I just read a post on the Reaper forums… a user is trying to get a drum sound as a click track.  Here is how I prefer to get this job done.

GTG Synth has a very light weight drum module that I recommend Downloading.

Website: GTGsynth.com – they also have a lot of free VSTi’s that you should check out.

Direct DL:  GTG DPC 3 – Drum Module

Learn to setup 16 channels of audio recording so that you can capture an entire band in 3 different scenarios.

- Full band recording 1 song at a time while using Reaper as a monitoring system for the artists

- Full band recording, full concert without using Reaper as a monitoring system

- Full band recording, full concert and using Reaper as a monitoring system/sound board.

***I will post a separate tutorial on how to make 3 separate headphone mixes for multi-tracking purposes in  a studio setting. i.e. Drums and Bass at the same time with a scratch guitar.

Learn how to use the basic functions of the Reaper “Take” system.  You will see how to Record, Comp, and Edit.  I show you how to make sure you use the “Record Selection” option so that you have cleaner “Takes” experience.

Learn how to use the Split/Slip Editing method of editing drums, with help from SWS Extensions and Gofers KeyMap.

Edit Method: (you will be holding ALT the whole time) ALT+S before the beat > Release “S” > Left Click and hold on beat, move to grid > Release Left Click > Scroll mouse wheel while still holding ALT — Repeat

Download and Install First –  SWS Extensions – Direct 32-Bit – 64-bit Read – Website – SWS Install Intructions

Download and Install Second –  Gofer ReaperKeyMaps

Learn how to edit your FX menu so that you can add FX faster while mixing with a simple right click. Organize them how you wish and rename them to what makes sense to you! Also, a review on signal chain sending for FX with the example of a Vocal track being sent to a reverb track.

Here is another necessary skill to have while using Reaper.  This Tutorial helps you to import tracks, organize them and assign colors so that you know what you are looking at so you can speed up your work flow.

Learn how to import a full session that was previously prepared by a client, move around tracks so that you can understand where everything is, setup folders for editing/mixing purposes (which act as Buss Mixes as well), and assign colors to groups so that you can easily identify what you are looking at.

This is a slightly more advanced tutorial for editing audio so that you can align tracks such as syncing up a harmony to a lead vocal. The skill can be used on things like bass guitars, electric/acoustic guitars, keyboards and so on.  I would NOT recommend this method for drum editing; I will cover a recommended process in an upcoming tutorial.

Learn how to manipulate audio so that you can correct time and alter a musician’s performance when needed to make the overall recording sound as “Tight” as possible.

This tutorial goes through the instructions located at http://reaperblog.squarespace.com/shanes-secrets/ pulled from http://Reaper-blog.com with instructions provided from Shane who is an amazing asset to the Pro Tools and Reaper community.

Learn how to setup Reaper to have more organized session folders, Separate Audio Files, Session Back-Ups, and Session files.  This is definitely a necessary setup for a little more sanity when working with Reaper.

So on the Reaper forums where is ALWAYS someone wondering how to make a Pro Tools look alike, don’t get me wrong here… I was one of them too but there isn’t any simple way to do it… well… until Shane has the time to finish up ReaTools.   I would recommend that you try to customize your menus to what YOU want them to do… not what AVID wants them to do.  Trust me when i tell you, Pro Tools was nice, but making Reaper behave the way I want it too is much better.

Think of it this way:

You have 1 setup for Tracking: All your input settings, takes, track removal, punching, buffer settings, midi controls, etc… nothing more thne you need because when you right click you only want to see “takes – Take – 01, Take – 01″ not a 15 option long menu.

You have 1 setup for Editing: All your shortcuts for quick track splicing, removal, duplication, , Grid adjustments, etc

You have 1 Setup for Mixing: Effects easier to access, faster envelope views, phase corrections, normalizations, etc

So go through the awesome customizable system that the guys at Cockos have made and make it YOURS! They even allow you to change the splash screen to whatever you want.

