Digital Audio Workstation
Using REAPER with your PC or Mac, and no other software, you can import any audio and MIDI, synthesize, sample, compose, arrange, edit, mix, and master songs or any other audio projects.

If you add a hardware audio interface and a microphone, you have a complete professional quality recording studio, suitable for recording anything from a soloist to a band to an orchestra.

The best way to understand what REAPER can do is to try it for yourself. There is only one version of REAPER, used by home hobbyists and high-end professional studios alike. Evaluate the full version of REAPER with no obligation for up to 60 days.

The free User Guide and helpful user forum are always available if you need a hand.

Record

Record and overdub audio and MIDI. The number of simultaneous recording inputs is limited only by your hardware.

Record directly to any of a dozen supported audio formats, at any sample rate or bit depth.

Any track can record audio or MIDI input, or record that track's processed audio or MIDI output.

Record multiple takes or layers, overdub, punch in and out, or record in a loop.

Record arm and disarm tracks without stopping playback.

Record directly to stereo, surround, or multichannel audio files, before or after effects processing.

Monitor inputs with or without software FX.

Set up multiple monitor mixes with separate FX processing.

Tape-style varispeed recording and playback.

Record simultaneously to multiple disks for redundancy and scalability.

Produce

Drag and drop to import, arrange, and render.

Freely mix audio, MIDI, video, still image media on any track.

Easily move, split, glue, resize, trim, loop, time stretch, pitch shift, fade, crossfade, slip, snap to grid, without switching tools.

Intuitive zoom, scroll, scrub, jog, tab to audio transient, MIDI navigation.

Simple and powerful nested folder system allows group editing, routing, bussing, all in one step.

Open multiple projects simultaneously in separate tabs.

Full automation recording, playback, and editing support for track and media item take controls and plug-ins.

Easily manage tempo, time signature, and varispeed changes.

Separate audio or MIDI into freely arrangeable takes and lanes for easy comping.

Easily copy or move regions, to quickly try out alternate arrangements.

Thorough and flexible multichannel support. Each track supports up to 64 individually routable channels.

Transform

Insert almost any third-party audio or MIDI plug-in: VST, VST3, VSTi, DX/DXi (Windows only), AU/AUi (OS X only), JS.

Apply FX in real time, or non-destructively render FX output.

Real-time network FX processing: use other local machines as an FX farm.

Includes the JSFX audio and midi plug-in scripting engine, and hundreds of user-programmable effects.

ReWire (audio and MIDI) any capable application for even more flexibility.

Automatic plug-in delay compensation (PDC).

Industry-leading performance and multiprocessor utilization.

Native bridging and firewalling: run 32-bit plug-ins in REAPER x64, maximize RAM utilization, protect against and recover from plug-in crashes.

Sidechain any plug-in, even if the plug-in does not natively support sidechaining.

Real-time pitch shifting, correction, and time stretch. Includes multiple pitch/timestretch engines including Elastique 3 Pro.

ReaSurround included, for spatial visualization and processing of stereo, surround, or multichannel audio (up to 64 channels).

Special-use plug-ins to virtualize outboard hardware, manage MIDI signals, stream audio, connect to NINJAM servers, and more.

Customize

Thoroughly customizable appearance - change colors, icons, toolbars, layouts, almost anything. Switch between multiple layouts as needed for different tasks.

REAPER's outboard windows can be shown, hidden, docked, or displayed on a separate monitor. Save and recall screensets for different tasks.

Almost anything that REAPER can do, literally thousands of actions, alone or in sequence, can be triggered by a keystroke, toolbar button, or external controller.

Easily extensible. Develop simple macros or complex extensions in Lua, EEL, or Python.

Deeply extensible. Includes an integrated development environment for composing, editing, and testing ReaScripts.

Intangibles

REAPER starts and loads fast - be ready to record in just a few seconds.

Nearly everything can be done on the fly while playing back or recording - adding/removing FX, editing, editing other project tabs.

Portable - put REAPER in your pocket and run it from a USB key or other removable media.

Tightly coded - installers are around 10 MB, updates usually install in less than a minute.

Rapid, efficient development - new features and optimizations are added quickly and often.

Very active, enthusiastic, and helpful user forum, get help quickly.

Fantastic and readable user-created user guide.

An honest business model that aims to provide the best possible user experience.

REAPER 5.0:
REAPER 5.0 contains many under-the-hood optimizations and improvements, in addition to the many items listed in the full changelog.

As always, we will continue to introduce improvements, optimizations, fixes, and major new features throughout the version 5 release cycle.

New in Version 5

FX:VST3 support, sample-accurate automation for VST3 and JSFX, FX browser improvements.


ReaScript:API and scripting improvements, including a built-in development environment for creating and debugging scripts in LUA, EEL, or Python. Create anything from simple macros, to complex new functionality.


