REAPER is a DAW used by many newbies and professionals alike in the music industry. Whether you’re starting music as a career or just as a hobby, this guide will take you through all the basics of REAPER.
By the end of this tutorial, you’ll know how to create and record tracks, add instruments and effects, and navigate your way around the interface.
REAPER is available for Windows, Mac, and Linux machines. It offers a free 60-day evaluation period before you’re encouraged to buy a license for $60 (personal use) or $225 (commercial use).
To download and install REAPER, follow these simple steps:
The program itself is very lightweight, so it won’t take up too much space on your machine. For Windows users, there’s also a portable install option, so you’re able to take REAPER around with you on an external drive or memory stick.
How to Set Up the Audio Inputs and Outputs
Once you have REAPER installed, it’s time to ensure your audio inputs and outputs are recognized. Follow the steps below to set up your audio devices:
If you’re using an audio interface, ensureASIOis selected from theAudio Systemdropdown menu.
Understanding REAPER’s Layout
Before you start making music, it’s important to know where REAPER’s key features are located. Thanks to its user-friendly interface, finding your way around REAPER is simple. Let’s look at the basic layout:
How to Add Tracks and Record
Now that you have a basic understanding of REAPER’s interface, you’re able to begin adding tracks and recording. To add a track, use the keyboard shortcutCtrl + T(Cmd + Ton Mac.) You can change the color of a track by right-clicking and selecting theTrack coloroption. To rename a track, double-click the track title.
Recording on a track requires a few extra steps:
If you don’t own a MIDI device, REAPER offers a virtual keyboard. This handy feature lets you input notes using your computer keyboard. From the input devices list, selectInput: MIDI > Virtual MIDI Keyboardand then selectAll Channels.
How to Add Track Effects
Adding track effects is crucial for improving your audio. Some of the most common effects include reverb, delay, and chorus. Another effect that’s essential for beginners islearning to use EQ.
To add effects to a track, hit theFXbutton to open the effects window. This may look overwhelming at first, but you can filter your results using the left sidebar. You can narrow your search by selecting different instruments, effects, or the name of the developer.
For adding instruments, REAPER offers its own basic synth: ReaSynth. You can also find plenty offree VST instruments online. For track effects, ReaVerbate and ReaEQ are two beginner-friendly options for adding basic reverb and EQ. If you’re stuck for inspiration, tryusing ChatGPT to craft sounds.
Navigating Playback and Editing
While producing music, you’ll often need to play back different segments or listen to tracks individually. Thanks to REAPER’s intuitive playback tools, you can have full control over what you’re listening to.
You can change where a track starts playing by dragging the blue edit cursor. Clicking anywhere on a track will automatically move the edit cursor to your mouse. You can also create a time selection to play a segment of your track. Click and drag on the timeline (above the tracks) to make a time selection. To repeat a time selection over and over, hit theRkey.
Beside every track is a yellowSbutton, forSolo. This option is useful for listening to tracks in isolation. Above the Solo button is theMute(M) option. Muting tracks help you hear what your audio sounds like without those tracks.
How to Add Automation to Tracks
Music at one volume level is unlikely to sound interesting. Track automation is a useful tool that allows you to change the volume of different tracks throughout time. You can also use automation to change parameters such as tempo, dry/wet levels, and panning.
To add automation to a track, press the button labeledtrimon the track control panel. This will display a list of envelopes includingVolume,Pan, andWidth. Hit the checkbox next to an attribute to add it to the track.
Let’s look at the volume envelope. At first, the entire track will be set to one volume, but you may change this by adding envelope points. To add a new point, holdShiftand click anywhere on the track. Now, you can change the track volume by dragging points up and down.
The pan envelope works similarly. By default, panning is set to the center. You can shift audio to the right or left side of your headphones by adding envelope points and shifting them up or down. Envelope points snap to REAPER’s grid, however, you can disable snapping using the shortcutAlt + S.
Produce High-Quality Audio in REAPER
REAPER is a multipurpose DAW that’s useful for recording vocals, creating sounds, or composing music. If you’re looking for software to produce high-quality audio and create detailed sounds, REAPER is a top DAW to consider. Get started in REAPER using this simple guide.
