Hi i have the reference track on its own track..i can't just solo it as I have effects on the master and it also gets affected

inside its routing i removed it from the master

but how will i be able to hear it now?

i need to be able to solo it...and hear it (without it being affected by the master)

 

Simple solution: route all the tracks you're mixing to a final sub group and move all the master FX to this subgroup.

 

Create a new track & name it Mix Bus. Place mix FX here.
If you have folder tracks, while holding the alt/option key, click the routing button to remove assignment to Master Track.
Next, click the routing for each folder track create a new send to the Mix Bus track.

Any tracks outside of a Folder Track get the same treatment.

 

thanks guys will try both!! although i think u said same thing, will experiment, cheers!

 

Additional tip: learn how to work with the Routing Matrix (ALT+R or View - Routing Matrix). If you have a lot of tracks/groups it's cumbersome to individually route them, the Routing Matrix allows you to do it a lot quicker.

There's a Reaper tutorial video that explains how to make a headphone mix, which is essentially routing audio to a separate track. Highly recommended: http://reaper.fm/videos.php#OnrUgyfn3Ag

 

Way too complicated:

1. move reference track to top
2. create a new track below it
3. on new track place cursor over the small folder icon on the lower left corner which then turns to a + sign and click on on it -> all tracks below are now in this new track, no re-routing needed at all.
4. move all master FX to new track

Done

 

Last edited: Apr 8, 2021

If you are not familiar with how Reaper uses routing, this is straight forward and easy.
A more advanced method is selecting tracks with Ctrl+click, Alt/Option clicking one of highlighted tracks routing to remove parent assignment. with tracks still highlighted, Shift+click on one of the tracks routing, drag & drop on created Mix Bus track.

The easiest is to position the created Mix Bus track above all other tracks & turning it into a folder. This method can have adverse phase issues depending on processing on individual tracks in my experience.

I personally have multiple sub-mix bus tracks to separate vocals & instruments. These then feed into a Mix Bus.
Only plugin(s) on Master track are usually advanced metering and sometimes a limiter if needed to catch small peak spikes.

 

Meldaproduction MCompare
Sample Magic Magic AB 2

 

While these are choices one can use, the simplest option is to have a separate track with reference material & use Exclusive Solo to switch between Mix & Reference. This only requires a keyboard shortcut of Ctrl+Alt/Cmd+Opt while clicking the solo button of either track.

You would also have the benefit of of saving this setup with a Project or Track template.

 

You mean there could be a difference between FX processing in a final subgroup (folder track in Reaper) and the mainout??? How's can this be possible?

 

Ha, that's even better than my suggestion!!!

Spoiler

fuck you

@samsome we have a new Best Answer.

No tutorial necessary, I just applied it in a few seconds.
- Just click on ROUTE,
- deselect Master send.
- click on Add new harware output and select the same as on the Master ROUTE, mentioned at the bottom.

 

Haha, tell that to Kenny Gioia

 

Mate, I meant this, done myself now.

 

haha great! thanks guys

 

don't know what you are reading, but no. Clearly the aim is ti compare the Reference track against the Mix Bus track which is pre-Master.

Many top mix engineers that are referred to here do it this way. Similar to having a separate Print track.

 

I don't really understand what you meant with this either. Do you mean that a folder track is more prone to causing phase issues than a bus track? I don't think that there is any significant differences between a folder and a bus in Reaper, but I haven't read much about it so maybe there is!

 

As stated, "can have" not, "will have".

Even using one track with an FX & using the blend/parallel control in the Reaper FX window can cause phase issues depending on the plugin used.

This unwanted anomaly 'can' be exaggerated when using the JS Splitter(s) with compression & Eq. Latency compensation could be one factor. Another is the way the signal gets combined.

Using separate tracks for processing is always a good idea in any DAW even when the plugin has a mix/parallel function.
That being said. Some of the better coded plugins work fine with internal mix/parallel.

I also keep reverb & delays on separate tracks feeding into the Mix Bus to avoid any unwanted phase issues. This is most noticeable in reverbs when it happens. Hardware digital reverbs & multi-FX units are prone to phase issues as well. Only as good as the code.

 

There is another method you can experiment with. Insert RS5K into your monitor FX chain or as last effect on your Master Bus and load your reference song or reference playlist into RS5K.