From Cakewalk To Reaper

[@LunatechStudio]

This is great! 😄Now there's a actually version of "Cakewalk" that's even better than the one they can't seem to ever release! I just put all the necessary files into Reaper you had in your video/ description and it's hilarious how much it resembles Cakewalk. What's better is you then get the benefit of Reaper's advanced features. I've used Cakewalk / Pro Audio/ Sonar stuff since the 90's I've been using CbB but I'm fed up with the extreme hassle involved in simply activating a "free" DAW. I started using Reaper and discovered it's way better than Cakewalk. Now that one can basically open CWP projects minus whatever tools are missing (not really a problem) and have all the edits , levels, etc intact there's no reason to put up with anymore activation / version shenanigans and delays from Cakewalk / Sonar I'm happily dumping Cakewalk after almost 30 years. Reaper is great. Playback rate!! The ability to easily change the rate of playback AND recording speed? That alone sold me right there. With Cakewalk it's a HUGE PITA. I really appreciate your videos and this one was an eyeopener. 👍👍

[@XELOhh1]

Thank you for watching... Yea Reaper is a really good DAW for sure... I think many people are tired of waiting on Cakewalk to get things together hopefully when they release the price people will decide what they want to do stay or go... It's like they know that people won't like the price and trying to hold off to the last minute... But we will see... Thanks for the comment...😀🙏🏾

[@KlaGueSch]

Hi XEL Ohh, your video came just at the time when I was getting impatient because of the eternally long wait for the prices for Sonar. Thank you so much for that - it got me hooked straight away and I've watched several introductory videos from you and others. After working through many tips, I can say that Reaper is far ahead of CbB in terms of workflow and the little helpers (flexible customisation of content and appearance, large faders, space-saving channels, tangible velocity lines, etc.). I absolutely cannot understand the displeasure of some Cakewalkers about your video. Everyone can use the DAW they want. In any case, I'm going to test the cwp import and I can well imagine switching to Reaper. And thanks again for your Learning Reaper channel.

[@XELOhh1]

Thanks for watching... Glad you got something out of the video... Just trying to help where I can ... Thanks for the comment...😀🙏🏾

[@audiosounddoctor5834]

I switched from cakewalk and studio one to reaper....it's been more than three years and I'm more than satisfied

[@ericb-amuur9897]

I made the switch from Cakewalk to studio One not too long ago. What is better with reaper than studio one? Thanks

[@rano12321]

@@ericb-amuur9897 right of the back, extremely efficient when it comes to CPU usage, yes S1 looks prettier than Reaper for for sure but man it's so unoptimized compared to Reaper. No way near as customizable as Reaper, like S1 has custom hotkeys, macros etc like Reaper but pretty much everything in Reaper can be customized in Reaper and not just hotkeys, macros, themes, layout, add scripts, change the context menus, the sky is the limit when it comes to customization in Reaper. Reaper is track agnostic, you can have audio, midi, video, 5.1, 7.1 all in one track. S1 didn't feel very flexible, you can't even stack multiple synths without making a multi instruments, the track types are limited, if you wanna use chord track then you'd have to drag everything to the top instead being able to right click and turn any track into a chord track etc. S1 is a great DAW and has a lot of features that even vanilla reaper doesn't come with actually (well with community made scripts, reaper can have every features in the world so) but it's nowhere near as flexible and customizable as Reaper for sure. Reaper has 128 channels per track lol. And the list goes on and on, you can try both if you are interested, I've used them, and like used pretty much every daw under the sun and then fully moved to Reaper because there's nothing like Reaper lol. S1 is a great DAW and I probably would've been using it if Reaper didn't exist but after Fender bought it and seeing the latest update, I don't see a bright future for that software anymore.

