PLEASE GO TO THE UPDATES AT THE BOTTOM. I've left the rest here just in case it helps.
I've been using Reaper for years, not in depth but deep enough for my needs.
I've installed it many times and it's recorded with no issues.
I've just had to re-install Windows, I put Reaper on and it won't record.
The peak meters are lighting up when I play the guitar but when I start recording, the recording area gets the sound wave bar (I don't know what it's called) moving along but you can't see the sound wave in it, obviously when you playback, it is silent.
I can hear sound from my monitors (I have record monitoring on)it just isn't recording.
I've tried uninstalling and installing again with no result.
I put the same version of Reaper on (6.01) that I was using before re-installing Windows10, but I've also updated to 6.17 and it's still the same.
Any ideas? I've looked at some of the historical issues on here but none of them seem to match this scenario.
Thank in advance of your kind help.
Phil
UPDATE: I'm using Overloud TH-U (guitar fx and amp sim)as a plug-in and if I turn the output of that down, the peak meters in Reaper still light up. Maybe its a routing issue? It used to reduce/increase the signal strength into Reaper
UPDATE 2: After some messing, it is now recording but it's not showing the sound wave, the bar in the recording section is just blank all the way along.
Last edited by GMC Phil; 11-30-2020 at 02:22 PM.
Reason: Additional info
Did you read the two updates? It is actually recording but turning down the output in TH-U doesn't reduce the signal level. It is definitely recording from the Plugin because I can hear the effects so it isn't a dry signal.
Further to the reply above this one, I tried to record a dry track, it recorded okay, no wave form though. But even with the input gain down to zero, I'm still getting -12db on the peak meter in Reaper.
For some reason the TH-U output is lowering the volume from the speakers now, but not the input level to the track.
Here is a video. Sorry about the sound quality, it was just my web cam mic, I couldn't set anything else up for what I was doing and it's probably best that you hear what I'm hearing at my desk. I don't know why but you can't see the plugin in the video but it was there on the screen.
I opened up a project from before the reinstall of windows tonight and made another discovery that may indicate something.
None of the tracks are showing a waveform but I know they were before. Also, every time I click out of Reaper and then click back into it, it starts building the peaks again. See below. Further below is the dialogue box for peaks.
It's all very strange to me. I've never had many issues with Reaper.
- Do you have any downloaded albums(mp3 or FLAC files) that you could try to insert into that existing project on another track?
I'd be interested in seeing what happens if you attempt that.
- Any chance that you have a second windows computer of a friend that would let you try an install to see if you run into the same issues with a completely separate computer/install?
- Do you have any downloaded albums(mp3 or FLAC files) that you could try to insert into that existing project on another track?
I'd be interested in seeing what happens if you attempt that.
- Any chance that you have a second windows computer of a friend that would let you try an install to see if you run into the same issues with a completely separate computer/install?
The two backing tracks on there (tracks 1 & 2) are both mp3 but I will try inserting another mp3 this evening.
I was thinking about installing to my desktop to test. It has the same version of Win10 but it isn't powerful enough to run TH-U without latency but for test purposes that wouldn't matter.
I'll check out those other threads this evening. It's 3:30am here and I have to be up for work at 6:30am.
I was ready to throw the computer out of the window, I uninstalled Reaper and reinstalled, still the same issue. Did it again and still the same so I thought I'd look to see if Reaper had its own uninstaller as I thought something was lingering around somewhere. In the start menu under Reaper was a link saying "reset configuration to factory defaults", I clicked this and started Reaper and I got my waveforms back.
Problem was my track then didn't have the icons on it as before but, some came on when I armed for recording.
Track unarmed:
Track armed:
I then imported a configeration from 2018 and I lost the waveforms again BUT my track looked how I wanted it to like below, at this point, it started creating the peaks again, it seems to constantly do it every couple of minutes:
After all of this messing about I've come to a conclusion and please tell me if you think it's a load of rubbish.
When I had this new laptop, in August 2019 I installed Reaper 5 on it, in imported the config from 2018 which was still Reaper 5. So when I upgraded to Reaper 6 it migrated the settings fine.
This time, after reinstalling Win10, I put a fresh install of Reaper 6 on (no Reaper 5 legacy)and when I import the config, there are conflicts.
If you agree that this is the case then I might install Reaper 5, import the config, upgrade to Reaper 6 then export the config. I had a lot of SWS functions working and it took a while to get it working.
What do you think?
I'm feeling better now because at least I can replicate the issue.
One question, I've forgotten how Reaper used to work after having all of this hassle. If armed for record, should the signal still get into the track (dry straight from Focusrite 18i8) if I have the input gain at zero on the Focusrite? The signal does strengthen when I turn the gain up and I can make it clip easily.
Thanks for all of your time with this issue, it's been a big ball ache and is still on going but i feel we are making progress.
