Every song in our show has backing Some backings have many tracks some have none.
In all cases the backing is rendered out to a single stereo track. Backing on one side, click on the other.
I am reluctant to rely on Reaper to play a multitrack project else I could just route the click out of one output on my Focusrite 2i4 and have the backing in stereo out of the other output. But there is more.
Once I have output each backings to stereo, I created a new project for each set. Then imported the wav files for that set into a single track one after another, in set order and thanks to the SWS extension in Reaper I now have simple project that automatically pauses playback at the end of each song where i only need to tap the space bar to continue playback. With the added bonus of being a simple wav file to playback, not a multi tracked reaper project with VSTs and effects to generate on the fly.
Pausing playback with SWS in Reaper: Simply make a new marker where you want the playback to stop and in the text of that marker, enter
!1008
You need the SWS extension installed for this to work.
http://www.sws-extension.org/The advantage of this many fold.
First, it is trival for Reaper to play back wav files and my laptop sits around 1% CPU usage during playback.
Secondly is that on track 2 of that project I will have a simple midi track. No VST instruments, no effects. Just simple notes. Those midi notes will be 'routed' to DMX software called Freestyler which will in turn control our light show. That is with the wav files above, I'll be able to have the lights come on 'him when he is singing' or 'flash like crazy during the guitar solo' etc etc. This is system I'll be putting together over my upcoming holidays. I'll be following this video..
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pMv4qtCXhhYIn a nutshell as we play our backings, the light show will play what we have programmed in. Therefore every track we play, must have a backing track even if there is not parts on it.
So our backings are stereo with the music on one side and the click on the other. I wonder if Reaper can retrofit a click according to a loaded wav file. That would be cool.