Old 06-18-2018, 09:50 AM   #1
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Default Soo confused

So I'll try to keep this brief. I paid a guy locally to record some demos of my songs. He used Reaper. I gave him a month to "mix and master" the tracks and then after he started to fall off the face of the earth, I was able to get him to give me a flash drive with my stuff on it.

It wasn't done. According to him all I needed to do was trim the ends and render them to wav.

So I downloaded Reaper and tried to do it. It is giving me error messages saying files cant be found and things like that. I have pics but it wont let me post for some reason.

I have no idea how to use this software which is why I PAID SOMEONE TO DO IT.

Am I screwed here? Is there anyway to get these to work? The guy I paid said "Your project is finished, we're done, I'm blocking you" & then insulted my guitar playing and blocked me. I never professed to be a great musician, I just would like the tracks I paid for.

I tried to do "on successful search, autosearch.for missing files" & that didnt do anything.


I appreciate anyone's help and thanks for reading.

Last edited by Unsure; 06-18-2018 at 10:02 AM.
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Old 06-18-2018, 09:56 AM   #2
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Here's some pics

https://imgur.com/a/zJqQE0n
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Old 06-18-2018, 11:00 AM   #3
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You should have received a folder that includes the .rpp and some .wav files. The first pic says it can't find some of the .wav files. If you don't have those files anywhere...

...it might not matter because sometimes projects reference files that aren't actually in the mix. Muted tracks that probably could have just been deleted and things like that.

The second pic says that it's missing the drum plugin Addictive Drums. This also might not be an issue IF he bounced the virtual drums to actually audio files AND you have those files.

Really, the only way to know is to just ignore those errors, get the project open, and play it. If you show us a picture of the TCP and Arrange area, we might be able to give you an idea, but the only way to know for sure is to see if it sounds right or not.
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Old 06-18-2018, 11:14 AM   #4
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Thank you for your help. This is what comes up when u load the flash drive. This is all he put on here.

https://imgur.com/a/V2tjy1O
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Old 06-18-2018, 11:20 AM   #5
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My guess is that, when he saved the project, he didn't instruct it to create a subdirectory and to copy all files into it. I suspect that the files are in a different folder on his computer, and that he would need to save the project properly to provide the files to you.

From your earlier comments, it sounds as though he won't be answering any future requests, but you should at least pursue this. You paid him for this work and he didn't deliver on his part of the deal.
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Old 06-18-2018, 11:22 AM   #6
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There are no WAV files there.so its useless

Looks like you been conned.hope you didn't pay him much
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Old 06-18-2018, 11:35 AM   #7
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Quote:
Originally Posted by bob View Post
There are no WAV files there.so its useless

Looks like you been conned.hope you didn't pay him much
That is what I was afraid of. I know the tracks were there because we had listened to them in his studio. So either he just made a mistake and didnt transfer them, or he just did it on purpose. I paid $300 and got 5 songs recorded. Not a fortune, but $300 is a lot to me. I guess I'll have to find a way to pursue this with him.

Thank you guys so very very much for helping me.
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Old 06-18-2018, 12:46 PM   #8
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Unsure View Post
I guess I'll have to find a way to pursue this with him.
Does he have a Facebook page or any other place you can post comments on his business practices? If you can't contact him with more civil means, it may be necessary to peck away at him with this sort of thing until he gives you what you deserve for your money.

It doesn't matter who you are, $300 is too much money to flush down the toilet.

Good luck.
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Old 06-20-2018, 01:52 PM   #9
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You might be screwed right now, but if anyone can fix it, it would be the flying circus regulars right here on this board.

What he gave you was a bunch of project files. Those will refer to the actual audio, MIDI, automation, and other things that actually make up the song. He didn't give you any of those. You need to go back to him and get them.

And get your money back.
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Old 06-20-2018, 01:54 PM   #10
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Just out of curiosity, are *you* Keith, or is *he* Keith?
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Old 06-21-2018, 09:28 PM   #11
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geez ...I feel bad and sad for you...

the guy that you paid must be a real jerk... but hopefully he still has the wav files somewhere on his computer... I'd certainly try to get them asap before he deletes them...

What he needs to do is load up each song and then do a save as and in that dialog check the boxes to save to a new directory and to include all the media files....

Now if he does that much and you get the files... someone here could help you deal with Addictive drums and get those midi files turned into wav files for your project....

