Reaper (or other) Template Setup...What's Yours?

[Kill Me Sarah]

I know, I know, I disappeared for a while. I was just browsing through some help and how to threads to see what you all have been up to. I noticed in one that someone mentioned setting up a Reaper template with the tracks, effects, etc. already set up and ready to go. I was wondering if many of you were doing this and if so, how yours is set up. My guitar effects are done outside Reaper (either through Line 6 Gearbox or through a Line 6 Spider III amp) but I am especially curious what vocal setups you guys might have, what effects, compression, EQ, etc. settings you use. Also what you use on your master track for final mix down, what plugins you are using for compression, EQ, and whatnot.

[Billy's Little Trip]

I use Cubase LE
PreSonus FireBox as my interface (or whatever it's called)
All guitar FX are through my Line 6 POD XTLive>FireBox>Cubase
Bass straight in through the FireBox and FX, EQ, compression, etc, through Cubase
Vocals straight in using a SM-58 and/or a Studio B1 condenser mic
Plug-ins for vocals are compression>gate>limiter>chorus>delay>mild room reverb if/as needed
Master for mix down is a multi-band EQ and a mix down compression

I think that sums it up.

[Rabid Garfunkel]

Here's the generic signal chain...

Hardware: SM57/SM58/Oktava MK319/Shaker Crystal (whichever mic suits best, or often two mics at the same time, usually the '57 & commie condenser) -> PreSonusTubePre -> PreSonus Comp16 -> Tascam Fireone -> Software: Logic Express -> Wave Arts Power Suite -> mp3

But now I'm thinking that's not even remotely what you're asking, huh?

Mostly, when I get a track down, I fiddle it about with this plugin chain damn near randomly: TrackPlug -> MultiDynamics -> MasterVerb and then feeding the final mixdown through MasterVerb -> FinalPlug

Read somewhere that sending a software instrument's track (Reason, &c.) out through a hardware preamp and then tracking that output is supposed to make the sound tastier, but haven't tried it yet.

Yes, it takes a lot of work to sound this bad, heh.

[ken]

I've always meant to do this as Berkeley Social Scene usually records the same way each time. I set up a template for our FAWM this year that had all the tracks named and armed. I've never gotten to the point where I have the effects ready to go, even though I tend to use the same things pretty much every time. It would be smart for me to do so...

Vocals can vary for us. I tend to like using dynamic mics these days for vocals. I use some random mic we have at the studio space when we track there, and a vintage Sm57 at home. The mics we use for BSS are pretty low end overall. All vocals get UAD-1 effects: LA2A compression, Pultec EQ, and RE201 echo and EMT 250 Plate Reverb.

I use a program called Elephant HQ from Voexengo on my master buss: http://www.voxengo.com/product/elephant/

Man, I need to update and upgrade my plugins.

Ken

[Kill Me Sarah]

This is probably asking too much, but I'm wondering if there is some EQ, Compression VSTs out there that have a sort of set-it-and-forget-it-ness to them? I know every song has it's nuances but I'm just an idiot, especially when it comes to EQ even though I've read my eyes blurry trying to figure it out. What would be cool is if there was an EQ I could put on each track and say "vocal track always uses this setting, guitar always uses this setting" and so on for drums, bass, keys, whatever. I realize that's maybe not an ideal approach, but it's probably more ideal than my current clueless approach.

[Rabid Garfunkel]

The Wave Arts plugs (and many DAW-bundled ones) allow you to save presets... which (I think) would serve the purpose you're talking about.

[ken]

Most plug ins allow you to save presets. I think the more you record and mix the more you find yourself using the same tricks over and over again.

[Billy's Little Trip]

I don't think there is an easy answer, KMS. Yes, it would be nice to have a pre set for everything. Actually there are, but they don't agree from track to track and you have tones and FX that don't sound like they are on the same stage.

Ken has probably been my biggest influence here on my quest to make music on a computer. (DAW) I hate saying DAW, by the way. I know it's digital audio workstation. But it's SO lame. Like saying DERP. Derpty derpty daw. Maybe Cubase should be a DERP. Digitally Electronic Recording Program. Derp Daw.

Sorry, getting off track here. One thing Ken posted a long time ago was a the "modern suite". It is an entire rack of recording studio plug-ins. It was free at the time and I downloaded the entire suite. One of the best things I ever did. It has tons of pre-sets for individual things. Even if you don't use them, it teaches you what's needed. I've learned so much from the Modern Suite and use them on every song I make.
Ken mentioned that he uses the UAD-1 effects and LA2A compression. They are both in the Modern Suite.

[jast]

I don't use templates. I never quite know in advance what's going to be in the song, anyway, and with a different mix of tracks you tend to need different settings for effects, and often enough different effects altogether.

[signboy]

Wow, what a great idea! My current template involves saving to a separate folder so the audio files are separated, and opening Cubase up with just one track that is armed & ready to record. You've got me thinking now, though, as virtually every project ends up with multiple vocal tracks going to a group folder track with
eq
compression
delay
reverb

I don't know why I have never set this up as a template, I'm gonna have to try that.

[ujnhunter]

Yeah in Reaper I have an FX Chain that automatically loads for me with Reverb & Compression armed for vocals. I only use it to record, so I can monitor myself. Vocal tracks are shipped without effects.