and Punch Recording ........................................................................................ 63 3.16 Non-Destructive Punch Recording .......................................................................................... 63 3.17 Destructive Punch Recording ................................................................................................. 64 3.18 Fades and Crossfades ........................................................................................................... 64 3.19 Recording Multiple Takes ...................................................................................................... 64 3.20 Displaying Multiple Takes ...................................................................................................... 65 3.21 Using Color Coded Takes ...................................................................................................... 65 3.22 Working With Multiple Takes ................................................................................................. 66 3.23 Overlapping Items ................................................................................................................ 66 3.24 Recording Multiple Additional Items ....................................................................................... 67 3.25 Recording with Empty Events ................................................................................................ 67 3.26 Recording with Input FX Plug-ins ........................................................................................... 68 3.27 Input Monitoring without Recording ....................................................................................... 68 3.28 Preserve PDC Delayed Monitoring in Recorded Items .............................................................. 68 3.29 Recording a Track’s Output ................................................................................................... 69 3.30 Recording FX Bus Output ...................................................................................................... 69 3.31 Recording MIDI .................................................................................................................... 69 3.32 Other MIDI Recording Modes ................................................................................................ 71 3.33 Recording With a Virtual Instrument ...................................................................................... 71 3.34 Using Microsoft GS Wavetable SW Synth ................................................................................ 72 3.35 Looped Overdubbing and Looped Time Selection Recording ..................................................... 72 3.36 Recording with External Hardware FX .................................................................................... 73 3.37 Preference Settings for Recording .......................................................................................... 74 3.38 Track Preferences for Recording ............................................................................................ 75 3.39 Other Track Recording Settings ............................................................................................. 75 3.40 REAPER Audio Recording Checklist ........................................................................................ 76 3.41 Recording MIDI From Keyboard Checklist ............................................................................... 76 3.42 Recording an Internet Audio Stream ...................................................................................... 77 3.43 Converting Audio Media Item Format ..................................................................................... 77 3.44 Recording Live Windows Output ............................................................................................ 78 4 Managing Media: The Media Explorer ................................................................................. 79 4.1 Introduction and Overview ...................................................................................................... 79 4.2 Media Explorer Basics ............................................................................................................. 80 4.3 File Management ................................................................................................................... 81 4.4 Working With Metadata .......................................................................................................... 82 4.5 Creating and Using Databases ................................................................................................. 82 For a bound printed hard copy of this User Guide go to LULU.com 4 4.6 Media Item Preview ............................................................................................................... 83 4.7 Inserting Audio Files, Samples and FX ..................................................................................... 85 4.8 Import Media File Types ......................................................................................................... 88 4.9 Importing REAPER Project Files ............................................................................................... 88 4.10 Previewing and Importing MIDI Files ..................................................................................... 88 4.11 Media Explorer Options and Other Actions .............................................................................. 89 5 Project Arrangement Basics ............................................................................................... 91 5.1 Managing Tracks .................................................................................................................... 91 5.2 Track Control Modifiers ........................................................................................................... 92 5.3 Mute/Solo In Front ................................................................................................................. 93 5.4 Auto-Naming Multiple Tracks .................................................................................................. 93 5.5 Searching the Preferences Settings .......................................................................................... 93 5.6 The Theme Adjuster: Custom Colors ........................................................................................ 94 5.7 Track Colors .......................................................................................................................... 94 5.8 Track Icons ........................................................................................................................... 95 5.9 Track Meter Options ............................................................................................................... 95 5.10 Track Layouts ...................................................................................................................... 95 5.11 The Theme Adjuster: Global Settings ..................................................................................... 96 5.12 Displaying Grid Lines ............................................................................................................ 96 5.13 Headphone Monitoring and Headphone Mixing ....................................................................... 97 5.14 Understanding Sends, Buses, Submixes and Folders ................................................................ 98 5.15 Track Folder Essentials ......................................................................................................... 99 5.16 Track and Track Parameter Grouping ..................................................................................... 101 5.17 Temporary Track Grouping without the Grouping Matrix .......................................................... 105 5.18 VCA Grouping ...................................................................................................................... 106 5.19 The Item Grouping Tool ........................................................................................................ 108 5.20 Default Toolbar Summary ..................................................................................................... 