Creating a recording in Reaper using an existing song recording

[tnkumar]

I am a complete newbie to music production and Reaper. I just downloaded and purchased Reaper 2 days ago. I am setting a goal for myself to reproduce recording of an existing Bollywood song (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CgQn3gsrIRc) with the vocals replaced by my own and step by step replace instrumental tracks using my own tracks. The reason I am choosing this approach is to learn music production techniques in REAPER with an end goal in mind. Are there any tutorials available that can help with such an ambition.

Any help appreciated.

[b2001]

That’s a pretty generic ask covering a lot of ground further complicated in that you didn’t provide what equipment you have or instruments you play.

Narrowing down to more specific questions will get you better answers.

Start with the videos link on the cockos/reaper home page...

[tnkumar]

Originally Posted by b2001

That’s a pretty generic ask covering a lot of ground further complicated in that you didn’t provide what equipment you have or instruments you play.

Narrowing down to more specific questions will get you better answers.

Start with the videos link on the cockos/reaper home page...

Thanks @b2001. I do not have any equipment and do not play any instruments. Let me start with the videos and get back with specific questions, as I progress.

I have a Windows 10 64 bit machine and have Reaper v6.29 that I am working with

[b2001]

So at a very minimum, you will need some type of way to get audio into reaper if you intend on getting your vocals into a reaper song -> mic, audio interface, etc.

I would also suggest some type of a midi keyboard. I have a midiplus akm320 -> $40 or so.... i am not a keyboard player yet i use it to record a wide variety of sounds. There are plenty of free vst instruments and effects available for you to start out with to get the sounds you are looking for.

[tnkumar]

Originally Posted by b2001

So at a very minimum, you will need some type of way to get audio into reaper if you intend on getting your vocals into a reaper song -> mic, audio interface, etc.

I would also suggest some type of a midi keyboard. I have a midiplus akm320 -> $40 or so.... i am not a keyboard player yet i use it to record a wide variety of sounds. There are plenty of free vst instruments and effects available for you to start out with to get the sounds you are looking for.

Thanks @b2001. I installed Soundmagic Neopiano plugin and am considering using that during my initial learning. I will consider the midiplus akm320 in future.

Currently, for the Neopiano plugin, I am able to click and create sounds using my mouse. Is it possible to map the input to keys on my computer keyboard?

[b2001]

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=YQwD__FVgDI

https://forums.cockos.com/showthread.php?t=85829

https://forum.cockos.com/showthread.php?t=108855

I have never done it. These links seem to discuss/show how.

Good luck with that. For many years, i created midi sequences in the midi editor with the mouse. Very tedious and uninspiring. No more. Computer keyboard would not seem much better but YMMV.

[jp65535]

Originally Posted by b2001

I would also suggest some type of a midi keyboard. I have a midiplus akm320 -> $40 or so.... i am not a keyboard player yet i use it to record a wide variety of sounds.

Hey b2001

I too am NOT a keyboard player, and I'm looking for something for entering simple string pads, etc.

How easy/difficult was this device to setup in Reaper? Some of those hardware threads jump off into the weeds pretty quickly...

Thanks.
~john~

[tnkumar]

Originally Posted by b2001

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=YQwD__FVgDI

https://forums.cockos.com/showthread.php?t=85829

https://forum.cockos.com/showthread.php?t=108855

I have never done it. These links seem to discuss/show how.

Good luck with that. For many years, i created midi sequences in the midi editor with the mouse. Very tedious and uninspiring. No more. Computer keyboard would not seem much better but YMMV.

Thanks @b2001. I have now been able to add the Virtual MIDI keyboard and map it to the computer keyboard. Since my focus is manipulating sounds in Reaper and not inputing, for now, I will work with this.

[tnkumar]

Originally Posted by jp65535

Hey b2001

I too am NOT a keyboard player, and I'm looking for something for entering simple string pads, etc.

How easy/difficult was this device to setup in Reaper? Some of those hardware threads jump off into the weeds pretty quickly...

Thanks.
~john~

Hi John,

View -> Virtual MIDI keyboard or Alt-B worked for me.

In my case, I had earlier installed SoundMagic NeoPiano plugin, but it may possibly work even without that installation.

[b2001]

John:

No setup, plug in and play...
It is a usb connection only, midi only, no driver installation was required... reaper easily recognized it as a midi input device.
My son has one, i tried it out before buying to verify how easy it was to set up and that it would work.

I bought it for travel but use it at home also.

I have other keyboards but use this one exclusively with vsti’s like what you want to do.

I think the build quality is great for $40. Hope this helps...

