Coming from Cubase/Studio One, Something i should know?

[latorreccint]

Hello fellas!

im coming to the Reaper boat and have a background of Cubase and Studio One so there are things that i would like to ask as i Heard you are one of the most helpful communities of audio production ever


- The first thing is that i see Reaper got no Inspector. This is important to me because as i have a Cubase background and i use it a lot. Hope there is a way to implement or show it if its implemented

- How i can make Reaper workflow to work similar to Cubase/Studio One workflow? i would prefer a nice Drag n drop ala Studio One the most, especially the expandable mixer tracks that i just click and all insert and sends are shown.

- What are the most essential extensions(if they are called that way) that you think every Reaper begginer, in way to be a power user, must have?

Hope you can help me with all this stuff as i need to embark in this Discovery adventure right now.

Blessings!


PS: sry bad english, not my native language

[_Stevie_]

Welcome aboard!

Originally Posted by latorreccint

Hello fellas!
- The first thing is that i see Reaper got no Inspector. This is important to me because as i have a Cubase background and i use it a lot. Hope there is a way to implement or show it if its implemented

The closest thing would be HeDa's Track Inspector:
https://reaper.hector-corcin.com/app/track-inspector

- How i can make Reaper workflow to work similar to Cubase/Studio One workflow? i would prefer a nice Drag n drop ala Studio One the most, especially the expandable mixer tracks that i just click and all insert and sends are shown.

I fear that this question is too generic. Maybe play around a bit with Reaper, get accustomed and if you don't like a certain workflow/beahvior, ask and we might give you alternatives.
Concerning sends and inserts: they are basically always visible in the mixer window.

- What are the most essential extensions(if they are called that way) that you think every Reaper begginer, in way to be a power user, must have?

Definitely get:

- ReaPack, it's basically a huge library of user scripts. Reaper has a very vivid scripting community. Most of the cool stuff can be found there.

- SWS Extension: it's an extension that provides additional commands in the action list. Very useful stuff.

- scripts: when you got ReaPack running, dig thru the sheer never ending list of scripts. A must for extensive MIDI edting is all the stuff from Julian Sader. He basically did all the MIDI CC curve editing, that we are used from Cubase, S1, Logic, but with a cherry on top.

- also check out "Interactive Toolbar" from mpl, once you see it, you will immediately know where it comes from

- last but not least: check Kenny's videos. He explains Reaper indepth:
http://www.kennymania.com/reaper-videos/#latest-videos

- also check out Jon from the ReaperBlog: https://reaperblog.net/
Very useful resource with a lot of nerd stuff.

- EDIT: forgot another cool site: http://admiralbumblebee.com/

This should keep you busy
If anything is unclear, just get back here.

[Dr Bob]

^^^ +1 to all the above.

Welcome to Reaper. Any questions, just ask. You will find Reaper is quite different from the other systems, but you can tailor the workflow to *your* needs.

The main thing to note is that a track is a track - there are NO special track types. Want a BUSS track, simply drag the sends to it from the relevant tracks, or enclose the tracks in a folder.

There are usually many ways to get the same result in Reaper - some prefer one method over another.

So, just ask away. Watch the videos. If you get stuck, people WILL always help.

dB

[grayter1]

Originally Posted by _Stevie_

The closest thing would be HeDa's Track Inspector:
https://reaper.hector-corcin.com/app/track-inspector

I can't recommend this enough. It's worth the very small asking price.

tg

[enroe]

Originally Posted by latorreccint

Hello fellas!

- How i can make Reaper workflow to work similar to Cubase/Studio One workflow?

First topic:

Open the Keycommand-window (in Reaper: Actions-Window)
and set all the keycommands like they were in Cubase.

[emwhy]

Watch some videos on how to create and dock custom toolbars. This will go a long way.

I also recommend HeDa's track inspector. You can also dock your mixer on either side of the screen and use that as a track inspector.

