Reaper
I've been experimenting with music making software, mostly as a way to sequence hardware Synths and Drum Machines. Reaper's a bit overkill for that, but haven't found a dedicated software sequencer that I like yet.
Taking some notes as I learn things.
To get the routing button to show on tracks go to Options > Layouts > Track Panel > B
In piano roll view you can
Notes names with double right click
these can be saved and loaded from plaintext files in piano roll: File > Note/CC Names > …
It's best to use a .TXT file extension, because these will be detected and listed from the last path automatically.
You can hide empty ones View > How/hide note rows > Hide unused and unnamed note rows
Rows can be reorderd by Ctrl+drag
To show note names on grid View > Piano roll notes > Show note names on notes
for swing you have to set it, add the notes, then set it back to straight to put now unswung notes; it's not universal
Alt+drag (is it Alt+Ctrl+drag?) on piano roll with place notes at the timing set
Right click drag selects region, region of selected notes can be duplicated with Ctrl+drag
can shift selected notes with numpad arrows
turn velocity handle son notes off to stop accidentally changing it with clicks
So select banks and things for midi output:
right click on track
MIDI track controls
Show MIDI track control panel
Enable Bank/Program Select
Load File and get a file that matches your hardware (GM, XG, etc.)
select patches you want and you're good
Reaper is constant recording MIDI input in the background and you can set up a shortcut to paste what it has into a track, keyword is 'retroactive MIDI recording'.
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I'm finding is useful, because I'm using Reaper to save and modify lots of CC values, to display those CC values in the main view. To do this from the ReaMIDIControl VST click 'Param' and then 'Show in track controls'.
To merge two clips (items) you use Item → Glue items (or Glue items within time selection)
Configuration
UI
You can scale the UI via Option → Preferences… → General → Advanced UI/system tweaks…
For some reason this doesn't effect the text in the menu bar at the top of the window. You can change this by setting ui_scale in reaper.ini, which on Linux should be: ~/.config/REAPER.reaper.ini
MIDI
Default shortcut to stop all MIDI notes (in case one gets stuck) is F3. Action description is: 'Send all-notes-off and all-sounds-off to all MIDI outputs/plug-ins' if you want to search for it.
Scripts, Add-Ons
There's a package manager for managing these packages:
Scripts:
VSTs:
MIDIControl - Better interface for working with MIDI CC, most importantly (for me) way more values in the panel than ReaControlMIDI. Doesn't work on Linux yet.
Ctrlr ctrlr - Let's you design your own custom panels, and people share ones they've made. Can't get it to be detected by Reaper.
CC-Rider - Another better MIDI CC VST, Windows only I think.
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See Also