[tnkumar]

Originally Posted by tnkumar

Thanks @b2001. I have now been able to add the Virtual MIDI keyboard and map it to the computer keyboard. Since my focus is manipulating sounds in Reaper and not inputing, for now, I will work with this.

>>> https://i.imgur.com/cCpsKv1.png
This is how it looks on my system now

[b2001]

As a matter of semantics:

If you are using a computer keyboard, the virtual midi keyboard, and a vsti to get midi notes into reaper and hear them -> you are inputing and not just manipulating sound...

I am not sure what you mean by replacing tracks using your own tracks (which again to me implies inputting) -> i guess you have the individual stem tracks or midi files of individual tracks of the songs you are interested in?

If you’re using a finished song pulled off youtube or where ever, not sure how you are easily going to do a track by track, step by step replacement...

[tnkumar]

Originally Posted by b2001

As a matter of semantics:

If you are using a computer keyboard, the virtual midi keyboard, and a vsti to get midi notes into reaper and hear them -> you are inputing and not just manipulating sound...

I am not sure what you mean by replacing tracks using your own tracks (which again to me implies inputting) -> i guess you have the individual stem tracks or midi files of individual tracks of the songs you are interested in?

If you’re using a finished song pulled off youtube or where ever, not sure how you are easily going to do a track by track, step by step replacement...

@b2001 - You are right. I do want to input sound. It seems I can do this by
a. creating a midi file using the midi editor in Reaper
b. create abc notation file (not sure whether we can import directly to Reaper

If I have an existing midi or abc notation file (say piano related), I would like to be able to edit it or manipulate it, possibly using some scripting.
Can ReaScript be used for this?

I see there is a ReaScript thread in the forum. I will post my question there as well

[domzy]

Originally Posted by tnkumar

If I have an existing midi or abc notation file (say piano related), I would like to be able to edit it or manipulate it, possibly using some scripting.

how do you want to manipulate it? What kind of things would you be looking to do?

There is already a massive resource of scripts available in ReaPack

[tnkumar]

Originally Posted by domzy

how do you want to manipulate it? What kind of things would you be looking to do?

There is already a massive resource of scripts available in ReaPack

>>> https://i.imgur.com/k3Q7720.jpg

As an example, if I want to increase the width of one of the notes in a midi file (example shown), I am guessing the scripts in ReaPack should be able to allow me to do that.

I am trying to learn how to use scripting, so such things can be done programmatically.

[tnkumar]

Originally Posted by tnkumar

>>> https://i.imgur.com/k3Q7720.jpg

As an example, if I want to increase the width of one of the notes in a midi file (example shown), I am guessing the scripts in ReaPack should be able to allow me to do that.

I am trying to learn how to use scripting, so such things can be done programmatically.

What I would like to create seems available https://forum.cockos.com/showthread.php?t=181105. (midi notes sequence from csv file). However, I have not yet been able to figure out how to do this.

[Bazzbass]

Originally Posted by tnkumar

I do not have any equipment and do not play any instruments.

so, how are you planning on replacing the individual tracks? You are just wanting to overdub your vocals on the existing piece of music,right?

buy prerecorded karaoke tracks

[tnkumar]

I bought FL Studio and am working with it. Hence, why I am not in this forum. The group here was so helpful and I am grateful. Thanks.

[tnkumar]

Originally Posted by Bazzbass

so, how are you planning on replacing the individual tracks? You are just wanting to overdub your vocals on the existing piece of music,right?

buy prerecorded karaoke tracks

Thanks @Bazzbass for your suggestion. I am not looking to overdub vocals on a karaoke.
I want to be able to say that this is the music I produced listening to a song.

[serr]

Originally Posted by tnkumar

Thanks @Bazzbass for your suggestion. I am not looking to overdub vocals on a karaoke.
I want to be able to say that this is the music I produced listening to a song.

A lot of us learned to play instruments by listening to records.

Start with the instrument that makes the most sense to you as it were. eg. keys, strings, or drums. Start by playing along with music you like.

Unless you're some kind of latent prodigy, you probably will need to do some learning and practicing before trying to recreate not only the instruments and parts of a song but also learn to record and produce everything. Get on the bike a few times and learn how to even ride before entering the race. You might get pretty frustrated otherwise!

[tnkumar]

Originally Posted by serr

A lot of us learned to play instruments by listening to records.

Start with the instrument that makes the most sense to you as it were. eg. keys, strings, or drums. Start by playing along with music you like.

Unless you're some kind of latent prodigy, you probably will need to do some learning and practicing before trying to recreate not only the instruments and parts of a song but also learn to record and produce everything. Get on the bike a few times and learn how to even ride before entering the race. You might get pretty frustrated otherwise!

Thanks @serr. Appreciate your suggestion. Will do what you suggest.