[insub]

Originally Posted by latorreccint

- How i can make Reaper workflow to work similar to Cubase/Studio One workflow? i would prefer a nice Drag n drop ala Studio One the most, especially the expandable mixer tracks that i just click and all insert and sends are shown.

DON'T.
No, seriously, don't.

I came from Cubase a long time ago. I got really frustrated with REAPER because I kept trying to simulate the Cubase workflow in REAPER and trying to figure out how to make REAPER work like Cubase. Doing so is FOLLY.

On my second time around with REAPER I decided to try to approach it with a more open mindset. If you can learn to accept the REAPER workflow, and disregard all other DAW workflows, then you will find that for MANY tasks the REAPER way is MUCH faster. But, as long as you keep trying to make REAPER behave like other DAWs, you will fail.

Watch the videos posted above and give REAPER a few hours of SERIOUS attempt to learn its method apart from other DAW workflows and you will probably find that REAPER does everything you want and more. And, with a little tinkering and customizing you can establish your own personalized setup that will allow you to work faster than in any other DAW.

But, there is a learning curve, and it takes a little time to become a power user.
All you need is patience and an open mind. And, SWS Extensions.

The Scripts available in ReaPack are AMAZING! But, I find that most are unnecessary for my own workflow. Many are highly specialized for certain tasks that are not useful to me. I would avoid installing too many scripts as a new user. Find the few scripts that you actually need and install just those.

[thebigcheese]

One thing that will probably sound stupid to a lot of people here but for a while got me thinking that Reaper didn't sound as good as Studio One is that the range of the graph in ReaEQ is much smaller than most other EQ plugins. Studio One's EQ graph is set to like 12 dB, but ReaEQ is set to 6 dB. For the longest time I wondered why it seemed like I needed to apply more EQ to get the same result before I finally realized it was just the range of the graph...

[Dr Bob]

What @insub says is good advice. Reaper workflow IS different. But then, so is workflow in ALL DAWS to some extent. Reaper does take some work to get into, but, for many/most of us still here, we rarely want to turn back. That said, many keep legacy versions of their previous DAWS around for importing projects (and for some very specialist processing which might be easier in xxx DAW then in Reaper)

Ignore the issues about "why does xxx DAW sound better then Reaper" - it's all maths and as someone said, 2+2=4 in all DAWS!

The videos are your guide to effective use of Reaper. Give yourself a few simple tasks, get to do them in Reaper, ask questions and see how you go.

dB

[vanhaze]

Total agreement regarding not trying to simulate Cubase workflow in Reaper:
Take the plunge and start from scratch in Reaper.

And study all the great tutorials from Kenny and Jon:

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCq2...GSsQ/playlists
https://www.youtube.com/user/audiogeekzine/videos

And if i may; my own Reaper Tips & Tricks channel on YT:
https://www.youtube.com/user/vanhaze2000/playlists

[_Stevie_]

Sorry vanhaze, I completely forgot to mention your great videos!
There's just too much stuff out there to remember it all

[vanhaze]

No need to say sorry ! Thank you.

[_Stevie_]

Ah another thing:

Concerning the workflows... I only agree half here.
I took many workflows over from Cubase and refined them in Reaper!

Let's take the split tool for example. I rarely used it, because switching to the split tool seemed an additional step. Whereas I could just use ALT+X (split at play cursor) or press the mouse button with ALT pressed. That's what I mainly used in Cubase.

So, now in Reaper, I assigned a mouse modifier to the lower item area. Everytime I double click there, the item is split. Life got again easier.


I don't think you need to completely get rid of your old workflows. When I switched from Cubase to Reaper, I reached the point, where I could't tune and improve my workflow any further, because Cubase does not offer an API.
Now, I can take my old workflow (that I aqcuired in Cubase) and forge it.

A lot of the scripts, that I created (see my sig), stem from Cubase workflows.

[insub]

Of course, if you're constantly working in multiple DAWs, like switching back and forth all the time, you might want to modify the shortcuts and other things to mimic the other DAWs. But...

