Hello folks,

Okay, after a week of computer problems, it's all back up and running except for Reaper. I have a problem I've never had before and I'm hoping someone will say, "Just go and check this box and be sure it is ticked".

I'm getting sound from my speakers, I'm getting the peak meters on teh track light up when I hit the strings, I click record and the track starts filling up but there is no recording.The track fills up with a blank sound wave (I don't know what it's called but where you see the actual sound wave as it records).

Any ideas?

Thanks in advance.

Stay safe people.

Phil

Never happened to me. Try, right click speaker icon next to clock+recording devices is your soundcard selected? (I'm on win7)

Cheers buddy,

Never happened to me either, I'll try that tomorrow evening.

Thanks mate

Stay safe

Phil

Can't find that Mertay, I'm going to ask on the Cockos forum, I've just uninstalled and installed again and it's still like it.

Every time I've ever installed Reaper it's just worked straight away.

The Cockos thread is here https://forum.cockos.com/showthread.php?p=2...461#post2371461

UPDATE: I'm using Overloud TH-U 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.

Cheers

Thats just bizarre. You are just going guitar/interface right? Certainly should show a wave form. Have you updated windows recently? I"ve seen various windows updates break things. Can you get a wave form if you don't use a plugin on a track? Just record the guitar straight in?

I've just had to reinstall windows buddy, only way to sort out that webcam problem. Fresh up to date Win10 install.
I'll try without a plugin tomorrow evening.

Cheers

Looks tricky, maybe c++ redistributable related (not really sure is reaper uses that) or graphics card. You had a camera problem sometime ago, likely related to that.

I've put a fresh install of Win10 on now which cured the webcam issue.

I think I'll try opening up an old Reaper project this evening, see what happens.

The fact that the signal doesn't weaken when I turn down the output of TH-U is suggesting routing, but I'm a bit of a numpty with routing so I may be completely wrong.

Cheers

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.

TH-U track 7
Dry guitar track 8

Order of sequence.

4 strums: Focusrite input gain 0, TH-U output 0

4 strums: Focusrite input gain 3, TH-U output 0

4 strums: Focusrite input gain 3, TH-U output 8

4 strums: Focusrite input gain 0, TH-U output 8

https://youtu.be/RywkcrgGdSk



I opened up my EVH Tribute collab project 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.

Cheers

I can confirm our peak/waveforms preferences are idential.

When you uninstall reaper, if I remember correct it leaves a folder that keeps some settings incase its re-installed again. Try uninstalling but later make a search in your main drive to see if there are any, if yes delete them too.

Thanks Mertay,

I was wondering why it didn't ask for my license again.

I'll check that out tomorrow evening.

Cheers

Phil

In that video it looks like the tracks you are recording to are not armed?

They are armed buddy, I'm just not recording. The waveform isn't what I'm demonstrating there, it's the way the output from TH-U doesn't affect the signal into Reaper and also to demonstrate that I'm still getting a signal on the dry track from Scarlett with the input gain down to zero.

It's also odd that both peak meters are showing the same level.

Cheers

Phil

Further to my reply to Todd's question.

Hello folks,

I feel like I've made some progress. Sorry it's so long but you need all of this info. I really appreciate your help.

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 as mentioned by Mertay. There was no dedicated uninstaller BUT 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.

If you can explain why the track has the "route" icon missing and a couple of others that would be great. I don't remember ever setting that up. They all come back when I import the config but obviously that gives other issues.

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.

Cheers

Stay safe

Phil

With the V6 skin, your first 2 photos are normal. Some icon's appear only when armed.

Your 3rd photo is reaper 5 skin. Actually try this;

Fresh install reaper 6. Go to options-theme's. There default is selected (v6 skin) , select default_5. So with new reaper you can use old skin. Does the waveform appear when done like this?

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?

Definitely worth trying. Also to try, if something goes wrong after loading the config, still try installing/updating sws or any actions you integrated with reaper.

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.

Likely yes, it does also depends on the guitars output but even with low output pickups (remembering to select inst. input from soundcard) there should be some level of signal (but noisey cause of the low preamp level).

Thanks Mertay,

I'll try that tomorrow. Out of interest, with the V6 skin, how would you for a midi small from track 2 to track 1. I normally drag the route icon from 2 onto the route icon on track 1.

I haven't fiddled with the settings in Reaper since I had this laptop in August last year so I've forgotten a lot.

Cheers buddy.

Stay safe

Phil

Just to make sure you are launching THU inside reaper right? Not launching THU and then launching reaper?

Yeah, using as a plugin, not standalone

To be honest I didn't understand the first sentence of your question but go view-mixer, you can see the "route" icon there for drag-drop connection.

Sorry Mertay,

I posted that question on a tablet and it must have auto spelled the words, I was falling asleep and didn't notice.

