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Old 08-13-2019, 10:23 AM   #1
CraigG58
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Default Track/folder configuration recording directly into REAPER

A couple of questions from a newbie USB audio interface user, sorry this post is a bit long...

Up front, the interface I'm using is a Behringer UMC1820, which has 8 physical inputs.

I've begun to create a new REAPER project, and all I've configured so far are the individual drum tracks, along with their corresponding folders that I'd like to use.

Below are links to screenshots of both my MCP and TCP/Routing Matrix, since max image size here is only 800x600. Hopefully these will help make my questions clear and not give anyone a major headache, like I've got right now.

MCP:
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1P7Z...ew?usp=sharing

TCP/Routing Matrix:
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1sEu...ew?usp=sharing

Since I'm new to recording directly into REAPER, I'm confused as to how folders and tracks should be configured for I/O. I know the folders (buses) can't be on input 1 as the screenshots show, since that's already being used as a physical interface input, as I'll describe below.

I've tried a bunch of different combinations of both input and output settings for each folder and track, but can't seem to figure out the correct configuration to get everything working as it should.

In case it's not obvious, the “Drums Bus” folder is the only Master Send at the moment. The rest of the folders are Parent Sends to that Master Send.

The 8 interface inputs are cabled as follows:

1: Mixer main out

I've got a “one man band” thing going here in my home studio, so I record all instruments/vocals into my mixer one at a time onto their assigned tracks. The mixer main output is physically connected to interface input 1.

There's one exception: As far as drums go, my "Sub-Kick" mic also runs into the mixer since I've exhausted the available physical interface inputs. So, for all intents and purposes it's connected to interface input 1 here.

The remaining physical interface inputs are all directly connected to the remaining drums mics:

2: Kick
3: Snare
4: Tom 12”
5: Tom 10”
6: Floor tom 16”
7: OH Ride (overhead mic, ride cymbal side of kit)
8: OH HH (overhead mic, hi-hat side of kit)

Also, when I go to record drums, should I just be arming the folders, or all of the tracks? I use some pretty major panning for the Tom and Overhead mics to give the effect that the listener is standing in front of the drum kit, and want to continue that practice.

If anyone understands my gibberish and would help a newbie USB audio interface user out, I'd sincerely appreciate it.

Whew. Thanks in advance!
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Old 08-15-2019, 08:09 PM   #2
Philbo King
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Your setup is unnecessarily complicated and a little wrong. The way you are using folders, no special sends are needed.

When you put tracks into a folder, each track that has the 'M' (Master/Parent send) of the routing panel lit up in the Mixer is automatically sending its output to the next folder up. Any folder tracks that are feeding higher level folders (like your 'Toms Bus' folder track feeding to the 'Drums Bus' folder) will do the same.

Every folder track will automatically, by default, act as a submix bus for every folder or track below it.

So start by removing all the sends in the routing panel of each track, but leaving the Master/Parent send box ticked in each.

Your input setup sounds fine. For recording, only arm tracks that actually have audio input from the interface. Arming folders will have no benefit since there is no audio being input to them from your interface.
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Last edited by Philbo King; 08-15-2019 at 08:16 PM.
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Old 08-16-2019, 08:13 AM   #3
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Hi Philbo!

*facepalm*
Gah, the embarrassment...

Thanks much for pointing out my brain fart regarding the redundant sends. Inserting those track-to-bus sends was an old habit from using other DAWs with dedicated busses, before I switched to REAPER and its excellent “one track for all” and folder system. I should have realized that the master/parent sends within tracks and folders accomplish the same thing.

So, those sends have been removed, and all is well regarding proper routing.

However, the question remains about input 1 (the mixer, where the sub-kick mic is plugged in), which was assigned to what I'm using as busses by default when they were created. Obviously, I don't want to be using the mixer as the input to the busses. So, I tried this:

- Enabled monitoring on all tracks and busses.
- Changed the inputs on all busses to “None”.

Now, when hovering over the input of the busses, REAPER reports:
“Input: monitoring, record disabled: No input”
This still allows me to use the busses for monitoring levels, control via grouping, plugins for all their child tracks, etc.

Also, to make life easier when getting ready to record the entire drum kit, I created a group as follows:

- Set the “Drums Bus” as a master for “Record Arm”.
- Set the individual mic inputs as slaves for “Record Arm” to that master.

Now, to arm all of the individual drum input mics (but not the drum busses), all I need to do is to arm the “Drums Bus”.

Does all of this sound proper, or is there a better way to configure it in your opinion?

Thanks once again, I sincerely appreciate your assistance.
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Old 08-16-2019, 09:01 AM   #4
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Yeah, that sounds like it might work.

If it doesn't, you could just add all the individual input tracks to a group with record as both master and slave. That would allow you to arm/disarm them as a group by clicking the record button on any of them.

Happy Reapering!
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Old 08-16-2019, 10:23 AM   #5
CraigG58
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Yep, definitely seems to work fine, or at least I haven't run into any issues so far in doing it this way.

Will give your idea a try as well, I never stop exploring possibilities.

I know I must sound like a broken record by now, but I appreciate your time. Have a good one!
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Old 08-17-2019, 01:11 AM   #6
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Happy to help
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