That tends to become troublesome for new REAPER users. Drastic changes to shortcuts, menus, theme, etc, should not be done by people new to REAPER, IMO. Because, personalizing the UI of REAPER will make it very difficult to receive and understand help/instructions from the User Manual and other REAPER users.

I think people new to REAPER should avoid themes and other modifications until they are proficient at working in REAPER, the REAPER way.

I see a lot of people new to REAPER that want to install themes that look like their previous DAW. Then they expect REAPER to work exactly like their previous DAW. That is not the purpose of customization. If your previous DAW was so great, why did you leave? Customization is for improving individual workflow within REAPER that's specialized for that user's normal tasks. NOT so that REAPER will mimic the workflow of other DAWs.

I don't mean to be argumentative. I just think that recommending new people to REAPER to attempt modifying REAPER to match their previous DAW is setting them up for failure.

Obviously, there were a lot of workflows learned from other DAWs. Those skills are still useful in REAPER. But, the tool is fundamentally different, and the most efficient use of that tool is usually in the way its intended. A pair of Channellock (tongue & groove) pliers will still work backward, but they grip much better in the direction they were designed to work. The same goes for software or any other tool, for that matter.

This is just my opinion, of course. And, it's somewhat dated, since I have not worked a project in Cubase for almost 5 years. So, I imagine many things have changed since then. And, I have never used Studio One.

[_Stevie_]

Very well put, completely agree on that.

Bottom line is: don't try to make Reaper -> Cubase.

[poetnprophet]

You can also setup an inspector view natively like this: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iVBZrHktClQ

I have Heda's TI, it is amazing. But as others have mentioned, and one of Reaper's many strong points, there are usually several ways to do something in Reaper.

[Steviebone]

Originally Posted by insub

Of course, if you're constantly working in multiple DAWs, like switching back and forth all the time, you might want to modify the shortcuts and other things to mimic the other DAWs. But...

That tends to become troublesome for new REAPER users. Drastic changes to shortcuts, menus, theme, etc, should not be done by people new to REAPER, IMO. Because, personalizing the UI of REAPER will make it very difficult to receive and understand help/instructions from the User Manual and other REAPER users.

I think people new to REAPER should avoid themes and other modifications until they are proficient at working in REAPER, the REAPER way.

I see a lot of people new to REAPER that want to install themes that look like their previous DAW. Then they expect REAPER to work exactly like their previous DAW. That is not the purpose of customization. If your previous DAW was so great, why did you leave? Customization is for improving individual workflow within REAPER that's specialized for that user's normal tasks. NOT so that REAPER will mimic the workflow of other DAWs.

I don't mean to be argumentative. I just think that recommending new people to REAPER to attempt modifying REAPER to match their previous DAW is setting them up for failure.

Obviously, there were a lot of workflows learned from other DAWs. Those skills are still useful in REAPER. But, the tool is fundamentally different, and the most efficient use of that tool is usually in the way its intended. A pair of Channellock (tongue & groove) pliers will still work backward, but they grip much better in the direction they were designed to work. The same goes for software or any other tool, for that matter.

This is just my opinion, of course. And, it's somewhat dated, since I have not worked a project in Cubase for almost 5 years. So, I imagine many things have changed since then. And, I have never used Studio One.

Brilliant! Very well said.

All I can add is that I used Cubase/Nuendo for more than 20 years, along with ProTools, Cakewalk/Sonar and others. Is Reaper perfect? Nope. No such thing. Is it light years better than these others? From my perspective, yes. The open community driven support and design alone make it worth 10x the price of admission. Frankly, I can't understand why anyone would pay Steinberg another penny for anything.

There are some important differences. One of the biggest initial issues I had was grasping the differences in automation modes. Reaper has something called trim/read which tends to be the default. The trim/read automation lane is not obvious to the first time transplant from a Cuebase user. Failure to understand this mode will result in total confusion as it will be adding and subtracting with existing envelopes causing you to wonder why all your gain suddenly disappears, or worse, suddenly having a track jump to tweeter blowing levels. Personally I don't like this mode and I don't use it. I even created custom actions to make sure that my workflow avoids this mode. This can be especially tricky if you're using external consoles.