I meant, if I have the Reaper 6 skin with the track icons like in the first two images in the post above, how would I send a midi track to another track. All I do at the moment, is if I have guitar and TH-U on track one and I want to control TH-U via the FCB1010, I put the FCB1010 on track 2 and then I drag the ROUTE icon from track 2 to track 1 and it sets the routing up.

I hope that makes more sense. If I wanted to stick with the skin from Reaper 6 is there a way to add buttons the the track control box (don't know it's proper name)?

Thanks for your help Mertay, I appreciate it.

Cheers

Stay safe

Phil

No problem, I found this answer (answer 2 on forum) which might be better for you; https://forum.cockos.com/showthread.php?t=231893

But I don't use a foot controller to try if it works ok.

Thanks Mertay,

You're a star

Sometimes I don't know the terminology enough to make an effective search.

I've now ordered this in both Kindle and Paperback. Kindle for reading in bed and when downstairs and the paperback version for a quick flick through reference guide in my studio. The diagrams will be better in the paperback too

https://www.amazon.co.uk/20-20-Sound-Founda...3715&sr=8-1


Cheers

Cool!

The free video's saved me time but I sort of feel guilty never really deep diving Reaper. Youtube can never replace reading a proper book when it comes to learning

I noticed this late; Go to view-mixer and disable it, then the route icon will show on tracks.

Maybe your mixer panel is floating on the background and thats why its not visible to you.

Thanks Mertay,

That did work but I could actually see my mixer at the bottom where I like it. I didn't notice the route buttons on the mixer. I reverted back to V5 theme dark extended though as I prefered it.

It all seems to be working now. I'm going to set up fresh SWS functions next. I'm not going to import them.

Thank you Mertay, as usual, you've been a legend.

Lesson learned: DO NOT IMPORT SWS SETTINGS FROM A PREVIOUS VERSION!

UPDATE: I HADN'T FULLY TESTED IT. THE WAVEFORMS AREN'T SHOWING AGAIN. I HAVEN'T IMPORTED ANYTHING AT ALL.

I think I'm going to have to move to this for now https://www.bandlab.com/products/cakewalk

Cheers

Stay safe

Phil

I've not seen anyone have this type of repeated harship in reaper. It usually just works. I admit, I barely use it as I"m a LOGIX PRO guy so I don't have to deal with any reaper issues. I wish I could have been of more help to be honest. I just don't know that much about reaper. PROPS to Mertay for pitching in and sorting it, mostly. Sad to hear it's still not working all the way. CAKEWALK is always a good option. Sadly, very few folks, relative to other daws, use it. I doubt many folks hear can offer much help in cakewalk, but who knows? ANY CAKEWALK USERS HERE?

Of course, you could always try to the FREE version of PRO TOOLS.
The free version of PRO TOOLS is called PRO TOOLS FIRST. Here is the link if you want to give it a go
https://my.avid.com/get/pro-tools-first

HEre are all the video tutorials for pro tools
https://www.avid.com/pro-tools#Tutorials



Im going to download it to give it a whirl


Here is the AVID khnowledge bas
https://avid.secure.force.com/pkb/articles/...em-Requirements



quote name='Phil66' date='Dec 3 2020, 04:48 PM' post='782405']
Thanks Mertay,

That did work but I could actually see my mixer at the bottom where I like it. I didn't notice the route buttons on the mixer. I reverted back to V5 theme dark extended though as I prefered it.


Phil
[/quote]

Thanks Todd,

As you say, apart from the odd little glitch, Reaper usually just works.

I'm going to install it on my desktop to test it out. I was going to do that a few days ago but got lost down the rabbit hole in currently in. That has the same Win10 version so if it works on that it must be something with the laptop Win10 install.

It's been nearly two weeks of fannying around and no guitar playing now.

I've tried other DAWs in the past and it's a big learning curve when one's fully used to another DAW.

Thanks for your advice buddy.

Cheers

Phil

Well at-least we pinpointed the cause of the problem. All that can be done now is report the bug to them.

I think its a good idea to have a second daw, not only it can be useful in such situations but one can be at times be preferred for being more practical than the other for various needs.

I'm actually a much older samplitude use than reaper, but I don't recommend it for you Its expensive and you won't need the features it gives, as I at the time started using it specifically for mastering audio.

Layout of logic is very different than reaper so that will be a hard transition. It's been ages I didn't use protools so can't comment on that...looking at a free daw list, Presonus Studio one Prime caught my eye. Pictures seem not too far off designed compared to reaper.

Cakewalk looks cool but I think it didn't get very popular as I rarely see anyone using it. Presonus on the other hand is very popular so if you need forum support that will be useful.

Thanks Todd,

As you say, apart from the odd little glitch, Reaper usually just works.