Control grouping:Flexible, automatable VCA control. Link groups of track controls together at any point in the signal flow.


Video:Many improvements to video support and performance, including real-time programmable track and item effect processing.


FX parameter automation:Full automation and MIDI/OSC learn support for per-take FX, improved FX envelope and modulation management via the Project Bay, increased automation recording speed.


And more:New GUI layouts, Media Explorer improvements, metronome beat patterns, Opus support, MIDI note-off editing, new volume envelope modes, new actions and API functions, and many other fixes and improvements.

Technical
Readable formats
ACID, AIFF, AVI, BWF, CDDA, EDL, FLAC, KAR, MIDI, MOGG, MOV, MP3, MPEG, OGG VORBIS, OGG OPUS, QT, RADAR, REX2, SYX, W64, WAV, WAVPACK, WMV

Writeable formats
AIFF, AVI, BWF, CD ISO (CUE/BIN), FLAC, MIDI, MOV, MOGG, MP3 (with freely available encoder), OGG VORBIS, OGG OPUS, W64, WAV, WAVPACK

Hardware
Audio systems supported:

• ASIO
• Core Audio
• WASAPI
• Kernel Streaming
• Legacy Windows audio
• Dummy audio

Up to 512 remappable channels of audio input and output.
Up to 62 MIDI input and 64 MIDI output devices.

Outstanding multiprocessing capabilities for systems with 2-16 (or more) cores.

Generate or synchronize: SMPTE MTC, SMPTE LTC, MIDI Clock, or ASIO Positioning Protocol.

Control Surfaces
Built-in support for :

• BCF2000
• TranzPort
• AlphaTrack
• FaderPort
• Baby HUI
• MCU
• Automap 3.0
• joystick

Configurable MIDI assignment for most track/transport controls, all plug-in controls, and any action or custom action.

Configurable 2-way OSC support.

Open control surface API; user-developed extensions available for other control surfaces.

ReaPlugs
Included 64-bit audio plugin suite :

• ReaEQ : unlimited multiband EQ
• ReaComp : highly configurable compressor
• ReaXComp : unlimited multiband compressor
• ReaDelay : unlimited multitap delay
• ReaPitch : multivoice pitch shifting
• ReaTune : highly configurable tuner, also supporting automatic and manual pitch correction
• ReaVoice : MIDI-controlled multivoice pitch shifter
• ReaFIR : FFT-based EQ and dynamics processing
• ReaGate : Noise gate with MIDI trigger output
• ReaVerb : convolution reverb engine
• ReaVerbate : algorithmic reverb
• ReaVocode : basic vocoder
• ReaSynth : basic synthesizer
• ReaSamplOMatic5000 : flexible sample player
• ReaSynDr : basic drum synthesizer
• ReaSurround : spatial surround panner

Special-use ReaPlugs

• ReaControlMIDI : flexible MIDI track controls
• ReaInsert : virtualize external hardware effects
• ReaNINJAM : connect to NINJAM servers
• ReaStream : stream audio and/or MIDI to other REAPER instances over LAN/WiFI

JSFX scriptable audio/MIDI plugins
64-bit audio processing, sample-accurate MIDI processing, sample-accurate automation.

Resolution, accuracy, and processing capabilities identical to any commercial plug-in.

Hundreds of JSFX plug-ins included with REAPER, including JSFX versions of real commercial plug-ins.

Fully user-scriptable, edit existing plug-ins or create your own from scratch.

Create and edit plug-ins on the fly, without interrupting audio playback.

JSFX integrated development environment included for composing, debugging, and testing.

Create plug-ins for anything: audio effects, utility tasks, one-offs, even visualizations and games.

Hundreds more user-created plugins available on the REAPER user forum and resource stash.
Built-in signal processing

Built-in samplerate conversion included, ranging from high quality Sinc interpolation to lo-fi point sampling.
Pitch shift/time stretch engines included:

• Élastique 3 Pro/Efficient/SOLOIST
• Élastique 2.28 Pro/Efficient/SOLOIST
• SoundTouch
• Fast windowed-shifter
• Dirac LE (Windows 32-bit only)

Élastique Pro and SOLOIST engines support shifting pitch while preserving formants.
All rate conversion and pitch shift/time stretch fully support multichannel audio.

Video
Support decoding video files using :

• AVFoundation (OS X 10.7+)
• FFmpeg 1.2.x (minimal subset included)
• VLC 2.0.x-2.2.x (not included)
• DirectShow
• Quicktime
• Built-in GIF and JPG/PNG decoders

Support for encoding video using :

• AVFoundation (OS X 10.7+)
• FFmpeg 1.2.x (minimal subset included)
• Built-in GIF encoder

User-programmable video processors, with included presets for :

• Track opacity
• Item fades
• Deinterlacing
• Auto-crossfade
• 2x2 matrix
• Wipes
• Stage lighting
• Motion detection
• Pixelate
• Chroma-key
• Vignette
• Text titles

Video processing supports YV12, YUY2, and RGB colorspaces.


