In the past few years I’ve seen a ton of professionals switching to REAPER for sound design and dialog work. Asbjoern noticed this as well and asked me to share some tips here on A Sound Effect. So here are my 5 tips for making the most of REAPER, whether you’re just getting started or want to optimize your existing workflow.
1: Fix the file management
Without some care and attention, your projects and associated files can quickly become a confusing mess. File management is vitally important, and REAPER provides complete control over auto backups, file names, peak files, and more, but none of these are set by default.
Briefly, here’s how I have mine set
• Timestamped AutoBackups and ReaPeak files saved to a specific folder (away from project audio)
• Backup frequency is 6min
• Trackname[xx] format for recorded file names.
imported files will be copied to the project folder, which is called ‘Audio Files’ or ‘Media’ in the same place as the project file.
• Temp files (old backup and peaks) cleaned if older than 7 days via nightly scheduled Automator script
For details check out this article on Reaper File management.
2: Optimize zooming and scrolling
When working in a DAW you have a mouse in your hand for 90% of it. The way you move around the project needs to be intuitive and effortless.
The defaults for zooming and scrolling in REAPER make absolutely no sense to me. Mouse wheel to zoom makes sense in a realtime strategy game, but you’d expect it to scroll up and down the timeline in a DAW. Luckily that’s easy to fix.
Open the action list and filter by ‘mousewheel’ to find everything the mouse wheel can be assigned to. Filter for scroll or zoom and there are even more options. Configure it like your old DAW or whatever else makes the most sense to you. I go into the details of my setup in this video.
3: Use your screensets
Screensets are a fast way to save and load your optimized window positions for any task you’re currently doing. This is a lot like saving window positions in Pro Tools Memory Locations, but these are global and will work for all your projects.
For example, you could have one layout with the just the arrange view and your custom toolbars, a second with the mixer fullscreen, a 3rd with your dialog fx plugins floating. In this video I show the screen sets feature in detail.
4: Get the extensions
What’s an extension? It’s like a plugin for REAPER that adds additional functions such as an envelope LFO generator; startup actions; and marker to bpm conversion tool.
There are two extensions that I consider essential: SWS S&M; and ReaPack.
The previously mentioned features are part of SWS, and it also includes a few hundred more actions that are useful alone or as part of custom actions.
ReaPack is a package manager for REAPER. What that means is it can search for and install package updates automatically.
A package could be LUA or EEL script, a JSFX plugin, extensions or other ReaPack compatible thing. If you have no interest in learning to script, ReaPack is a great way to start using them, just install 500+ in one-shot, then use them from the action list. Did I mention that these extensions and scripts are free?
sidebar: Extensions are a collection of functions and compiled code. Scripts are individual tools in non-compiled lua, eel or python code that use REAPER’s API. If a function needs a GUI then extension or script is the way to go.
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This is a unique bicycle library that captures road surfaces from the perspective of super quiet bicycle. These are clean, quiet, nicely performed true exterior rides. Including multiple perspectives, speeds and actions. From fast passbys on asphalt to slow onboard recordings and smooth stops.
The Extra Surfaces library provides 162 sounds captured on the following road types Large Bricks, Gravel, Grit, Icy Asphalt.
The four additional ‘onboard road’ surfaces are the perfect extension for your other ‘City Bicycle’ library of taste. Just add it as a layer, mix it and voila your bicycle can move from gravel to bricks to grit or from large bricks to slippery icy asphalt roads.
Speeds and actions:
Three speeds. Departures from slow, medium to fast getaways. Arrivals from slow stops with gently brakes to smooth departures.
Five perspectives:
1. Onboard Front: captures the whirring tire and surface sound.
2. Onboard Pedal: nice overall combination of pedaling, crank creaks, chain rattle, tire and surface sounds.
3. Onboard Rear: close up sound of the rear axle, with chain, sprocket and switching of gear.
4. Tracking shot: mono recording of the passby, keeping the bike in focus while passing by.
5. Static XY shot: stereo recording of the passby that emphasizes speed.
Overview of perspectives and mic placement:
Onboard recordings are 2-3 minutes long depending on speed. Higher speeds > shorter duration.
All 3 onboard mics are edited in sync with one another to make layering easy.