Start messing with those menus!

As Requested here is the Menu Set :TutorialsForReaper – Custom Menu 2010

Welcome back to TutorialsForReaper.com, I’m Jonny from Red Sneaker Records, and we are going to go over changing your theme in Reaper.  I have linked 2 of my favorite themes at the bottom of this post, so I would suggest downloading them and following the instructions.  If you absolutely love the Reaper default theme then I guess you don’t need to watch this video… But if you’re like me… You want something a little sleeker or maybe even flashy.  One of my biggest issues with Reaper when I first started using it was the way it looked. Sounds kind of dumb I guess, but I came from using Pro Tools which I was very used to and I wanted something similar… or better.  Anyways let’s go on.

So click on the “LampShade – Apollo” link here at the bottom of the post… Click Run… Run again if anything pops up. Assuming that you are using the default windows compression explorer… Which will looks just like any other windows directory/folder.   Leave this open and navigate to the Reaper install directory.  I’m on Windows 7 here so I will go to Start > Computer > Then C: Drive > Program Files > Then REAPER. If you are on windows Vista it will be the same, if you are on a 32-bit or 64-bit install the Program Files name might be a little different.  If you are on Windows XP you will follow the same steps above except the first step, you will Click Start then My Computer instead of “Computer”. Within the Reaper folder we see a bunch of stuff… and for this tutorial we want to now go into the “ColorThemes” Folder, So Double Click that. Now, remember the theme we downloaded before? Bring them both back into view so that you can see both windows. So in the downloaded Theme window highlight the items, Now Left Click + Hold and Drag them to the “ColorThemes” folder and release your left Click.  Windows will automatically extract the files and put them where you just dropped them.  Repeat the same steps for the “White Tie – Blender” download at the bottom of this post.

Now let’s go into Reaper and see what they look like. Once Reaper opens click on “Options” at the top of your screen > Then “Themes” > Then click on “Apollo” which was made by LampShade. There you go…  Totally different than the original. Let’s do the same for the other theme we downloaded, which was from “White Tie”.  It looks like there are 3 different versions of “Blender” so you can check them all out. There you go! Changing a theme in Reaper! Go to the “Stash” @ http://stash.reaper.fm/ to check out more themes… or if you are on the forums go to http://forum.cockos.com/forumdisplay.php?f=26 and browse or post a request even. If you aren’t a part of the forums I highly recommend it.

LampShade – Apollo

WhiteTie – Blended

I discovered a nice universal Asio driver today from ASIO 4 ALL .com. You would use this Driver if you don’t have a properly supported USB, firewire, PCI or integrated sound card. OR if you want to test to see which is better.

My Previous video I mentioned that I was using WaveOut… Which works fine, But these ASIO4ALL drivers are AWESOME!. I did a test to see how it compensated for delay and it’s perfect. I currently have some cheesy RealTek HD integrated sound which with the WaveOut option was un-usable for monitoring while recording. With the ASIO 4 ALL driver set to the lowest buffer, which for me is 64, I can still hear a slight delay… maybe 10-2ms… But it’s Totally usable. And when in very heavy sessions I can put the buffer all the way up to 2048 and it performs quite a bit better then the WaveOut Buffering system.
Thanks for watching at TutorialsForReaper .com, I’m Jonny from RedSneakerRecords.com.
Till Next time, Happy Recording.

Click here to download ASIO4ALL 2.1 English or go to http://www.asio4all.com

This is the first video from Tutorials For Reaper and it goes through the very basics… default layout, track creation, basic effect usage and saving your sessions.  Once you have watched the video you should be able to do the following:

1. Save a New Session

2. Create new tracks and record Audio(midi will be covered later)

3. Understand the basic elements of Reaper are located (i.e. Trasporter, Tracks, Mixer)

4. Be able to apply effects to a track, Bypass/Disable individual FX as well as FX Chains