CreatorsWiki

From CreatorsWiki

These are basic guidelines as to how to use Reaper when Authoring. This document does not cover all of Reaper's commands or functions, but rather provides tips to get started and how best to use this program for our specific purposes.

Contents 1 Other Reaper Information 2 Installing Reaper and the RBN Script 3 Importing and Exporting Audio 3.1 Importing Audio Files 3.2 Exporting MIDI Files 4 Tempo Mapping 5 Creating a Count-In in Reaper 6 Authoring 6.1 Drawing MIDI Notes 6.2 Moving MIDI Notes 6.3 Navigation 6.4 Zooming 6.5 Checking Consistency 6.6 Copy/Paste 6.7 Soft Synths 6.8 Overdrive 6.9 Text Events 6.10 Lyrics

Other Reaper Information

• Reaper Key Shortcuts This page has all the Reaper RBN specific shortcuts, plus a link to a handy .pdf reference.
  
• Reaper for Beginners Chil wrote an excellent post with some very basic information about Reaper and Digital Audio. We'll add to this page as we find more helpful topics for you.
  
• Reaper for Macs There are some specific settings and issues when using Reaper on a Mac.
• Reaper Actions Actions are a very powerful way of customizing and automating behaviors in Reaper.

Installing Reaper and the RBN Script

The installer for the most current version of Reaper can be found here: http://www.reaper.fm

After Reaper has been installed, you will then need to run the Custom RBN Script. This will install our colormaps, text event list, custom key commands, RB Preview Window, and change certain settings within Reaper for optimal use when authoring for RBN. The RBN Script can be found here: http://creators.rockband.com/tools/download

Note: Please close all other audio applications before installing Reaper, including any audio extensions that run in the background, as this can sometimes interfere with the Reaper installation

Importing and Exporting Audio

Importing Audio Files

Reaper refers to all Audio, Video, and MIDI files as Media Files.

To import Audio Files:

• Make sure that the blank Audio Track at the bottom of the template is selected. If the Audio Track is not selected, the Audio file will not import to the proper track.
• Select Insert>Media file. From there, navigate to where your Audio files live and select them.

Exporting MIDI Files

When you're ready to test out a part in game, you must export your MIDI file. When doing this in Reaper, take the time to make sure all of the export settings are correct.

To export MIDI Files:

• Select File>Export project MIDI. This will open a dialogue box that reads Consolidate MIDI.
• Under Consolidate Time select Entire project.
• Under Consolidate MIDI items select All.
• Use Browse to navigate to where you want the MIDI file saved to.
• Under Consolidate Output select Multitrack MIDI file and Embed tempo map.
• When all of these settings are correct, the dialogue box should look like this:

Tempo Mapping

Tempo mapping is the first step in the authoring process. It determines the track speed and how rhythmically accurate the notes will be on the track. We use the count-in in your Backing Tracks, and the Kick Drum Track to determine tempo. In the past, this has often been a painstaking task, but with Reaper the process has been simplified by a couple of Quick Keys.

To Create a Tempo Track:

• Select your backing tracks.
• The Tab command allows you to move from transient to transient. Using Tab, move the cursor to the beginning of the first transient in the second bar.

• Once there, use the Shift+Left Arrow command. This will slide the cursor to the left, highlighting the waveform as it moves.
• When the entire bar is highlighted, use the Alt+Shift+C command. This will change tempo, based on the length of the bar.
• Next, Tab to the first transient of the third bar.

• Once your cursor is there, use the Q command. This will change the tempo based on the length of the bar, without having to highlight back to the beginning of the previous bar.

• After you have the count-in bars set, select the Kick Drum Track, and use Tab to move the cursor to the beginning of the first transient in the third bar and use the Q command again.
• Repeat as needed throughout the song. If the tempo of the song is relatively constant, you should only have to use the Q command at the beginning of each bar. If there are major tempo changes in the song, you may have to use the Alt+Shift+C command to set up the tempo map for the drastically faster or slower section.