All Passbys, Arrivals and Departures move from Left to Right.Metadata & Markers:
Because we know how important metadata is for your sound libraries we have created a consistent and intuitive description method that adheres to the Universal Category System. This allows you to find the sound you need easily, whether you work in a database like Soundminer/Basehead/PT Workspace work, or a Exporer/Finder window. We made a video that helps you navigate the library ans find your best bicycle sounds faster and easier.
CategoryFull
A quick way to filter out sounds you don’t need: like handling sounds or vice versa bicycle onboards.UserCategory
Fastest way to find the type of action you need for all bicycles. Passby needed, just click and voila.
OpenTier
Once you’ve selected the bike you can open up OpenTier and audition and select the perspective you want to use.Scene & Performer
This field contains the type of bicycle or other sound. So you can find the bike you like fast.iXMLTrackLayout
This is a neat little identifier you will find in the Waveform displays and you can see in a glance what Listening position you are.
MicPerspective
We have another way to find perspectives but it is more limited to distance to the recorded subject.
So passbys are MED – EXT and handling are CU – EXT. Exterior? Of course: we recorded everything outside!UserComments
We used this field to create the UserData and give you the minimal set of information about the recording in the filename.Additionally, we added Markers to some wave files, so specific sound events are easy to spot in Soundminer and other apps.
If you have any questions about this, please contact us info@frickandtraa.com!
Need more?
The GoodBike library is a part of the ‘City Bicycles – Complete Bundle‘ available here in the A Sound Effect store. It consists of all 4 bicycles and includes additional surfaces and extras ranging from one-off bicycle passes captured in the city and bounces and rattles. If you buy the complete bundle you get 1 package for free!Here’s a handy comparison table:
Responses:344 AUDIO: ‘City Bicycles has a plethora of content, for a great price. The perfect balance between a great concept, great presentation and outstanding execution, lands them an almost perfect score of 4.9..‘
The Audio Spotlight: City Bicycles is worth getting if you are in need of great sounding and well edited bicycle sounds.
Watch a video created by Zdravko Djordjevic.
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This is a unique bicycle library that captures this characteristic bike in clean, quiet, nicely performed true exterior rides. Including multiple perspectives, speeds and actions. From fast passbys on asphalt to slow onboard recordings and smooth stops.
The GoodBike is a smooth sounding retro bike that doesn’t rattle or squeak, it has a really nice tire sound for a subtle presence in the mix.
Speeds and actions:
Three speeds. Departures from slow, medium to fast getaways. Arrivals from slow stops with gently squeaking handbrakes to heavy stuttering skids.Five perspectives:
1. Onboard Front: captures the whirring tire and surface sound.
2. Onboard Pedal: nice overall combination of pedaling, crank creaks, chain rattle, tire and surface sounds.
3. Onboard Rear: close up sound of the rear axle, with chain, sprocket and switching of gear.
4. Tracking shot: mono recording of the passby, keeping the bike in focus while passing by.
5. Static XY shot: stereo recording of the passby that emphasizes speed.
Overview of perspectives and mic placement:
Onboard recordings are 2-3 minutes long depending on speed. Higher speeds > shorter duration.
All 3 onboard mics are edited in sync with one another to make layering easy.
All Passbys, Arrivals and Departures move from Left to Right.Metadata & Markers:
Because we know how important metadata is for your sound libraries we have created a consistent and intuitive description method that adheres to the Universal Category System. This allows you to find the sound you need easily, whether you work in a database like Soundminer/Basehead/PT Workspace work, or a Exporer/Finder window. We made a video that helps you navigate the library ans find your best bicycle sounds faster and easier.
CategoryFull
A quick way to filter out sounds you don’t need: like handling sounds or vice versa bicycle onboards.UserCategory
Fastest way to find the type of action you need for all bicycles. Passby needed, just click and voila.
OpenTier
Once you’ve selected the bike you can open up OpenTier and audition and select the perspective you want to use.Scene & Performer
This field contains the type of bicycle or other sound. So you can find the bike you like fast.iXMLTrackLayout
This is a neat little identifier you will find in the Waveform displays and you can see in a glance what Listening position you are.
MicPerspective
We have another way to find perspectives but it is more limited to distance to the recorded subject.
So passbys are MED – EXT and handling are CU – EXT. Exterior? Of course: we recorded everything outside!UserComments
We used this field to create the UserData and give you the minimal set of information about the recording in the filename.Additionally, we added Markers to some wave files, so specific sound events are easy to spot in Soundminer and other apps.