[@XELOhh1]

Yea Reaper is definitely a good DAW has it's weaknesses as well but still one of the best out there..😀🙏🏾

[@XELOhh1]

@@ericb-amuur9897 Studio One is a good DAW for sure ... But the CPU usage is crazy at times with Studio One... That was one of the only drawbacks for me and the export is to basic you can only do one at a time..😞

[@XELOhh1]

@@rano12321 agreed... All facts ..😂

[@jive499]

If only I'd seen this when moving my projects over - I went through a world of pain :)

[@XELOhh1]

Yea when I found out about this script it changed the game for me so I would still make stuff in Cakewalk then open it up in Reaper later... Got to love it...😀🙏🏾

[@glennlittle7955]

Brilliant video as always. Thank you so much. Among the things I have learnt so far: - 7.15 is now out - while the ReaPack packages are installing is a really good time to get a coffee 😄

[@XELOhh1]

Yes on both points... 😂

[@scrubbingmonkeys2488]

Quality content young man.

[@XELOhh1]

Thank you ..😀🙏🏾

[@jive499]

made the same move recently. Reaper is fantastic, much better IMO. Thanks for all your Cakewalk videos, they were great

[@XELOhh1]

I will probably still do Cakewalk videos but I have to know what they are doing price wise to see if I want to continue... Have fun in Reaper ... Thanks for the comment..😀🙏🏾

[@therealmogod]

OMSoul That Beat At 18:28 Was Crazy 🔥🔥🔥

[@XELOhh1]

Thanks 😀🙏🏾

[@king_ofthe7seas]

It's been 2-3 years now that I've been using cakewalk, after recent updates my cakewalk got buggy and my projects randomly weren't saving and were crashing and that's why I left cakewalk and started using reaper

[@XELOhh1]

That's what's up... Hate to hear that was happening but glad you found a DAW that works for you... Thanks for the comment...😀🙏🏾

[@king_ofthe7seas]

@@XELOhh1 I found it because of you and Adk so big ups to you guys

[@czhuelle]

great stuff - thanks a lot!

[@XELOhh1]

😀🙏🏾

[@daviHuggMonster]

nice idea xelohh...never dived into cakewalk (installed it once and never used it much) and since now the move to payed some cakewalk users might get into reaper easier

[@XELOhh1]

That's the idea if they want to go that route it's available for them now and this video should help them transition easier... Thanks for the comment...😀🙏🏾

[@rickdauer5179]

You're echoing exactly how I feel about Cakewalk, I love Cakewalk, but I don't I don't know what they are going to do about pricing so this is why I'm making the move to Reaper. To me Cakewalk looks and feels "prettier", but Reaper is totally tweakable and only $60. I feel Sonar will NOT be $60 it will probably be a subscription model or hundreds of dollars. Terrific video thanks for enlightening us.

[@XELOhh1]

Yea we will have to see what they do .. this video was just to help people that are conflicted about moving to another DAW that it's not as scary as it seems... Thanks ks for the comment...😀🙏🏾

[@rickdauer5179]

@@XELOhh1 There are a lot of folks out there schooling us Reaper newbies, but your videos are clear and very informative. Thank you for your time and energy!

[@davepugh7961]

Okay, 5 hours later, I just finished this video. I imported a cakewalk project, and it is a little messed up. Can you not archive tracks in reaper? I also saved the project as a reaper file, but cannot find it in the folder where I left it. Big learning curve here. Thanks to guys like you for the help videos.

[@davepugh7961]

Thank you for the help so far, I am to the point where you say that it showing extensions, but mine of course is not, and I can't find it in the menus

[@XELOhh1]

you have to download the Reapack and add it to reaper.. it will also come with SWS which gives reaper the extentions you are looking for I have a video showing how to add them kzbin.info/www/bejne/rKTLkIKkqpZsY7sfeature=shared

[@jive499]

My reasons for moving from Cakewalk to Reaper: - Cakewalk lagged and crashed even on a pc with a good spec. Reaper is extremely light on CPU, it's like night and day - Cakewalk would randomly crash - Cakewalk didn't seem to have a proper grid. Reaper has a fully customisable grid which works exactly the way I need

[@XELOhh1]

I feel your pain... I remember the random cashes I would be so pissed especially when it was tts1 crashing Cakewalk... The stuff that comes with the DAW is crashing it was crazy to me... 😂.. thanks for the comment...😀🙏🏾

[@nboisen]

Thanks so much. Very helpful. Have you ever had any trouble with Reaper finding the audio files when importing a cwp file?

