Reaper Project Setting...whats going on?

CoolCat

CoolCat

Well-known member
Im just curious when I set a Project Setting, for 24...44.1....or 24...96k....or 32FP 96khz....and in selecting FLAC or MP3 or WAV rendering...
What is really going on to the signal/ the "audio file"? Where is it stored and when read what is my interface doing?

Hard to explain, but if I record 1 Track, an acoustic guitar for example.... save as a project setting in 32FP 96khz for crazy example...SAVE AS CRAZY PROJECT GUITAR 3296
..then REAPER seems to save this audio file in 32FP 96khz...saves it somewhere.

and then somehow ...when I play this track later...the project settings load up and the audio file plays...
My audio interface changes its display to display whatever the Sample Rate is for the REAPER project file, without me changing anything,

and its all going from my USB cable to the audio interface...so is the interface converting or just aligning one to the REAPER?, or is there any conversion going on inside the Audio Interface?
is it true, my pc doesnt do anything and its only a storage and my REAPER is creating the audio/bit & sample rate and the audio interface is like a "language translator?"
 
Reaper is doing all the work translating the file format - first into its mixing format (64 bit floating point at the session sample rate) and then into the format that your audio interface needs. Some audio interfaces may have some built-in signal processing, but most don't, so all they do is convert analogue signals into digital in the format that Reaper asks for and then back into analogue for playback. One important thing to check is the sample rate conversion setting. The latest version of Reaper can now use the R8Brain Free algorithm which is better than Reaper's previous extreme setting and also much faster too. So it makes sense to use the R8Brain Free setting if you are either changing the sample rate or speeding up/slowing down any audio.
 
Reaper is software, it uses your PC's processor and memories to do the actual work, telling it what to do.
Your interface takes the digital signal (sent by way of your PC and Reaper) and converts it to analog audio so you can hear it.
 
jamesperrett said:
Reaper is doing all the work translating the file format - first into its mixing format (64 bit floating point at the session sample rate) and then into the format that your audio interface needs.
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What does "audio interface needs" mean?
Thanks for the response, Im trying to wrap my head around how all this conversion and playback works. (in novice level...im not a C++ major)

so going into REAPER.....Mic>sound> interface> usb cable> pc settings "recording"> REAPER Project Settings >
are you saying REAPER determines the bit/sample rate, and my interface and the little Windows settings w/Record tab doesnt really do anything to the bit/sample rate?

then into the format my Audio Interface needs...which I assume is for my interface 192k is the highest, but 44.1 48 etc works too.
but then what is the "need" for setting up the little Windows Playback Tab settings?

man this stuff is hard to even develop a question, in words, for me?
I tried a few youtubes but most get into clocking and all that and Im just trying to follow where my analog from the microphone goes through...and back....and which software is running what file...or geeez...lol
 
mjbphotos said:
Reaper is software, it uses your PC's processor and memories to do the actual work, telling it what to do.
Your interface takes the digital signal (sent by way of your PC and Reaper) and converts it to analog audio so you can hear it.
Click to expand...
thanks.
so maybe one confusion Im getting is I have REAPER and can set Project Settings .......and I can play it and record to REAPER.
but then why do I need the SOUND SETTINGS in Windows...if Reaper is doing it all?
 
Do you mean Playback?

So playing a REAPER track or stereo , my interface detects the REAPER Project Setting of that audio track and it plays fine.

The little display on the interface matches whatever the REAPER project setting is, so James saying REAPER is doing all the "work" seems to be working. My interface follows whatever REAPER throws at it.

But then I wonder what is the Windows Settings doing to the signal ? or maybe Windows Audio Settings are not doing anything? because Im playing back through Reaper thru the pc hardware to the USB cable to the interface to my speakers/headphones. Does REAPER ignore the Windows Audio Settings, or are these drivers for the interface? yikes! Am I going into a black hole! lol

Everything seems to be working, I can playback audio and I can record tracks.......Im just curious whats going on in the interface and computer, converters and drivers and PCM FLAC BITS AND SAMPLES?
 
CoolCat said:
Do you mean Playback?
Click to expand...
not that i know of
CoolCat said:
my interface detects the REAPER Project Setting of that audio track and it plays fine.
Click to expand...
yay
CoolCat said:
The little display on the interface matches whatever the REAPER project setting is, so James saying REAPER is doing all the "work" seems to be working. My interface follows whatever REAPER throws at it.
Click to expand...
thats the spirit
CoolCat said:
But then I wonder what is the Windows Settings doing to the signal ? or maybe Windows Audio Settings are not doing anything? because Im playing back through Reaper thru the pc hardware to the USB cable to the interface to my speakers/headphones.
Click to expand...
You will need to monitor the track correctly. Otherwise it wont sound right.
CoolCat said:
Does REAPER ignore the Windows Audio Settings, or are these drivers for the interface?
Click to expand...
if you set them that way.
CoolCat said:
Am I going into a black hole!
Click to expand...
yes
CoolCat said:
Everything seems to be working, I can playback audio and I can record tracks.....
Click to expand...
yay
 
LazerBeakShiek said:
yes
Click to expand...
to the black hole... does one go?

so if I havent rendered anything, only set the project settings for example....24/ 44.1.... that Reaper project file is 24/44.1 forever? and if I Render the tracks to 24/44.1 WAVE...it wont be upsampled or down graded by the Windows settings?

for example: if Windows Sound Settings are in the Advanced Tab- properties are set to 16/44.1 Recording and Playback...

are you saying the Windows settings wont have any effect on playing back the file?
 
In most cases with a simple audio interface setup (i.e. not multiple pieces of hardware with S/PDIF or AE3 connections), the audio interface will detect the bit and sample rate of the stream being sent through it and adapt its function accordingly. Even when using the interface for non-recording purposes, it should just switch to whatever is being sent through it.

Sometimes if you use your interface for non-recording functions (e.g. Windows notification sounds) while you're recording, it can cause problems. I suspect the Windows audio settings just specify what bit/sample rate Windows uses. It may be that if that matches your normal recording settings you might have fewer problems with Windows messing with your interface while recording. I mostly just have Windows use the built-in audio I/O and do my recording stuff on the audio interface.
 
If you have Reaper set to use the ASIO driver it will ignore the Windows settings. ASIO is a direct link to the hardware.

As for the question about whether your interface sets the sample rate or whether Reaper sets the sample rate - the answer is that it depends. It mainly depends on your Project Settings. If the box in the top left corner of the Project Settings dialog box is ticked then Reaper will set the sample rate for your interface but, if it isn't, Reaper will work at the same sample rate as your audio interface's current sample rate.
 
Greatly appreciated the info!

My Reaper System is set for ASIO.
I do have the Reaper Project Setting box checked and made sure the Windows Sound is set to "No Sound."

I feel a bit clearer on the settings now. Also a bit less confused with the Windows Properties settings too, seems thats not really doing anything at all if Im in Reaper files playback.
 
CoolCat said:
to the black hole... does one go?

so if I havent rendered anything, only set the project settings for example....24/ 44.1.... that Reaper project file is 24/44.1 forever? and if I Render the tracks to 24/44.1 WAVE...it wont be upsampled or down graded by the Windows settings?

for example: if Windows Sound Settings are in the Advanced Tab- properties are set to 16/44.1 Recording and Playback...

are you saying the Windows settings wont have any effect on playing back the file?
Click to expand...
Render your tracks to 16/44.1 for burning to CD or for playing in most audio playing software.
 
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