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Songwriter Forum => Recording => Topic started by: The Portrait Piano on January 25, 2019, 10:13:43 AM

Title: Advice with Reaper Please
Post by: The Portrait Piano on January 25, 2019, 10:13:43 AM
Hi All,

Have a day off today so decided to attempt using a DAW for the first time to record rather than my mobile phone lol.

I'm at a complete loss and about to chuck my pc out the window!

First Attempt:
I connected my newer keyboard which has the newer usb midi so I just connected it straight to pc. Opened reaper, able to select my keyboard as midi device. So I start recording but when playback it comes out through keyboard speakers not pc (is this right?) & in a different sound!!! An hour spent looking on the net for help but no joy so gave up.

Second Attempt:
My older keyboard has more sophisticated built in recording function so I did a short recording in order to attempt importing the recording to Reaper. This time around I have to plug the keyboard using the old fashioned round cables into a box at one end and at the other there's a usb midi port for connecting to the pc. So with this done I then went into Reaper but couldn't select my keyboard for midi device, only the E-Mu box. Not sure if this is ok or not but either way I have no clue how to import my recording from my keyboard to Reaper.

Sorry if this feels like I'm needing to be spoon fed but it seems impossible. It was much easier to just press record on my phone lol.

Thank you for your help!
Law
Title: Re: Advice with Reaper Please
Post by: pompeyjazz on January 25, 2019, 11:16:24 AM
Hi Law. With any DAW there is going to be a learning curve which is going to cause some pain, especially as you are used to recording on your phone. The good news is that it does get easier. Without answering specifics I would strongly advise you to check out some basic Reaper tutorials on YouTube. I know that if I had done that first instead of dicking about not really knowing what I was doing I would have saved myself hours. Also Reaper has an excellent user forum. Don't be shy. I think it's just about getting your head around the concept of a DAW.  Stick with it man, you will be glad that you did  :)
Title: Re: Advice with Reaper Please
Post by: cowparsleyman on January 25, 2019, 01:16:40 PM
Whato - as PJ says, stick with it, I'm pretty sure that none of us here found the transition to DAW easy, but it's really briiliant what one can do with it.

It's a long way from recording on my sisters cassette recorder, then playing my guitar along with it whilst recording on my other sisters cassette recorder...

Rich
Title: Re: Advice with Reaper Please
Post by: The Portrait Piano on January 25, 2019, 01:26:50 PM
@pompeyjazz (http://www.songwriterforum.co.uk/index.php?action=profile;u=20269)
@Cowbell (http://www.songwriterforum.co.uk/index.php?action=profile;u=7934)

Thanks guys, that's good advice & I will keep trying. I guess it was wishful thinking to assume I could get to grips with Reaper on a day off & have a song recorded by midday 😂

Now that I know what's involved I'll buy the audio interface first as it comes with a DAW included. I'll then invest time learning whatever freebie DAW it comes with.

Law
Title: Re: Advice with Reaper Please
Post by: mikek on January 25, 2019, 02:05:30 PM
For problem 1 do this

In reaper, go to options, preferences, audio, device and see what is set to output....if it is your keyboard just change it to microsoft sound mapper or your sound card....