Do let us know what you can get from him and people here will try to help.

You should also publish 'that guys' name so that others are warned.

The reaper community is generally a bunch of lovely people and guys like that are not a real part of it.
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Old 06-23-2018, 09:08 AM   #12
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Thank you for all your help. I contacted him again with a different phone number because he blocked me for some reason and explained to him that he didn't load the files correctly. He apologized and said he would redo it. So I went to his house and he copied them again for me and there were a lot more files on the flash drive than there were the first time.

However, when I got home, I tried to open them, and they still did the same thing. There are 5 songs, and only one showed up as a full wav file, and that one had no vocals and the guitar cut out half way through. I've listened to them at his house. I know they work. I think he's doing something wrong when hes copying them.

I talked to him again and he said he can finish them and just charge me a little bit of money to finish them. I'm fine with that because I don't expect anyone to work for free and I really dont know any other way to get them finished at this point.

I don't think he purposely did it, I think he just didnt copy them correctly. I'm hoping he can just finish these up.

He is Keith, these were originally saved on his computer.

I really appreciate you guys taking the time to read this and offer help. I was panicking.
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Old 06-29-2018, 07:42 PM   #13
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well IMO, "Keith" doesn't know wtf he is doing...



however I'd suggest that you learn what is the proper way to save those files and then go to his house, load each project and do a Save As this way:

First, on your USB stick, make a folder called, "All My Songs" and have the stick in his computer.

1-load the project and play it to be sure it is working as expected... at least play the start, some middle and the end.

2-under the File menu, choose Save Project As...

3- when the dialog for that opens:
---look down at the bottom and put check marks in first two boxes:

Create subdirectory for project
Copy all media into project directory

leave other boxes not checked

4- give the project a name that is unique Like My Song 01
5- at the top of that save as page be sure you have navigated to your folder, the "All My Songs" folder.

Save each project to its own sub directory with it's own name so each project becomes a sub folder inside the "All My Songs" folder...

then tell Keith, thanks and go away fast
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Old 06-30-2018, 06:32 PM   #14
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EXACTLY what Hopi said

save as, copy, and if he needs one of us on the phone to walk him through it, I'm sure someone will step up, and if not, I will, 24/7
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Old 06-30-2018, 06:55 PM   #15
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I feel confident that you will eventually have some demo songs. I'm also willing to bet that your demos will actually sound better once the members on this forum help you complete your project. Just follow the advice given above and once you have all the data let us know.

You will be astonished as how helpful and generous people are in the forum. I'd say focus on getting the data (wav files) and don't worry about getting the money back --- because in the end you will most likely get way more than 300$ worth of help.
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Old 06-30-2018, 08:41 PM   #16
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Do not pay the guy any more money he has not fulfilled his obligations do not feel sorry for him you are getting stung!
Post his name and details after you have got what you need.

Good luck

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Old 07-01-2018, 09:50 AM   #17
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Quote:
Originally Posted by pipelineaudio View Post
...and if he needs one of us on the phone to walk him through it, I'm sure someone will step up, and if not, I will, 24/7
I'll do it. $25/hr 4 hour minimum billable. I take PayPal, but I'm not answering the phone til the deposit goes through
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Old 07-02-2018, 02:11 AM   #18
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well nice offers from us reaper guys, huh...
so here's one more... never mind the phone...
I'll do it for him or with him via Teamviewer...

It really is not hard
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Old 07-02-2018, 04:44 PM   #19
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We're waiting with baited breath, what happened?

and just in case

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_WUcKgOav0c
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Old 07-10-2018, 11:23 AM   #20
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I have a commercial GotoMeeting account that can handle up to six users if anyone wants to do this for an audience.
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Old 07-10-2018, 11:00 PM   #21
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I just KNEW you guys would step up and help

LOVE this forum and it's members.

You have made starting recording with Reaper from scratch with no former experience a much more enjoyable task than would be possible with any other DAW, period.

Kenny's vids, the well written manual, the great stickys and templates etc. Then you have the awesome forum members,there to answer any stupid question I may have

THANK YOU ALL
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Old 07-12-2018, 12:12 PM   #22
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As a bonus, we are all very smart, handsome, and stylish, too.
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Old 07-13-2018, 09:34 AM   #23
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Can`t wait to see what "Keith" comes up with and how he thinks he can justify charging twice to do the job correctly once....
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