====== Reaper Cheat Sheet ====== ===== Keyboard Shortcuts ===== ^ Navigation ^^ | Go to start | W or Home | | Go to end | End | | Go to next marker or end | ] | | Go to previous marker or start | [ | | Go to marker number | 1 - 9 | ^ Other ^^ | New track | Ctrl + T | | Add marker | M | | Item split | S | | Move item, disable snapping | Shift + mouse drag | | Save Track View 1, 2, 3 | Shift + F4, F5, F6 | | Load Track View 1, 2, 3 | F4, F5, F6 | ===== Recording Checklist ===== * Check the audio interface latency. * Adjust gain to get levels between -18 to -12db. ===== Adjusting Recording Latency ===== Determine actual latency. - [Reaper] Preferences > Audio > Recording > User audio driver reported latency, uncheck. - [Reaper] Add track, record something. - [Interface] Connect headphones (?) into input. - [Reaper] Add track. - Turn off monitor. - Arm for recording. - Set input. - [Reaper] Play and set levels so track 1 & 2 roughly match. - [Reaper] Record. - [Reaper] Track 1: Put a marker (M) at a distinctive point. - [Reaper] Track 2: Put a marker (M) at the same point. - [Reaper] Double click in the ruler (top) in the space between the two markers (creates a time selection). - [Reaper] Right click in the ruler (top) in the space between the two markers > Samples. - [Reaper] Bottom, Selection: [from] [to] [number of samples]. Determine reported latency error. - [Reaper] Delete second marker. - [Reaper] Track 2: Delete item. - [Reaper] Preferences > Audio > Recording > User audio driver reported latency, check. - [Reaper] Record. - [Reaper] Track 2: Put a marker (M) at the same point. - [Reaper] Double click in the ruler (top) in the space between the two markers (creates a time selection). - [Reaper] Right click in the ruler (top) in the space between the two markers > Samples. - [Reaper] Bottom, Selection: [from] [to] [error number of samples]. Set correct latency. - [Reaper] Delete second marker. - [Reaper] Track 2: Delete item. - [Reaper] Preferences > Audio > Recording > User audio driver reported latency, check. - [Reaper] Preferences > Audio > Recording > Input manual offset, set samples to [error number of samples] Check it. - [Reaper] Record. - [Reaper] Waveforms should match. ===== Lanes / Comping ===== * Enable lanes: Options > New recording that overlaps existing media items > Add lanes * Enable comping: Right click lane > Comping > Comp into new empty lane ===== Tempo Mapping ===== - Project Settings (🛈 in toolbar). - [Project Settings] Timebase for items/envelopes/markers: Time - For each MIDI item (if any): - Right click > Source properties... - [MIDI item properties] Ignore project tempo: checked - Make sure the audio starts after bar 2. - View > Tempo envelope - Turn on Grid & Snap. - [Snap/Grid Settings] Show grid, line spacing: checked, 1, 1/2 or 1/4, depending on how accurate you want it. - First one: - Shift + click on bar line in Tempo envelope to create marker. - Ctrl + drag on tempo at top of marker and move it to beginning of transient. - Alt + click to delete it. - Shift + click to create it again. - The rest: - Shift + click on bar line in Tempo envelope to create marker. - Ctrl + drag on tempo at top of marker and move it to beginning of transient. - Adjust one marker without affecting everything to the right: - Ctrl + Alt + drag on tempo at top of marker. ===== Tempo Matching ===== - Crop start of recorded item to first note. - Move item to the beginning of the track. - Double click item, Item timebase: Time - Shift + double click item (create a time selection that matches the item). - Adjust the end of the time selection to the end / start of a part in the recording. Note the time signature and number of bars. - Check it by turning on looping and play it back. - Right click ruler, Set project tempo from time selection (new time signature). - [Edit Time Signature] Fill out details, OK. - Check with metronome. - Clean up, double click item, Item timebase: Track/project default timebase. ==== Stretch Markers ==== Manual: - Add stretch markers with Shift + W (current position) or Alt + Ctrl + Click. - Add stretch markers before the note, on the note and after the note. - Turn on snap to grid and drag stretch marker. Auto: (better for working on most of the item) - Select item, Edit > Dynamic Split (or D). - [Dynamic split items] Split points: At transients: checked (others unchecked). - [Dynamic split items] Action to perform: Add stretch markers to selected items. - [Dynamic split items] Set transient sensitivity. - [Transient Detection Settings] Adjust Sensitivity & Threshold. - [Dynamic split items] Adjust Min slice length. - [Dynamic split items] Add stretch markers. - Delete unwanted stretch markers with Alt + click. - Select item, right click, Stretch markers > Stretch markers in selected items > Snap to grid. Transient Guides: (better for working a smaller section of a large item) - Select item, Edit > Dynamic Split (or D). - [Dynamic split items] Split points: At transients: checked (others unchecked). - [Dynamic split items] Action to perform: Add transient guide markers to selected items. - [Dynamic split items] Set transient sensitivity. - [Transient Detection Settings] Adjust Sensitivity & Threshold. - [Dynamic split items] Adjust Min slice length. - [Dynamic split items] Generate guides. - Grabbing a guide creates a stretch marker. Start with the beginning and end of the section, then add the middle ones, snap to grid. ===== Mastering ===== - Add 'ReaLimit' FX to master track. - Add 'Loudness Meter Peak/RMS/LUF' FX to master track. - Adjust the threshold in the limiter, until LUFS-I in meter is what you want. - To hear the effect of the limiter threshold without the change in volume, check the Link option. - These two plugins use quite a bit of CPU, so should be disabled until rendering is required. Generally speaking, it is recommended to aim for a range between -14 and -16 dB LUFS. | Spotify | -14 LUFS | | Apple Music | -16 LUFS | | Amazon Music | -9 to -13 LUFS | | Youtube | -13 to -15 LUFS | | Deezer | -14 to -16 LUFS | | CD | -9 LUFS | | Soundcloud | -8 to -13 LUFS | ===== Rendering ===== * 2nd pass render: checked * Resample mode: r8brain free * Normalize ON, LUFS-I, -10 LU Make sure the track is mastered correctly as above. * Format: MP3 (encoder by LAME project) * Mode: Target quality (VBR), Maximum q=0 (slow) * Quality: 70 ===== Misc ===== * Monitor Input: Next to record icon on track, options are On, Off, Tape Auto Style (off during playback, on during recording - useful if punching in and out). * Auto punch: Options > Record mode: time selection auto punch, or right click record button in transport bar.