Applying reverb in multi-channel using Reaper

Using the tutorial “Applying real-time reverb with Reaper,” I’ve twice failed to get the desired/anticipated results. I hope someone (who has the patience to read through this) can help me out.

I’m working in a configuration with 8 channels in 4 pairs. I use this configuration only with organs without surround. Channel pairs 03/04 and 05/06 send to my 4 front speakers. Each of those two pairs also has two auxiliary sends--one to channels 01/02, for headphones, and one to channels 07/08, which feed all pipes my rear speakers, at a reduced volume (just so that the space behind me doesn’t feel so dead).

So in 'General settings | Audio outputs' screen,’ I selected 'Hauptwerk AU/VST Link' as the audio output for all four pairs.

Then, on page 7 (that’s still at the start of “Creating a Reaper template project”), the tutorial says to load St Anne’s and:

“Turn on some stops and click some keys. You should
(a) hear the pipe sound through Reaper and
(b) see the level meters move in Reaper's tracks/mixer.”

(a) I heard sound--all stops, from both my groups--but through the headphone channels only.
(b) The meters for 01/02, 05/06 and 07/08 moved as expected, but the meter for 03/04 did not move at all.

Unable to find the cause, I decided to continue. (Eh! What the heck?)

In the middle of page 12 (this is just before you add ReaVerbate), the tutorial tells you to test, again, whether you’ve got sound and meter motion. Again, I had only headphone sound, but this time the meters for all four pairs were moving as expected.

I continued and added reverb—and was able to confirm, in the headphones, that that was working.

I pretty much just have to try to follow the instructions on this stuff--pretty clueless as to what's actually happening. But the only place where I didn't feel sure of what to do in this process was right at the beginning:

“Go to the 'MIDI OUT ports' tab. Make sure the MIDI ports that your MIDI organ console is connected to (if your console needs MIDI output for solenoid-actuated/illuminated tabs, etc.) are ticked for 'Console MIDI OUT'. 'Hauptwerk AU/VST Link ' should be ticked for 'Sequencer MIDI OUT.'”

I don’t need MIDI output for solenoid-actuated/illuminated tabs, so I left “Console MIDI OUT” unchecked. I’m uncertain whether the second instruction, regarding “HW AU/VST Link,” is also meant only for those with consoles with illuminated tabs. Is it? I tried it both ways without noting a difference.

Thanks.

-Tom

[mdyde]

Hello Tom,

But the only place where I didn't feel sure of what to do in this process was right at the beginning:

“Go to the 'MIDI OUT ports' tab. Make sure the MIDI ports that your MIDI organ console is connected to (if your console needs MIDI output for solenoid-actuated/illuminated tabs, etc.) are ticked for 'Console MIDI OUT'. 'Hauptwerk AU/VST Link ' should be ticked for 'Sequencer MIDI OUT.'”

I don’t need MIDI output for solenoid-actuated/illuminated tabs, so I left “Console MIDI OUT” unchecked. I’m uncertain whether the second instruction, regarding “HW AU/VST Link,” is also meant only for those with consoles with illuminated tabs. Is it? I tried it both ways without noting a difference.

In your case, you wouldn't need any MIDI output at all, so please just make sure that nothing at all is ticked on the 'General settings | MIDI ports | MIDI OUT ports' screen tab, for good measure.

However, I don't think that could be relevant to issue with audio routing.

(a) I heard sound--all stops, from both my groups--but through the headphone channels only.
(b) The meters for 01/02, 05/06 and 07/08 moved as expected, but the meter for 03/04 did not move at all.

Within Hauptwerk, have you set up both audio output 03/04 and audio output 05/06 within the same audio output group, i.e. within the default and only group? Or do you have each of the two in a separate audio output group, i.e. two audio output groups in total? (If the latter then you would also need to make sure that some ranks were routed to each group via the 'Organ | Load organ, adjusting rank audio/memory options/routing' screen.)

If in doubt, please use 'Help | Create a diagnostic file' and then send the resulting file to us ( https://www.hauptwerk.com/forms/support/ ) which will allow us to see/check your Hauptwerk audio settings.

(b) The meters for 01/02, 05/06 and 07/08 moved as expected, but the meter for 03/04 did not move at all.

Am I correct in understanding that:

- The horizontal track strips for the various audio channel pairs (down the left-hand side of the screen in Reaper), and vertical channel audio mixer strips (along the bottom of Reaper's screen) indicate signals separately (i.e. on different channel numbers) as appropriate, but:

- You're only hearing audio output from Reaper through your audio interface's channel numbers 1 and 2?

If so, you need to configure the desired audio interface channels for each of Reaper's channel strips in its mixer. (By default Reaper will mix the audio from all of its channel strips to the master strip, which will use the default audio interface channels, i.e. numbers 01/02.) I've just had a quick look in the current version of Reaper (since Reaper's makers change its interface rather frequently) and that's done by clicking on the dark grey 'ROUTING' button at the top of each of the channel strips along the bottom of Reaper's screen. See Reaper's own documentation for full details.

Thanks for your prompt reply.

I'm quite certain that routing of the “reverberated” signal from Reaper back to my audio device is where I need to make changes. Unfortunately, Reaper’s documentation and its Help are opaque to my 70-year-old eyes, and all my experimental changes to my "Project" have failed.

But this isn't your product so it's not your problem. I see in the Audio/Midi Interfacing forum that others have had trouble with the routing, so I'll take my issue there--which is where I meant to post this in the first place.

Thanks again.

[mdyde]

Thanks, Tom.

[I've moved this topic there now too.]

Hope you manage to get it working.