Reaper 4 - Tips and Tricks - by Kenny Gioia - Video Tutorials!!!

[CaptainHook]

Hey Kenny, only part way through the videos so far but thought i would share my thoughts so far anyway.

First, basically each video i've watched so far i've thought "oh, i already know how to use this feature so maybe i should skip". And without fail, you always show me AT LEAST one thing i didn't know about it, or another way of using it!

I've also asked a few times on the forum how to setup an "inspector style" strip so i can click a track and get an enlarged view on that track (and mixer) on the left but never got a response. The screensets videos finally explained that for me and in a way that took me about 2 secs to grasp how and why it was working! A forum post really can't offer the same speed for learning IMHO (assuming you get a response :P ).

The next "slap to head" moment for me, was even just reading the title of the video "Default Presets". I dunno why it's never occurred to me, but i read that title and immediately knew what you were going to cover and have set that up for all the plugs i use!

I've already introduced screensets and default presets into my workflow that i wasn't doing before so thanks!

I've just finished drum editing part 1, so will let you know more when i've finished all the vids.

Also, maybe you show it in the next vid, but i am surprised you haven't shown this method (by AdamW) for editing which i've personally found to be the best compromise in accuracy vs speed:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SlnO1XjRh0Y
or more similar to what you show:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N47FLgTkZyY

His fill gaps action in the SWS extensions is also great! ( http://wiki.cockos.com/wiki/index.php/AW_-_Fill_gaps )

Probably my only "gripes" (if you could call them that) is that because i've watched your previous Reaper vids and Pro Tools ones (including Tip and Tricks, mixing etc) some of the videos i found a bit slow cause i knew where you were going to go with it. But i would not have you change this since it would make it harder for 'first' timers or those less experienced. Perhaps an 'advanced' series at some point that assumes the kind of extensive 'Kenny experience' some of us may have?

I also personally love the more "this is what i do in my workflow" rather than "this is what you can do".. simply because the amount of options in Reaper is overwhelming so i find it more valuable to know what you've found to be the most practical. You don't always do this, but i appreciate the times you do.

[Kenny Gioia]

Originally Posted by CaptainHook

Hey Kenny, only part way through the videos so far but thought i would share my thoughts so far anyway.

First, basically each video i've watched so far i've thought "oh, i already know how to use this feature so maybe i should skip". And without fail, you always show me AT LEAST one thing i didn't know about it, or another way of using it!

I've also asked a few times on the forum how to setup an "inspector style" strip so i can click a track and get an enlarged view on that track (and mixer) on the left but never got a response. The screensets videos finally explained that for me and in a way that took me about 2 secs to grasp how and why it was working! A forum post really can't offer the same speed for learning IMHO (assuming you get a response :P ).

The next "slap to head" moment for me, was even just reading the title of the video "Default Presets". I dunno why it's never occurred to me, but i read that title and immediately knew what you were going to cover and have set that up for all the plugs i use!

I've already introduced screensets and default presets into my workflow that i wasn't doing before so thanks!

I've just finished drum editing part 1, so will let you know more when i've finished all the vids.

Also, maybe you show it in the next vid, but i am surprised you haven't shown this method (by AdamW) for editing which i've personally found to be the best compromise in accuracy vs speed:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SlnO1XjRh0Y
or more similar to what you show:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N47FLgTkZyY

His fill gaps action in the SWS extensions is also great! ( http://wiki.cockos.com/wiki/index.php/AW_-_Fill_gaps )

Thanks for the feedback.

You should really watch Drum Editing Part II and tell me what you think. It was really meant to be one big video but it was too long for online streaming so we broke it up. But the second part is the way to go.

Originally Posted by CaptainHook

Probably my only "gripes" (if you could call them that) is that because i've watched your previous Reaper vids and Pro Tools ones (including Tip and Tricks, mixing etc) some of the videos i found a bit slow cause i knew where you were going to go with it. But i would not have you change this since it would make it harder for 'first' timers or those less experienced. Perhaps an 'advanced' series at some point that assumes the kind of extensive 'Kenny experience' some of us may have?

Yeah. I definitely took into consideration the people who bought my Reaper Explained video and are taking off from there.

I'm hoping guys like you think I went a bit too slow while newbies think I went a bit too fast.

