Introduction

I often get asked about how I use Reaper for sound design, so I thought I’d share a guide to my setup, along with explanations of my methods and the reasoning behind them. This post isn’t meant to be completely comprehensive or prescriptive, but rather an informative source of inspiration and insight. Over the years, I’ve learned a lot from observing how others work, and I hope this article will offer the same value to you.

Before we dive in, a couple of disclaimers: Creative processes are deeply personal and vary greatly from one person to another. I work in game audio and use Reaper as my go-to tool. My approach might differ from yours—and that’s perfectly fine! Additionally, my setup and workflow are constantly evolving, so what works for me today will most certainly change down the road.

Philosophy

My Reaper setup is all about accelerating my creative process. When I’m in a creative sound design groove, I want to translate the ideas in head to the DAW as quickly and seamlessly as possible. I also see Reaper itself as a creative tool that can be leveraged to create interesting sounds, and I’ve built many custom actions, scripts, and workflows to create an ecosystem in Reaper to enhance this approach.

Default Sound Design Layout

Displays and Windows

I typically work with three main displays and one TV for video reference. The main Reaper windows take up two of  the main displays: the primary/center display, and the right display. Plugin windows are typically floating on the primary and left displays as necessary.

Primary Display:

The primary display contains the main arrange window, with the mixer docked to the left and sized for a single track width. Essentially it functions like a track inspector and will always display the currently selected track.

At the bottom I’ve docked the Global Sampler, which runs constantly and allows me to grab audio and drag directly onto tracks.

Right Display:

On the right display I have a docker window that houses the Media Explorer, Region/Marker Manager, Track Manager, Mixer Master, and FX: Monitoring windows. (My media explorer databases look empty because I have censored the navigation pane on the left to avoid showing any project names.)

To the right there is a pinned FX chain window for the “Media Explorer Preview” track. The media explorer’s audio output is routed into this track. I will post about this workflow more in the future.

At the bottom, I run an instance of MiniMeters, with its accompany VST plugin on my Monitor FX chain. This allows the plugin to meter anything coming out of Reaper.

Left Display:

The left display is typically where my floating plugin windows go, as well as the Rolling Sampler, which is another constantly recording sampler, but with its input set as my microphone in my room, so I can quickly and easily record something at my desk. For quick records or experimentation this eliminates the need to even make a record track. Again, it’s about speed and letting creativity flow.

Toolbars

Top Toolbar

The top toolbar is where the majority of my workflow buttons exist for manipulating projects, items, tracks, etc. The buttons are loosely grouped by category.