I have no idea if the install process you describe is going to work around this apparent config incompatibility....I guess you'll have to try it to find out.
Regarding the missing icons after resetting...this is default 6 behaviour, you just need to go into theme adjuster and set the hiding options how you want them.
And as for input levels.... if your Focusrite has signal with the gain all the way down (which most interface preamps do) then that signal will get to Reaper.
Okay, we have some more results. I'm not giving up on Reaper, I love it. I was just getting really frustrated when I said I was going to Cakewalk.
I installed on my desktop and it runs fine.
I installed it on a USB drive as a portable install and it runs fine on my laptop.
On both the desktop and the portable, I can record immediately without having to save the project first, I can't do that on my laptop hard drive install.
The only difference between the two Win10 installations is that the one on the desktop, in the Windows update section is saying "Windows 10 May 2020 update is on its way. Once ready for your device you'll see it on the update page"
Any ideas why the laptop hard drive install won't work?
Can you install Reaper as a portable install onto your laptop hard drive, there's no need to have it fully"portable" on a stick.
I run a portable V6 on my desktop as well as keeping my V5 as my main install, and am slowly moving over all my configs etc over from the V5 to the V6. Once I am happy with the V6 setup, I can save my V6 configs, and then overwrite my main install with a fresh V6 and then install the configs saved from the portable.
This is just an example of how (and why) you can/might run 2 different installs.
But, to re-iterate, try the portable on the laptop HD. It does seem to me that you have your default recording path (ie where Reaper will record before you set a path via a save) pointing to a write protected folder, or NO folder at all.
When you record via the usb stick install, did Reaper write to the USB stick? If so, my comment outlined above could be the source of your problem.
On both the desktop and the portable, I can record immediately without having to save the project first, I can't do that on my laptop hard drive install.
perhaps "prompt to save on new project" is ticked in preferences / project?
Can you install Reaper as a portable install onto your laptop hard drive, there's no need to have it fully"portable" on a stick.
I run a portable V6 on my desktop as well as keeping my V5 as my main install, and am slowly moving over all my configs etc over from the V5 to the V6. Once I am happy with the V6 setup, I can save my V6 configs, and then overwrite my main install with a fresh V6 and then install the configs saved from the portable.
This is just an example of how (and why) you can/might run 2 different installs.
But, to re-iterate, try the portable on the laptop HD. It does seem to me that you have your default recording path (ie where Reaper will record before you set a path via a save) pointing to a write protected folder, or NO folder at all.
When you record via the usb stick install, did Reaper write to the USB stick? If so, my comment outlined above could be the source of your problem.
dB
Thanks,
I'll have to try that tomorrow now but I definitely will. The waveforms were there on the portable install.
Cheers
Quote:
Originally Posted by domzy
perhaps "prompt to save on new project" is ticked in preferences / project?
Maybe, but I did a fresh install on both desktop and portable and it didn't do that. It only does it on the laptop HD install and I certainly wouldn't tick that box. I'll check it out.
"Default recording path, when project is unsaved and no recording path configured"
If this path is write protected, then this could be your issue.
Also look in File/Project Settings to see if you have set a path there which is also not writable, as this could be set as your project default, and so ALL projects could then fail due to this being incorrect.
"Default recording path, when project is unsaved and no recording path configured"
If this path is write protected, then this could be your issue.
Also look in File/Project Settings to see if you have set a path there which is also not writable, as this could be set as your project default, and so ALL projects could then fail due to this being incorrect.
HTH, just trying to cover the bases.
dB
Hello Dr Bob,
Okay I tried both of those things above, set up a default save location for unsaved projects etc and I still can't record until I manually save the project. The HD install is pretty unusable without waveforms really, for me anyway.
I also had an idea but it didn't work.
I exported the config from my Reaper 6 on my desktop which is fully functional and imported to my Reaper 6 on my laptop. Nothing changed, still no waveforms.
I installed the portable version to my desktop and it works fine so I'll use that until the main install gets sorted, if it ever does.
UPDATE:
I just uninstalled Reaper 6 on my laptop, installed Reaper 5 and I have the same issue, no waveforms, also the having to save before I can record issue is there. Something must be deep in the system but still linked to any Reaper installed on the hard drive. I must be in the registry. I'm wondering if it's worth re-installing Windows 10 again?
Have you checked where reapers peak files are stored?
Have you tried to make the waveforms bigger, assuming that they are there, but very small?
Mind you, my workflow is like this:
(a) Create the folder where I will keep things for this project. e.g. Fred
(b) Create a project "fred" and then save that to this new folder, checking "copy all media into this directory"
Then ... continue with all things for project fred.
BTW Reaper puts very little into the registry, so I doubt that's the issue.
I still think there's something to do with a protected path until you create your own path (which is not protected).