[@XELOhh1]

I have had it pop up that it can't find the exact location then say it found it in another folder ... Other than that I don't remember missing any..🤔

[@evadtregnab1]

You need to setup a master class for Reaper. Lots of videos from square on to pro. Could be a paid service.

[@XELOhh1]

Been thinking about it ... But don't have the time to set it up correctly... But we will see ..😀🙏🏾

[@laylasmart]

This Windows Recall feature simply call everyone "Hay, you. Use Linux and free stuff only" so I simply I am moving to Linux, Zorin 17.1 Unfortunately, I have too many projects on Cakewalk Windows. Will Reaper installed on Zorin open a Cakewalk file that came from Windows?

[@davepugh7961]

Oops, I got an installer for the extensions and had to install first. Now I'm caught up.

[@XELOhh1]

That's what's up... Glad you got it working...😀🙏🏾

[@glennlittle7955]

So far I'm a little disappointed with ReaCWP, sadly. I appreciate that it's a free utility from an independent developer - so kudos to him - and it's better than doing it manually as at least everything lines up, and of course if for some reason you no longer had Cakewalk it would be a life saver, but after a cursory glance at one converted project... 1. It created groups for buses instead of tracks. Is that the preferred method in Reaper? I don't like that routing mechanism at all. I would much rather the conversion preserved the type of routing from CW. Quite honestly routing in this way in Reaper seems like a poor alternative to bussing to tracks. (And in addition folders in CW are for a different purpose so it's visually confusing for people newly moving over from CW too.) I would have to do rerouting work on every project to get them how I want them, ie as they were in CW. 2. It doesn't transfer colours of tracks (and buses obviously). I can't think of any good reason why not as the same colour palette - same dialog box for it in fact - is available for tracks in Reaper. I colour extensively and it is a huge part of my organisation. To have to (re)colour every track will/would be a major pain. 3. It doesn't transfer arranger sections. I appreciate that you could have multiple arranger tracks in your CW project but if it just picked the first one, or the one with the most sections, or just any one, it would be better than nothing. 4. For some reason my project doesn't sound the same. I can't hear the drums at all and the relative volumes of other things is different. This is not a complex project. It doesn't even have any automation. As with the other points I'm sure this is recoverable but losing my mix does not seem like a good place to start. (In the case of the drums I can see the meters moving so that's probably a routing issue.) 5. Actually on closer examination I don't seem to have any midi at all. That can't be right. Does anybody have any quick solutions to any of these things? Am I missing something?

[@evadtregnab1]

I use cakewalk as my live performance DAW. I use the song list as the method to sort and set up set list. Can that be done in Reaper?

[@XELOhh1]

They have something like it but not like the one from Cakewalk ... I don't really like opening all those projects at one time it acts funny sometimes... Reaper you can lay out all your tracks in one session and use regions to trigger them like the song list... Hope this helps ..😀🙏🏾

[@Eclips4800]

I switched from cakewalk to fl studio. I waited for cakewalks new programs but they took to long and from what I see today they still ain’t dropped.

[@XELOhh1]

I feel ya.... FL Studio is a good DAW ... Just keep creating and have fun.... Thanks for the comment...😀🙏🏾

[@pro_influence]

Well done XEL O, what can I say about the new look of Reaper, can I impersonation because I haven't seen Reaper looked like this before or Am I the one who doesn't get it, I can say they clone Cakewalk knowing it was great and it was going to shut down, I don't het it, especially what You just showed that received cakewalk project like that and copying copying cakewalk plugin like Cubase, it looks almost exactly like Cakewalk. wow. Thanks for sharing this video. But new Cakewalk Sonar has more better features ever than before ,which makes work flow better and also enhanced and cleaner audio engine and You just have to be patient Heaven is not going to fall.😅😅😊