Icon	Action	Description
	Surround	Sets the project's Master track to 6 channels and sets hardware output routing. (1-6 out 1-6)
	Quad	Sets the project's Master track to 4 channels and sets hardware output routing. (1-2, out 1-2, 3-4 out 5-6)
	Stereo	Sets the project's Master track to 2 channels and sets hardware output routing (1-2 out 1-2)
	Add Media Explorer Preview Track	Inserts a track named Media Explorer Preview with my default media explorer fx chain on it
	Track Snapshots	Opens the Track Snapshots Menu
	Toggle Master Track Visibility	Toggles the Master track's visibility in the arrange window
	Visiblility: Show only selected tracks	Shows only the selected tracks, plus any track named "Video" or "Notes"
	Show All Tracks	Clears visibility filters and show all tracks
	Send MIDI Trigger track (MIDI send) to selected tracks	Sends my MIDI trigger track (in my default template) to the selected track
	Unarm All	Unarm all record armed tracks in the project
	Bypass All FX	Toggle Bypass all FX in the project
	Create Subproject	Creates a new subproject from selected track/items
	NVK Subproject	NVK Action to create subproject
	Set Subproject bounds	Sets subproject =START and =END markers to selected items or time selection
	Color Subproject items	Colors any subproject item in a project purple
	Toggle Play Background Projects	Toggles whether background projects play with current project. Good for when working inside a subproject and you want to hear other layers that are in a parent session.
	Reset item length	Resets selected item(s) length
	Reset item pitch/rate	Resets selected item(s) pitch and rate
	Mono Item	Sums selected item(s) channels to mono
	Item Width	Adds an adjustable width envelope to selected item(s)
	Item Loop	Loops selected item(s)
	NVK Reposition	Repositions selected item(s)
	Add take marker	Adds a take marker to selected item. Great for marking sync points or specific moments in video items
	Shuffle Items	Shuffles order of selected items
	Open selected item in RX	Opens selected item in iZotope RX
	Item: Auto trim split item	Uses Auto trim split item settings to split item
	Item: Dynamic split item	Uses dynamic split item settings to split item
	Render Item FX to new take	A custom action that renders item fx to a new take and then makes item fx offline, so I can always go back to the previous take and adjust if needed
	Render all tracks to Stereo tracks, obeying time selection	Renders selected tracks. I generally use this to quickly print something if I want to get rid of VSTs.
	Item Sampler	Loads all selected items into ReaSamplomatic5000 on track.
	UCS Renaming Tool	Opens the UCS Reaper Renaming Tool
	Export time selection to video	Exports a video reference of the current time selection
	Export library sfx	Loads my render preset for library sfx items and exports items to my sfx library
	Export stems	Exports DX, MX, SFX, M&E, Master stems, plus a video reference all at once
	LKC Variator	Opens LKC Variator
	Automation: set track automation mode to trim/read	Sets selected track(s) to trim/read
	Automation: set track automation mode to read	Sets selected track(s) to read
	Automation: set track automation mode to write	Sets selected track(s) to write
	Automation: set track automation mode to touch	Sets selected track(s) to touch
	Automation: set track automation mode to latch	Sets selected track(s) to latch
	Automation: set track automation mode to preview	Sets selected track(s) to preview
	Automation: Write current values for all writing envelopes to time selection	Used when you want to write current values of write-able envelopes for a specific time selection
	SWS/BR: Toggle show all FX envelopes for selected tracks	Used to quickly show/hide any active FX envelopes for the selected track(s)
	Envelope: Toggle display all visible envelopes in lanes for tracks	Used to quickly show/hide envelopes
	Envelope: Clear or remove envelope	Removes selected envelopes

Main Toolbar

The main toolbar contains mostly program/project level actions and toggle-able settings.

Icon	Action	Description
	Project Settings...	Opens the Project Settings menu
	Auto Cross Fade	Toggles Auto Cross Fade Setting
	Item grouping and track media/razor edit grouping	Toggles
	Ripple Editing	Cycles Ripple Editing Modes
	Move Edit Cursor when pasting/inserting media	Toggles the option to move the edit cursor when pasting media
	Auto Group	Toggles Auto Grouping Setting
	Auto-view-scroll during playback	Toggles
	Link time selection and edit cursor	Toggles
	Move envelope points with media items	Toggles
	Grid Lines	Toggles
	Snap	Toggles
	Locking	Toggles
	Pre-Roll	Toggles
	Options: show fx inserts in tcp (when size permits)	Toggles
	Options: show sends in tcp (when size permits)	Toggles
	Mixer: show FX parameters (when size permits)	Toggles
	Peaks: toggle spectral peaks	Toggles
	Options: show all takes in lanes	Toggles take display
	Item edit: open/close nudge dialog	Opens nudge dialog to move items by a specific amount
	Insert empty item note	Custom action that inserts an empy item on the Notes track (in time selection)
	Edit cursor follows envelope drawing	Toggles a script that will automatically move the edit cursor when drawing on envelopes. Makes it easy to see video spotting when drawing envelopes.
	File...Clean Current Project Directory	Runs Project Directory cleanup
	NVK Takes	Toggles
	NVK Folder Items	Toggles

Essential Preferences Settings

Users can configure Reaper however they desire, however for Sound Design there are some basic settings that make sense to change from the default Reaper behavior.

Backup

Having robust backup settings is crucial for working with technology. Eventually something will go wrong at the most inopportune time. If you have Backups and Auto-Saves to fall back on, you”ll mitigate time and creative energy lost.

In Reaper parlance ‘Backups’ are copies of the .rpp project saved and timestamped whenever the project is manually saved. This also allows users to go back to previously saved versions.