Another difference for me which I found confusing was the use of the word "arm" for envelopes. I assumed that arming an envelope meant that it was ready for recording. But in the reaper world you must have an envelope "armed" in order to read (or write) the envelope as well. This is irregardless of whether you are in read mode or not. In the beginning I had projects where suddenly nothing was responding to the envelopes anymore. I spent many hours mixing only to discover that suddenly no automation played back. I can't tell you how many days of testing/logical deduction it took to discover that using an action that unarmed all the envelopes rendered the read mode useless. It makes sense to me now but at the time it was very very confusing.

Something I still haven't wrapped my head around completely is the way reaper uses groups. Like tracks that have multiple functions (there is no difference between a MIDI track and audio track or a control track), groups have three different modes with subtle but very important differences. It is a very powerful feature but one that can be difficult to master straight from another DAW like Cubase.

Another difference that took me a while to discover was that the automation for MIDI data sees 0dB as MIDI full volume 127. Also, it would appear that 0dB is about halfway up the automation line. I wish there was a way to fix this is it makes messing with MIDI automation a little bit more of a hassle. This also means that moving a fader past null won't do anything more as MIDI volume is already at 127.

None of this is meant to be a slam on reaper. I think reaper is fantastic. The configurability and programmability make it a slam dunk although it can also make it a little harder to understand at first. Like inSub suggests it's probably best to work for a while with reaper before you jump into all of the custom modifications you can make. But once you get there, custom modifications make reaper the most efficient interface I've ever dealt with as it can be modified specifically to your workflow.

Don't try and make Reaper Cuebase. The learning curve from one to the other isn't that difficult and in my opinion once you make the leap you'll never go back.

[InLight-Tone]

The hardest part of Reaper for a newbie, in my opinion, is the lack of standard behaviors as regards mouse and keyboard interaction.

For instance zooming being assigned to the scroll wheel. Every application I use has that assigned to vertical scrolling NOT zooming. That one gets me every time and I will never get used to it as every DAW I've used, which is most, dosen't zoom on mousewheel scrolling.

OR, transpose by semitones in the midi editor, I instinctively reach for the arrow keys, NOPE that's zooming as well.

There are a multitude of little weird things like that that in my opinion need to be changed to be comfortable especially if you plan on using other apps besides Reaper.

[Steviebone]

Originally Posted by InLight-Tone

The hardest part of Reaper for a newbie, in my opinion, is the lack of standard behaviors as regards mouse and keyboard interaction.

For instance zooming being assigned to the scroll wheel. Every application I use has that assigned to vertical scrolling NOT zooming. That one gets me every time and I will never get used to it as every DAW I've used, which is most, dosen't zoom on mousewheel scrolling.

OR, transpose by semitones in the midi editor, I instinctively reach for the arrow keys, NOPE that's zooming as well.

There are a multitude of little weird things like that that in my opinion need to be changed to be comfortable especially if you plan on using other apps besides Reaper.

True. The good news is all of those behaviors can be modified to suit your particular taste. Admittedly, it can be a bit overwhelming at first.

[latorreccint]

I really dont have words to express how amazing this one post is. Its like a million people wanting to help of nowhere.

Really many many thanks, this makes want to discover Reaper more and more because its like you have many teachers at once.

I learned Cubase in college and i bécame familiar with it there but i always have things that i wished it could be done differently, now i think Im entering a new world with Reaper.

As a newbie here i think its fantastic this because you feel like your are not learning alone, its kínd of the same feeling when you are in college

Then from what i understood: i shouldnt try to mimic Cubase or Studio One but have more of a open mindset and let Reaper teach me how it works right?

One thing that i dont want to do is to put themes right now, i feel that i want to know well the Daw, the base Daw and when i need it search for more things.

One thing that i noticed right in the beggining, the mouse scroll behavior and the arrow keys behavior, how i can change it to something more familiar?