Windows 32-bit
REAPER v5.0 - 8MB
Windows XP/Vista/7/8/10


Windows 64-bit
REAPER v5.0 - 10MB
Windows XP/Vista/7/8/10 x64



OS X 32-bit
REAPER v5.0 - 13MB
OS X 10.5-10.10


OS X 64-bit
REAPER v5.0 - 14MB
OS X 10.5-10.10


More INFO: Cockos | Reaper | Full Changelog

 

Cat, tell me why, oh why did you steal this news from Mild Pump Milk?
Thank you, man.

 

Amazing news, amazing DAW

 

Oooh, lordy! Mein Gott im Himmel! Molto grazie! Here goes . . .

 

Very Nice! My favorite DAW! Thank you everyone!

 

Oh no! The x64 is 10mb. 2 digit! This is bloat!! hehe.

I love this software.

 

very well presented!

 

Thanks For The Info Catalyst , Reaper v5 very impressive DAW , Small In Size & Beast In Performance

 

v5.0 - August 12 2015
+ API: added Envelope, Tempo Map, Project Extension State, improved MIDI and Toolbar APIs
+ Actions: added propagate take and propagate item actions
+ ASIO: support for up to 512 channels of input and output
+ Automation: increased automation recording speed by 3x
+ Automation: internal changes and performance improvements to FX parameter automation
+ Automation: more consistent behavior when changing FX preset
+ Automation: new volume envelope mode that mimics track fader scaling
+ Performance: updated default worker thread scheduling logic for lower CPU use
+ Performance: disabled anticipative FX processing on tracks with open MIDI editors, by default
+ Performance: automatically disable anticipative FX in routed-to tracks for open MIDI editors
+ Configuration import/export: optionally include media explorer databases
+ EDL: support for VIDEO media type in Vegas EDL TXT
+ FX: per-take FX automation and parameter modulation
+ FX: browser smart folders (filter-folders)
+ FX: browser options to view JSFX by description and/or filename
+ FX: support for parameters with inverted ranges
+ FX: VST3 support, including sample-accurate automation
+ FX: inform VST plug-ins of offline rendering state, by default
+ FX: duplicating Take FX copies channel counts
+ FX: user-adjustable parameter modulation LFO phase
+ JSFX: sample-accurate automation support
+ JSFX: added support for inverted slider ranges
+ JSFX: editor improvements (scrollbars, multiple editing panes, Ctrl+Mousewheel font size change)
+ JSFX: fixed potential crash from gfx_circle() with bad parameters [p=1467110]
+ Localization: language packs can specify scale for dialog windows using (for example) 5CA1E00000000000=xsc ysc
+ Localization: all codec (wav, video, mp3, etc) dialog boxes and related strings can now be translated
+ Localization: new template LangPack
+ MIDI: do not automatically enable MIDI vol/pan faders when creating MIDI-only sends/receives [t=94841]
+ MIDI: note-off velocity support in piano roll and list view editors
+ MIDI editor: added mouse modifiers to edit note edges ignoring selection
+ MIDI editor: changed default note edge mouse modifiers to match default media item edge modifiers
+ MIDI editor: optionally display project tempo and time signature markers in the ruler
+ Media Explorer: added option 'Play through selected track'
+ Media Explorer: search in subfolders
+ Media Explorer: improved accessibility/tabbing navigation
+ Media Explorer: fixed various UTF-8 issues on Windows [issueid=5271][issueid=5062]
+ Media Explorer: fixed issues when using preserve-pitch and tempo-match options
+ Media Explorer: fixed MIDI/OSC action binding
+ Metronome: configurable beat patterns
+ Metronome: improved count-in behavior/quality
+ Mouse: ignore mouse wheel on all faders, by default
+ Multichannel media: support Ambisonic WAVE_FORMAT_EXTENSIBLE .wav files
+ Multichannel media: improved zero crossing navigation
+ Multichannel media: improved tab-to-transient behavior
+ Multichannel media: improved support for chained OGG Vorbis files
+ Opus support: full decode/encode support for OGG <a href="http://www.opus-codec.org">Opus</a> files
+ Project Bay: new tab for managing FX parameter envelopes, modulation, and MIDI learn
+ Project Bay: fixed replace FX in project [issueid=5324]
+ Project Bay: fixed source/item/fx deletion and undo issues [issueid=5315]
+ ReaPlugs: improved touch-automation behavior for various check/combo/edit controls
+ ReaPlugs: improved ReaInsert behavior in many real world scenarios (PDC, looping, heavy load)
+ ReaScript: integrated development environment (IDE) for running, editing, debugging scripts
+ ReaScript: IDE supports syntax highlighting, multiple editing panes, watch lists, structure matching, and more
+ ReaScript: integrated Lua 5.3 scripting support
+ ReaScript: EEL and Lua scripts can query various information (incl. MIDI/OSC input values) via get_action_context()
+ ReaScript: EEL/Lua graphics/UI API (gfx*) extensions
+ ReaScript: toggle state support (script toolbar buttons can have on/off states)
+ Ripple editing: removing time in one-track and all-track mode better respects timebase:beats preferences for markers, items, and envelopes
+ Ruler: improved display for frame grid and HH:MM:SS:FF
+ Ruler: absolute frames time display mode
+ Stretch Markers: improved behavior when changing tempo map/moving items across tempo maps
+ Default theme: extra fancy new theme
+ Default theme: many layout choices for different uses (small, large, meters, live recording, media, item)
+ Default theme: better track panel and item tinting appearance
+ Theming: added theme tweak window (and removed outdated preferences pane)
+ Theming: improved theme color tinting support (requires 'version 5' in rtconfig, themes can override tint/peaks preferences via rtconfig 'tinttcp' and 'peaksedges')
+ Theming: scrollbar_2 and scrollbar_3 images can override scrollbar images for arrange and MIDI editor respectively
+ Time Map: better behavior when changing time signatures
+ Time Map: improved behavior when inserting/removing time in project (fixed auto-create of new time signature markers)
+ Time Map: improved time signature behavior when moving/copying regions
+ Toolbars: up to 16 general and 8 MIDI toolbars
+ Track grouping: VCA slave track group setting
+ Undo: options to include envelope point selection in undo state
+ Undo: improved FX envelope undo behavior
+ Video: massive improvements to video support
+ Video: allow user configurable video decoder priorities with per-file-extension controls
+ Video: configurable video output display latency
+ Video: dockable video window
+ Video: per-source option to not decode audio for video files
+ Video: pooled audio decoders, reducing RAM use for heavily edited videos
+ Video: project framerate is used instead of media framerate to determine display timing
+ Video: projects can now specify preferred video width/height/colorspace, resizing options
+ Video: real-time programmable (EEL) effect processors insertable as track and item FX
+ Video: support for AVFoundation video encoding/decoding on OSX 10.7+
+ Windows: fixed color picker potentially appearing offscreen