‘Autosaves’ are .rpp project files automatically saved and created at set intervals of x minutes. I have mine set to automatically generate an auto-save every 5 minutes, ensuring I never lose more than 5 minutes worth of work in case of a crash.

Media Copying

By default, ‘Also copy media when pasting items into project’ is not checked. I often have multiple projects open at once and it’s very common for me to paste tracks or items back and forth between them. If this option is not checked, the media will reference the path to the original location instead of copying to the new project’s media folder. I always prefer to have all media required for a project to be present in that project’s media folder.

Video Spotting

By default, Reaper will seek video to the mouse position when dragging an item. Most sound designers working to picture are going to want the video to scrub to the start of the selected audio item they are moving. This setting will change that behavior.

Tiny Fade Off

In an effort to eliminate undesirable pops or clicks, Reaper has a default setting that enables “tiny fades” on playback start or stop. For sound designers working on transient material, this will absolutely kill any transient you monitor when starting playback. I don’t recommend ever having this feature enabled.

Editing Behavior

This is probably more subjective, but I recommend setting general Editing Behavior to the above for an intuitive editing experience.

Envelope Settings

The default per-take pitch envelope range is only 3 semitones. I recommend setting this to at least an octave to give more freedom for pitching items up and down with take pitch envelopes.

Folder Collapse

This one is fairly specific, but by default Reaper will cycle between three different track folder collapse states. I prefer for folders to simply switch between two: normal and hidden.  Furthermore, I set double clicking the track control panel (TCP) on folder tracks to switch between these two states, so I can easily hide or show tracks within a folder by double clicking the parent track.

Essential Project Settings

I have many project templates, but have Reaper configured to start with my default sound design template when creating a new project.

Below are some recommended Project Settings that I have set on my default template.

Set Apply FX/Glue, Freeze Format to 32 bit FP WAV

It’s nice to have Apply FX/Glue/Freeze renders at 32 bit in the case that clipping occurs and you want to pull the rendered item’s volume down to bring back your peaks.

Preserve Pitch When Changing Item Rate – Off

99% of the time when I am changing an item’s rate I want the pitch to change as well, so it’s nice to set this behavior as the default.

Essential Actions / Shortcuts

Basic editing

Because most of my previous experience was in Pro Tools, I essentially use a modified Pro Tools shortcut setup for navigation and editing. This includes most common Pro Tools shortcuts like r and t to zoom horizontally in and out, a and s for trimming the left and right edges of items, d and h to fade items in and out, etc…

Item/Take Manipulation – Volume, Pan, Pitch, Width, Rate…

There are various ways to adjust an item’s volume properties. For instance, a user could…

• Adjust the track’s volume automation for the duration of the item
• Adjust the item’s Active Take Volume
• Adjust the item’s Take Volume Envelope

I tend to avoid writing track based automation in favor adjusting an item or take’s properties directly. It’s much easier to edit and move items around when all corresponding automation is on the item itself, rather than the track.

Adjust take volume with mousewheel

I’ve created a Custom Action to turn up/down a take’s volume in 1dB increments when I hover over any item and press alt and scroll the mousewheel up or down. Below, you can see how to create a binary action by using Action: Skip next action if CC parameter > or < 0/mid. Luckily these actions work with MIDI and the mousewheel as well, allowing users to set one action when scrolling the mousewheel up and another action when scrolling the mousewheel down. This doesn’t have to be restricted to item volume either–users could set this to change a take’s pan or pitch instead.

Quickly drawing with item envelopes

I like to quickly draw with any envelope, track or take, by holding down shift, which will bring up my pencil tool to draw on envelopes with the mouse. This can be configured in the mouse modifiers.

Adjusting take’s pan, pitch, and width with take envelopes

I’ve found take envelopes to be the fastest and most responsive way to adjust an item’s pan, pitch, and width.

I have i set to toggle take volume envelope, p set to toggle take pan envelope, and alt+p to toggle take pitch envelope.