Originally Posted by CaptainHook

I also personally love the more "this is what i do in my workflow" rather than "this is what you can do".. simply because the amount of options in Reaper is overwhelming so i find it more valuable to know what you've found to be the most practical. You don't always do this, but i appreciate the times you do.

Thanks again.

[CaptainHook]

Originally Posted by Kenny Gioia

You should really watch Drum Editing Part II and tell me what you think. It was really meant to be one big video but it was too long for online streaming so we broke it up. But the second part is the way to go.

I'll check it out tonight after work. Thanks again!

[EpicSounds]

Originally Posted by CaptainHook

First, basically each video i've watched so far i've thought "oh, i already know how to use this feature so maybe i should skip". And without fail, you always show me AT LEAST one thing i didn't know about it, or another way of using it!

This exactly, almost every time.
Maybe not in the first two demonstrations, but the 3rd time, the "you can also do it this way" part in every video teaches me something, or at least reminds me it's there.

[Kenny Gioia]

Originally Posted by EpicSounds

This exactly, almost every time.
Maybe not in the first two demonstrations, but the 3rd time, the "you can also do it this way" part in every video teaches me something, or at least reminds me it's there.

I like to close on a high note.

Although, I seriously will sit and ponder for hours how I can add just one more thing.

Thanks

[sostenuto]

Only a few hours to still get Groove3's great price on Tips and Tricks. No question Reaper 4 Explained is well done and excellent value, but high percentage deals with far more advanced material than I normally use.
Even Kenny's slow pace makes me go back over stuff several times .....

Really wondering if Tips and Tricks will be mostly beyond my understanding ..... OR .... provide enough review and manipulation of Reaper 'tools' to bring my level of understanding still higher.

Maybe $30. is a no-brainer ?? Ha! (it ain't really IF, it's When ... )

Tom B

[tls11823]

Originally Posted by TFB37

Really wondering if Tips and Tricks will be mostly beyond my understanding

I wouldn't worry about it. He does a pretty good job of explaining things. And these aren't all necessarily advanced topics. More along the lines of "I'll bet you don't know how to do this."

Just learning about how to freeze a track only up through a certain plug-in was worth the price of the whole thing for me. The fact that I learned quite a few other things was just gravy.

[sostenuto]

Oops ! sneezed and hit the 'submit' button. Honestly, the two-part drum editing nailed it.

( Hope the new SWS tutorial runs at this cool, 'relaxed' pace too ... )

Tom B

[planetnine]

It's worth it TB, I've not regretted buying any of these, even if I thought I probably knew most the stuff beforehand...


>

[AnyOtherCity]

Just wanted to post to say how thoroughly awesome the Autopanning video posted on the reaper blog recently is. I had no idea what parameter modulation could do and now I know - it can do loads of things! Being able to modulate any effect parameter I want that easily is just amazing. So much control, so little effort.

Seems like using Reaper involves a mindblowing discovery roughly once every six months so far.

[Kenny Gioia]

Originally Posted by TFB37

Oops ! sneezed and hit the 'submit' button. Honestly, the two-part drum editing nailed it.

( Hope the new SWS tutorial runs at this cool, 'relaxed' pace too ... )

Tom B

My plan was designed so people can watch them in order:

Reaper Explained
Reaper Tips and Tricks
Reaper SWS Extensions

So if you understand the previous one, you should be fine.

Thanks

[Kenny Gioia]

Originally Posted by AnyOtherCity

Just wanted to post to say how thoroughly awesome the Autopanning video posted on the reaper blog recently is. I had no idea what parameter modulation could do and now I know - it can do loads of things! Being able to modulate any effect parameter I want that easily is just amazing. So much control, so little effort.

Seems like using Reaper involves a mindblowing discovery roughly once every six months so far.

I agree. I find the Modulation features to be way outside what you'd expect from your "typical" DAW.

Thanks

[CaptainHook]

Hey Kenny, what's your workflow for tracking drums? ie doing multiple takes, comping, then editing the comp. I still haven't worked out a elagent solution that's an equivalent to playlists in PT. Thanks!

[EpicSounds]

Published my review of Tips & Tricks last night
http://reaperblog.net

Originally Posted by CaptainHook

Hey Kenny, what's your workflow for tracking drums? ie doing multiple takes, comping, then editing the comp. I still haven't worked out a elagent solution that's an equivalent to playlists in PT. Thanks!