my old thread:
https://audiosex.pro/threads/reaper-5-0-in-process-now-released.15753/

 

Last edited: Aug 13, 2015

I have been loyal to cakewalk since v2. I ditched it last month for Reaper, the volkswagon of DAWs.

 

thanks for the extensive review

 

Oh no, my licence is dead, I have to buy a new one. Last time I paid $60 and I was supported with updates for 5 years. That's only $1 a month

 

Last edited: Aug 13, 2015

Thanks to everyone for their kind words. I'm really glad that you enjoyed my post.

Someone would have undoubtedly posted it anyway and I just wanted to deliver the news to you guys as soon as I was aware of the release especially since we were one of the first forums to do so. Big thanks to mild pump milk who kept us updated on all the progress leading up to the final release of this amazing DAW. Another big thanks to lerkjurk for his contribution of the interview video with the developer and his initial post. Teamwork.

 

Equally as good as what it can do, is the price it does it for.

"Purchase a REAPER License
A new license includes free upgrades through REAPER version 6.99. There is only one version of REAPER. The license price depends on how you use it.
$60 : discounted license.
$225 : commercial license.
You may use the discounted license if:

You are an individual, and REAPER is only for your personal use, or

You are an individual or business using REAPER commercially, and yearly gross revenue does not exceed USD $20,000, or

You are an educational or non-profit organization."

Best value DAW on the planet for home/bedroom producers to use.
Still bloody good value for anyone who makes money from it as well.

 

Not having a set of cursored editing tools just kills it for me.. unless im missing something.. having to keyboard shortcut or do things via menus sems so cumbersome compared to using mouse tools in other daws.

 

What are "cursored editing tools", anything on youtube showing me what you mean ?

 

Just your normal selection of cursor functions, select, split \ cut, mute, draw etc..

 

I think i'm gonna give reaper 5 a try...see what the fuss is all about. I have a logic template that I never want to lose, but I admit I'm tired of the crashing it does sometimes. Definitely will need a new skin for reaper however. So if someone could point me to some great themes, I'd greatly appreciate it. I particularly like the one in the original post. Easy on the eyes. Thanks for the update Cat. You're the man. Pump mild Milk as well. The joint effort to deliver us recent audio news is appreciated.

 

Last edited: Aug 13, 2015

Yeah sure. I mean if you were gonna cut something in Studio One, you'd just press 3 and then click. If you're gonna do it with a key combo, you'd have to... click and then... press a key.

Come to think of it, isn't that the same number of steps?