Volume, pan and pitch are straightforward, as there are built in take envelopes and actions to adjust those easily. However, there is no built in take envelope for width. To get around this, I wrote a simple and efficient JS plugin that controls stereo width from 100% to 0%. I then wrote a script that will add this plugin to any selected item(s) and display the width parameter’s envelope.

If I don’t want to use an envelope to adjust an item’s pitch, I can simply press ctrl+num(+) or ctrl+num(-) to adjust selected item(s) pitch +/- 1 semitone.

Adjusting item rate

There are many ways to adjust an item’s rate and depending on the context I will use one of the following methods.

Press shift+num(+) or shift+num(-) to adjust the rate +/- 1 semitone.

Alt+drag an item’s left or right edge. This is set in mouse modifiers.

Use stretch markers

Reach over to my hardware and play the keyboard (with any item selected)

Reach over to my Midi Fighter twister and turn the rate knob (with any item selected)

Additional Helpful Shortcuts

Mouse Modifiers

In addition to setting Actions to trigger from shortcuts, users can extensively change their mouse behaviors as well, modifying what happens when you click, double click, click and drag, in all sorts of contextual scenarios.

Media Mouse Modifiers

• Alt clicking on a media item to split it. (I picked this habit up from using Nuendo, and I think it’s much more convenient and fast than using ‘b’ to split)

TCP Mouse Modifiers

Scripts

SWS/S&M Extension

The SWS/S&M Extension is a popular and powerful add-on for Reaper that enhances the DAW with a wide array of additional features and functionalities Some standout features of SWS/S&M extension for me are:

Auto Color/Icon Layout

The Auto Color/Icon Layout feature automatically assigns colors, icons, and track layouts to tracks, markers, or regions based on user-defined rules. This feature enhances project organization and visual clarity by allowing users to set specific conditions that trigger the application of certain colors or icons. For example, I have all receive tracks auto color to green (a throwback to the green color of Pro Tools Aux tracks) and I assign folder and video tracks specific icons for enhanced visual separation and clarity. These rules are hierarchical, with rules above taking priority over rules below.

ReaPack

ReaPack is an extension for Reaper that serves as a package manager for installing, updating, and managing various scripts, plugins, and extensions created by the Reaper community. It provides users with easy access to a vast repository of tools and enhancements that can significantly expand Reaper’s capabilities. With ReaPack, users can browse, install, and update packages directly within Reaper, ensuring that they always have the latest features and improvements at their fingertips. This extension streamlines the process of customizing and extending Reaper, making it a powerful resource for users looking to tailor their DAW to their specific workflow needs.

BirdBird Global Sampler

Global Sampler creates an always recording rolling sampler that captures audio from wherever you put the plugin. I typically have the plugin instantiated on my Monitor FX chain, so it will capture all audio from Reaper, including the master track or media explorer outputs. It’s incredibly handy for grabbing snippets of audio when playing back files in strange ways or when noodling on a synth, sampler, or virtual instrument.

nvk Search

NVK Search provides fast and intuitive search functionality within Reaper, allowing users to quickly locate fx, fx chains, track presets, tracks, items, regions, markers, and projects. It’s an invaluable part of my workflow, especially for quickly adding fx and easily locating and opening projects.

nvk Workflow

I really like the nvk Rename script included in nvk Workflow. It’s powerful and easy to use, and the fact that it has UCS renaming tool inside of it is fantastic. The subproject and item reposition scripts included in this pack are also excellent.

ReaLearn2

ReaLearn2 is an advanced MIDI learning and mapping extension for Reaper, designed to enhance and simplify MIDI controller integration. I use ReaLearn2 in conjunction with my MIDI Fighter Twister to assign parameter control to elements in Reaper, as well as send MIDI back to the MIDI Fighter twister so that the LED feedback rings accurately display correct values, making the controller feel tightly integrated with Reaper.

UCS Reaper Renaming Tool

The UCS Reaper Renaming Tool by Aaron Cendan is an amazing web interface for Reaper that allows users to rename media items, markers, regions, or tracks with UCS compliant naming. Additionally, it supports creating and writing metadata that can be written into audio files on export.