[@XELOhh1]

I feel ya .. just want people to know there are other things out there after a year of being told that Cakewalk will be paid for and not to even know the price is ridiculous in my opinion... I have no doubts that they will do things to Cakewalk but currently I don't see the better features other than the UI updates nothing else stands out that says I need to purchase this when they release it..😞 Reaper can look like any DAW I have a video showing the other themes out for FL .. Cubase... Even Ableton super customizable and low CPU usage and doesn't crash as much as Cakewalk does.. just my 2 cents I definitely want to see what they do with the DAW in the future... Thanks for the comment...😀🙏🏾

[@pro_influence]

@@XELOhh1 Yeah, that's a point anyway, i was even thinking that they intentional abandoned Cakewalk with some issues We talk about since they're lunching a new DAW so that people can actually see reason to go for the new Cakewalk Sonar, truly i love the Sonar sound, I noticed it's cleaner than Cakewalk because I have actually done some test on it, and I opened one of My old project on it to see deference in audio engine, also some littles features added makes me want to go for it but Am still testing it so i can conclude on what to do. thanks😉😊

[@richardgordon9939]

ARE YOU MOVING TO REAPER AND LEAVING CAKEWALK???

[@XELOhh1]

I'm already gone ... Been gone for about a year.. really since the announcement I have been hanging on trying to see what the price is going to be because I really like Cakewalk so we will have to see what they do...😀🙏🏾

[@richardgordon9939]

@@XELOhh1 didn't know you had defected to the other side or shall we say dark side. people like me have subscribed to you for your cakewalk content. if your no longer supporting cakewalk i and many other cakewalk users will have to unsubscribe to your channel

[@XELOhh1]

@@richardgordon9939 question..? How much are you willing to pay for Cakewalk Sonar once it's released? If it's a reasonable price I may get it but if not I have a backup already.

[@richardgordon9939]

@@XELOhh1 I'm willing to pay 450-500 for sonar. I'm a hardcore user since sonar 5

[@XELOhh1]

@@richardgordon9939 I feel ya .. but for that much it better have everything I want... Lol .. it has so much work to do to catch up... Chord tracks.. sampler... Drum machine...rompler... Effect modules for sound design .. equipment integration... Stem separation... Atmos integration.. better video support ... Updated step sequencer... Updated matrix view for clip launch... Just to name a few things... Even if it had all this 500 is pretty steep to me when I can get all of this in another DAW for cheaper. That's just my 2 cents..

[@IronClan2024]

Xel Ohh is it true that Reaper does not come with any Instruments at all ? or did i something wrong because i did not do most of the stuff you show here. maybe thats why i have a so empty reaper. if it has no Drum vst nor any other Instrument i hope they are gonna add tose aswell because i do like reaper allthough i had issues with recording beats ...kind of out of beat allways and i dont know why. Thank You Xel Ohh

[@rano12321]

It does come with one synth called ReaSynth and a drum machine called ReaDrum or something but they are very barebone and old, you'd be better off downloading thousands of free online. For drum machine, checkout RS5K manager, he has a video on his reaper channel, it's a drum machine made for Reaper by utilising the stock sampler.

[@XELOhh1]

It does not ...😞 It's probably the only flaw that Reaper has compared to Cakewalk and other DAWs they will not add any either so don't expect them to... That's one of the ways they keep the DAW light weight to where you can load it on a flashdrive and run it flawlessly.. I have made several videos showing some good free vsts you can get hope that helps..😀🙏🏾

[@fabiorubato9434]

Link to Theme just goes round and round.

[@ettiennelane9173]

Cakewalk to Cubase to Reaper to Studio One

[@XELOhh1]

What's your favorite feature of each DAW?

[@ettiennelane9173]

Cakewalk being free but not for much longer although I started with Cakewalk back in the 90s already. Variaudio in Cubase sounds nice and works well. Reaper's stability, low CPU usage and customizability. Studio One's user friendliness and forward thinking - the list of Studio One features I like above other DAWs are actually quite long but generally they go out of their way to think about ways to make the life of a music producer easier with lots of big and small things.

