7 pros and cons of MAKING BEATS IN REAPER 🎹 | Reaper vs. FL Studio, Ableton, Logic Pro

In this video I'm discussing pros and cons of making beats in Cockos Reaper from a perspective of using it as my main DAW for making beats for the past few years. I think that Reaper is a great tool for making beats, but it's not a typical choice among music producers. Want to see more Reaper related videos and tutorials? Consider subscribing!

STAY ON THE WAVE AND KEEP THE GOOD VIBES ALIVE! 🌊

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#wodzubeats #reaperdaw #musicproduction

🎛️ Studio gear I'm using:
- M-Audio Profire 2626 audio interface (studio interface)
- Focusrite Scarlett 2i2 Gen 3 audio interface (travel interface)
- Akai MPD218 (mpd 218) midi controller (travel pads)
- Nektar Impact LX25+ midi controller (travel keys)
- Presonus Faderport v2 production controller
- Adam A3X studio monitors
- Resident Audio M8 studio monitors
- Yamaha NS-M125 passive speakers
- Beyerdynamic DT 990 PRO 250ohm open headphones
- Audio Technica M30x closed headphones
- Yamaha MG 10/2 mixing console
- Unitra Fonica GS461 vinyl player
- VOX Valvetronix VT20+ electric guitar amplifier
- MXL 770 condenser microphone
- MXL 2006 condenser microphone

🎹 The instruments I'm using:
- Casio Privia PX-100 digital piano (my main studio keys)
- Roland JP-8000 digital analog synthesizer
- Unitra Estrada 207AR oldschool organ synth
- Ibanez RGIR28FE 8 string electric guitar
- Ibanez RG421AHM electric guitar
- Mayones (90s) electric guitar
- Tenson SG (my first electric guitar)
- Yamaha EG303 electric guitar
- Soundgear Ibanez SR300E electric bass guitar
- Yamaha RBX375 5 string electric bass guitar
- Jakubiszyn (late 80s) handmade electric bass guitar
- Gewa Tennessee acoustic guitar
- Harley Benton HBCE 830WH 4/4 electric cello
- Black Hawk HXDII electonic drumset
- DW3002 double bass pedal

📹 Video gear I'm using:
- Samsung Galaxy S10e (my main camera)
- Rode SmartLav+ lavalier microphone
- Giottos VT-805 professional video tripod
- Mitoya Easy Softbox
- 125W 5500K 7206lm Photographic Studio Lamp
- DJI Mavic Mini drone

🖥️ Main studio music production computer specs:
- i7-7700K CPU
- G.Skill Ripjaws V DDR4 16 GB 3200MHz RAM
- Gigabyte GA-Z270-Gaming K3 motherboard
- be quiet! Straight Power 11 550W power supply
- be quiet! Dark Rock 4 cooling system
- Zalman R1 computer case

💻 Travel music production notebook specs (HP 820 G3);
- i7-6500U CPU
- 16GB DDR4 2133MHz

🔌 Plugins I'm using:
- Cockos ReaPlugs (Reaper's stock plugins)
- ReaSamplomatic5000 (my main sampler)
- Air Music Technology Xpand! 2 Rompler
- Air Music Technology Hybrid 3 Synth
- Xfer Serum Wavetable Synth
- Native Instruments Massive Synth
- Sonivox Orchestral Companion Brass
- Sonivox Orchestral Companion Strings
- Sonivox Orchestral Companion Woodwinds
- iZotope Ozone 9 Advanced
- iZotope Neutron 3 Advanced
- iZotope Nectar 3
- iZotope Vocal Doubler
- iZotope Vinyl
- iZotope Trash 2
- iZotope Iris 2
- XLN Audio Addictive Drums 2
- Arturia Rev PLATE-140 Vintage Studio Reverb
- Variety of Sound epicVerb
- Waves Tune LT
- Neural DSP Fortin Nameless Suite Amp Sim
- TSE B.O.D. Bass Distortion Sim

💿 Software I'm using to make my videos happen:
- Cockos Reaper Digital Audio Workstation
- Sony Vegas Pro 13 Edit
- GIMP 2 Graphics Editor
- VidIQ (it's an online SEO tool)

Subscribe to Wodzu Beats to learn:
- how to make a beat
- how to make beats
- about the audio gear
- what's the best audio interface
- how to start making music
- how to compose music
- how to create music
- how to write music
- how to make beats from scratch
- how to produce
- how to record music
- how to record a song
- how to make songs
- whats the best daw for beginners

⌚ Timestamps:
0:00 My experience with DAWs
0:28 Price
1:21 Themes and customization
1:57 Drag and drop workflow
3:13 Reaper user community
4:20 No track types
5:20 Lots of VST plugins
6:07 Good MIDI editor
7:49 No VSTi instruments
8:18 Not an usual DAW, very little tutorials
8:33 Default theme
8:58 Too many options
9:15 Reaper needs personalization
9:46 Look of the VST plugins
10:04 No panning in the MIDI editor
10:36 A question for you

[dayman]

great video! reaper has changed the game for me, in terms of mixing, because of how well it handles CPU
I can have 50+ tracks with tons of processing on my 2015 macbook, no hiccups whatsoever!

