Reaper 7 - My Setup/Configuration

Installation

Download latest version of Reaper
Install as Portable Install
- Mac:
  - Put REAPER.app inside a folder
  - Create a blank plain text file named “reaper.ini” in the same folder. (Make sure that the file extension is “.ini” not “.txt”)
  - Launch Reaper
- Windows
  - Simply check the option for portable installation when running the Reaper installer.

Updates

If you installed Reaper using the Portable Installation method described above, on all future updates you can simply replace the Reaper.app file inside the folder that has the application and other Reaper’s other files/folders.

Before I install any major Reaper updates, I like to first Zip my Reaper folder and name it something like Reaper Backup 2023-10-17 and stick it in a folder with my other Reaper archives. This way if there are any issues with the new version of Reaper I can easily go back to an older version.

SWS Extension

Quit Reaper
Download the SWS Reaper Extension
Install SWS files. Remember that you did a portable install so all the SWS files that you install should go somewhere within the Folder that has your Reaper app.
After you install everything find the reaper_sws-x86_64.dylib file inside your User Plugins folder and open it using Terminal. If you don’t do this, you operating system will mark this file as a security risk and Reaper wont be able to run it.
Relaunch Reaper

ReaPack Manager

Quit Reaper
Download the ReaPack Package Manger
Follow the installation instruction but be sure to install things inside your Reaper folder (like the SWS Extension).
After you install everything find the ReaPack x86_64.dylib file inside your User Plugins folder and open it using Terminal. If you don’t do this, you operating system will mark this file as a security risk and Reaper wont be able to run it.
Relaunch Reaper

Shortcuts Assignments

Mouse Zooming & Scrolling

Adjust Reaper Zoom/Scroll/Offset Preferences
Adjust Mouse Navigation Actions
- HorizWheel = View: Scroll horizontally reversed (MIDI CC relative/mousewheel)
- Mousewheel = View: Scroll vertically (MIDI CC relative/mousewheel)
- Option+Mousewheel = View: Zoom vertically (MIDI CC relative/mousewheel)
- Option+HorizWheel = View: Zoom horizontally (MIDI CC relative/mousewheel)
- Option+Shift+Mousewheel = View: Adjust selected track heights (MIDI CC relative/mousewheel)

Other Shortcuts

T = SWS/BR: Move closest grid line to mouse cursor (perform until shortcut released)
Command+Shift+T = Insert virtual instrument on new track…
Shift+Return = Transport: Go to start of project
C = Options: Toggle metronome
R = Transport: Record
Option+C = Track: Set to custom color…
F = SWS/S&M: Toggle show FX chain windows for selected tracks
P = View: Toggle show MIDI editor windows
X = View: Toggle mixer visible
Option+M = Markers: Insert and/or edit marker at current position
Option+R = Markers: Insert region from time selection and edit…
M = Item properties: Toggle items/tracks mute (depending on focus)
S = Track: Toggle solo for selected tracks
I = Item properties: Show media item/take properties
Option+C = SWS: Set selected track(s)/item(s) to custom color…

Project AutoSaves & Backups

Adjust saving keyboard shortcuts
- Command+Shift+S = File: Save project as…
Setup Backups and AutoSaves to happen every minute or whenever the project is saved manually and to save them to folder within the project directory named “Backups”

Mixer Setup

Move Master Track to right side of mixer
Set Horizontal Mousewheel over mixer to scrolls tracks rather than arrange view in Reaper preferences.

Quick Adder 2

Install Quick Adder 2 via ReaPack
https://forum.cockos.com/showthread.php?t=232928
For full Quick Adder 2 functionality, also install “js_reascriptapi” via ReaPack.
Assign Keyboard Shortcut to lunch Quick Adder 2
- = = Script: neutronic_Quick Adder 2.lua

Custom Insert New Instrument Track and Audio Track Scripts

With the help of ChatGPT I created two custom action that inserts a new tracks and configures their input, monitoring, and record arm settings to my desired defaults for either an audio track or a MIDI track. These scripts will first check to see if any folder tracks are selected and, if so, add one new track at the bottom of each selected folder. If not folder tacks are selected, it will just add a new track at the bottom of the track list.

Here are the scripts:

DRD_Insert Empty Audio Track.lua

DRD_Insert Empty Instrument Track.lua

To use these script:

Add each script to the Scripts folder inside your Reaper folder.
In Reaper, Open the Actions window.
Click “New action…”
Select “Load ReaScript…”
Open the “DRD_Insert Empty Instrument Track.lua” file.
Repeat steps 3 and 4 and open the “DRD_Insert Empty Audio Track.lua” file.
Assign a key command. I like Command+Shift+T for Inserting and Empty Instrument Track, and Command+T for inserting and empty Audio track.
I then also replaced the default “Insert virtual instrument on new track…” and “Insert new track” in both the “Empty TCP Context” and “Track control panel context” menus with these custom scripts.
- You can find and customize this menu by navigating to Options > Customize menu/toolbars…

Plug-In Preferences

Updated a couple of plug-in preferences, mainly so that if I have an FX window open, it will automatically show me the FX of whatever track I have selected and follow me if I change the selected track.

