Record Stereo Track from Separate Input Channels

[ppocmrmojo]

Hi!
I'm trying to figure out this.
I'm trying to setup reaper with my X32 rack which as 16 inputs.
By force of circumstances I would like to setup a stereo track for recording a stereo guitar but the inputs are not sequential.
I would like this track to record from channels 4 and 14.
I know how to set it up with 2 mono tracks and could use a folder to control both, but I would prefer having only one stereo track.
In the input routing matrix I couldn't set it up.
Is this possible?
Or will I have to use the 2 mono tracks going to a folder?
Thanks!

[SonicAxiom]

I coded a plugin to help out exactly in situations like this. Try my 16-channel-to-2-channel patching VST plugin (Windows-only dll file). Here's a gif of the 8-channel version (the 16-channel version is the same, it just offers more inputs to choose from):



Here you can download the plugin:
https://www.audioworld.de/AudioWorld...e.php#patcher2

To make Reaper record your choice of channels, you have do the following:

• create two tracks
• make one track the child track of the other one
• place the plugin into the input fx section of the child track
• set the child track's input range to "16-channel" and pick the first range available (inputs 1-16)
• set the plugin's first slider to "4", the second slider to "14"
• right-click the child track's rec-arm button and set it to "monitor-only (recording disabled)"
• enable the child track's monitoring
• set the parent track to record its output (stereo), rec-arm the parent track and start recording

Your audio interface's input 4 will get recorded as the left channel of a 2-channel file, while input 14 will land on the right channel of that file.
.

[ppocmrmojo]

That plugin sounds nice though only solves half of my problem.
I will have only one stereo wave file.
But I still have to contend with having an extra track but I can always hide it.
And I think I can do what you describe without a plugin.
If I route a track with the input 14 to the track with the input 4 and record the output in stereo won't it do the same thing?

Anyway. Thanks for the help and I will definitely check out your plugin.
Cheers!

[SonicAxiom]

of course you can accomplish this without the plugin but this would always require at least 2 or even 3 tracks because Reaper has no internal "track patchbay" that allows you to input a large range of channels into a track and then record only a reduced no. of those inputs. A track's channel count generally determins the no. of channels that will get recorded on that track. So you are forced to do some kind of routing if you wanna record something like 2 channels from a range of more than 2 input channels.

However, in this case, you can actually get away with a single track! Set the track's channel count to 16. Set the input range to 16-channel. Load my plugin into the track's input fx section or into the regular track fx and pick the two desired channels. Then, set the track to record its output in stereo - et voilà! You can record the two channels into a stereo file on the same track.

Basically, picking the desired (non-adjacent) channels is much easier to do (and change) via the plugin sliders vs. having to do it in the track's routing window. Once set up, you can save it as a track template for later use.

Please don't feel "pushed" to use my plugin

.

[ashcat_lt]

Originally Posted by SonicAxiom

Please don't feel "pushed" to use my plugin

I mean, about any plugin will do it if you set the I/O pins right. I usually go for ReaEQ because it’s light on the CPU and transparent unless you do something with it but also just there if you want/need it. Take input from 4/14 and output to 1/2, record the stereo output of the track. Done.

[SonicAxiom]

Originally Posted by ashcat_lt

I mean, about any plugin will do it if you set the I/O pins right. I usually go for ReaEQ because it’s light on the CPU and transparent unless you do something with it but also just there if you want/need it. Take input from 4/14 and output to 1/2, record the stereo output of the track. Done.

I don't see an advantage in loading a plugin which I don't actually need further requiring me to open yet another window to accomplish the task instead of just loading the plugin that immediately lets me do what I wanna to do.

.

[ashcat_lt]

In your case wasn’t it more like “write and compile a plugin...”?

I can’t see any point in downloading some plugin to do something I can do with something I already have, especially if it’s kind of a one time thing. I’m not actually trying to vote against your thing. If it was something one intended to do often - in different groupings each time - I’m sure it would be convenient. Was just offering another solution. If they were not both even channels, you could literally just drop that 8 > 2 stereo mixer plug on it and go.

[heda]

Originally Posted by ppocmrmojo

Hi!
I'm trying to figure out this.
I'm trying to setup reaper with my X32 rack which as 16 inputs.
By force of circumstances I would like to setup a stereo track for recording a stereo guitar but the inputs are not sequential.
I would like this track to record from channels 4 and 14.
I know how to set it up with 2 mono tracks and could use a folder to control both, but I would prefer having only one stereo track.
In the input routing matrix I couldn't set it up.
Is this possible?
Or will I have to use the 2 mono tracks going to a folder?
Thanks!

go to Preferences / Audio / Input channel name aliasing/remapping. Click on Edit Names/Map.. and add your new map configuration with the two channels you need.. Then you will have an additional stereo input for recording one track with the inputs you need.

[ppocmrmojo]

Originally Posted by SonicAxiom

of course you can accomplish this without the plugin but this would always require at least 2 or even 3 tracks because Reaper has no internal "track patchbay" that allows you to input a large range of channels into a track and then record only a reduced no. of those inputs. A track's channel count generally determins the no. of channels that will get recorded on that track. So you are forced to do some kind of routing if you wanna record something like 2 channels from a range of more than 2 input channels.

However, in this case, you can actually get away with a single track! Set the track's channel count to 16. Set the input range to 16-channel. Load my plugin into the track's input fx section or into the regular track fx and pick the two desired channels. Then, set the track to record its output in stereo - et voilà! You can record the two channels into a stereo file on the same track.

Basically, picking the desired (non-adjacent) channels is much easier to do (and change) via the plugin sliders vs. having to do it in the track's routing window. Once set up, you can save it as a track template for later use.

Please don't feel "pushed" to use my plugin

.

Ah! Ok!
That seems better.
Thanks

[ppocmrmojo]

Originally Posted by ashcat_lt

I mean, about any plugin will do it if you set the I/O pins right. I usually go for ReaEQ because it’s light on the CPU and transparent unless you do something with it but also just there if you want/need it. Take input from 4/14 and output to 1/2, record the stereo output of the track. Done.

Never thought of that...
Seems obvious now. Duhhh...
Thanks!