Assignments for Reaper Advanced

Critical Listening

Assignment 1: EQ-based Polishing

Eq is very often used to sculpt a sound by making its best characteristics stand out and toning down or eliminating the clutter, i.e. that which doesn't contribute to what you, the engineer, like about the sound. You may also have recorded or produced a sound in which some areas of the spectrum are too predominant and, in this case, eq is used to tame those areas. .

Download this Reaper project file, which comprises a track with two items. Listen critically to both items and try to make the first sound as close to the second as possible using eq.

Consider:

• The areas of the sound's spectrum that need attention.
• The type/s of filter you need to use.
• The width of the band/s required to affect the spectrum correctly.
• if applicable, the amount of gain that needs to be applied, either positive or negative.

Submit your project file to the email address provided for course contact.

Optimizing Reaper

Assignment 2: Importing the Keymap and Installing Reapack

Consulting the relevant wiki articles, import the keymap we will be using for this course and install and configure Reapack.

Once done, look through the new actions, which you will find at the top of the actions list, and effects that have been added and pick a maximum of three that you believe might be useful to you in your Reaper work. Discuss these in class or, if you are unable to attend class, please email your findings.

SWS

Assignment 3: Snapshots

Download this zip file, which contains the tracks for a composition by Andre Louis.

First, create a default snapshot before you make any changes. Then, create as many different mixes as you like, changing the parameters that are covered by snapshots and saving each version of the mix as its own snapshot. You may make major or minor changes.

Please do not change any item properties or delete any tracks.

Once you have produced at least two versions of the mix plus the default snapshot, please email your project, without the music files themselves, to the usual address. Be sure, however, to include any impulses if you use them, though this is not required.