108 6 Managing Track and Item FX ............................................................................................ 109 6.1 Grouping FX in Folders ........................................................................................................... 109 6.2 Using Search Filters ................................................................................................................ 110 6.3 FX Browser Options ................................................................................................................ 111 6.4 Item Take FX ......................................................................................................................... 111 6.5 Managing FX: Tips and Tricks ................................................................................................. 112 6.6 Showing FX Inserts in TCP ...................................................................................................... 113 6.7 Managing FX Parameters ........................................................................................................ 113 6.8 Advanced Plug-in Defaults ...................................................................................................... 114 6.9 Advanced Floated FX Window Options ..................................................................................... 114 6.10 Embedding FX GUI in TCP or MCP ......................................................................................... 115 6.11 Hardware Output FX Monitoring ............................................................................................ 115 6.12 Optimizing FX Performance ................................................................................................... 115 6.13 Plug-in Delay Compensation .................................................................................................. 115 6.14 Opening a File in Recovery Mode ........................................................................................... 116 6.15 Freezing and Unfreezing Tracks ............................................................................................. 116 6.16 The JS Analysis Loudness Meter ............................................................................................ 117 6.17 VST and VST3 FX Compatibility Settings ................................................................................. 117 6.18 Missing Items ...................................................................................................................... 118 6.19 Installing Extra JS Plug-ins .................................................................................................... 118 6.20 ReaEffects User Guide Supplement ........................................................................................ 118 6.21 Audio Signal Flow Chart: Master Track ................................................................................... 118 6.22 Audio Signal Flow Chart: Tracks and Folders .......................................................................... 119 7 Managing and Editing Media Items .................................................................................. 121 7.1 Using an External Editor ......................................................................................................... 121 7.2 Editing Media Items in REAPER ............................................................................................... 121 7.3 Media Item Editing with Track Group Items .............................................................................. 124 7.4 Simple Item Grouping ............................................................................................................ 129 For a bound printed hard copy of this User Guide go to LULU.com 5 Up and Running: A REAPER User Guide v 6.80 7.5 Storing and Recalling Item Groups .......................................................................................... 129 7.6 Media Item Properties ............................................................................................................ 130 7.7 Media Item Appearance Preferences ........................................................................................ 131 7.8 Editing Behavior Preferences ................................................................................................... 132 7.9 Overlapping Media Items ........................................................................................................ 132 7.10 Separating Loop Selection from Time Selection ....................................................................... 132 7.11 Slip Editing .......................................................................................................................... 132 7.12 Insert Space in Selection ....................................................................................................... 133 7.13 Trim Behind When Editing .................................................................................................... 133 7.14 Creating and Copying Items in Pencil Mode ............................................................................ 134 7.15 Propagating Items ................................................................................................................ 134 7.16 Implode Items To One Track ................................................................................................. 135 7.17 Ripple Editing ...................................................................................................................... 135 7.18 Trim to Selected Area ........................................................................................................... 136 7.19 Item Mute and Solo Actions .................................................................................................. 136 7.20 Displaying the Item Ruler ..................................................................................................... 137 7.21 Take Media Source ............................................................................................................... 137 7.22 Normalizing Items ................................................................................................................ 137 7.23 Snapping with Combined Snap/Grid Settings .......................................................................... 137 7.24 Snapping with Separate Snap and Grid Settings ...................................................................... 138 7.25 Free Item Positioning ........................................................................................................... 138 7.26 The Nudge/Set Items Window ............................................................................................... 139 7.27 Item Channel Mode and Channel Mapping .............................................................................. 140 7.28 Adjusting Media Item Fades .................................................................................................. 140 7.29 Crossfades and the Crossfade Editor ...................................................................................... 141 7.30 Calculating Item Loudness .................................................................................................... 143 7.31 Glue Selected Items ............................................................................................................. 143 7.32 Coloring Individual Items ...................................................................................................... 144 7.33 Mouse Modifiers ................................................................................................................... 144 7.34 Dynamic Splitting - Remove Silent Passages ........................................................................... 146 7.35 Auto Trim/Split Items ........................................................................................................... 148 7.36 Item Peak Display Basics ...................................................................................................... 148 7.37 Spectral Peak Display ........................................................................................................... 