Any way to make folders a purely visual thing?

[puddi]

What I mean is that the children aren't routed through the parent but go straight to the master. This would come in handy for organisational purposes, eg. when having a VST with 32 outs to then be able to tuck those outs under the main track and only show them when necessary. Or when having some sends tied to a track:



I guess there isn't a native way to do this (?) but maybe someone knows a clever workaround.

[hopi]

no way as yet, but it has been asked about before...
don't think it will happen but who knows... I've been wrong before

[Lokasenna]

The only thing really stopping you is the inability to manually create a send from a track to the Master. If you use a "pre-Master" track as a bus, then this is really easy.

- Create instrument track
- Create output tracks
- Make output tracks children with the instrument as their folder parent
- On each output track:
- - Disable the Master/Parent send to keep audio from going back to the parent (Reaper won't let it anyway unless you enable feedback routing in Preferences)
- - Create a send to the pre-Master

[puddi]

Originally Posted by Lokasenna

The only thing really stopping you is the inability to manually create a send from a track to the Master. If you use a "pre-Master" track as a bus, then this is really easy.

- Create instrument track
- Create output tracks
- Make output tracks children with the instrument as their folder parent
- On each output track:
- - Disable the Master/Parent send to keep audio from going back to the parent (Reaper won't let it anyway unless you enable feedback routing in Preferences)
- - Create a send to the pre-Master

Hmm, I tried that before and tried it again but can't get it working. The child tracks have the "parent send" unticked and are sending to a separate track outside the folder. Still nothing.

[MaXyM]

Does sending children directly to master makes any sense, when sending them to master through folder track gives the same result?
Anyway, there are indeed scenarios when sending THROUGH folder is not welcomed (for example when folder volume plays a role of VCA).

As other wrote already, routing audio to another track ouside the folder (mixbus), which is then routed to master works.

You don't need to disable children routing to parent. It's enough to disable folder routing to master. In this configuration you can still monitor sum of all children on folder's volume meter. Just don't touch volume on the folder track.

[Lokasenna]

Originally Posted by MaXyM

You don't need to disable children routing to parent. It's enough to disable folder routing to master. In this configuration you can still monitor sum of all children on folder's volume meter. Just don't touch volume on the folder track.

By default all of the children are sending out on channels 1/2, but if the parent is a VSTi then it's probably sending to one of the children on 1/2 as well. If you don't disable the children's Master/Parent sends you'll get a feedback loop (though Reaper doesn't allow them by default and will mute something somewhere).

[MaXyM]

Yeah, you are right. I forgot about this particular case.

[Dark River]

@ Puddi
Lokasenna's solution works but you need to enable feedback routing in Project Settings/Advanced (be careful - drop your master level until your sure there is no loop)

[puddi]

Originally Posted by Dark River

@ Puddi
Lokasenna's solution works but you need to enable feedback routing in Project Settings/Advanced (be careful - drop your master level until your sure there is no loop)

Ah, thanks, I missed that option.

Although I'm not sure if it's worth the hassle. Maybe if I can get an action working that automatically unchecks "parent send" on the selected tracks and sends them to a pre-master.

[Lokasenna]

That's why it's not worth doing IMO. I usually just put the instrument track next to the folder, for example with EZDrummer:

EZDrummer (with sends to the individual drum tracks)
Drum folder
-- Kick
-- Snare
-- Toms
-- Overhead

Then I use the track manager to show only the EZD track in the track panel, since the other tracks don't have any media on them.

[puddi]

Originally Posted by Lokasenna

That's why it's not worth doing IMO. I usually just put the instrument track next to the folder, for example with EZDrummer:

EZDrummer (with sends to the individual drum tracks)
Drum folder
-- Kick
-- Snare
-- Toms
-- Overhead

Then I use the track manager to show only the EZD track in the track panel, since the other tracks don't have any media on them.

Didn't even think about hiding them completely from the TCP and only show them in the mixer. Good one.

I've been starting to use the Track Manager more lately and it really is a great tool. Coming from Ableton I don't know how I have survived without a search function in big projects lol.

[Dark River]

Lokasenna says:

EZDrummer (with sends to the individual drum tracks)
Drum folder
-- Kick
-- Snare
-- Toms
-- Overhead


This is exactly the way I handle it. ...and with all drum tracks sent to a Drum Bus which feeds the Master.

Then I throw any drum FX bus(es) into the folder as well, so the fx level moves with the Drum Bus.

No need for feedback exceptions/settings

[MaXyM]

I do more. I configure a VCA group to Folder Volume (master) and child tracks (slave), except of effects of course.
Then, I can
1. route children to some bus(es)
2. route folder anywhere in pre-fader mode.

In both cases I send "pre-fader" folder audio to a "dummy" track which I use as a folder volume meter only (original folder meter is affected by double volume change: VCA + folder itself. That's why is not reliable)

This way I have quite flexible solution with benefits of folder and VCA together.