REAPER is a digital audio workstation for multitrack audio and MIDI recording, editing, processing, arranging, mixing, mastering, sound design, and media rendering on Windows computers.
REAPER is a digital audio workstation that records, edits, processes, mixes, and masters multitrack audio and MIDI projects. Musicians, engineers, podcasters, broadcasters, sound designers, researchers, and game developers can arrange media on a flexible timeline, record multiple inputs, edit takes, automate parameters, route signals, and render finished material from one application. Any track can hold audio, MIDI, video, or still images, reducing the need to create separate track types before production begins. The software supports high-resolution internal processing and numerous media formats, audio systems, hardware devices, and third-party plugins. Its compact installer and fast startup also suit portable rigs and computers with limited storage.
REAPER provides one fully featured application during its 60-day evaluation, with no separate restricted trial edition. Projects can host VST, VST3, LV2, CLAP, DX, and JSFX processors on Windows, while automatic delay compensation keeps routed effects aligned. Producers preparing cover images or episode artwork may use paint.net alongside the workstation before embedding graphics into supported media metadata. The interface is extensively configurable through themes, layouts, actions, keyboard shortcuts, mouse modifiers, toolbars, and saved screensets. Users can extend workflows with macros, Lua, EEL, or Python scripts, but custom scripts and third-party plugins should be tested carefully because their quality, maintenance, and compatibility vary.
The main benefit of REAPER is deep production control without the storage overhead or rigid workflow imposed by many larger audio suites. A single track model handles audio, MIDI, routing, effects, automation, folders, and multichannel signals, allowing projects to evolve without extensive reconfiguration. Track lanes and swipe comping make it practical to compare takes and assemble preferred performances, while nondestructive editing preserves source media during trimming, stretching, pitch adjustment, fades, and rearrangement. Flexible sends, receives, sidechains, and effect containers support straightforward mixes as well as complex parallel-processing systems. Batch rendering, region matrices, loudness normalization, metadata controls, and reusable render queues reduce repetitive delivery work across music, podcast, broadcast, and game-audio projects. Extensive customization lets users map frequent actions to shortcuts, controllers, macros, or scripts, shortening repeated editing tasks. The small installer, portable option, broad plugin support, and frequent updates also make the workstation adaptable across home studios, mobile recording systems, educational labs, and professional production environments.
Key capabilities and highlights.
REAPER records and overdubs audio or MIDI across as many simultaneous inputs as the connected hardware can support. Tracks can capture raw input, processed output, loops, layered takes, punch sections, stereo, surround, or multichannel material. Input monitoring can include effects, and separate monitor mixes can use their own processing chains.
Track lanes organize takes, layered sounds, alternate arrangements, and playlists within the same track. Swipe comping lets editors select preferred sections from multiple performances and compare alternative composites with configurable crossfades. Recording and media editing can continue during comping, making the system useful for vocals, dialogue, instruments, and repeated performances.
Each track can route audio and MIDI through sends, receives, folders, buses, sidechains, hardware outputs, and multichannel paths. REAPER supports up to 128 channels per track and extensive MIDI bus routing. The same routing model accommodates basic stereo sessions, parallel effects, monitor mixes, surround production, and complex sound-design networks.
The Windows edition hosts VST, VST3, LV2, CLAP, DirectX, and JSFX effects or virtual instruments. Automatic plugin delay compensation helps aligned playback, while bridging and process isolation can improve compatibility with selected plugins. Oversampling, auto-bypass, parameter modulation, automation, and parallel effect containers provide additional processing control.
REAPER supports splitting, trimming, looping, slipping, stretching, pitch shifting, fading, crossfading, snapping, and grouped edits without permanently rewriting source files. MIDI tools cover note editing, controllers, hardware routing, notation, and retroactive capture. Razor edits can move or copy aligned sections of media and automation across several tracks.
Track, item, take, send, and plugin parameters can be recorded or edited as automation envelopes. Modulation can link parameters to audio signals, low-frequency oscillators, MIDI, or other controls for dynamic processing. Grouping, VCA behavior, and automation modes help manage related tracks while preserving detailed control over individual elements.
REAPER can render tracks, stems, regions, media items, or full mixes using configurable formats, sample rates, bit depths, metadata, normalization, limiting, and filename wildcards. Render queues and the Region Render Matrix automate repeated deliveries. Loudness and clipping reports help verify output before files are distributed or archived.
Users can combine built-in actions into macros or develop more advanced tools with Lua, EEL, and Python scripts. Actions may be assigned to shortcuts, toolbar buttons, mouse modifiers, MIDI controls, or other external devices. This extensibility lets editors automate repetitive operations and adapt the application to specialized production requirements.
Browse historical releases and previous builds.
Common questions about REAPER.
REAPER is used for recording, editing, arranging, processing, mixing, and mastering audio and MIDI. Common workflows include music production, podcast editing, broadcast, dialogue cleanup, sound design, game audio, live recording, and batch media conversion.
No. It is commercial software with a fully functional 60-day evaluation. Continued use after the evaluation period requires an appropriate license.
It includes basic instruments and many effects, including a simple synthesizer, sampler, and drum synthesizer. Users who need extensive instrument libraries can load compatible third-party VST, VST3, CLAP, LV2, DX, or JSFX plugins.
Yes. The installer supports a portable installation that can run from a removable or network drive. Users should keep project media, plugins, licenses, and configuration paths organized when moving the installation between computers.
Yes. It supports MIDI recording, editing, routing, hardware input and output, virtual instruments, controller data, automation, notation, and retroactive recording. Available timing and hardware performance depend on the configured audio and MIDI devices.
REAPER is a digital audio workstation for multitrack audio and MIDI recording, editing, processing, arranging, mixing, mastering, sound design, and media rendering on Windows computers.
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