Making the leap from PT HDX to Reaper...lots of questions.

SongwriterSoul · 01-18-2023, 11:25 AM

Hi everyone and thanks in advance for any tips or advice you can throw at me.
I've used PTHD for years and am currently building a super high-end pc so I can hopefully jump ship from PT HDX to Reaper and hopefully spend more time being creative and less time doing tech stuff. I've never had a native system before, nor have I ever used Reaper so I have lots of questions. Here are some of them so far:

1) What is the best paid or free online learning program that will teach me the ins
and outs of Reaper from ground zero to advanced editing processes?

2) Is there a resource that will show me step-by-step any custom settings I need to
make in my bios or in Windows 11 to make Reaper run as efficiently and smoothly as
possible?

3) What is the best resource for learning how to custom configure Reaper for my
needs? I'm interested in things like:

-Templates so I can create a new session from a template and have all
the tracks, sub groups and plugins created as I like with one click.

-A drum template so I can add drums to a session with all the tracks,
sub-groups, plug ins and routing done with one click.

-Custom colors and layout for dual video monitors so when I create a
new session, all the tracks are colored the way I like (drums green,
guitars red etc.) and the edit window is on my lower monitor with the
mix window on my top monitor. (Don't know if mix and edit windows are
the right terms for Reaper, but bear with me.

4) Any tricks of the trade with Reaper for low latency monitoring during tracking
outside of the usual higher sample rates and lower buffer sizes.

5) Where to go for best scripts with shortcuts, macros or other tools to help
streamline workflow.

My plan is to spend some time nerding out on learning and setting up Reaper how I want it so it's as efficient for me as possible so that in the future, I can just focus more on songwriting and being creative and spend less time on the technical side of recording and editing. I want to spend more time creating music and less time trying to figure out why my midi controller isn't playing nice with a vst instrument etc.

Again, thank you in advance for any info you can give me that will help make this journey as fun and stress-free as possible. I'm a little scared to leave what I'm familiar with, but the unknown is always a bit scary so that's to be expected.

Thank you,
Steve
www.echo1project.com

nait · 01-18-2023, 11:39 AM

I can't answer all your questions, but will tackle most of them (although, I'll start with "leading the horse to water" for that).

Most people will agree that the best resource for learning anything Reaper related are the official tutorials, created by Kenny Gioia. He has done a billion of them. They're available here: http://reaper.fm/videos.php

They're all on YouTube too, so if you want to know something about templates.. search on YouTube: Reaper Templates Gioia

That'll be the case for a lot of subjects.

I also like The Reaper Blog. He has an account here named "EpicSounds". He has many YouTube videos as well as a website. He'll get a bit more into the tips/tricks and customization type stuff. He also does videos explaining in detail all the new changes with each Reaper patch, as they come out, so he's a great resource for that.

Alez156 runs reapertips.com, which also has some good info.

There really is no shortage of information out there on Reaper. This forum is fantastic at helping you through stuff, but between the Kenny Gioia tutorials and Epic Sound's Reaper Blog, there isn't a lot left over... but sometimes you just need to ask.

I hope that helps. Welcome to Reaper. It can be a pretty steep learning curve, but I'd highly recommend the tutorials I linked first as a starting point... at least for the basics.

Oh and BTW, the "Reaper Stash" is good for finding themes, scripts, templates, and such. There are a whole lot of extensions and scripts out there to make your life a whole lot easier in Reaper. This very forum is also a good place to find themes and scripts & extensions.

If you're thinking "I really wish Reaper would be able to do this", there's a better chance than not it DOES do that, and if not, a fairly good chance someone has created a script/extension to make it able to do that. If you're wondering about how to do something, or if you can do something, a forum search often provides that answer.

BTW, speaking of extensions, SWS/S&M extension is one that almost everyone has. Sometimes I forget it's not actually built into Reaper, it's so useful. Reaperblog explains how to install it here, plus a couple other things.

SongwriterSoul · 01-18-2023, 12:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by nait

I can't answer all your questions, but will tackle most of them (although, I'll start with "leading the horse to water" for that).

Most people will agree that the best resource for learning anything Reaper related are the official tutorials, created by Kenny Gioia. He has done a billion of them. They're available here: http://reaper.fm/videos.php

They're all on YouTube too, so if you want to know something about templates.. search on YouTube: Reaper Templates Gioia

That'll be the case for a lot of subjects.

I also like The Reaper Blog. He has an account here named "EpicSounds". He has many YouTube videos as well as a website. He'll get a bit more into the tips/tricks and customization type stuff. He also does videos explaining in detail all the new changes with each Reaper patch, as they come out, so he's a great resource for that.

Alez156 runs reapertips.com, which also has some good info.

There really is no shortage of information out there on Reaper. This forum is fantastic at helping you through stuff, but between the Kenny Gioia tutorials and Epic Sound's Reaper Blog, there isn't a lot left over... but sometimes you just need to ask.

I hope that helps. Welcome to Reaper. It can be a pretty steep learning curve, but I'd highly recommend the tutorials I linked first as a starting point... at least for the basics.

Oh and BTW, the "Reaper Stash" is good for finding themes, scripts, templates, and such. There are a whole lot of extensions and scripts out there to make your life a whole lot easier in Reaper. This very forum is also a good place to find themes and scripts & extensions.

If you're thinking "I really wish Reaper would be able to do this", there's a better chance than not it DOES do that, and if not, a fairly good chance someone has created a script/extension to make it able to do that. If you're wondering about how to do something, or if you can do something, a forum search often provides that answer.

