Any opinions on the DAW "REAPER"?

[pictoratus]

I've tried a few different DAWs including a copy of Ableton that came with my Fender Mustang I amp but I like Reaper best.

Maybe it's due to my familiarity with Reaper but it seems easier to use for me than other DAWS I've tried.

Before I found Reaper, I was using Audacity which is pretty good but didn't have as many features as I like.

[Gu Djin]

I have used Reaper on and off for a while now.  Pretty darn good, stable and a low cpu footprint.  If it has a drawback - it's that the midi isn't quite what I'd like it to be on the Mac version.

However  The new version 4 Has many bells and whistles I've been told - for the money I don't think there is anything to touch it.   And it equals much of what the bigs boys can do.

Leigh

[Flash Harry]

I got a copy recenlty and I've been trying it out since my 'extended trial period copy' of Cubase SX blew it's mind out.

I think that I will invest the $40. It's sweet and familiar. Just need to make sure that it deals with audio and midi latency properly.

[Glenn Mitchell]

I just started playing with it today. After a year with Audacity I'm finding it a tad confusing.
I'm ready to jump in and commit to the learning curve but I'd love it if someone told me in what advantages it has over Audacity?
I noted somewhere that it seems to send you out to something like Audacity for editing?
Or do you have both? Reaper for some things and Audacity for others?
I'll repost this under another topic

[Flash Harry]

Reaper is great. I paid my $40. It just works, there's loads of features and it's really stable (32bit Windows XP SP3)

Reaper is a full DAW where Audacity is an audio file editor really. I know that there are ways of using Audcaity to mix and produce tracks but it is quicker and easier in Reaper.

Reaper is a multi-track recording studio in your computer. You can record and manipulate audio and midi, route to effects and groups, mix and automate your individual tracks and output the finished piece to MP3, wav or a number of other formats. You can play out midi to synths and electonic drums and record the audio from these back into Reaper simultaneously.

There's a midi editor which you can either write tracks with or use like I do to tidy up my sloppy timing and frequent bum notes. There's a rack of effects and sound processors with it, and you can add more in. 

Treat it like a 8 (or more) track tape machine and mixing desk and you won't go far wrong. It's got that good old analog feel to it.

[Glenn Mitchell]

I'll look for the mini editor. I printed out the quick start and am going over it.
Do you usually record one track at a time or a stereo mix? (I'd be using my Korg 1200 for a mixer and use the master outs to the computer (Win XP)
I have not been able to track stereo in Audacity but it is supposed to be able to . (It mixes the two)

[Flash Harry]

It depends on what  I'm recording, keys always stereo, plain bass always mono, bass with chorus (mine's the Alesis midiverb and stereo out for a mono in) stereo. Vocals - mono, drums - stereo, guitar - usually mono but stereo if you have a stereo effect - but you can apply the effect post recording, there are some great VST effects that you can use. It pays to bear in mind where in the mix you want to position your track, that usually gives you an indication of how it's recorded.

Nice swirly pads and strings for example need a stereo signal to get the ambience, reverb on a guitar is better in stereo because the reflections are different for each L+R signal. Vocals need to be placed and prominent normally so a single mono source is best. There's lots of how to info on the web.

[Glenn Mitchell]

Thanks
I'll try your idea (on another thread) about setting up tracks for stereo into Reaper. I'm thinking I need to get past that first step. It should work with a stereo out from the MBR for a test.