If, when creating a tempo track, there is a change in meter (ie: 4/4 to 3/4), Tab to the beginning of the next bar, and use the T command, instead of Q. The T command works in the same way as Q, but will bring up a dialogue box, with spaces to enter the new meter. This will adjust the meter of the song, while preserving the proper tempo. As long as the meter of a song stays consistent, there is no need to use the T command. It is strictly for adjusting to a time change.

Creating a Count-In in Reaper

Before you render your audio parts down for use as in game stems, you're going to want to add a Count-In to the beginning of your Tracks file. There is a tool in Reaper that will do this for you programmatically.

• Once you've set the tempo for the first two bars, use the Shift+K command to automatically generate a Count-In. When the Shift+K action is used, there will be a few things you will need to do:
  • Place the Edit Cursor at Beat 1 of Bar 2.

• You will be prompted to Import a file to the project. This refers to the sample you wish to use for the Count-In. As mentioned in the Mixing and MIDI Set Up doc, the count-in can be just a basic sample, or a snippet cut from the Cymbals Tracks. You will have to do this prior to using the Shift+K command.

• Select the file you wish to use. Reaper will then place your count-in on a new track in the “One, two, one, two, three, four” style. It is good to note that the automatic count-in command will only work with songs that are in 4/4. When creating a count-in for songs in other meters, you'll need to do it the old fashioned way.
• Make sure that once your count-in is in place, Render it out into the Tracks file for use in game.

Authoring

The RBN Template has been set up to cut down on any authoring confusion. All MIDI notes that are not needed are hidden. All MIDI notes that are needed are named and properly labeled. Note names can be seen on the left hand side of the MIDI Editor, as well as on the notes themselves.

Drawing MIDI Notes

There are a number of ways to draw and move MIDI notes in Reaper. First of all, the Snap to Grid functionality is already toggled on, so all notes will be written on a grid line. To Draw a note the size of the smallest grid unit, Double Left Click. If a VST Softsynth is assigned to the track, the first click will produce the pitch of the note about to be written. To Draw a note with duration, use Left Drag.

Moving MIDI Notes

To select multiple MIDI notes at a time, use Right Drag. When a note/notes are selected, the can be moved by Left Clicking on a note and Dragging. Also, Num 6/Num 4/Num 8/Num 2 can also be used to move selected notes one grid unit Right/Left/Up/Down.

Navigation

Navigation throughout the MIDI Editor window can be accomplished in a number of different ways. The cursor can be stepped through the grid using the Ctrl+Left Arrow/Right Arrows command.

Scrolling horizontally through the MIDI Editor is easily done by using the Shift+Mousewheel command. If you want to jump to a certain section of notes, use the Right Drag to select the notes you want to hear, and the use the L command, the cursor will jump to the left of the selected notes, or simply Left Click where you want the cursor to be.

Zooming

If a wider view of the MIDI Editor Window or Project Window is needed, Ctrl+Mousewheel will zoom vertically and Alt+Mousewheel will zoom horizontally.

Checking Consistency

Wondering if a Green/Yellow chord is the same at bar 12 as it is at bar 32? Select the first chord, and use the Alt+Spacebar command to hear the chord. Then, scroll to the second chord, select it and use the same command. It's a fast, easy way to compare notes and chords on the fly.

Copy/Paste

There are a number of different contexts and methods in the authoring process for copying and pasting notes.

• Copying sections of notes within a song: When copying identical note/chord patterns from one part of the song to another, we have a few options.
  • If you're copying from one bar to the next, the easiest way is Right Drag, to select the notes you wish to copy, then use the Ctrl+Left Drag command to copy and drag these notes to the desired spot.
  • If you wish to copy a larger section of notes to a different part of the song, it's best to use the Ctrl+C command to copy selected, then Ctrl+V to paste the notes at the appropriate measure.
• Reducing parts to easier difficulties: When ready to reduce notes for easier difficulties, select the notes you want to move down, and use the Alt+C command. This will take any notes you have selected and drop them down one octave to the next difficulty. The cursor doesn't even need to be at the head of the selected notes.
• Copying notes from Expert to Left Hand (LH) Animations: To copy notes from the Expert parts down to Animations, use the Shift+C command, and all the selected notes will be copied into the bottom of the Animations section of your MIDI file.
• Deleting Double Notes: It is very easy, when authoring songs to end up with double notes. Double notes occur when a note is directly on top of another note, or overlapping another note. Double notes will cause the game to spit out Notifies, so we want to make sure that we get rid of them. Generally, one will not be able to see when a double note occurs, so when finishing a part, before testing it, select all using the Ctrl+A command, and then use the Shift+D command. This will remove all notes that are right on top of one another. If, after doing this, Notifies still appear, scan through the MIDI part, and look for notes that may be overlapping.