BTW, speaking of extensions, SWS/S&M extension is one that almost everyone has. Sometimes I forget it's not actually built into Reaper, it's so useful. Reaperblog explains how to install it here, plus a couple other things.

Thank you. Some great info. There's a lot to unpack there, but I'll start with the Kenny G stuff (I bet he hates being called "Kenny G."

) and move on from there. Thanks for all the info.

bigtop · 01-18-2023, 12:16 PM

Whatever your reasons for moving to REAPER I think you’ll come to like it. If you still have a pt HDX rig then you’ll probably use it for certain things.

Many people say that the learning curve in REAPER is steep. Personally I don’t think it is.

It’s good value.

It doesn’t crap out on you if you so much as look at it.

It loads up very quickly and as one of our community said “it will run on a medium sized potato”!

Watch the Kenny Gioia tutorials. They are so good. (bless you Kenny).

Get your track templates set up. Learn how to use track manager. Learn routing to the extent you need.

Otherwise it’s a DAW and certain things will seem familiar quicker than you imagine.

Welcome to the community.

Have fun.

Bazzbass · 01-18-2023, 07:57 PM

in a word, SEARCH

search youtube, this forum and the www

start with Kenny

SongwriterSoul · 01-18-2023, 08:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bazzbass

in a word, SEARCH

search youtube, this forum and the www

start with Kenny

I've already done a bunch of searching. I was/am looking for a well put together course on Reaper and it looks like the Kenny G stuff comes highly recommended. Much of what's out there on the tube is bits and pieces and I'd rather learn in a way that's been thought out and put together in an organized series of lessons.

thanks,
Steve

skylar_battles · 01-19-2023, 12:05 AM

Sources

https://www.youtube.com/c/REAPERMania

https://www.youtube.com/@TheREAPERBlog

https://www.youtube.com/c/LetsTalkAboutReaper

https://www.youtube.com/@IDDQDSound

Also this is the best tool for quantization with stretch markers or by slicing: https://forum.cockos.com/showthread.php?t=252455

If you are used to beat detective, you will be happy with this. Works for drums and everything. Don’t bother with dynamic split please!

Also SWS and ReaPack are ESSENTIAL!

nicholas · 01-19-2023, 12:35 AM

G'day mate and welcome.

You might also wish to download the free PDF User Guide.

bolgwrad · 01-19-2023, 01:10 AM

5) Don't put anything but meters on your Master channel; use a submaster for your master comp/limiter/EQ. I'm told, can't remember where, that this lightens CPU load for reasons to do with hardware accessing. Good practice, anyway.

serr · 01-19-2023, 11:40 AM

I upgraded to Reaper from Protools HD around 2010. Jumped ship when their v9 update debacle hit. I don't like learning curves either! But I really don't like sessions taking over 5 minutes to load and coming up already crashed 50% of the time! Or the mystery PDC offsets depending on what plugin you insert on a completely different track and a host of other issues!

Anyway...

Reaper is selection based. The things selected (items, tracks, etc) are the target of commands. Grouping features are used to make group selections. It's being selected that makes a target. Not being in any any group.

You can have independent time selection vs item selection. They aren't tied together like Protools and that leads to an absolute explosion of editing abilities vs Protools!

Commands are called 'actions' here. The menus with commands simply have a default set of actions loaded in. You can change any of that and the master command list is the action menu.

Undo is very comprehensive. You can undo just about any fat fingered move and keep moving.

Maybe that's enough and you can take off from there?

SongwriterSoul · 01-20-2023, 11:21 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by serr

I upgraded to Reaper from Protools HD around 2010. Jumped ship when their v9 update debacle hit. I don't like learning curves either! But I really don't like sessions taking over 5 minutes to load and coming up already crashed 50% of the time! Or the mystery PDC offsets depending on what plugin you insert on a completely different track and a host of other issues!

Anyway...

Reaper is selection based. The things selected (items, tracks, etc) are the target of commands. Grouping features are used to make group selections. It's being selected that makes a target. Not being in any any group.

You can have independent time selection vs item selection. They aren't tied together like Protools and that leads to an absolute explosion of editing abilities vs Protools!

Commands are called 'actions' here. The menus with commands simply have a default set of actions loaded in. You can change any of that and the master command list is the action menu.

Undo is very comprehensive. You can undo just about any fat fingered move and keep moving.

Maybe that's enough and you can take off from there?

Thanks for all the tips. Having a hard time wrapping my head around how I'd use independent time and item selection for editing, but I have lots to learn.

Can I set up macro commands/actions? Like if I hit F8, Reaper will instantiate Steven Slate drums split out across 10 tracks with a parallel compression track, sub mix fader and the plugins on each track I want and set how I like? Or, would that just be some kind of template I open within a session? I'm excited to explore the customization aspects of Reaper.

cheers,
Steve

serr · 01-20-2023, 11:30 AM

Macros are called 'custom actions'. You can make macros with any number of actions and even scripts.

A tip when assigning keyboard shortcuts to actions and custom actions:

You pick a really perfectly intuitive shortcut that's so obvious you'll never forget it. Put it in one of the menus also! You see the shortcut displayed (when there is one) in the menus. That way when you completely forget what that intuitive shortcut was the next day you can look at the menu.

Live sound was the other eye opener with Reaper. Protools HD didn't do low latency. You set the buffers to max size and crossed your fingers. Reaper comes along and lets you dial the latency down to milliseconds and run live sound. The 1st iPad came out around the same time and I realized it was a GUI remote control for a computer. Suddenly roaming venues wirelessly and bringing home multitrack of everything. So all that innovation came about around Reaper at the same time and I've never looked back!