Parameter History

Parameter history is a great script for tracking fx parameters across many different plugins. Each parameter also has convenient buttons to display the parameter envelope envelopes, open up the parameter modulation window, or MIDI learn the parameter. You can also pin parameters so they remain on the History pane, or are visible on the Pinned pane.

Track Snapshot

Track Snapshot can save snapshots for basically everything on a track including track parameters, fx, fx parameters, automation, items and item position, and more. I use it a lot when riffing on source and wanting to save checkpoints that I can go back to as the sound is evolving, maybe with different settings, more different plugins, or different content.

Hardware

Elgato Streamdeck

I have three Elgato Streamdecks: an original Streamdeck, a Streamdeck XL, and a newly acquired Streamdeck +.

I primarily use the Streamdeck XL to instantiate commonly used plugins in Reaper. I keep it near my left hand, right underneath my Midi Fighter Twister, and it’s insanely fast for adding plugins to tracks or items.

I just recently acquired the StreamDeck +, and I’ve primarily been using it to adjust application volumes in Windows via its dials. However, I did install this StreamDeck Midi Plugin, which looks very interesting.

Midi Fighter Twister

Last Touched FX Parameter

Adjusts the last touched fx parameter

Volume - Selected Track

Adjusts the selected track's volume.

Width - Selected Track

Adjusts the selected track's width

Pan - Selected Track

Adjusts the selected track's pan

Send 1 - Selected Track

Adjusts selected track's send 1 amount

Send 2 - Selected Track

Adjusts selected track's send 2 amount

Item Pitch - Fine

Fine tune adjustment of selected item's pitch

Item Rate - Fine

Fine tune adjustment of selected item's rate

Item Rate - Coarse

Coarse adjustment of selected item's rate

Item Pitch - Coarse

Coarse adjustment of selected item's pitch

Adjust parameter under mouse

Will adjust any fx parameter currently underneath the mouse cursor

Transport Scrub / Jog

Functions like a jog wheel

Move Edit Cursor

Mostly turn this wildly while playing content in order to get crazy skipping sounds.

Master Playrate

Controls the master play rate of the project.

The Midi Fighter Twister is a customizable 4×4 array of rotary encoders with LED rings for feedback. I use it in conjunction with ReaLearn2 to control specific track and fx properties. It can be a fun alternative to mouse editing/mixing and gives me tactile feel I sometimes crave when working with sounds. Because ReaLearn2 can send/receive MIDI it means the LED display rings on the encoders are always accurate and have seamless takeover when adjusting parameters.

The MidiFigher twister has four bank layouts, but I primarily use two. The first layout is my default layout and has knobs that adjust the current track’s volume, pan, width, send 1 and send 2 amounts, as well as knobs that adjust the selected items pitch and rate, and a knob that adjusts the last touched parameter. It also has a knob that functions just like the n0b where it will adjust any parameter the mouse cursor is over. All this is set up with ReaLearn2.

The second layout I use has encoders for easily assigning and adjusting fx parameters. I switch to this when making source and want to assign many different fx parameters from different plugins to various knobs so I can adjust them all in real time without bringing up the plugin windows. I have a hotkey that re-sizes the track to a specific height as well, so that visually, the track fx parameters display in a 4×4 grid (just like the layout of the Midi Fighter Twister). This makes it easy to glance at the track and quickly know what each knob controls.

Nektar Impact LX25+

I like to have a small MIDI keyboard at my desk, and this happens to be the one that is there at the moment. As long as it has some keys, a mod wheel, and a few pads, I’m generally happy. I use it to play synths, samplers, and virtual instruments.

Presonus Faderport Classic

I’m not typically mixing, so I don’t need 16+ faders at my fingertips, but I do really like having a controller with a single motorized fader on my desk. I use an older Faderport Classic. Sometimes I prefer writing volume or envelope automation with a fader rather than my mouse, and this is device has always worked great for me. Now, Presonus makes the newer Faderport, and there are other attractive alternatives like the pricier SSL UF1.

Theme

My current theme is a mod of the ReaArk v6 theme by ARKADATA. He graciously shared his Affinity Designer template for the theme, which I used to make modifications. I also created many of my toolbar buttons in Photoshop to match the look and feel of the theme.