Noob to DAW recording and Reaper

gama

Hi

I have taken the plunge after over 30 years of playing guitar mainly to try and improve my wifes opinion and description of my playing  to all of our friends and relatives  as sounds like " strangling of numerous cats " all at once...

I have already got a Zoom G3 and Yamaha THR10C so I have downloaded the Reaper trial version and have tried to record by adding a backing track . But it seems however I try I can record my guitar okay but I have been trying to record the  backing track and my guitar playing simultaneously but it does not work . I have been using either of the devices listed as audio interfaces between guitar and laptop . Should I purchase an additional interface ?

Am I missing something ? Actually listening  back to my guitar playing on its own my wife probably has a point so any help would be greatly appreciated 

Take care

G

spark240

Need more info dude, when you say it doesn't work ? How you attempting to record the backing track ?

digitalscream

gama said:

I have been using either of the devices listed as audio interfaces between guitar and laptop .

...what are those devices? You should have more than two...I suspect this might be the root of your problem.

BahHumbug

Hmmm, according to the zoom website, the G3 will behave as a 2 in/2 out recording interface. "Just plug in via USB". So fundamentally all you need is the guitar and the G3 (and some cables). You don't need more gear. I'm not a Reaper user though, so I can't help much more. In Cubase you have to configure it tell it which ASIO device to talk to for input and output. Then you also have to assign your recording device input and output channels to Cubase input and output buses before you can get your sound routed to a recorded track.

kin

Is the backing track on your computer?

if so, click on insert and then media file, click on your backing track from the list and then click open and it should open up in Reaper.

You can then overdub your playing on top rather than try to play and record your backing at the same time.

gama

Hi

I have tried to use both the zoom G3 and then the Yamaha thr for effects not at the same time both record the guitar parts and in both cases I can record the backing track file which is just an MP3 backing track . But I was hoping I could like the old days when I would switch my amp on play a record on my record player and then tape the whole piece with a tape recorder

It would appear that you can't do that is that correct

Cheers for all the help appreciate it

G

digitalscream

Right, so just drop the MP3 backing track into Reaper - all you need to do is drag and drop it into a new track in Reaper, then record your guitar on another track. Job done.

The trick will be getting the output from Reaper through your G3, which should just be a case of installing the G3's ASIO drivers and selecting it as the audio interface in Reaper.

gama

Great does that mean you have to record separate tracks the MP3 and then the guitar and then mix render ?

Cheers
G

horse

gama said:

Great does that mean you have to record separate tracks the MP3 and then the guitar and then mix render ?

Cheers
G

To create your final mix, yes. Although you don't really need to 'record' the mp3, just drag it in

gama

Ok thank you all again for your help will try again tonight

Bod

digitalscream;1018838" said:

Right, so just drop the MP3 backing track into Reaper - all you need to do is drag and drop it into a new track in Reaper, then record your guitar on another track. Job done.

Doesn't Reaper need the mp3enc.dll to be copied into the application folder in order to play MP3, or is that just for rendering to MP3?

digitalscream

Bod said:

digitalscream;1018838" said:

Right, so just drop the MP3 backing track into Reaper - all you need to do is drag and drop it into a new track in Reaper, then record your guitar on another track. Job done.

Doesn't Reaper need the mp3enc.dll to be copied into the application folder in order to play MP3, or is that just for rendering to MP3?

The clue is in the name - mp3enc.dll. That's just the encoder; Reaper has native decoding of MP3s, I believe

Bod

The clue is in the name - mp3enc.dll. That's just the encoder; Reaper has native decoding of MP3s, I believe

Haha, good point.  I couldn't remember because I've been using the same application folder for Reaper since V3.  I copied the .dll in there years ago and never needed to do it since.

dilbert

digitalscream said:

er; Reaper has native decoding of MP3s, I believe

@digitalscream, I don't think it does, bro. From memory I think you have to download Razor Lame and put it in the Reaper folder in Program Files. Been a while since I have used Reaper though.

digitalscream

dilbert said:

digitalscream said:

er; Reaper has native decoding of MP3s, I believe

@digitalscream, I don't think it does, bro. From memory I think you have to download Razor Lame and put it in the Reaper folder in Program Files. Been a while since I have used Reaper though.

It has native decoding, but if you want to render stuff as MP3 then you have to use LAME. The decoding support will be installed in Reaper unless you uncheck it during the installation process.