Utilizing Utilities
Reaper users flock to workflow optimizations like a pack of australian shepherds within sniffing distance of snacks. FX chains are a great means of recalling not just the order and settings of particular effects, but the internal routing. With the release of Reaper version 6.27 this week came a new effect called the Channel Mapper-Downmixer. While not particularly complicated, this plugin allows for easily re-routing audio on a given track (or item); reordering, duplicating, and sending channels in whatever direction you please. The Channel Mapper has helped me to update some of my Utility FX Chains, bundles of effects that I use for easily rerouting audio, into a publicly share-able format.
Video Overview
There is a lot to unpack here, so I opted for presenting these Utility FX Chains in a video rather than a longwinded wall of text. Enjoy!
Download
To download the FX Chains, smash that “DOWNLOAD THE FX” button. To set them up:
Options > Show Reaper Resource Path…
Navigate to the \FXChains folder (or create a subfolder labeled “FXChains” if you don’t have one already)
Extract the three .RfxChain files from the zip file you downloaded here and place them in the \FXChains folder. Feel free to place them in a subfolder with a label you’ll remember like “\FXChains\Utilities”.
In Reaper, right click the FX button on a track and find them in the FX Chains dropdown!