Reaper, the gift that keeps on giving.

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So, we are all going to be going back to 'normal' soon, which means I might be able to actually punt for some work, opportunities have really taken a hit over the last 18 months, if your plans involved setting up a mobile live recording service, and as far as my own personal 'inspiration', that became non existent for some reason.
I have tried to keep up with developments despite the relentless OS and hardware upgrade path, and have been struggling to justify any form of studio upgrade ( expensive, and difficult with older hardware / interface etc )
As a bare minimum, I had decided I needed either an extra monitor, or a better control surface, so today I discovered another feature inside of Reaper, the Web remote, and the add on, Web remote browser.
It sounds pretty complex, but within a few minutes I had Web remote working on my main machine via a  Huawaii tablet and my Oneplus phone.
A few vids later, I had found a Kenny vid from 4 years ago showing how to set it up, and I then found the install of WRB, which allows custom menus to be created.
Absolutely amazed, it will make things so much easier to work with, allowing full control of recording / mixing via a touch screen device - any touch screen device, and as many at the same time as one would want.
I was salivating over the new SSL controller, which costs £800 and probably wouldn't work with my Macbook and USB hub, which is beginning to complain ( Ilok seems to be becoming disconnected during a mix, or render session FFS )
I even managed to get it working well on my backup Win10 machine, which has been cycling through forced updates since 2019.
Reaper, never lets me down, with ability or inspiration, the only limit seems to be my imagination really.
Truly amazing software.
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Comments

  • HootsmonHootsmon Frets: 15923
    Does Reaper have all the sounds (bass..keys...drums.....synths....) built in?
    tae be or not tae be
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  • andy_kandy_k Frets: 818
    No, but that is part of the beauty, NO BLOAT.
    There are a couple of essential addons to Reaper, SWS extensions, and Reapack, which are both free, and expand what is possible by about 1000%.
    Reaper can even run off a USB stick, if you have got your head round the folder structure.
    Never ceases to amaze me, and I have been using it for about 5 years now, a bit like having a blank canvass, with all the colours available, after you have added the instruments and VST that you actually use.
    I'm not knocking Logic, but I need to be across both platforms, the OS and Ilok are the main stumbling points for me.
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  • WhistlerWhistler Frets: 322
    edited July 2021
    Joomla and Reaper are among the creme-de-la-creme of open source programs that really show off what can be done when a great team works together. The US$60 fee is fantastic value when you discover all that Reaper can do.
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  • HootsmonHootsmon Frets: 15923
    andy_k said:
    No, but that is part of the beauty, NO BLOAT.
    There are a couple of essential addons to Reaper, SWS extensions, and Reapack, which are both free, and expand what is possible by about 1000%.
    Reaper can even run off a USB stick, if you have got your head round the folder structure.
    Never ceases to amaze me, and I have been using it for about 5 years now, a bit like having a blank canvass, with all the colours available, after you have added the instruments and VST that you actually use.
    I'm not knocking Logic, but I need to be across both platforms, the OS and Ilok are the main stumbling points for me.

    could you give me an idea/link for an all in one package of instruments/VST that would be the ideal partner for Reaper?

    PS these intruments and VST'S....they could be triggered/played by a midi keyboard,yeah?

    A DAW noob
    tae be or not tae be
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  • rprrpr Frets: 308
    This a good site for free vst stuff, don't go mental cos you probably won't need as Micah's you think, esp effects - the build in ones are pretty good - https://plugins4free.com ;
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  • andy_kandy_k Frets: 818
    I can't really recommend an all in one package, but I'd start with MTpower drums, SSD5 free edition, Ample Pbass, and a couple of synths like Vital and Surge.
    Bluekat is a good set of effects, but there are many to choose from.
    Something like Voxengo SPAN is good, but the latest Reaper v6.3 has just had a big update with stuff for loudness monitoring and normalisation, so really all the mastering stuff is already included.
    Don't expect it to be easy to begin with, but all  the tutorials are on Reaper mania, ( Kenny ), and he has just done a series showing most of the freebies mentioned above.
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  • andy_kandy_k Frets: 818
    I do recommend the Slate package, not free, but for about £10 a month it has pretty much everything you could ever need, synth, amp sims, reverb, delay, eq, channel strips etc etc etc, but I would only go that route if your plans are long term.
    At some point you will need an I Lok, even for some of the free stuff, and expect to be bombarded with spam.
    Start with Kenny's vids before you get in too deep.
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  • I had a dabble with Logic and Studio One recently but came back running to Reaper, it's just fuckin awesome. Not going anywhere else now, I know it like the back of my had and I love it.
    Read my guitar/gear blog at medium.com/redchairriffs

    View my feedback at www.thefretboard.co.uk/discussion/comment/1201922
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  • andy_kandy_k Frets: 818
    I actually bought the hard copy of the manual when I paid for the license, V 5.9, the manual was £40, the license £60.
    In all the time I have been using it, about 3 years, I have opened the manual maybe 3 times.
    Kenny has probably answered every question, and with every one of his videos there is something new to learn, and then the software is updated-adding new features.
    Latest update adds Lufs monitoring and normalisation, which makes a large number of 3rd party plugins obsolete, and the previous update introduced razor edit, which I haven't even begun to look at.
    The feature that got me excited, the web remote, was fully explained in a 4 year old Kenny vid, and the add on, web remote builder was made open source about a year ago. This allows fully customisation of any phone, tablet, computer attached to the same network, in essence making multiple control surfaces an easy reality, without needing any new expansion.
    Record arming and transport can be  done by a drummer in a drum booth for example, the only limit is your own imagination.
    This is a very different approach to any other DAW, the tools are all available, and it is up to you to decide how you want to proceed, you are not forced to 'learn' the DAW, the DAW becomes what you want it to be.
    Somebody starting out now, with a fairly small budget can build a very powerful system, based on the most current hardware with the only problem being some of the software has not caught up.
    In my own case, my main machine is a fairly old MBP, with only usb3 expansion, and when I have to replace it I will have to build the whole thing up from the ground, probably based on an M1 Mac, by which time I am hoping the situation is a little clearer.
    At least I can always fall back on my B rig, a Win10 laptop, or even run Reaper from a memory stick, which is something I will be getting comfortable with soon. A bit of preparation will be needed, but I can imagine having my studio on a keyring soon.
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  • I need to learn more about LUFS and Razor Edit...hmmm!
    Read my guitar/gear blog at medium.com/redchairriffs

