Automated EQ processing of WAV files in Linux

[atteso]

Hello,

I am new to this forum and to Reaper as well. I would like to use Reaper in a cloud environment (Linux OS on Amamzon AWS) and I would like to use it to batch process some audio WAV files. I don't want to do it manually, because there are many files and the equalization is pretty much the same all the time. A server like batch processing the files would be perfect.

Is this possible with Reaper? Is it possible to control Reaper by another app or command line to do such things (e.g. take a specific file, process it with specific equalization values and render a new file from it)? Can anybody help me with this?

Many thanks.

[clepsydrae]

I can't help with it, but I can tell you that yes, reaper can do that, but you would need to do some scripting of your own. Reaper recently added the ability to run a script from the command line, which would help a lot.

...but if you are posting this question then maybe you are not a programmer and this might be a bit difficult. I'm not aware of a simple way to do batch audio processing through plugins that doesn't require some programming/scripting of some kind.

It's possible that there is some kind of script existing already for batch processing -- others may comment to say if so -- but I haven't heard of it.

[Fabian]

You can get Reaper to batch render from the command line. At least on Windows, type "reaper /?" (or similar on Linux) to see the available command line options.

From what I see (on Windows) it should be possible to "take a specific file, process it with specific equalization values and render a new file from it".

[clepsydrae]

D'oh, thanks Fabian, that's the answer: OP you can just use the -batchconvert option in conjunction with a file that specifies a CONFIG block with an FXCHAIN listed: you just make and save the FX chain first and then point it to that via the command line.

reaper --help:

Usage: reaper [options] [filename.rpp | filename.wav [...]]

Options:
  -audiocfg : show audio configuration at startup
  -cfgfile file.ini : use full path for alternate resource directory, otherwise uses default path
  -new : start with new project
  -template filename.rpp : start with template project
  -saveas newfilename.rpp : save project (after creating/loading) as file
  -renderproject filename.rpp : render project and exit
  -ignoreerrors : do not show errors on load
  -nosplash : do not show splash screen window
  -splashlog /path/to/filename.log : write splash screen message log to file
  -newinst | -nonewinst : override preference for new instance checking
  -close[all][:save|:nosave] : close project(s), optionally not prompting for save
  -batchconvert filelist.txt : batch converter mode, filelist.txt includes:
     filename.wav
       (or)
     filename.wav(TAB CHARACTER)outputfile.wav
       (any number of additional files)
     <CONFIG block (optional) which can contain:
       SRATE 44100 (omit to use source samplerate)
       NCH 2 (omit to use source channel count)
       RSMODE modeidx (resample mode, copy from project file)
       DITHER 3 (1=dither, 2=noise shaping, 3=both)
       USESRCSTART 1 (1=write source media BWF start offset to output)
       USESRCMETADATA 1 (1=attempt to preserve original media file metadata if possible)
       PAD_START 1.0 (leading silence in sec, can be negative)
       PAD_END 1.0 (trailing silence in sec, can be negative)
       OUTPATH 'path'
       OUTPATTERN 'wildcardpattern'
       NORMALIZE 1 -6.0 0 (1=peak, 2=true peak, 3=lufs-i, 4=lufs-s, 5=lufs-m,
                           2nd parameter is dB,
                           3rd parameter: 1=normalize only if too loud)
       BRICKWALL 1 -1.0 (1=peak, 2=true peak, 2nd parameter is dB)
       FADE 0.0 0.0 1 1 (fade-in length, fade-out length, fade-in shape, fade-out shape; length 0.001 = 1 ms)
       FXCHAIN 'fxchainfilename' (use full path if specified, otherwise FxChains directory)
       FX_NCH 4 (if not specified, FX will be configured to 4 channels)
       <FXCHAIN
         (contents of .RfxChain file)
       >
       <OUTFMT
         (base64 data, e.g. contents of <RENDER_CFG or <RECORD_CFG block from project file)
       >
       <METADATA
         (contents of <RENDER_METADATA block from project file)
       >
     >

[mschnell]

AFAIU, the newest Reaper versions (maybe still "dev" ? ) feature new additional possibilities for batch processing and remote controlling of Reaper by command line parameters.

[atteso]

Thank you for feedback. Yes, I am not a programmer, I just know what I need. My ideal scenariou would be if I could find here a skilled programmer who could help me with this and ideally on Linux. But thanks for the confirmation.

Originally Posted by clepsydrae

I can't help with it, but I can tell you that yes, reaper can do that, but you would need to do some scripting of your own. Reaper recently added the ability to run a script from the command line, which would help a lot.

...but if you are posting this question then maybe you are not a programmer and this might be a bit difficult. I'm not aware of a simple way to do batch audio processing through plugins that doesn't require some programming/scripting of some kind.

It's possible that there is some kind of script existing already for batch processing -- others may comment to say if so -- but I haven't heard of it.

[atteso]

Thank you for your feedback. I am interested to do thin on Linux, not on Windows. Are you able to help me with this batch programming?

Originally Posted by Fabian

You can get Reaper to batch render from the command line. At least on Windows, type "reaper /?" (or similar on Linux) to see the available command line options.

