Views on Reaper!

[SJ_Digriz]

Ibtl

cheating when you have the keys
IBTL

[jancivil]

also IBTL

[SJ_Digriz]

I'm surprised I didn't reply here .. but the same discussions have gone on a million times so it's all a blur.
To me it's pretty simple
-It is a lightweight and usually (not always) processor and memory efficient application. To me, this is a great draw for laptop users. It's just simple to get it installed

-Then look at the first configuration screens for audio and midi and understand why many of us think it's the linux of daws. It's a disjointed hodgepodge of options presented in a tiny modal box that should have been eliminated around 1998. And that pretty much describes the rest of the "under the hood" operation of Reaper. It's ugly, confusing, inconsistent and unnecessarily obfuscated.

-If you stay on the main editor and timeline views, you can use themes to address some of the issues with the interface. However, I've never felt the default theme was bad. It's not great, but it's not horrible either. But, as soon as you delve into any 2nd level screen or function ... the FUGLY attack begins.

-The shear number of actions that are poorly and inconsistently named, often contradictory naming causing confusion about things selected in combination with each-other, lead to hours of head scratching results.

-There are many things to like about the single track concept. There are also just plane annoying consequences. Trying to set up a new populated lane as a MIDI thru to a device is hilariously convoluted for example.

-MIDI is a combination of cool features and awful editor. It's missing a ton of things that I take for granted in Cubase, but it also does a bunch of things I wish Cubase had. But, the editor in Cubase is VASTLY superior to use.

-It's frustrating to use Reaper with programs like Vienna Ensemble Pro. The main instance works fine. Trying to set up secondary midi channels or audio return event channels is ... again ... hilariously convoluted. And the latency for the additional virtual MIDI ports makes that function unusable with VEP.

I could go on and on and on ...

[jancivil]

I get why some people like a channel being a channel and no worries about it being audio, aux etc vs MIDI, but the way I think of a MIDI to soft instrument from my vantage point is I don't want only the one volume control. For me MIDI volume is the amount of energy going to the instrument, then consequently Instrument Channel volume is mixing along with the considerations of send, pre vs post-fader, post-FX. So this is more powerful. Objectively.

[jancivil]

As to VE Pro, it's a bit of a nightmare in Logic as well. So I don't like unnecessary complexity, in my life and certainly not getting music together. I have a very simple work flow in Cubendo, it's streamlined, any idiot like me can do it, you know.

I need setting up to be a snap, because I'm using hundreds of parameters from its Automation Map. This is a good look in Cubendo, and establishing the audio outs it takes from VEP is nothing.

[SJ_Digriz]

I get why some people like a channel being a channel and no worries about it being audio, aux etc vs MIDI, but the way I think of a MIDI to soft instrument from my vantage point is I don't want only the one volume control. For me MIDI volume is the amount of energy going to the instrument, then consequently Instrument Channel volume is mixing along with the considerations of send, pre vs post-fader, post-FX. So this is more powerful. Objectively.

VSTi context is one thing, having a bunch of external gear adds another layer of weirdness. I hate the instrument track in Cubase .. which has the similar concept. They have updated it so often since implementing it, that it is now close to circling back to what it was before they created it. At the end of the day .. there is a huge difference between MIDI and Audio. Having them separate has always been far more logical and "workflow" friendly to me.

[jancivil]

Exactly.

I don't use Instrument Track, I don't care for it. Now it's more flexible but I have no use for it. EXCEPT I found you may take a drum map from BFD3 via it, which you can't with a Rack-based regular MIDI track.

[SJ_Digriz]

I wanted to add that it's not only far more logical, but having them separate allows you to bring the specific functions of either to the front without having to dumpster dive.

[THE INTRANCER]

I use to use Bars & Pipes Professional back in the mid 1990's when I was 17, it made more sense to me than Reaper did when it first came out...

[SJ_Digriz]

Exactly.

I don't use Instrument Track, I don't care for it. Now it's more flexible but I have no use for it. EXCEPT I found you may take a drum map from BFD3 via it, which you can't with a Rack-based regular MIDI track.

yeah there are several things that they have tied to Instrument tracks that make them more desirable, like track presets. But the main disadvantage is you can't name the first audio out... Super annoying.

Anyhow, combined channels come at a complexity and focus cost. To me it makes stuff more complicated instead of making it easier which supposedly is what they were for.

[SJ_Digriz]

I use to use Bars & Pipes Professional back in the mid 1990's when I was 17, it made more sense to me than Reaper did when it first came out...

I did quite a few game soundtracks in B&P!!!

[harryupbabble]

Yeah, but have you ever tried dragging and dropping 20,000 midi files onto a track in your DAW?
That's no problem for REAPER.

I tried it with Cubase LE 5. No can do. It will only allow drag and drop of one midi file at a time.

I just tried it with Ardour. Holey Moley it's doing it. I'm timing how long it does it. 3 minutes so far.
Aarrghh judging by the progress meter, it's going to take hours, if not days. No can do.

[SJ_Digriz]

Yeah, but have you ever tried dragging and dropping 20,000 midi files onto a track in your DAW?
That's no problem for REAPER.

Hard to believe other DAWs can't do this basic function that everyone does 50 times a day.

[rlared]

Yeah, but have you ever tried dragging and dropping 20,000 midi files onto a track in your DAW?
That's no problem for REAPER.

Hard to believe other DAWs can't do this basic function that everyone does 50 times a day.

ahahahaha BURN!!!

[SJ_Digriz]

by the way, multi midi file drag/drop works fine in C10Pro. Maybe it's the track limitation in the LE version or something.