Blessings!

[Steviebone]

Originally Posted by latorreccint

I really dont have words to express how amazing this one post is. Its like a million people wanting to help of nowhere.

Really many many thanks, this makes want to discover Reaper more and more because its like you have many teachers at once.

I learned Cubase in college and i bécame familiar with it there but i always have things that i wished it could be done differently, now i think Im entering a new world with Reaper.

As a newbie here i think its fantastic this because you feel like your are not learning alone, its kínd of the same feeling when you are in college

Then from what i understood: i shouldnt try to mimic Cubase or Studio One but have more of a open mindset and let Reaper teach me how it works right?

One thing that i dont want to do is to put themes right now, i feel that i want to know well the Daw, the base Daw and when i need it search for more things.

One thing that i noticed right in the beggining, the mouse scroll behavior and the arrow keys behavior, how i can change it to something more familiar?

Blessings!

Mouse behaviors can be modified in a million ways. Go the Actions pane. Type in mouse and start scrolling. It will overwhelm you. At some point you will want to print out a list of all the Reaper actions. Then go install the SWS extension set. This will give you even more actions. The ability to perform "Actions" is probably one of Reaper's most powerful features. They can be combined into complex "custom actions" allowing very powerful one click processes that are custom tailored to your workflow. And if you can't find an action set to do what you need you can ask someone to help you write a script. Scripts are like actions on steroids. There's very little that can't be done with scripting as Reaper exposes virtually all it's internals to the outside world. This may be Reaper's hidden greatest design asset IMO.

There are also some settings in the preferences/mouse that can control how the mouse behaves.

[jinotsuh]

"Coming from Cubase/Studio One, Something i should know?"

This is just my opinion, but the only thing I can think of that you should know is that you should stay with Studio One , I have owned REAPER since somewhere before 2008, apart from a brief honeymoon period I rarely us it. It's probably the most powerful DAW there is, it's just getting around to harnessing that power, the GUI, the menu system, the need for external stuff, scripts etc etc etc, it's not the most friendly of DAW's. Some people call it the 'Linux' of the DAW world, IMO that's not to far from the mark. (I am well aware of REAPER's deep configurability, that's not the point or issue)

I keep upgrading every time my license comes due, that wont change, I like to support it (not that they need any support)because it is a very good and powerful product, which one day may get to the place where I am happy to use it, although I doubt that will happen due to the ethos of the Devs, but you never know.

[karbomusic]

Originally Posted by insub

DON'T.
No, seriously, don't.

^This. I understand the temptation, but trying to shoehorn it like Cubase is creating short-term relief while at the same time creating a long-term handicap.

[insub]

Originally Posted by latorreccint

Really many many thanks, this makes want to discover Reaper more and more because its like you have many teachers at once.

This is one of the main reasons I stay with REAPER. I get on the forum to research one thing and end up learning something else that's super useful.

Generally, when I have a problem and post it here, someone will have an elegant solution that I would never have thought of. Often, that is because I still approach things from a Cubase point of view, but also it is because there are usually several or more ways to solve a problem in REAPER. Whereas, in other DAWs there may only be ONE way to solve the same problem. Again, that is the blessing and the curse of REAPER. For people starting out, they almost always view it as a curse or obstacle. But, the longer you stick with REAPER you'll find it liberating.

The majority of people here appear to be seasoned DAW users. Most end up with REAPER after they get fed up with their previous DAWs. Some for financial reasons (main reason I left Cubase) while others seem frustrated with lackadaisical support and development. Sure, REAPER has some long-outstanding bugs as well. But, at least they are constantly working on them and listening to their users.

Originally Posted by latorreccint

One thing that i noticed right in the beginning, the mouse scroll behavior and the arrow keys behavior, how i can change it to something more familiar?

Please refer to Chapter 2.8 Navigation and Zooming in the REAPER User Guide. It will link you to chapters 22.7 and 7.34 for editing preferences and mouse modifiers.