How to merge audio tracks.

[NLAlston]

I have a song I am working on, which will include five tracks. The first track will be for my imported musical backing file. The second track will be for my lead vocal. The last three tracks will be used for my 1st tenor, 2nd tenor and baritone harmony vocals.
Then, I would want to combine the three, backing vocal tracks into ONE single track, and get rid of the separate harmony tracks. Knowing how to go about doing that would greatly aid in my workflow. I can't seem to find ANYTHING which would focus in, with any exactness, on what I seek.

Advanced thanks.

[Coachz]

Simply create a folder track and put the tracks you want to merge in the folder. Then right click over the folder track and render them to a stereo stem. They will render at whatever volume you have the child faders set at and with any effects those tracks have.

[NLAlston]

Originally Posted by Coachz

Simply create a folder track and put the tracks you want to merge in the folder. Then right click over the folder track and render them to a stereo stem. They will render at whatever volume you have the child faders set at and with any effects those tracks have.

Wow, what a prompt response. Thank you, so much. I've never worked with folders, in Reaper, and will now seek for information on them.

[Coachz]

Kenny to the rescue

https://www.reaper.fm/videos.php#29POS7h37Xk

[NLAlston]

Originally Posted by Coachz

Kenny to the rescue

https://www.reaper.fm/videos.php#29POS7h37Xk

Thanks, Kenny.

It so happened that I ran across this very video just before checking my email. It was very informative, and will help me much. I haven't had the time to go through the process, yet, and have a couple of questions. I know how you mentioned 'Stereo stems', but I wish to wind up with 'Mono' stems of each vocal track, instead. Also, after combining the three tracks into said folder, would I be able to discard/delete the original three vocal tracks, and STILL maintain the contents of the folder? I hope you don't think those are stupid questions but (like they say) if you don't know, you don't know .

My intention is to have just two tracks, with three part harmonies on each. Then to pan one of those tracks hard left, and the other with slight offset variation panned hard right.

[DarkStar]

A folder track does not generally have any audio of its own. All it does is receive and combine the audio from the tracks within it. The tracks that are put into the folder send their audio only to the folder track (also known as "parent" track) and not to the Master.

So there is no need to discard the 3 original tracks; indeed, keep them so you can change any of them at any time.

And you can just pan the folder track left or right as desired.

And, yes you can have folders within folders!

Harmonies
-- Left (folder, panned left)
-- -- Left person 1
-- -- Left person 2
-- -- Left person 3
-- Right (folder, panned right)
-- -- Right person 4
-- -- Right person 5
-- -- Right person 6

[NLAlston]

Originally Posted by DarkStar

A folder track does not generally have any audio of its own. All it does is receive and combine the audio from the tracks within it. The tracks that are put into the folder send their audio only to the folder track (also known as "parent" track) and not to the Master.

So there is no need to discard the 3 original tracks; indeed, keep them so you can change any of them at any time.

And you can just pan the folder track left or right as desired.

And, yes you can have folders within folders!

Thank YOU, also.