On starting a new project

[Beemer]

I'm confused about the correct procedure for starting a new project. I'm able to make recordings and render them but I feel there is something not correct about my method.

I have opened a new project and I see the Project settings form. I select my preferences there and then "Save as default project settings" and hit OK.

Now at this point I can either start recording or I can name and save the project. So after I stop recording I go to render. In render I see the last render file name already entered. I have not found a way to have Reaper open the render page with the file area blank. So if I forget to overwrite the name and start the render the previous render file will be overwritten.

Is the above the normal procedure?

[Coachz]

Watch the amazing Kenny videos and hollar back

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[Cranky Emu]

Originally Posted by Beemer

I have not found a way to have Reaper open the render page with the file area blank.

If you mean the render dialogue box, it can be opened at any point, whether you have tracks in the arrange area or not:
CTRL+ALT+R

Reaper, at least on mine and I am sure this is default action, asks before overwriting any files to confirm if you wish to overwrite the existing file(s).

Two excellent resources to help you with your Reaper travels:
Reaper Blog
Reaper Mania

[Coachz]

Originally Posted by Cranky Emu

If you mean the render dialogue box, it can be opened at any point, whether you have tracks in the arrange area or not:
CTRL+ALT+R

Reaper, at least on mine and I am sure this is default action, asks before overwriting any files to confirm if you wish to overwrite the existing file(s).

Two excellent resources to help you with your Reaper travels:
Reaper Blog
Reaper Mania

Reaper does ask before overwriting files on render.

[hopi]

Now at this point I can either start recording or I can name and save the project.

In my opinion the first thing to do with a project, before anything else, is do a Save as, give it a name, and be SURE to check the first two boxes at the bottom of the window...

then your project will contain all your files properly inside it's own folder

[RobU]

Originally Posted by hopi

In my opinion the first thing to do with a project, before anything else, is do a Save as, give it a name, and be SURE to check the first two boxes at the bottom of the window...

then your project will contain all your files properly inside it's own folder

There are a couple of preferences that will help the OP too.

In the general preferences (I think it's <Ctrl+p> to open them), you can set a default project folder (mine is D:\Projects) - Should you prefer not to be prompted to enter a project name, and you record something before saving the project file, then your recordings will end up here.

You can also tell Reaper to force you to provide a project name when you create a new project (I find this a bit annoying to be honest...); But if you do then new projects will be created under the default project folder. (sorry, I'm not in front of the PC right now so I can't provide the exact prefs pages...).

<Alt+Enter> will open the project preferences: From there you can set (among other things), default project sample rate, wav file bit depth, and helpfully you can also specify a folder name for all recorded media (I use "media") - all recordings, or other project media will be saved to '<project_name\media>', assuming you saved the project first.

One last thing, if you do record something but forgot to save the project first, when you do decide to save it, remember to check either the 'copy items to project folder', or 'move items to project folder' (copy is safer, esp if you're using samples from a sample library, for example...).