So I'm sure this has been posted one way or another somewhere on the forums before, but not specifically with the midi commands. I couldn't find it anywhere. So I wanted to just do a quick post for this topic with the exact midi controller commands I used.
This can work obviously for bass, and keys as well.
1) Connect your midi device, and install any drivers.
2) Open Reaper to a well established work template you have.
3) Create 30 tracks at bottom. Midi is assigned to track numbers. Deleting and creating new tracks will change those midi assignments. You will want to be able to have spare tracks, without moving the midi assignments.
2) Click Options Tab in Reaper main view, click Preferences, MIDI Devices.
3) Confirm your midi device is showing up in the menu. Reaper must recognize.
4) R-click device (In MIDI Devices Tab) Enable Input and Enable Input Control Messages. Then close.
5) Click Action Tab in Reaper main view. Select show action list.
6) Count 10 tracks up from the bottom or so, or as many midi control buttons you have on your device. Use that "track number" for your first "custom" track/patch.
7) Click the "New" button: Custom Actions and drag these commands into the box then press the "Ok" button when done. (You can use the filter field to find these faster on the list)
Track: Set track record monitor to off
Unarm: all tracks for recording
Track: Toggle FX bypass for last touched track
Track: Select track (the track number you are using. example: 41)
Track: Toggle FX bypass (the track number you are using)
Track: Toggle record arm for track (the number of the track you are using)
Track: Set track record monitor to on
8) Name the Custom Action name. (top right of box)
8) Press the "Ok" button.
9) R-click the new Custom Action at the top of the list and copy it 10 times.
10) Now go through each one after the first created patch and pull in the proper track number-action and replace the action command. Use "Remove Action" button to take out the copied "numbered" track.
11) Re-name the Custom Action accordingly. Using numbers like: 1, 2, 3 at the end of the name keeps them in order on your list.
Hit the "Ok" button when done for each one.
12) From the main "Show actions list" your Custom Actions should show up on top. Highlight the first one, hit the "Add" button (bottom left), press a the button on your device that you want that track/patch assigned to.
13)Rinse and repeat.
14) Add different FX guitars or instruments for each of those tracks.
NOTE!!: The first track (of the patch tracks) must be highlighted/selected with arm,fx,and monitoring ON! The other tracks/patches should have everything OFF! Save the project like this. These tracks need to be at the bottom because they will never have wavs in them if used just for live, and can be reduced to minimal size when you have your FX tones all set up.
Hope that works for ya. Let me know if you have a better way. Won't be youtubing this, because youtube is censorship, so F them!
Enjoy!
*To pan through project session tabs for live. (ie. songs live) see John Garden's vid. (Late Night Productions - youtube channel)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rFXTHCxzsl8