Freeze not working !

[BriamJH]

The Freeze option in Reaper seems very simple indeed. However, when I try to use it, it simply does not work. I click in the track TCP, go to Track/Render Freeze and Freeze to mono. Nothing happens. I tried also using the FX display for the track and r-click on the lowest level FX. Again, on choosing Render Freeze and choose Mono, nothing. How can I be doing something wrong with such a simple command ???? Thanks in advance for any help. Brian

 

[spantini]

Post up BEFORE & AFTER freeze pics of the tracks. Depending on which and how many FX are on the pre-freeze track, the Freeze track should look nearly identical - only the FX button will no longer be highlighted because after the FX has been printed in the freeze process, the FX plugins are removed to reduce CPU usage.

Here's a track I froze. The frozen render pops in above the original. Two noticeable differences I see on mine are a larger waveform and the FX is removed.

 

[BriamJH]

I have attached pre- and post- freeze screenshots. There is no difference as the track did not freeze. When I click on the FX icon after my freeze attempt, the FX show as in pre-freeze. Also, if I try to unfreeze, the unfreeze option is greyed out (as expected as the track did not freeze). I did not get a separate "frozen" track. I simply cannot understand. Is it possible that I have selected or de-selected an option somewhere which prevents freezing. I really appreciate your help. Brian

These screenshots look different from that actual screen shots which I took and have saved. I hate to be a nuisance and I hope they have transmitted properly.

 

[DM60]

Here is what my freeze track looked like.

You probably don't need it, but for reference:

 

[BriamJH]

Something else I am noticing: the freeze function seems to work on some projects and not others ! I have not had time yet to figure out any differences in approach etc. which I have used. However, in those cases where the freeze does work, I do not get a separate frozen track. I retain the original track with the FX icon dimmed.

 

[spantini]

Which version of Reaper are you using?
Which one of these options are you using to freeze?
Are you freezing a MIDI track?

Render will freeze and add the post-freeze track to the screen. Freeze will freeze but not add the post-freeze track to the screen. Either way though, when I use any of these 6 options the FZ on the pre-freeze track grays out.

 

[BriamJH]

My version is V6.83 (I downloaded anew V6.83, but it made no difference). I click Freeze tracks to "mono (render pre-fader....)". All but one of my tracks is audio. I have MIDI drums.
I am now working on a project. The MIDI track will not freeze, but a small number of the audio tracks will freeze. I have frozen an audio track with 2 FX on it and another track will 2 FX will not freeze. I am truly perplexed.

 

[spantini]

This seems to be a case where Reaper's multiple ways of performing an action might be the cause.

How are you accessing the Freeze menu? Are you right-clicking the Track Control @ screen left? Or are you first opening the track's FX window, then right-clicking within that window? Freeze works differently with each. One can produce the situation you have - freezing without adding another track and leaving FX button highlighted (FX active).

 

[BriamJH]

I have tried both ways. The tracks which freezes work using both methods. The other tracks will not work using either. This seems very strange indeed. I certainly appreciate your expertise. Brian

 

[DM60]

I have tried both ways. The tracks which freezes work using both methods. The other tracks will not work using either. This seems very strange indeed. I certainly appreciate your expertise. Brian

OK, so you have some tracks that will freeze and some that won't? If that is true, then please tell us what VST or VSTi's you are using. The problem might be in that.
Or, in other software, if you are routing from one track to another track, the receiving track can't freeze, it is not the owner of the source. If you want the output frozen, then you will need to record the source track to the target track. That I could see being why it won't freeze.

 

[BriamJH]

Two of my non-freezing tracks were recorded using the mic. I have just tested two tracks recorded via mic and have added an EQ FX to each track. One freezes and the other will not freeze. I have recorded an organ using my keyboard as MIDI using an organ plug-in. This will not freeze. I have installed MT Power drums. These individual tracks will not freeze, nor will the top track. I have tried almost all of my tracks, but I cannot find a pattern. As I had not mixed yet, none of the tracks had FX (except for MIDI, of course). I added the same EQ to each tested track. Some would freeze and some not - just no obvious pattern. It is very frustrating.
Other than having folders, there is no routing. I have tried with the child tracks - same results.

 

[spantini]

The method of freezing - the specific menu used for freezing will alter the way FX is handled in the process. When using the FX window menu, plugins which are highlighted dictate which FX plugins are frozen - if any. This allows all plugins to be rendered and frozen OR only selected plugins to be rendered and frozen, which leaves the unselected ones active and the FX button highlighted on the track control.

I think we need to run through your process one step at a time from square one, disregarding all previous tracks - beginning with an empty track screen.

1. Add a new track
2. Record a short bit of anything W/O FX - i.e. silence; audio; midi; drag/drop an mp3 - whatever
3. Add any single FX plugin by right-clicking the FX button on the track control

We'll begin with that.

 

[BriamJH]

I will most certainly do this. However, I have been at this all day today and am getting rather tired (I am 79 years old!). I will start this first thing tomorrow morning. Please believe me when I tell you that I really appreciate your help. Brian

 

[spantini]

Always happy to help. Love a good mystery. Can be tedious, but unless someone has the solution right off, we need to dive deeper.

If you will post full screen Reaper pics of each step, that could give a clearer position.

Like this :



Not like this :

 

[BriamJH]

I have done what you suggested. Started a new project, recorded a few guitar chords and froze the track. Dumb (?) question: can rendering a track be used in the same way as a frozen track i.e. can I add other FX after rendering. ( I don't understand - the screenshots which are attached here seem shorter than the screenshots I saved and attached. Can you see my full screen shots.

 

[DM60]

Once you render or freeze (freezing is just a quick render), it is just another processed wave file. What is there can't be changed except to render another version if you have the original source.

 

[BriamJH]

Many thanks. I'm learning all the time !!

 

[DM60]

Many thanks. I'm learning all the time !!

One thing you can do is, if you get freeze working correctly, you can route that channel to another channel and further process it. The "receive" channel can't freeze, but you can further process the sound. This is really good for MIDI VSTi's that are CPU hogs. You can process the basic track and then manipulate it in other channels/tracks. I rarely go this extreme, but it is another way of keeping CPU usage down and still processing the sound on the fly.

 

[spantini]

( I don't understand - the screenshots which are attached here seem shorter than the screenshots I saved and attached. Can you see my full screen shots.

Your attached screenshots widen out when clicked on, showing the full image. Though they're still not the full Reaper screen from top to bottom - side to side as seen on your monitor.

Is freeze working for you now?

 

[BriamJH]

Summary: (A) last week I applied Rea Comp and Reatune to track 1. I was unable to freeze it. (B) On Monday of this week, I tried to freeze track 1 and it WORKED!! Having listened closely to the track, I had to go back and make a minor tweek. I un-froze the track. I made my tweek. (C) I tried to re-freeze the track, but it would not work. (Monday). However, this morning all of the tracks which I tested (which is most of them), froze and un-froze just fine.
This is totally illogical. Frankly, I simply want to give up on this strange behaviour. If I cannot freeze (in this project) I will very carefully check the track and then Render it when I am fully satisfied with the track.