[GrvMUSICU]

I don't use reaper but i really appreciate what customisation options it has to offer

[chayannalvarez]

You forgot one pro. The size of the software, it is so light and fast to upload...

[josuegonzalez]

Reaper has a Panning Function in the Midi Editor, I think the midi editor It's as good as FL, It has all the necessary fuctions that you need inside the Midi editor, you can change the mode below the screen from "Velocity" to whatever mode that you want, included "Panning" or "Pitch", and then, for instance you could change the Panning to each note of the Midi editor if you want!

[ElbowEddie]

This is the 3rd vid I've watched by you and liking your style a lot.
Yes I'm totally new to Reaper, been DAWless and without a PC for over 10 years, but since buying a cheap Pentium 7 I'm 85% sold on it.
Your vids are rapidly pushing it up past 90. Your comment about great community really done it for me and I feel it's because its cheap/free (I've still got my mask on lol, even though they do zero but allow me free evaluation for longer).

I just want to say I dig your direct, no nonsense and un-patronising method of delivery. I also love your grasp of English, it sounds cool and most importantly I can understand you easily. Even when you use wrong terms it sounds good haha. I think its because we are both street-geek and er, speak the same language metaphorically speaking.

So from Liverpool,
Peace and Thanks-
El

[EqDior]

Reaper definitely is the best daw out. My reason? No limitations! It can been any daw you want and more.

[roninenlightened]

The recessed UI is to consume less RAM. Utility over visuals.

Hope the Reaper team notes down your other pain points in the cons section of the video like the Panning option in the midi editor and addresses them in their next build update. Man those guys are fast in rolling out updates.

[timfuredi]

Same exact reason I love reaper 🔥Keep the good vibes alive 🔊loving the Blankfiles themes and the Fushion RJ Mod theme they are perfect.

[ThomasLoyd]

Love me some Reaper and glad you're sharing here too! Just subscribed and look forward to more from you!

[Mevzuderin]

Bro your videos are amazing.. I've watched a couple of your videos in a row now and learned some things that I didn't know about or didn't use yet..
Ofc there are other channels with tutorial videos that are also good but, the ones that you make like making beats and stuff like that are getting my attention more.
Plus all the other videos are also nice to watch.
I also want to say as a person who used flstudio for years, that this daw is just unbeatable in every aspect.. And guys like you make it even better by making tutorial videos so we can learn things.
Keep up the good work!

[dulistanheman]

Very honest review revealing Pros and Cons. I like that 😎. Subscribed.

[itsrasalhague]

Excellent video, Wodzu. I believe you have highlighted Reaper's important features and will surely convince other users to make the switch.

[cubasbeatproducer]

Reaper is the truth! I use fl studio which I love, but reaper is also amazing!

[teashea]

very good video - organized, articulate and informative - with nice production values ---- well done indeed

[djmouglie]

one of my farvorite features is the ability to record multiple sounds and playback sounds and samples on the same track. So i can record a vocal. Then just record another take on the same track at the same time and still play back the old one at the on top as im recording the new. Or drop in a sample and then drop in another sample on the same track and they both play back when overlapping. I might change it later when mixing, but when just building ideas this just mean i dont constantly have to make new tracks when ever i want to add or try stuff.

[a.u.]

pretty much it, everything u said is perfectly true!

[neoncut]

thanks for this overview. helps with making decisions 😁

[skk]

So I'm currently on the journey finding my new DAW. I was a heavy Pro Tools user, than Logic Pro X (bc of the stability) but ran out of options, it was very limited for me especially for the worklow when it comes to audio editing. Than Demo-ed Studio One, and it was not stable at all, some plugins were crashing which weren't at other DAWs. I alway make beats in Ableton, but for recording and mixing, I don't like it. Especially when it comes to multitrack recording and group editing. Not even Live 11 is there. So currently I'm on a journey with Reaper. I already spent 2 whole days customizing the actions, adding extensions and scripting it to the way I like it. I feel like I have to code my own DAW from an unusable template to get something that's usable in a professional environment. Pro Tools really sucked, and was time consuming in every way possible. I really love custom actions and the way you can fine-tune your workflow however you like it, but I just feel like I will keep using Logic Pro X till I'm at least 80% there with Reaper. It's not a DAW that's easy to switch to, more like a DAW that you build, get used to, and continue customizing probably forever :D

[rindrp]

I customized the midi editor to the point where I don't look back at FL anymore lol strum chords, make chord voicings of a guitar instantly make chord progressions instantly etc. maybe the slides and portamento function is the only thing missing lol hahaha

[paaao]

If you make beats in reaper and don't use the media explorer, and built in samplomatic, or know what those are, you will be thinking things are very hard for sure. I never personalized anything in reaper after switching to it from fl studio. I did however watch and learn how to use reaper, because it can do everything right out the box just as easily, if not easier.