I'm going to install it on my desktop to test it out. I was going to do that a few days ago but got lost down the rabbit hole in currently in. That has the same Win10 version so if it works on that it must be something with the laptop Win10 install.

It's been nearly two weeks of fannying around and no guitar playing now.

I've tried other DAWs in the past and it's a big learning curve when one's fully used to another DAW.

Thanks for your advice buddy.

Cheers

Phil






Thanks Mertay,

One thing I never thought of. Just stick Reaper 5 on and don't update it.

Re reporting the bug. I think I'll just point them to the thread in the Cockos forum.

Thanks for your help

Cheers

Phil

Yeah being windows old versions should keep working for a long time in theory. Glad to help

I hear ya!! I just installed PRO TOOLS FIRST and I remember why I don't use it. The interface is a bit difficult to be honest. When you click on a track, instead of giving you the wave form for that track to edit, it just doesn't do much of anything. I hate that.

Okay, we have some more crazy results. I'm not giving up on Reaper, I love it.

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 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 now, why the laptop hard drive install won't work?

I had a bit of a shock when I installed to my old desktop to be honest. TH-U runs fine on it with an i5 3.4ghz and 16gb DDR3. I remember my old music laptop struggling. I still love my new laptop, I can run three screens and get no noticable latency. I get 4.1/4.1ms latency in Reaper on my desktop. I forgot it was/is quite powerful. I got the new laptop because my old music dedicated laptop struggled.

to be clear, both install versions run fine on your desktop as I understand. But I didn't understand what you mean "having to save the project first". Like; you setup a project, save and exit, then re-open to start recording?




I remember reading some win10 updates impacted audio performance but don't recall any program causing such harsh issue's. I'm still on win7 so can't really help with that but there is a huge topic on gearslutz dedicated to such problems; https://www.gearslutz.com/board/music-compu...s-here-472.html

I didn't try the portable install on the desktop only on the laptop. I can open a new project and record a track immediately on both the desktop and portable install. On the laptop HD install, if I open a new project and try to record a track it says something like, "can't record path doesn't exist" (I'll clarify that tomorrow) so I just have to save the project and carry on. I don't have to close Reaper and open again. This isn't a problem really but I mentioned it in case it indicated something.

Cheers

I see try this; open reaper, file, clean current project director. When clicked a box appears and on top it writes how many files and where they are located at, click "explore" to go to that file. Mine is at C:\Users\merty\Documents\REAPER Media

This is the default path where reaper records, and when you finish and save recording then it will carry those files to where you want. It should have created that folder automatically when reaper installed but seems something went wrong (maybe windows didn't give permission?). Have a look at that too while we're at it, as you say it might be related.

That confused me to be honest. I usually use "save as" and save it to a project folder.

Cheers

Exactly, its just a temporary place until you use "save as".

I read it again this morning and it makes sense now I have no wine going around my head

Just yesterday you were saying you were going to install CAKEWALK?

Reaper users specially after customizations can't give-up on it easily I didn't ask the details but the SWS he mentioned for example is a customization.

I for example used a custom action to level all those reverb examples to -23 lufs, after selecting an action its just 1 click and near instantaneous with all tracks. Logic or PT for example to my knowledge doesn't have this, even if you buy a cool metering plug-in you still have to wait for it to measure loudness...there are currently 1000's of action available.

I know but that felt like giving up and you know me buddy, I hate being beat it was my frustrated head talking.

Plus if I install the portable install to my HD and it works then I can use that. One of the blokes on the Cockos forum said "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"

I don't really understand what a portable installation is if it can run fine on a HD which I haven't tested yet, then why have the non portable installation.?

Portable can work from simply inside a folder, without the need of any registery to the system. It may start reaper or scan plug-ins a little bit slower but other than that should work with the same performance.

If it works, then my previous message may be the main reason of the problems.

I had an idea but it didn't work.

I exported the config from my Reaper 6 on my desktop 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.

Cheers

Then its like related to my previous post;

I see try this; open reaper, file, clean current project director. When clicked a box appears and on top it writes how many files and where they are located at, click "explore" to go to that file. Mine is at C:\Users\merty\Documents\REAPER Media...

Let me know what happens when you click that explore button (with the problematic reaper install).

I'm just going to do that now buddy, but before I read your message 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?

This is what I get

My guess is because a temporary folder isn't created when installed, reaper cannot place data so thats why this is happening. Portable version works cause it uses the folder its in as a temp. folder.

Basically reaper needs a folder so it can save those waveform images you would normally see under the hood.

I've never had this with Reaper though, 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, I've never had to save first.

This might be the problem, while mine uses documents folder yours lead to one drive desktop. You're sure this isn't portable version right?

Yeah that is the HD install.