I have a feeling that Kenny still tracks drums in PT

[Kenny Gioia]

Originally Posted by EpicSounds

Published my review of Tips & Tricks last night
http://reaperblog.net

Thank you. Much appreciated.

[CaptainHook]

Originally Posted by EpicSounds

I have a feeling that Kenny still tracks drums in PT

Record/comp in PT, export into Reaper for edit..? Seems like the best way to me too!

[ObiK]

Originally Posted by EpicSounds

Published my review of Tips & Tricks last night
http://reaperblog.net



I have a feeling that Kenny still tracks drums in PT

Great write up on a great video tutorial! Learning tons from it!

[Kenny Gioia]

Originally Posted by CaptainHook

Record/comp in PT, export into Reaper for edit..? Seems like the best way to me too!

To be honest, I'm constantly changing how I do things and use Reaper more and more.

But I haven't found the playlist simplicity for what you want to do with many tracks like it is in Pro Tools.

I'll keep working on it though.

Thanks.

[CaptainHook]

Originally Posted by Kenny Gioia

To be honest, I'm constantly changing how I do things and use Reaper more and more.

Same here! Watching your videos and reading in the forums what others do is always inspiring and giving me ideas about new ways to do things. It's definitely one of the cool things about reaper. I'm still not comfortable with the takes system tho. Thanks!

[Kenny Gioia]

Originally Posted by CaptainHook

I'm still not comfortable with the takes system tho. Thanks!

It's a shame because switching takes in Reaper is soo much better.

[chrisharbin]

Stop and delete is a bit dicey. What would be cool is if there was a command to delete those unwanted files after listening to them. The "yikes that take sucked" delete method haha!

[Kenny Gioia]

Originally Posted by chrisharbin

Stop and delete is a bit dicey. What would be cool is if there was a command to delete those unwanted files after listening to them. The "yikes that take sucked" delete method haha!

The way I like to do it is to "Save Project as…" about once a day and have Reaper create a whole new folder and Copy all the media items to it.

It won't copy the unused media items so you won't be stuck with them forever.

Then you can just delete the old project folder.

[chrisharbin]

thanks!

[bluzkat]

Kenny,

I finally had some time to spend with the 'Tips and Tricks' videos. Dude, you've done it again! These are excellent.

I've always been a little 'dysfunctional' when it came to zooming. You had me sailing along in only 12 minutes and 56 seconds!!

Thanks again.

[chrisharbin]

I've been slow to go through these, but I realize I know so little

It's the little things that Kenny covers that are like "ah ha, I didn't know that"

[Kenny Gioia]

Originally Posted by bluzkat

Kenny,

I finally had some time to spend with the 'Tips and Tricks' videos. Dude, you've done it again! These are excellent.

I've always been a little 'dysfunctional' when it came to zooming. You had me sailing along in only 12 minutes and 56 seconds!!

Thanks again.

Ha ha. Thanks for the support.

[Kenny Gioia]

Originally Posted by chrisharbin

I've been slow to go through these, but I realize I know so little

It's the little things that Kenny covers that are like "ah ha, I didn't know that"

Thanks for the support.

[Seventh]

Thank you for the videos. Even though I've been using Reaper for a good while now, there always seems to be more to learn.

I have a question about the drum editing videos in this series:

In the tutorial, you create a dummy track with just the kick and snare, in order to get the split points from both of the tracks.

Couldn't you just do the dynamic split twice; once for just the kick track and a second time for the snare. Is there a downside for this approach?

Thanks.

[Seventh]

Originally Posted by Kenny Gioia

The way I like to do it is to "Save Project as…" about once a day and have Reaper create a whole new folder and Copy all the media items to it.

It won't copy the unused media items so you won't be stuck with them forever.

Then you can just delete the old project folder.

"File: Clean current project directory" does the trick also, with less hassle.

[Kenny Gioia]

Originally Posted by Seventh

Thank you for the videos. Even though I've been using Reaper for a good while now, there always seems to be more to learn.

I have a question about the drum editing videos in this series:

In the tutorial, you create a dummy track with just the kick and snare, in order to get the split points from both of the tracks.

Couldn't you just do the dynamic split twice; once for just the kick track and a second time for the snare. Is there a downside for this approach?

