Reaper is a fully-fledged digital audio workstation (DAW) for under $100, and is totally a great choicefor users looking for a budget-friendly software that has the same capabilities of a more expensive DAW. While it doesn't come with a built-in sound libraries, Reaper is compatible with a range of file types.
Reaper is a versatile software which also provides a higher level of customer service support, with a vast online community, knowledge base and YouTube video tutorials to learn the software features and functioning. It features a 60-day trial, so you can test-run the software and see how you like it. It is also one of those rare softwares which provides free updates throughout the trial period.
Here are some MSP of Reaper -
1. VCA Grouping -
The new version has also added VCA functionality. Reaper allows you to do VCA Grouping. You can set a track to a VCA master and then other tracks to VCA slaves. You can do this by right-clicking on a track and choosing a VCA option, or you can set this up in the routing matrix window. So for example, the VA master can control the volume for the other slave VCA tracks. This has its benefits over the standard sub mixing auxiliary tracks. It’s worth investigating VCA mixing if you’re interested in this.
2. Video Editing Capabilities -
One of the biggest inclusions in Reaper 5 is its video editing capabilities. You can import a video into it, and from there you can slice up the video and move the new parts to different locations in your timeline. I find some other DAWs very limiting with their video capabilities, in that you can sometimes only have one video file in a project, and it definitely doesn’t give you the flexibility that Reaper 5 has.
3.Item or Take FX Automation -
In the previous version of Reaper, you could add envelopes to your items/takes. For example, you could add a volume envelope on the take and then automate it. But now in v5 you can add envelopes for your effects as well. So for example you can add an EQ and then add envelope automation for the low cut on the EQ. What I like about take automation is that it’s contained within the item, so if you moved it around in your arrangement, the take automation follows the item.
4. Re Scripting -
Reaper is known as a customizable DAW, and it’s still a big feature with version 5. Reaper has now expanded upon its scripting playabilities with its ReaScript. You can even build up scripts in LUA, EEL or Python and build anything from simple scripts to complex ones that can be used in your songs if that’s your thing.
The scripting can really help speed up and automate your workflow. For example, you could write a script using ReaScript that adds fade in and fade outs to all your audio items in your project with just a simple click of a script. So the possibilities are quite endless.