Reaper FX Chain Tutorial for Beginners

Then look for “VST: ReaComp (Cockos)”. Select and click OK.

4.) On the Reaper compressor, simply select the preset “stock-Modern Vocal”.
5.) Lastly, you will add the Reaper reverb. Click “Add” again and select “VST: ReaVerbate (Cockos)”. Click OK to add to the chain.

6.) Select “insert-Live Vocal” preset on the reverb effects.

Finally you have three effects on your vocal FX chain. They are EQ- Compressor and Reverb, see screenshot below:

7.) To make this as a permanent vocal FX chain that you can use in your other tracks or in your other Reaper mixing projects, simply click “FX” and click “Save FX Chain”. See screenshot:

8.) You will then ask to provide a filename, select one that you can easily remember and describe exactly what the FX chain is all about. For example; vocal_effects_chain_reaper

By default it will be saved in the Windows application data folder in this path:

C:Docments and SettingsYour Windows UsernameApplication DataReaperFXChains

You can save it at that path. You have completely created your first Reaper FX chain.

How to use and load a Reaper FX Chain

OK now you have created an FX chain, how you will be able to use it? Refer to the steps below:

1.) Supposing you are now mixing lead vocal tracks #2 and you decide to use the same effects with lead vocal tracks #1 for consistency. To get started, click FX on lead vocal tracks #2.

2.) Click “FX Chains” on the category of effects. See screenshot below:

3.) On list of the FX chain, select the one you have created earlier and click OK. See screenshot below for the FX chain that is selected and to be added:

4.) That’s it. Lead vocal track #2 is now having the same FX chain as lead vocal #1.

To completely implement the settings, simply save your Reaper session (File – Save Project)

Other Important things that you should know

1.) If you are editing an existing effects chain, you should be saving it as a new FX chain (following the same procedures illustrated previously); so that you won’t be overwriting your previous stable FX chain.

2.) You can choose to save a single effect in the chain as the FX chain itself. For example, you would only be using EQ as an effect for the rest of the vocal processing.

To save time, you will only be using this EQ as an FX chain. To do this, select EQ from the existing/currently loaded FX chain and then go to “FX” then select “Save selected FX as chain”. See screenshot below:

This is not only useful for mixing vocals but it can be used for any audio mixing process like guitars, drums, bass, etc.

Content last updated on July 24, 2012