From what I see (on Windows) it should be possible to "take a specific file, process it with specific equalization values and render a new file from it".

[atteso]

I would ratcher choose a stable version than a beta. Do you have more information about this new version and what features it will bring to Reaper?

Originally Posted by mschnell

AFAIU, the newest Reaper versions (maybe still "dev" ? ) feature new additional possibilities for batch processing and remote controlling of Reaper by command line parameters.

[clepsydrae]

Everything will work on linux -- the stuff I quoted in post #4 is from linux. And no beta version is needed. -batchconvert is in 6.68 (possibly even earlier).

If you're looking to hire someone, make a new post in this subforum with a title like "Looking to hire someone to assist in batch processing via command line". I think you will have many people respond.

As Fabian explained and I followed on, using -batchconvert with FXCHAIN specified will be the simplest way AFAICT.

I would offer but I am too busy. :-)

[atteso]

Ok, understand. I will try to post a new post as you proposed.

Originally Posted by clepsydrae

Everything will work on linux -- the stuff I quoted in post #4 is from linux. And no beta version is needed. -batchconvert is in 6.68 (possibly even earlier).

If you're looking to hire someone, make a new post in this subforum with a title like "Looking to hire someone to assist in batch processing via command line". I think you will have many people respond.

As Fabian explained and I followed on, using -batchconvert with FXCHAIN specified will be the simplest way AFAICT.

I would offer but I am too busy. :-)

[atteso]

One more thing, the -batchconvert with FXCHAIN is able to use also the EQ? Because I need to apply a 12 band EQ with specific values on each band, apply another VST plugin, and render a new normalizedfile. WAV as input, FLAC as output.

Is it possible?

Originally Posted by clepsydrae

Everything will work on linux -- the stuff I quoted in post #4 is from linux. And no beta version is needed. -batchconvert is in 6.68 (possibly even earlier).

If you're looking to hire someone, make a new post in this subforum with a title like "Looking to hire someone to assist in batch processing via command line". I think you will have many people respond.

As Fabian explained and I followed on, using -batchconvert with FXCHAIN specified will be the simplest way AFAICT.

I would offer but I am too busy. :-)

[clepsydrae]

Yep.

[wastee]

Originally Posted by atteso

Because I need to apply a 12 band EQ with specific values on each band, apply another VST plugin, and render a new normalizedfile. WAV as input, FLAC as output.

Is it possible?

Yes +1, it can.

Please note that even when using REAPER in the command line, if a specific EQ requires a graphical user interface (GUI) to run, you will need to run REAPER with GUI (Xorg). However, if the plugin does not require a GUI, you can run REAPER with this plugin in the command line.

You have to test your plugin to find out what is required.

Additionally, it is not possible to change plugin values while you are in the process of using FX chains. The values of the FX must be fixed.

[Colox]

Originally Posted by Fabian

You can get Reaper to batch render from the command line. At least on Windows, type "reaper /?" (or similar on Linux) to see the available command line options.

Oh? News to me.
Can you specify exactly what you mean by "Command line"?
Just tried it in Windows (DOS) command line prompt and 'Reaper isn't recognized as a command at all there. So I'm assuming you mean some other command line?

[wastee]

Originally Posted by Colox

Just tried it in Windows (DOS) command line prompt and 'Reaper isn't recognized as a command at all there.

You should change the directory where reaper.exe is located and run it with reaper.exe --help (don't forget the .exe).
For example:
.\reaper.exe --help
You will see the help message.

[Colox]

Originally Posted by wastee

You should change the directory where reaper.exe is located and run it with reaper.exe --help (don't forget the .exe).
For example:
.\reaper.exe --help
You will see the help message.

Aha. Success. Thank you.
Now, exploration time!

[atteso]

Thank you for confirmation. I was thinking about the VST:ReaEQ (Cockos) which is by default in Reaper. Does this plugin support command line? The other one I would like to use most propably supports command line (I use the Windows version via command line, so the Linux version should support it).

Originally Posted by wastee

Yes +1, it can.

Please note that even when using REAPER in the command line, if a specific EQ requires a graphical user interface (GUI) to run, you will need to run REAPER with GUI (Xorg). However, if the plugin does not require a GUI, you can run REAPER with this plugin in the command line.

You have to test your plugin to find out what is required.

Additionally, it is not possible to change plugin values while you are in the process of using FX chains. The values of the FX must be fixed.

[mschnell]

No plugin genuinely supports command line.

But you can provide a command line to Reaper and same will interpret same (in many different ways) as a kind of script and with setting up the project in an appropriate way (using scripts and or e.g. ReaLearn) same can set parameters for ReaEQ.

What exactly are you trying to accomplish ?

[wastee]

Originally Posted by atteso

Thank you for confirmation. I was thinking about the VST:ReaEQ (Cockos) which is by default in Reaper. Does this plugin support command line? The other one I would like to use most propably supports command line (I use the Windows version via command line, so the Linux version should support it).

Yes, ReaEQ works on both my local machine and remote machine (without GUI). Remember to install the gtk package through your distribution's package manager. REAPER requires it to run even in the command line.

Local machine:


Remote machine:


The fxchains file only contains a ReaEQ plugin.