Multitrack recording in REAPER: a practical setup guide

Before you start

Multitrack recording in REAPER runs locally on your computer. You do not need an online service for the recording itself. Before opening REAPER, connect your audio interface or USB mixer and confirm that the computer sees it. If you are recording several microphones at once, each microphone input should appear as a separate input on the interface.

Make sure you have enough free disk space for the planned recording length. REAPER writes audio files to the project directory unless you have changed the default recording path. Close other applications that may use the same audio device, because they can interfere with driver access.

Step-by-step instructions

Open REAPER and create a new project. Open Preferences, go to the Audio Device section, and choose your audio interface as the audio system device. Check that the input and output ranges include the channels you intend to use.

Add one track for each source you want to record separately. You can do this with the Track menu or by double-clicking in the empty track area. Name each track according to the microphone or instrument so the recorded files are easier to identify.

Arm each track for recording by clicking its Record Arm button. On an armed track, select the correct physical input from the track input menu. For example, a track fed by the first microphone should use input 1, and a track fed by the second microphone should use input 2.

Set the same sample rate for the project and the audio interface where possible. Check the recording format in Project Settings. A common safe choice for editing is WAV at 24-bit, but your choice should match the quality you need and the storage you have.

When the tracks are armed, open the main Transport and start recording. REAPER creates separate media items on each armed track. Stop recording when the take is complete, then disarm the tracks if you want to avoid recording over the same material accidentally.

Check the output

Play back the project and confirm that every track contains its own audio item. Solo each track briefly to verify that the intended microphone or instrument is isolated on that track. Check the meters during playback: a healthy signal should move clearly without staying at the maximum level.

Listen for clipped peaks, especially on loud sources. If the recording is distorted, lower the preamp gain on the interface and record another take. If a track is silent, check its input assignment and the interface input meter before recording again.

Common problems and next steps

If you hear the same microphone on several tracks, the tracks probably share the same physical input or the interface is sending a mixed signal. Reassign each armed track to a single input and test one track at a time.

If monitoring produces an echo, check whether software monitoring in REAPER and direct monitoring on the interface are both active. Use only one monitoring path during recording. This helps you hear the performance without a delayed duplicate.

After a successful test, save the project before recording the full session. You can compact or clean the project directory later if you have unused takes, but keep the original files until you are sure the final edit no longer needs them.