If you have any questions about this, please contact us info@frickandtraa.com!
Need more?
The GoodBike library is a part of the ‘City Bicycles – Complete Bundle‘ available here in the A Sound Effect store. It consists of all 4 bicycles and includes additional surfaces and extras ranging from one-off bicycle passes captured in the city and bounces and rattles. If you buy the complete bundle you get 1 package for free!Here’s a handy comparison table:
Here’s a handy comparison table:
Responses:344 AUDIO: ‘City Bicycles has a plethora of content, for a great price. The perfect balance between a great concept, great presentation and outstanding execution, lands them an almost perfect score of 4.9..‘
The Audio Spotlight: City Bicycles is worth getting if you are in need of great sounding and well edited bicycle sounds.
Watch a video created by Zdravko Djordjevic.
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Some interesting scripts that you can get with ReaPack:
• Airon_Colour Swatch.lua – A nice colour picker for tracks and items
• Breeder_spk77_GlueTools.lua – provides toggles for what happens when gluing items.
• mpl_Randomize Track FX Parameters
Not an extension, but something that’s also really helpful is the VLC media player. Once installed on your system REAPER can use it as a decoder for videos and allows you to import more file formats. If you work with video you’ll need this. Be sure to get the 64-bit installer.
5: Be part of the community
• Make the most of REAPER as a sound design tool – part 1: Getting Started
• Make the most of REAPER as a sound design tool – part 2: Workflow
• Video: How to edit and process field recordings entirely in REAPER
• The Rise of Reaper – with Justin Frankel
• REAPER for Game Audio – Getting Started & Rendering
• Join the REAPER channel on the Sound Community Discord server
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80 %OFFEnds 1760911199
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This is a unique bicycle library that captures road surfaces from the perspective of super quiet bicycle. These are clean, quiet, nicely performed true exterior rides. Including multiple perspectives, speeds and actions. From fast passbys on asphalt to slow onboard recordings and smooth stops.
The Extra Surfaces library provides 162 sounds captured on the following road types Large Bricks, Gravel, Grit, Icy Asphalt.
The four additional ‘onboard road’ surfaces are the perfect extension for your other ‘City Bicycle’ library of taste. Just add it as a layer, mix it and voila your bicycle can move from gravel to bricks to grit or from large bricks to slippery icy asphalt roads.
Speeds and actions:
Three speeds. Departures from slow, medium to fast getaways. Arrivals from slow stops with gently brakes to smooth departures.
Five perspectives:
1. Onboard Front: captures the whirring tire and surface sound.
2. Onboard Pedal: nice overall combination of pedaling, crank creaks, chain rattle, tire and surface sounds.
3. Onboard Rear: close up sound of the rear axle, with chain, sprocket and switching of gear.
4. Tracking shot: mono recording of the passby, keeping the bike in focus while passing by.
5. Static XY shot: stereo recording of the passby that emphasizes speed.
Overview of perspectives and mic placement:
Onboard recordings are 2-3 minutes long depending on speed. Higher speeds > shorter duration.
All 3 onboard mics are edited in sync with one another to make layering easy.
All Passbys, Arrivals and Departures move from Left to Right.Metadata & Markers:
Because we know how important metadata is for your sound libraries we have created a consistent and intuitive description method that adheres to the Universal Category System. This allows you to find the sound you need easily, whether you work in a database like Soundminer/Basehead/PT Workspace work, or a Exporer/Finder window. We made a video that helps you navigate the library ans find your best bicycle sounds faster and easier.
CategoryFull
A quick way to filter out sounds you don’t need: like handling sounds or vice versa bicycle onboards.UserCategory
Fastest way to find the type of action you need for all bicycles. Passby needed, just click and voila.
OpenTier
Once you’ve selected the bike you can open up OpenTier and audition and select the perspective you want to use.Scene & Performer
This field contains the type of bicycle or other sound. So you can find the bike you like fast.iXMLTrackLayout
This is a neat little identifier you will find in the Waveform displays and you can see in a glance what Listening position you are.
MicPerspective
We have another way to find perspectives but it is more limited to distance to the recorded subject.