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Grid Line Settings

Adjust grid lines to be clearer and to show over the top of items

MIDI Editor

Preferences

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HorizWheel = View: Scroll horizontally reversed (MIDI relative/mousewheel)
Mousewheel = View: Scroll vertically (MIDI relative/mousewheel)
Option+HorizWheel = View: Zoom horizontally reversed (MIDI relative/mousewheel)
Option+Mousewheel = View: Zoom vertically (MIDI relative/mousewheel)
Shift+Return = View: Go to start of file

Other Keyboard Shortcuts

Up Arrow = Edit: Move notes up one semitone Shift+UpArrow = Edit: Move notes up one octave
DownArrow = Edit: Move notes down one semitone
Shift+DownArrow = Edit: Move notes down one octave

Piano Roll Settings

Adjust how notes are shown in the piano roll
Switch to a custom Color Map for note coloring. I like the “Deluxe more contrast” by ReaperTips! You can download the ReaperTips color maps and find installation instructions on the ReaperTips website.

MIDI Editor Mouse Modifiers

The mouse modifiers for the MIDI editor and MIDI notes where not working the way my brain wanted them to, so I went through and pretty much turned off all the defaults (while making a mental note of what was possible) and just turned on a few basics that I need to get started.

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MIDI Editor Custom Scripts

Set MIDI Editor Grid via custom command

Here is a custom script I wrote that prompts the user to enter any fraction (e.g. “1/4”, “1/16”, “1/1”, “1/7”) that they want the MIDI editor’s grid to be set to.

Here is the script:

DRD_MIDI Editor - Set MIDI Editor Grid.lua

To use these script:

Add the script to the Scripts folder inside your Reaper folder.
In Reaper, Open the Actions window. And make sure that “MIDI Editor” is set as the “Section” in the top right corner of the Actions window.
Click “New action…”
Select “Load ReaScript…”
Open the “DRD_MIDI Editor - Set MIDI Editor Grid.lua” file.
Assign a key command. I like Option+Shift+G

MIDI CC Lane Controller Script

This script allows me to control what CC lane is visible in the MIDI editor via a popup dialogue box that appears when the script is run.

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Using the script:

Entering a value between 0 and 119 displays that CC lane in the MIDI Editor
Entering the text “show”, “show all”, or “s” shows all the CC lanes that contain data
Entering the text “hide”, “hide all”, or “h” hides all the CC lanes
Some specific CC can also be shown by entering their name. The list includes:
- CC1: “mod” or “modulation”
- CC7: “vol” or “volume”
- CC11: “expression” or “x”
- CC64: “sustain”, “sustain pedal”, “hold”, or “hold pedal”
Other MIDI Data Lanes can also be shown…
- Velocity: “v”, “vel” or “velocity”
- Pitchbend: “pitch” or “pitchbend”
- Program Change: “program” or “program change”
- Channel Pressure: “channel pressure” or “aftertouch”
- Bank/Program Select: “bank/program select”
- Text Events: “text events”
- Sysex: “sysex”

Here is the script:

DRD_MIDI Editor - Show Specific MIDI Event Lane.lua

To use these script:

Add the script to the Scripts folder inside your Reaper folder.
In Reaper, Open the Actions window. And make sure that “MIDI Editor” is set as the “Section” in the top right corner of the Actions window.
Click “New action…”
Select “Load ReaScript…”
Open the “DRD_MIDI Editor - Show Specific MIDI Event Lane.lua” file.
Assign a key command. I like Shift+L

Split MIDI Notes

Split Chords to New Tracks

Here is the script:

DRD_Set MIDI Channel of Selected Events.lua

To use these script:

Add the script to the Scripts folder inside your Reaper folder.
In Reaper, Open the Actions window. And make sure that “MIDI Editor” is set as the “Section” in the top right corner of the Actions window.
Click “New action…”
Select “Load ReaScript…”
Open the “DRD_Set MIDI Channel of Selected Events.lua” file.
Assign a key command. I like Control+c

Miscellaneous

Mouse Modifiers

Double-Clicking Media Item Edge toggles item’s looping property.

Retroactive MIDI Record

Shift-R = MIDI: Insert recent retroactively recorded MIDI for armed and selected tracks
- I’ll probably come back and write my own script for this at some point. Right now it replaces any existing Items, and I’d like the option to merge or create a new take.

Begin Playback From Selected Media Item(s)

Had to write a custom script for this one. Here it is:

DRD_Begin Playback from Selected Item(s).lua

To use this script:
1. Add it to the Script folder inside your Reaper folder
2. In Reaper, Open the Actions window.
3. Click “New action…”
4. Select “Load ReaScript…”
5. Open the “DRD_Begin Playback from Selected Item(s).lua” file.
6. Assign a key command. I like Control+Spacebar

Saving Track Templates

Here is the custom script:

DRD_Reverse elements of select track name - copy to clipboard - then prompt to save select track as track template.lua

To use this script:
1. Add it to the Script folder inside your Reaper folder
2. In Reaper, Open the Actions window.
3. Click “New action…”
4. Select “Load ReaScript…”
5. Open the “DRD_Reverse elements of select track name - copy to clipboard - then prompt to save select track as track template.lua” file.
6. Assign a key command. I like option+control+s

Add selected Tracks to new Folder Track

Command+G = Track: Move tracks to new folder

Like working in Ableton, pressing Command+G takes the selected tracks and places them inside a new folder track. Great for staying organized or setting up submixes/STEMS.

Don’t show full size track control panel on armed tracks

This gets annoying to me when I working with lots of tracks. I prefer to leave the track height at whatever it currently is and then use my shortcut of option+shift+mousewheel to adjust the individual track height if I want to.

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Smart Duplicate

Select Track by Track Number

A custom script that prompts the user for a track number and then selected that track. I’ve assigned it to the keyboard shortcut Control+Tab

DRD_Select Track by Index Number.lua

Playback Seeking Preferences

I like to be able to click around during playback and change the loop/time selection without having Reaper jump to where I just clicked - essentially separating the Edit Cursor and time selection from the Playback position.

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