Thanks.

Have you tried that approach and had it work?

Once you dynamic split kick, you would now have to dynamic split the snare with it already being split by the kick. Or do you make a copy of the snare just for splitting but don't keep it?

[Kenny Gioia]

Originally Posted by Seventh

"File: Clean current project directory" does the trick also, with less hassle.

I didn't even know about that action.

What exactly does it do?

[CaptainHook]

Originally Posted by Kenny Gioia

Once you dynamic split kick, you would now have to dynamic split the snare with it already being split by the kick. Or do you make a copy of the snare just for splitting but don't keep it?

Hey Kenny, that's actually how i do it except i do snare first, then kick. Seems to work just like collection mode for me. Analyze the snare, select all drum tracks (i have the items grouped so i can click one to select all) and split. Double click kick track and analyze, select all drum tracks and split. The existing splits in the kick track doesn't seem to bother it.

[hopi]

Originally Posted by Kenny Gioia

To be honest, I'm constantly changing how I do things and use Reaper more and more.

But I haven't found the playlist simplicity for what you want to do with many tracks like it is in Pro Tools.

I'll keep working on it though.

Thanks.

Kenny ... have you been looking into the thread about PT playlist stuff ...where jnif has created py scripts that take reaper beyond?

If not... I know you want to and it's food for another complete tutorial vid I'm sure

[hopi]

Originally Posted by Kenny Gioia

I didn't even know about that action.

What exactly does it do?

oh my... even you learn more and more.. kewlness..

a great action... cleans the current project directory of all unused files.... gives a list of them and deletes them... very hand especially if you have versions saved and are at a more final project version and want to clear out the junk.

[chrisharbin]

It's the little things for me. Like the zooming section, I guess there is something about the visual aspect that makes the light go on.

[Seventh]

Originally Posted by Kenny Gioia

Have you tried that approach and had it work?

Once you dynamic split kick, you would now have to dynamic split the snare with it already being split by the kick.

Yes.

I did one edit session like that yesterday and it seemed to work just fine, although sometimes I had to adjust the threshold for snare and toms, and sometimes I even had to do some snare splits manually, because dynamic split wouldn't catch the transients. I'm not sure if this is because there were already lots of splits present, or just general dynamic split weirdness.

All in all it seems a little faster way of working than making the dummy track though.

[Kenny Gioia]

Originally Posted by CaptainHook

Hey Kenny, that's actually how i do it except i do snare first, then kick. Seems to work just like collection mode for me. Analyze the snare, select all drum tracks (i have the items grouped so i can click one to select all) and split. Double click kick track and analyze, select all drum tracks and split. The existing splits in the kick track doesn't seem to bother it.

Originally Posted by Seventh

Yes.

I did one edit session like that yesterday and it seemed to work just fine, although sometimes I had to adjust the threshold for snare and toms, and sometimes I even had to do some snare splits manually, because dynamic split wouldn't catch the transients. I'm not sure if this is because there were already lots of splits present, or just general dynamic split weirdness.

All in all it seems a little faster way of working than making the dummy track though.

I'll have to play around with that a bit more.

I didn't realize that dynamic split would ignore all the current splits in analyzing.

The one benefit I see in doing it my way is that you won't get false triggering from leakage as the closer mic will prevail over the leaked signals.

As I've learned over the years, there's simply no one way that works best.

Thanks to you guys, I now have other option.

Thanks.

[Kenny Gioia]

Originally Posted by hopi

oh my... even you learn more and more.. kewlness..

a great action... cleans the current project directory of all unused files.... gives a list of them and deletes them... very hand especially if you have versions saved and are at a more final project version and want to clear out the junk.

Awesome.

Just to be clear, I'm sure I don't know half of what Reaper can do.

Have you seen all those Actions?

[CaptainHook]

Originally Posted by Kenny Gioia

The one benefit I see in doing it my way is that you won't get false triggering from leakage as the closer mic will prevail over the leaked signals.

Good point. That could make it worth the extra step you do. I will play with it.

[Kenny Gioia]

Originally Posted by CaptainHook

Good point. That could make it worth the extra step you do. I will play with it.

Any word with it?

I've been going back and forth and in my new video (Using AW - Fill Gaps) I still prefer making a dummy track.

Thanks for the support guys.