149 7.38 Spectrogram View and Spectral Editing .................................................................................. 151 8 Managing, Comping and Editing Takes ............................................................................. 153 8.1 Using Item FX with Individual Takes ........................................................................................ 153 8.2 Exploding Takes to Multiple Tracks .......................................................................................... 153 8.3 Crossfades with Takes ............................................................................................................ 154 8.4 Exploding Takes in Place ........................................................................................................ 154 8.5 Play All Takes ........................................................................................................................ 154 8.6 Editing and Comping Multiple Takes and Multiple Tracks ........................................................... 154 8.7 Take Menu Command Summary .............................................................................................. 156 8.8 Propagating Takes ................................................................................................................. 157 8.9 More Take Commands and Actions .......................................................................................... 158 8.10 Managing Comps with the Project Bay ................................................................................... 159 8.11 Item Take Markers ............................................................................................................... 160 9 Loops, Project Markers and Regions ................................................................................ 161 9.1 Creating Loops ...................................................................................................................... 161 9.2 Creating and Navigating with Project Markers ........................................................................... 162 9.3 Time Selection Start/End Markers ............................................................................................ 163 9.4 Snapping to Markers .............................................................................................................. 163 9.5 Removing Markers ................................................................................................................. 164 9.6 Show/Hide Regions/Markers in Grid ......................................................................................... 164 9.7 Marker Actions ....................................................................................................................... 164 9.8 Creating and Using Regions .................................................................................................... 165 9.9 The Region/Marker Manager ................................................................................................... 166 For a bound printed hard copy of this User Guide go to LULU.com 6 9.10 Overlapping Regions ............................................................................................................. 167 9.11 Project Building with Regions ................................................................................................ 167 9.12 Markers and Media Cues ....................................................................................................... 168 9.13 Changing the Project Timebase ............................................................................................. 168 9.14 Tempo Based Music Production ............................................................................................. 169 9.15 Embedding Transient Information when Rendering ................................................................. 171 9.16 Quantizing Items .................................................................................................................. 172 9.17 Dynamic Splitting ................................................................................................................. 172 9.18 Ruler Layout Options ............................................................................................................ 175 9.19 REX and Similar File Support ................................................................................................. 176 10 Pitch and Time Manipulation .......................................................................................... 177 10.1 Changing the Project Play Rate ............................................................................................. 177 10.2 Changing Pitch for Individual Media Items .............................................................................. 177 10.3 Using the ReaPitch Plug-in .................................................................................................... 178 10.4 Using ReaPitch with Multiple Tracks ....................................................................................... 179 10.5 Time Stretching ................................................................................................................... 179 10.6 Pitch Correction with ReaTune ............................................................................................... 180 10.7 Stretch Markers .................................................................................................................... 180 10.8 Time Signature/Tempo Changes and Markers ......................................................................... 183 10.9 Playback Time Offset with Routing ......................................................................................... 185 10.10 Audio Jogging and Scrubbing .............................................................................................. 185 10.11 REAPER Integration with ARA .............................................................................................. 186 10.12 Instrument Tuning with ReaTune ......................................................................................... 188 10.13 Timeline Display ................................................................................................................. 188 11 The Mixer and The Master .............................................................................................. 189 11.1 Introduction ......................................................................................................................... 189 11.2 Mixer Commands ................................................................................................................. 189 11.3 Mixer Layouts and Screensets ............................................................................................... 189 11.4 Mixer Menu Commands and Options ...................................................................................... 190 11.5 Theme Adjuster Mixer Layouts .............................................................................................. 191 11.6 Showing and Hiding Types of Mixer Tracks ............................................................................. 192 11.7 Working with FX in the Mixer ................................................................................................ 192 11.8 Working with Sends in the Mixer ........................................................................................... 194 11.9 Showing Track Icons in the Mixer .......................................................................................... 195 11.10 Managing the Mixer ............................................................................................................ 195 11.11 Track Control Functions ...................................................................................................... 196 11.12 Stereo Panning and Dual Panning ........................................................................................ 197 11.13 Master Track Options and Settings ....................................................................................... 199 11.14 Master Hardware Outputs ................................................................................................... 199 11.15 Master Track Channels ..................