[@pravo.]

Great information sir thanks

[@michaelhawkins6149]

Reaper is amazing....just be careful about spending all your time customizing it. Its so easy to get carried away. Thanks for the video and link.👍

[@XELOhh1]

Yea you are so right ... 😂... I had to make a list when I'm working on stuff then go back and change the stuff on the list ... If I didn't do that vi would never get work done .. thanks for the comment...😀🙏🏾

[@stevewoodyt]

Valid! I’ve spent hours watching videos instead of working on music.

[@XELOhh1]

@@stevewoodyt real talk..😂

[@jimmito823]

Hi bro, You move to Reaper?

[@XELOhh1]

I have been on Reaper for about a year... But I still use Cakewalk as well... 😀🙏🏾

[@sectiondrecords4580]

Reaper - the DAW that needs customization that all other DAWS except Cakewalk call common sense built ins.

[@XELOhh1]

It's a great DAW... Customization is what makes it so much better than other DAWs you can use it how it is but most people come from another DAW before they try Reaper so if you want it to function like Cakewalk or Ableton... Or FL Studio.. you can make Reaper function like those DAWs it's not for everyone but it's a great DAW none the less .. thanks for the comment...😀🙏🏾

[@glennlittle7955]

What "common sense built ins" are you referring to?

[@sectiondrecords4580]

I ‘m not going to do your homework for you… I have tried to use Reaper for midi comp since the . versions. but in general Midi - Chord track, Chord pad, Audio Quantize, Note expression, included plugins, There is a reason that pro composers like Hans Zimmer, Alan Silvestri, Ian Kirkpatrick, Ludvig Goransson, Danny Elfman and many others Don’t use Reaper. Take a look at major composers videos to find why they don’t use Reaper.

[@glennlittle7955]

@@sectiondrecords4580 I just wanted a simple answer clarifying the reasons for your statement. I wasn't trying to get into an argument.

[@rano12321]

@@sectiondrecords4580 It looks like you really didn't do your homework in the first place. Reaper has chordpad equivalent, it's called chordgun. It also has audio quantize with dynamic split (mk slicer makes it even better), you can do most of the note expression stuff with the midi editor envelope editor as well and when it comes to included plugins, Reaper comes with 235 plugins and there are 1000s of free community made jsfx plugins that makes reaper way more powerful. Most of these composers use cubase is the same reason why big studios are still using pro tools. if you are talking about powerful and feature rich and flexibility there are genuine reasons why reaper has become the industry standard for game audio meanwhile you only see people who use cubase have been using it for atleast 20 years, there are reasons for that.

[@anthonythompson1659]

reaper also understands what an update is. it doesnt take the producing out of producing. most daws are making us lazy and unoriginal with every update. idk...#getoffmylawn😒 . .... ....

[@XELOhh1]

😂... I feel ya..😀🙏🏾

[@fabiorubato9434]

two free cakewalk themes link just goes round and round after entering email.

[@XELOhh1]

I'm sorry about that I need to fix it... Email me at [e-mail] I will send the themes to you..😀🙏🏾

[@anthonythompson1659]

pronounced re , not re-uh... it's a pun so to speak. don't focus on the a . .... ....

[@XELOhh1]

😂 I will still say it wrong...😂😂

[@anthonythompson1659]

@@XELOhh1 my bad

[@jahstafari4606]

i almost rippedmyself tryn to using it few months ago ...'i got too small mind for it i guess ......it ocuppies my mind atention so much to do anything on it that i forget music and inspiration and get stressed from it ....i'm tellin you i almost RIPped i self from atemprt using it ....m tryn out FL now ....much better but i was trn to use fewyears ago and did not like it ata ll

[@XELOhh1]

You have to customize it... If you come from a different DAW I really hated it at first until I customized it now it irreplaceable... FL is good but has a learning curve as well ... Good luck on your search...😀🙏🏾