Pinky
and The Brain...
Your first step could be to reinstall windows, apply all available windows updates, install latest drivers for the laptop, and latest drivers for your audio interface being used with the laptop. Do NOT install anything else (extraneous software). The more crap you have running, the more things you have looking for software updates randomly, etc the more likely something might try to execute in the background at the worse time (when you're trying to get a recording done).
If that alone doesn't resolve the problem then check back here and with a fresh install baseline it will be easier to assist. Additionally, there should be a guide somewhere that explains how to adjust the audio settings within Reaper (which works in tandem with the audio interface's drivers) to reduce latency and dropouts. It sounds like you're getting dropouts, so as previously suggested you would start looking at buffer size adjustment to address that issue directly.
Most audio card troubleshooting is a "change settings, test" situation. Expect to make a few changes and do a few tests until you iron the issues with the laptop out.
Regarding the amp sims/VSTs, you need to adjust the settings within the VST just like you would on your physical amp. The presets are just that - presets. Too much treble? Then turn it down. Too much fuzz? Turn down the gain and/or swap pedals/distortion effects. The amount of control you have is pretty remarkable once you understand how the amp sim works. Like I said prior, if you can't find an acceptable tone for noodling it's because you're either not trying or don't understand what to do. Both are hurtles you can choose to overcome. ;-) But first you obviously need a computer that doesn't dropout before you can get any meaningful work done. To put it another way, you're trying to race but the car keeps stalling every 100 meters. Fix the car's issues, then you can learn to race it.
If that alone doesn't resolve the problem then check back here and with a fresh install baseline it will be easier to assist. Additionally, there should be a guide somewhere that explains how to adjust the audio settings within Reaper (which works in tandem with the audio interface's drivers) to reduce latency and dropouts. It sounds like you're getting dropouts, so as previously suggested you would start looking at buffer size adjustment to address that issue directly.
Most audio card troubleshooting is a "change settings, test" situation. Expect to make a few changes and do a few tests until you iron the issues with the laptop out.
Regarding the amp sims/VSTs, you need to adjust the settings within the VST just like you would on your physical amp. The presets are just that - presets. Too much treble? Then turn it down. Too much fuzz? Turn down the gain and/or swap pedals/distortion effects. The amount of control you have is pretty remarkable once you understand how the amp sim works. Like I said prior, if you can't find an acceptable tone for noodling it's because you're either not trying or don't understand what to do. Both are hurtles you can choose to overcome. ;-) But first you obviously need a computer that doesn't dropout before you can get any meaningful work done. To put it another way, you're trying to race but the car keeps stalling every 100 meters. Fix the car's issues, then you can learn to race it.
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