What are some "go to" actions everyone needs in Reaper?

[JHutch440]

Im new to Reaper, and I was just wondering if there are some standard actions everyone sets up and maybe you all could comment your favorite actions on this thread so I can go through and cherry pick ones that would work for my workflow

Btw I only work with vocal tracks and premade instrumentals (hiphop/rnb). No live instrument recordings or midi stuff, I use FL Studio when I want to do those things, so maybe include mostly ones I could use for this type of workflow

[DreamDisease]

This is one of my favorites


SWS/BR: Toggle preview take under mouse (start from mouse position)

I set it to Alt+P to listen to the dries of a take without the effects on the chain

[nicholas]

Envelope: Insert 4 points at time selection
.... add this to Envelopes context menu - use it for raising/lowering section of automation envelope.

[ernzo]

Essential one keyers..

Transport: Record
Transport: Stop (DELETE all recorded media)
Transport: Stop (save all recorded media)

[Aeolian]

Gofer: split items under mouse cursor (ignore time selection)

It's less efficient, but I prefer having this on a toolbar.

[poetnprophet]

Originally Posted by nicholas

Envelope: Insert 4 points at time selection
.... add this to Envelopes context menu - use it for raising/lowering section of automation envelope.

I have so many, but plus one to this....and I'll raise you:

-add envelope last touched parameter

[nicholas]

Originally Posted by poetnprophet

-add envelope last touched parameter

Nice one! Just a shame there isn't an obvious context menu to hang it on to. If like me you always forget shortcut keys there's always the option of adding it to the toolbar, or including it in a custom envelopes toolbar.

[Judders]

Originally Posted by nicholas

Envelope: Insert 4 points at time selection
.... add this to Envelopes context menu - use it for raising/lowering section of automation envelope.

I used to use this all the time, but there's no need!

All you have to do is set your time selection and drag the envelope. Pretty sure this is default behaviour, but I don't know if I'd recognise default REAPER now...

As for actions, "split items at time selection", which cuts both ends and selects the item in the time selection, which is really quick for editing out bits.

"SWS: Set selected track(s) to next track's color" is one I use a lot!

I have a custom action with these two actions:

"SWS: Insert track above selected tracks" and "Xenakios/SWS: Rename selected tracks...", so I just press a key to create a track and have the track name ready to type in.

I use marquee zoom a lot, so "View: Restore previous zoom level" is something I use all the time. This means I can zoom into the sample level and get back to an overview in just a couple of clicks.

[Beastmode Beats]

Go to track Midi/osc. The easiest way to navigate without the navigator.

[nicholas]

Originally Posted by Judders

All you have to do is set your time selection and drag the envelope. Pretty sure this is default behaviour, but I don't know if I'd recognise default REAPER now...
.

Not here it isn't! I'm pretty sure I haven't changed any default.

Of course, if the envelope is in its own lane you can use the envelope lane fader. but only if it has its own lane.

[JHutch440]

Thanks everyone for the actions

Ill go through and see which ones will work for me

BUT KEEP COMMENTING MORE! This kinda thread will do good for other newbies to Reaper like me

[valy]

Originally Posted by nicholas

Not here it isn't! I'm pretty sure I haven't changed any default.

Of course, if the envelope is in its own lane you can use the envelope lane fader. but only if it has its own lane.

What happens if you make the time selection and Ctrl+Shift+Left-Drag the envelope line?

[Andywanders]

Originally Posted by valy

What happens if you make the time selection and Ctrl+Shift+Left-Drag the envelope line?

Bingo..! That does it.

Thanks Valy. I didn't know about that.

[nicholas]

Yes that's sure a good one. Just a personal thing I guess but I still like to add things to context menus because of my annoying tendency to forget which shortcuts do what!

[nicholas]

A bit late to the party with this one, but ...

Mouse modifiers, Media item bottom half, left drag

Set to Adjust item volume (fine)

Handy for making small tweaks to item volume.

[Zlornick]

Originally Posted by ernzo

Essential one keyers..

Transport: Record
Transport: Stop (DELETE all recorded media)
Transport: Stop (save all recorded media)

I use an X Station midi controller with transport controls and I have the "stop(DELETE all recorded media" action mapped to an unused button, as well as a shortcut on the computer keyboard. Speeds up the trial/error composition as well as multiple takes process immensely. Know what you just played was shit? just hit that button and move on, no disk space wasted.

[Magicbuss]

Auto trim is essential for me. I have a button for it on my toolbar
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UST71FfEK7k&t

I also have a custom action(via SWS) for normalizing non percussive tracks to -23 lufs.
And another for normalizing percussive tracks to -9 dbfs peak.
These 2 actions are my goto gain staging procedure I use at the top of every mix and they save me a ton of time.

Mouse modifiers and scrolling behavior are customized to my liking. I assume most people need to do this because the default reaper mouse/scroll settings are... not optimal. Too many changes to list here.

SWS auto color tracks is a big one for those of us who like to color coordinate our tracks consistently across all mixes based on instrument names.

I have 2 main screensets bound to f7 and f8. f7 is a maximized TCP view with the currently selected track docked to the left at full height (aka inspector). f8 is a maximized mixer view with only the selected track showing in the TCP at the top of the screen at full width.

[Magicbuss]

Originally Posted by valy

What happens if you make the time selection and Ctrl+Shift+Left-Drag the envelope line?

Cool! I have been using Kenny G's custom action for creating 4 points with a time selection but this is faster. But the second part of Kenny's action is still super useful. Basically it allows you to use the up and down arrow keys to move the envelope selection by .5 db increments. Using the mouse is too fiddly for small adjustments IMO.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WsGvTUs79a8

[Giovanni_B]

Originally Posted by poetnprophet

I have so many, but plus one to this....and I'll raise you:

-add envelope last touched parameter

What's the exact name of that action? I can't find it.

Should I need to install something other than SWS?

Thanks.

[nicholas]

In action list:

FX: Show/hide track envelope for last touched FX parameter

[Sherazad]

I find very useful to fit the entire project to screen after I zoom in on certain parts. Mapped the following two actions to shift+f and shift+v

Custom: Horizontal Zoom Fit
Item: Select all items
SWS: Horizontal zoom to selected items
Item: Unselect all items

Custom: Vertical Zoom Fit
Track: Select all tracks
SWS: Vertical zoom to selected tracks
Track: Unselect all tracks

[BigFella]

Originally Posted by Zlornick

I use an X Station midi controller with transport controls and I have the "stop(DELETE all recorded media" action mapped to an unused button, as well as a shortcut on the computer keyboard. Speeds up the trial/error composition as well as multiple takes process immensely. Know what you just played was shit? just hit that button and move on, no disk space wasted.

I have a wireless number pad on a mic stand phone holder with these assigned:

1 - record
2 - stop/keep, for when it's right
3 - stop/delete, for when it's not. Cursor returns to previous recording point.

The beauty of this for me is that I have to make an instant decision, is it a keeper or not? Then get on with the job at hand. Too many questions saved til later = paralysis (ymmv).

[Giovanni_B]

Originally Posted by nicholas

In action list:

FX: Show/hide track envelope for last touched FX parameter

Thank you.

Very useful action.