Recording song sections with Fixed Item Lanes - REAPER 7

The new track lanes feature is a fantastic alternative to recording into takes on items.
If you didn't know, setting the track to Fixed item lanes is like being able to record or play different versions of a track, and gives you tools (comping) to easily cut up a composite version from multiple lanes. As you record new lanes are automatically added as needed.

But there's a trick to using it to avoid lane switching previous sections as you record takes later in the project.

It's actually so simple, just keep comping active as you record into new lanes in new sections of the project. I'm making this tutorial because I found this unintuitive at first. I think of Comping as an editing function, but for lanes behavior that make sense for tracking session, this is the best way.

I think this is important to know for all users that want to take full advantage of Fixed Item Lanes in real world recording situations like vocal production, instrument tracking, and voiceover/dialog recording.

Thanks for watching!

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[MesaMXR]

Just wanted to say that I'm glad you're one of the eight people on YouTube who hasn't gone with blue/ magenta background lights

[moonsofmoons]

I had given up on using lanes vs takes because of this behavior. Now I can try lanes again! Thanks.

[raylixirmusic]

Thanks for the video! Just watched a few tutorials on the subject, I fail to see how this new behaviour is better than before with takes, especially regarding some of the downsides you mentioned. It surely is interesting to keep original lanes, I'm used to creating a copy of all takes and hide that for the visible channels.

[thefakeguitarplayer]

They should make it a preference to "Switch to Comping Mode after recording"

[PeteHorm]

I created a new track template that had 3 fixed lanes and an empty comp lane. I right click a fixed lane and set it to record, and then record my bass. Do that for the next 2 fixed lanes and then fill the comp lanes with the best parts of the 3 tracks. That seems to make the most sense for me and my simple brain.

[MusicByIanLtd]

I'm gonna guess this will be changed in the future (or we will have an option to lock the previous comp area while staying in comp mode) so that it will not affect anything previously comped.

[russell]

I may be an oddball but, this makes total sense to me. Reaper plays the last thing you recorded so jumping to the latest lane where audio was added makes sense. In my head, the comp lane acts as a bin where all your final audio for that track goes. So it can jump around all it wants while I record because I am going to comp or move everything I want to hear into the comp lane and and select that lane to play. All items I have previously record are still there and I can do whatever I want with them.

TL:DR You record into the numbered lanes. You comp into the “C” lanes. Your comp is the final output so select it when you are done recording on that track.

[vetramiga]

it seems like this is a way to sort of copy the comp system that logic and cubase have, but it's just implemented awkwardly. i really love how fast and light weight reaper is, and it's my go to laptop daw when i'm not at home... but the option paralysis factor in this software gets so mind bending when you have to find 5 different actions or toggles to make something behave a certain way. i get that this lets anyone use it _exactly_ how they want, but, it can also feel a little limiting sometimes when you have to find videos and forum posts to get anything set up in said specific way.

[gasperettiarts]

I watched the video just before going to bed, so maybe I'm just tired, but I found it quite confusing. I'll watch it again tomorrow

[dashobradors]

Thanks for the explanation! This will be helpful

[vaderihg]

Thanks for creating this great channel!

[links]

"so, lets TAKE a look" should´ve been "so, lets fixed item lanes a look"

[Al-yglt]

I tried this new approach and it has some pros like enabling multiple layers at once i.g. for composing doubles (one can have multiple comp lines), but it seems to me quite cumbersome and clumsy. The old take system has its problems, but it still feels more handy. It would be good to hear your eventual opinion about usability of this feature and some advice to use it more efficiently.

[joelschwartzmusic]

I'm trying to understand the use-case for fixed item lanes. It seems like it's very similar functionality just with more steps. I guess I'll keep watching as things progress, but for my workflow, I think takes still would be faster and make more sense. What am I missing?

[DaniloRod]

I've been watching your preferences windows and I love the colors (black, gray and red). Where can I tweak them? Theme adjuster is just too primitive at this moment.

[deanc]

Question: Why not just stay with the old take system from Reaper 6? What is the advantage of learning this new system?

[suniso]

I'm still having trouble understanding why lanes mode is better than the old takes system. The only advantage I saw so far is less mouse clicking to comp takes (the swiping tool is always active, like in Logic). I'm sure I'm missing something though, can somebody chime in? I was perfectly happy with the take system recording and comping (still use it in v6), I did upgrade my license to v7 and would like to use new features if they make the workflow more efficient. On a different note I was expecting lanes to include tracks, where I could quickly change between fx chain A with track contents A, fx chain B with track contents B and so on.

[TazzSmk]

I'm still trying to grasp whole concept of fixed lanes to be used in multitrack recording+editing scenarios, such as whole band, or a drum kit - in which cases you may or may not want comp area grouping; of what I understand so far is, item grouping makes no longer sense and track grouping should be used instead, since comp areas themselves are being groups on their own

[joshguitarreiru]

I might be wrong but from your example it does not seem to change the comp, but change which lane is being active. Is that correct? So the previous comp is not lost, but just not played. I need to try it though.

[AmiliaCaraMia]

The fact that fixed lanes continuously alter previous items is what really tripped me up at first.

Also is there a way to collapse / remove all lanes when you're done with a comp rather than going through and deleting all of them? Generally when a comp is done, I don't really want to keep the other lanes / takes.