So passbys are MED – EXT and handling are CU – EXT. Exterior? Of course: we recorded everything outside!UserComments
We used this field to create the UserData and give you the minimal set of information about the recording in the filename.Additionally, we added Markers to some wave files, so specific sound events are easy to spot in Soundminer and other apps.
If you have any questions about this, please contact us info@frickandtraa.com!
Need more?
The GoodBike library is a part of the ‘City Bicycles – Complete Bundle‘ available here in the A Sound Effect store. It consists of all 4 bicycles and includes additional surfaces and extras ranging from one-off bicycle passes captured in the city and bounces and rattles. If you buy the complete bundle you get 1 package for free!Here’s a handy comparison table:
Responses:344 AUDIO: ‘City Bicycles has a plethora of content, for a great price. The perfect balance between a great concept, great presentation and outstanding execution, lands them an almost perfect score of 4.9..‘
The Audio Spotlight: City Bicycles is worth getting if you are in need of great sounding and well edited bicycle sounds.
Watch a video created by Zdravko Djordjevic.
-
This is a unique bicycle library that captures this characteristic bike in clean, quiet, nicely performed true exterior rides. Including multiple perspectives, speeds and actions. From fast passbys on asphalt to slow onboard recordings and smooth stops.
The GoodBike is a smooth sounding retro bike that doesn’t rattle or squeak, it has a really nice tire sound for a subtle presence in the mix.
Speeds and actions:
Three speeds. Departures from slow, medium to fast getaways. Arrivals from slow stops with gently squeaking handbrakes to heavy stuttering skids.Five perspectives:
1. Onboard Front: captures the whirring tire and surface sound.
2. Onboard Pedal: nice overall combination of pedaling, crank creaks, chain rattle, tire and surface sounds.
3. Onboard Rear: close up sound of the rear axle, with chain, sprocket and switching of gear.
4. Tracking shot: mono recording of the passby, keeping the bike in focus while passing by.
5. Static XY shot: stereo recording of the passby that emphasizes speed.
Overview of perspectives and mic placement:
Onboard recordings are 2-3 minutes long depending on speed. Higher speeds > shorter duration.
All 3 onboard mics are edited in sync with one another to make layering easy.
All Passbys, Arrivals and Departures move from Left to Right.Metadata & Markers:
Because we know how important metadata is for your sound libraries we have created a consistent and intuitive description method that adheres to the Universal Category System. This allows you to find the sound you need easily, whether you work in a database like Soundminer/Basehead/PT Workspace work, or a Exporer/Finder window. We made a video that helps you navigate the library ans find your best bicycle sounds faster and easier.
CategoryFull
A quick way to filter out sounds you don’t need: like handling sounds or vice versa bicycle onboards.UserCategory
Fastest way to find the type of action you need for all bicycles. Passby needed, just click and voila.
OpenTier
Once you’ve selected the bike you can open up OpenTier and audition and select the perspective you want to use.Scene & Performer
This field contains the type of bicycle or other sound. So you can find the bike you like fast.iXMLTrackLayout
This is a neat little identifier you will find in the Waveform displays and you can see in a glance what Listening position you are.
MicPerspective
We have another way to find perspectives but it is more limited to distance to the recorded subject.
So passbys are MED – EXT and handling are CU – EXT. Exterior? Of course: we recorded everything outside!UserComments
We used this field to create the UserData and give you the minimal set of information about the recording in the filename.Additionally, we added Markers to some wave files, so specific sound events are easy to spot in Soundminer and other apps.
If you have any questions about this, please contact us info@frickandtraa.com!
Need more?
The GoodBike library is a part of the ‘City Bicycles – Complete Bundle‘ available here in the A Sound Effect store. It consists of all 4 bicycles and includes additional surfaces and extras ranging from one-off bicycle passes captured in the city and bounces and rattles. If you buy the complete bundle you get 1 package for free!Here’s a handy comparison table:
Here’s a handy comparison table:
Responses:344 AUDIO: ‘City Bicycles has a plethora of content, for a great price. The perfect balance between a great concept, great presentation and outstanding execution, lands them an almost perfect score of 4.9..‘
The Audio Spotlight: City Bicycles is worth getting if you are in need of great sounding and well edited bicycle sounds.
Watch a video created by Zdravko Djordjevic.
Nice article,
thanks for showcasing user created features and ReaPack :)