Have you tried to start reaper as administrator? Click start/reaper(x64)
and right click Reaper(x64) and select "Run as Administrator"
Have you checked where reapers peak files are stored?
I have a dedicated folder for all peaks which is what I've always done. I find them messy in the printer folder.
Have you tried to make the waveforms bigger, assuming that they are there, but very small?
I'm pretty sure they aren't there, I can't even see a single pixel thick line, I've made the track very wide by dragging it, I don't know if there's another way.
Mind you, my workflow is like this:
(a) Create the folder where I will keep things for this project. e.g. Fred
(b) Create a project "fred" and then save that to this new folder, checking "copy all media into this directory"
I do the same but sometimes I forget to save the project first (I'm always in a rush due to time restraints) and when I try to close Reaper it prompts a save. Spot on.
Then ... continue with all things for project fred.
BTW Reaper puts very little into the registry, so I doubt that's the issue.
It seems to be "remembering" a lot of settings from my first install since I re-installed Win10
I still think there's something to do with a protected path until you create your own path (which is not protected).
I don't really understand this.
Have you tried to start reaper as administrator? Click start/reaper(x64)
and right click Reaper(x64) and select "Run as Administrator"
I haven't, but I will tomorrow evening. What should I do once open?
Thank you so much for giving me your time, I really appreciate it.
Running as Admin, just try your usual things and see if this fixes the problem.
Reaper stores lots of info and setting in a file called Reaper.ini.
Try this:
You can find this file by running reaper, then use Options/"Show Reaper Resource path in explorer". Once you have the Windows explorer window open, close reaper down.
Now, rename the Reaper.ini file so you can restore it later if needed. Restart Reaper - it will create a new reaper.ini file, ie no settings from before will be used. See if things are OK.
Gives a clue as to whether you have something odd in your settings.
If you put an audio file on a track, does that work? ie a .wav or .mp3 file? Is it just new "recordings" which don't show?
re: path issues - if the folder into which Reaper is trying to write the recording is "write protected", then things won't work. This can happen if e.g. you are trying to write a file to a part of the disc used by the operating system etc ... but, you can also set the properties of a folder yourself so that it only holds things you can read but protect it from having anything written to the folder.
Re:resizing waveform. If it's there, but very small, use SHIFT-uparrow to make it bigger.
I woke up at 2am this morning with an idea which has solved the two issues. My subconcious must have been working away on all the things you've said to me.
Number one, for some reason, probably my lack of understanding of Reaper (I wish there was a Dummies Guide To All Things Reaper)I never assciated the waveforms with the word "peaks".
It suddenly dawned on me in the early hours, has my OneDrive account synced the folders yet? When I checked the status of the peaks folder and the default recording path when project is unsaved they both said "sync pending". I quickly created two new folders and set up the paths and bingo, it works fine. My entire D: drive is on the cloud, it has everything except for program files on it so it's a fair amount of GBs and I remember when I first set it up I left my desktop computer on for a few days, the laptop doesn't sync as much as the desktop but it's still a lot.
I don't know why it hadn't synced those two folders when other items in the same place were synced maybe it priorotises somehow? There must be a way of stopping OneDrive syncing everything when you re-install Windows which I'll look into.
I am so sorry to have wasted your time but it was your advice that got my brain thinking, it's a shame it took it so long. At least I'll know in future.
I fully understand if you want to slap me in the face with a wet kipper but you did help by pointing me in the right direction so I'm thankful of that.
I've installed Reaper numerous times without issues so it was really doing my head in.
Technically it is only back up so I have access to everything on both computers. Everything is stored on the D: it's just when you reinstall Windows and start One Drive for the "first" time and set the location it has to sync which is crazy but maybe it needs to be like that.
What you don't want to happen is that a sync takes place on a file to which you are recording at the same time! That will certainly cause problems. I would schedule a specific sync time so that you don't have that worry .... and avoid that time.
One Drive, in my experience, only syncs changed files, I've never had it sync a file in use. It checks for changes but doesn't sync a file in use. As soon as I click "save" I see the sync icon come on for a few seconds to sync that file.
That would be how I think it "should" work. But with all these things, I would always err on the cautious side. Losing a decent performance, rather than a backup of it, is perhaps what you don't want?
But, if you are happy with the way it all works, then all's good.
Enjoy working with Reaper again - NOT reaper's fault, which is a relief, as there are always going to be "use cases" which haven't been thought of by the devs! Problems with these exhibit themselves as "bugs".
Never use cloud storage folder directly for REAPER... or any other software not specifically designed to work with automatically syncing cloud solutions.
I always have REAPER store locally and every day it runs a "free file sync" job to sync that local folder with the one at the cloud storage, but only 1 way. That way I have 2 copies, one local for working and cloud is just for backup.
One has to remember though, that just the cloud itself isn't a backup.