    View my feedback at www.thefretboard.co.uk/discussion/comment/1201922
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  • mudslide73mudslide73 Frets: 3049
    I got some good mileage out of the Hop Pole Studios Reaper tutorials. It's really good  if you're starting out. Kenny is a legend but he's more use if you already know what you need to do. 

    I've had a go with Studio One and Luna on other people's systems but I'm so used to Reaper now I can't imagine swapping to them.
    "A city star won’t shine too far"


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  • Yeah I tried to use S1 but I am so used to Reaper that I wasn't getting it fast enough, so I went back to reaper.
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  • BlueingreenBlueingreen Frets: 2582
    Tempted by Reaper.  As a home recording newbie, I got going with Ableton 9 about 5 years ago, mainly because a friend and fellow band member was able to help me get started.

    I made pretty decent progress over a period of a few weeks then started to find the learning curve too steep.  Not so much with Ableton itself, where I had some help, just with home recording generally.  Old dog, new tricks.  I gave up and didn't touch it for over 4 years.

    But in lockdown I managed to put some guitar on other people's demos and now I'm tempted to give it another go.  Reaper looks a better fit for me than Ableton, and it's cheaper, but I'm pretty crap at anything technical and at least with Ableton I've got a bit of a start.

    Finding it a hard decision.




    “To a man with a hammer every problem looks like a nail.”
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  • andy_kandy_k Frets: 818
    Tempted by Reaper.  As a home recording newbie, I got going with Ableton 9 about 5 years ago, mainly because a friend and fellow band member was able to help me get started.

    I made pretty decent progress over a period of a few weeks then started to find the learning curve too steep.  Not so much with Ableton itself, where I had some help, just with home recording generally.  Old dog, new tricks.  I gave up and didn't touch it for over 4 years.

    But in lockdown I managed to put some guitar on other people's demos and now I'm tempted to give it another go.  Reaper looks a better fit for me than Ableton, and it's cheaper, but I'm pretty crap at anything technical and at least with Ableton I've got a bit of a start.

    Finding it a hard decision.




    No brainer, start from the ground up with Reaper, think of it as a simple tape style recording system, build a project as a template, use that template until you want to get deeper.
    I have Ableton 10, and it is a very different workflow- based on using sample packs and loops, all demo projects I try to open do not allow editing, for what ever reason?, I am sure you can get similar results with Ableton, if you can absorb all the conventions.
    Reaper does not have that limitation, it is as simple, or as complex as you make it.
    Setting up IO, and recording is basically the same across DAWs, so I assume you have some of the basics already. understanding tracks and folder structures is pretty easy, and setting up projects depend very much on what the job is, all of these things can be saved and worked on as different project templates, with track templates being used to import anything specialised that is needed.
    Reaper costs nothing to try-with no features disabled, so time is the only investment.
    Don't waste your time with anything else, honestly.
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  • BlueingreenBlueingreen Frets: 2582
    Thanks for your input @andy_k. ;; The only temptation with Ableton is I have put in some hours to get started.  I've probably forgotten 90% of what I learned in those few weeks but it's still a decent toe-hold at least (I've been recording just guitar onto demos no problem).  If you're not tech-minded going back to scratch with something else can be daunting.

    On the other hand just updating Ableton to be current will be around £120 and each subsequent update will be more money, and I think the high price mainly reflects features I will never use - it's directed towards the electronica community and that's not me.
    “To a man with a hammer every problem looks like a nail.”
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  • andy_kandy_k Frets: 818
    A few hours spent with Reaper will help you realise, no point in paying for a lot of stuff you will never use, or need.
    Just try downloading Reaper, for example, to see how quick you will progress, what size is one of the Ableton packs these days? I'd guess at least 500mb, 
    IMO, that is an outdated way to work these days, I know memory is cheap, but you can't get the time back.
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  • andy_kandy_k Frets: 818
    For anyone considering Reaper, might as well take a few minutes to see what you are in for, skip past the first couple (2 ) to get to the install.

    Reaper blog, and Reaper mania (Kenny) are THE main sources for information, if they haven't answered it, it isn't there.
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  • Reaper is easier than Ableton, IMO. You'll be fine
    Read my guitar/gear blog at medium.com/redchairriffs

    View my feedback at www.thefretboard.co.uk/discussion/comment/1201922
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  • BlueingreenBlueingreen Frets: 2582
    Oh well I've downloaded it so I'm at least going to give it a shot.  Thanks for your input guys.
    “To a man with a hammer every problem looks like a nail.”
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  • andy_kandy_k Frets: 818
    If you get stuck, you know where to come, worth watching the video above for some pointers about setting it up right at the beginning. 
    I re watched, and there were a few things that make a lot of sense, folder structure, backups etc, but in my experience there are seldom problems that can't be easily solved, I can't remember the last time it crashed on me.
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