showstack / software / reaper
REAPER
Cross-platform DAW that theatre and touring departments run as a show playback host: multitrack stems, timecode generate and chase, and OSC-driven control. Unusually cheap to licence and deeply scriptable, with the same project opening on Windows, macOS and Linux.
Protocols it speaks
| Protocol | Direction | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| osc | bidirectional | Built-in OSC control surface. Cockos state a device can receive messages from REAPER, send messages to it, or both; message mapping lives in .ReaperOSC pattern config files. |
| mtc | bidirectional | Chases MTC via the external timecode synchronization settings against an enabled MIDI input; generates MTC from the stock SMPTE LTC/MTC Timecode Generator. |
| ltc | out | The stock SMPTE LTC/MTC Timecode Generator produces an LTC audio signal at a chosen frame rate and start time. Real-time LTC chase is not part of it. |
| midi | bidirectional | MIDI in and out for control surfaces and MIDI learn on parameters; MIDI clock is enabled per output device in Preferences > Audio > MIDI Devices. |
What to watch for
Licence tiers are self-certified, not feature-gated: the discounted licence covers individuals, small businesses under a stated revenue threshold, and education or non-profit use. The binary is identical either way.
A licence includes free upgrades only up to a stated version ceiling, not forever. Budget a repurchase at the next major cycle instead of assuming perpetual free upgrades.
Real-time chase is MTC, not LTC. REAPER 7.75 added an action to detect LTC inside media items and move to the detected position, but that is offline alignment; locking to an LTC master still needs an LTC-to-MTC converter in front of it.
Evaluation is fully functional for 60 days with no feature limits, so an unlicensed spare laptop behaves exactly like a licensed one. It works is not evidence the rig is properly licensed.
OSC control surface settings and .ReaperOSC pattern files live in the REAPER config on that machine, not in the .RPP project. Copy a show to a spare laptop and the OSC mapping does not travel with it.
REAPER ships 32-bit and ARM builds as well as x86-64 on all three platforms. Plugin bitness and architecture must match the REAPER build, which is how a same version spare machine still fails to open the show.
Typical use
- Multitrack backing tracks, stems and click for touring bands and musicals
- Generating house timecode for lighting, video and automation to chase
- Chasing an external MTC master so playback follows the show clock
- OSC control and feedback from a tablet, Companion or a show controller
- ReaScript (Lua, EEL2, Python) automation of routing and cue behaviour
- Playback on Linux where the rest of the toolchain is macOS or Windows only
Sources
- REAPER purchase page - licence tiers, eligibility, upgrade ceiling and 60-day evaluation — Cockos Incorporated primary
- REAPER OSC - control surface support, bidirectional operation and .ReaperOSC pattern configs — Cockos Incorporated primary
- REAPER downloads - Windows, macOS and Linux builds and architectures — Cockos Incorporated primary
- REAPER changelog - v7.75 timecode LTC detection action — Cockos Incorporated primary
- REAPER User Guide — Cockos Incorporated primary
- How to configure Source-Connect 4 and REAPER to send MTC — Source Elements
- Using MIDI Timecode (MTC) with your DAW - REAPER external timecode synchronization settings — Ambient Recording GmbH
Understand the mechanism
Something wrong, or missing?
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