Soft Synths

As mentioned in the Authoring Docs, using a Soft Synth on a given part, to check the rhythm, or in the case of vocals, the pitch of one's work, can be very helpful. Reaper treats all Plugins the same, whether they are fx or synths.

To turn a synth on:

• Left click the fx button on the part you wish to add it to. This button is located on the Mixer at the bottom of your screen. This will open a window with a list of Plugins that Reaper recognizes.

• Left click the Add button and the select the plugin you wish to add to the track. For the purpose of authoring, we would recommend using ReaSynth. It is a simple Soft Synth, consisting of basic sliders. Even if you don't know anything about sound design, you should be able to create a sound that works for you with just a few minor tweaks.

• After making a patch, it can be saved by clicking on the + sign above the parameters.

NOTE: The RBN Installer comes with preset ReaSynth patches for each instrument's track. Feel free to edit them to best suit your preferences.

Overdrive

As mentioned in the Authoring Docs, when authoring Overdrive, you will need to have multiple MIDI Parts open within the same MIDI Editor Window.

To Open Multiple MIDI Parts:

• Using Ctrl+Left Click select MIDI Items PART DRUMS, PART BASS, and PART GUITAR.

• When all three parts are highlighted, use the Ctrl+Alt+E command to open all selected MIDI items in a single Editor Window. When you have done this, all three MIDI items will be visible. The part that is on top will be colored, while the parts underneath will be grayed out. Parts can only be edited when they are on top.

• If you then draw an Overdrive Phrase in the top window, then use the U command, Reaper will burn that phrase through all opened MIDI parts, creating a Unison Phrase.

• When you have written all of your Unison Phrases, you can then use the Alt+N command to cycle through the open parts to add single instrument Overdrive Phrases.

Text Events

Text Events are set as Markers at the bottom of the MIDI Edit window. As described in the Authoring Docs, we use these to control play states, animations, directed cuts, etc.

To enter a Text Event:

• Double click in the Text Event Window on the gridline where you wish the event to occur. This will open an Edit Text Event Window.
• Type in the text event you wish to place (ie: [play]), or select it from the drop down menu and select okay.

Lyrics

Lyrics will make up a large portion of the text events in a Rock Band MIDI file. For more information on how Lyrics should be formatted, please see the Vocal Authoring doc.

Lyrics can be imported from a plain text (.txt) file directly into your Reaper project. Before importing, be sure to format your lyrics correctly for the game, and separate each syllable with a space, including any plus signs you'll be using (like this: sep- ar- ate each syl- la- ble + + with a space) To import lyrics select the notes in your vocal part, and run the action "Import lyrics for selected notes from file" (Mapped to Shift+L in the RBN Keymap) This will import your lyrics and align them with the notes you've selected in your vocal part.

Once you're imported all the lyric events for your song, you may realize that you've forgotten some lyrics or plus signs. If you need to make any changes, you can make room for more lyrics, or move back other lyrics after a deletion by shifting your lyric events. To shift any selected lyric events, highlight them and hit < for a left shift and > for a right shift. This will shift all lyric events forward or backward by one vocal note.

You can then add any additional lyric events you need by double clicking in the text event field to add a text event manually. Be sure to set the text event type to "lyric". You can then align any remaining lyric events by highlighting them and running the "Align all selected lyric events with notes" action (Mapped to Shift+A in the RBN Keymap). This action will align the selected lyric events to the closest vocal note.