

The first time you open Reaper, you're greeted with…not much. I had no problem getting my audio interface and MIDI controller up and running for this review.

When you first get started, you'll need to go to Options > Preferences to set up your audio interface and MIDI controller.

Both versions have feature parity, and the Mac version was rock-solid in testing. All of this is very consumer friendly.įor this review, I tested Reaper 6.52 on a MacBook Pro 16-inch (2021, M1 Pro) with 16GB RAM, a 1TB SSD, a Focusrite Scarlett 6i6 (2nd Gen) audio interface, a Nektar Impact GX61 MIDI controller, and a 27-inch monitor. Reaper also has a seriously dedicated online community, and it seems the developers are always hard at work providing updates, bug fixes, and notes. Say you buy 6.5 today that means you get free updates through 7.99, which should keep you current for several years.
Cockos reaper full#
There's a 60-day unlimited trial version, and, if you buy it, you get free updates through the next full point version.
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Reaper is free of copy protection, and you can download the 440-page manual in PDF format from the company website. You can even run it from a portable or network drive, Cockos says. The program is a paltry 15MB download for Windows, 25MB on the Mac, and 11MB for Linux. Reaper is available in both PC and Mac versions, and a Linux version is currently in beta. If you plan to use it for commercial music purposes and you are grossing more than $20,000 per year from your audio work, it's $225. Versions and InstallationĪ personal, school, or small business license for Reaper costs $60. Reaper covers nearly all the bases of a Pro Tools or Cubase-equipped workstation at a fraction of the price. But put in the time, load it up with some free (or paid) third-party plug-ins, and it pays real dividends in power and flexibility. It's a complex program that requires study-making it perhaps the opposite of something like Apple's GarageBand. Unlike many competing DAWs, Reaper lets you build your own menus, toolbars, and macros, as well as change the entire look and color scheme of the interface. Reaper delivers live audio and virtual instrument recording, a full mixing console, real notation editing, and support for scoring for video. Reaper, the digital audio workstation (DAW) from a tiny California company with big dreams, has come a long way since its 2006 launch.
