Using Reaper between operating systems?

ikhider · 05-09-2022, 10:32 PM

I work on various sized projects and for the larger-scale ones I prefer to work on Linux. I use the native Linux version of Reaper. One of the drawbacks to using Reaper on Linux is the lack of access to certain audio plugins I need. Is it possible to bounce between OS' with my Reaper project file to adjust audio accordingly, or would bouncing projects between operating systems with missing plugins cause a lot of problems?

If a user can bounce project files between operating systems and plugins are not an issue, what would the work flow be like?

MonkeyBars · 05-10-2022, 07:24 AM

Bounce usually refers to rendering; I assume you just mean working on the same project file between OSes...

Reaper will complain when you open a project with plugins it can't load but otherwise technically there shouldn't be any issues other than of course the differences in not having said plugins.

ikhider · 05-10-2022, 12:51 PM

It depends on how Reaper works, are all effects and instructions applied during sessions or at the very end? For example, if I edited some audio in Linux and then decided it needed some de-reverb effects, and brought the session into Windows, applied the effect and then went back to Linux. Would I have the 'de-reverbed' audio by then or if the plugin is missing, it never happened?

MonkeyBars · 05-10-2022, 01:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ikhider

It depends on how Reaper works, are all effects and instructions applied during sessions or at the very end? For example, if I edited some audio in Linux and then decided it needed some de-reverb effects, and brought the session into Windows, applied the effect and then went back to Linux. Would I have the 'de-reverbed' audio by then or if the plugin is missing, it never happened?

You'll have to rephrase this question using Reaper terms – "apply" is too vague

ikhider · 05-10-2022, 01:31 PM

Okay, thanks. Have a nice day.

Stella645 · 05-11-2022, 10:49 AM

Quote:

Would I have the 'de-reverbed' audio by then or if the plugin is missing

If you only put the FX on the track and then move it back to linux, no.

If you put the FX on the track and then use any method that writes the FX to audio, yes.

ikhider · 05-11-2022, 04:05 PM

@Stella645

Thanks. Glad someone speaks the same language.

It seems easiest and less messy to go with the OS that supports all plugins and start/finish the project(s) there.

With good audio, there are enough tools to stay in Linux. However, "life happens" and sometimes advanced audio repair wizardry is required. That is where Linux lacks, for now.

plainoldcheese · 05-12-2022, 04:54 AM

if you havent already tried it, you can open a project that you started on windows with a ton of vsts in linux and the vsts will just be inactive and you will not hear the effect they had on the audio.

the media items are pre fx chain so if you would like to print the fx to audio files you can render stems of the project in windows and then make a new project using the stems without all the vsts.

you can also just render out the tracks that have vsts that don't work on linux.

my advice is to just take a project, copy it and try to open in linux. that way you can see what works/doesn't work for you and how you need to adjust your workflow.

ikhider · 05-13-2022, 01:09 AM

@plainoldcheese Thank you. I guess playing with Yabridge et al and trying to get my dream setup on Linux for a while took the vinegar out of me. Now I want to play it safe. The stem idea is good, this project is audio-for-video brought to a DAW for further tweaking so my sources are stems anyway. But for the big projects it is better to have less complexity.