REAPER 101 is a series of short tutorials to help you with setting up and using REAPER.
(Updated July 6 2020)
A filename is automatically created for every file recorded in REAPER. If you ever need to find a specific file in your Media Folder, it’s good to understand how files are named. By default the format is : $tracknumber-$track-$year2$month$day_$hour$minute.
While it can be nice to have all that info, many users find it messy, or redundant.
I recommend $track-$recpass000 which uses the track name, and a 3 digit number that increments with each recording.
For example the second recording to a track named “Lead Vocal” will be a file named “Lead Vocal-002.wav”
- Open Preferences and the Audio: Recording settings
- Set your preferred filename format by typing or from the wildcards list.
- Apply and close preferences
Wildcard Options
$project : project name $author : project author (from Project Settings/Notes dialog) $track : track name $tracknumber : 1 for the first track, 2 for the second… $parenttrack : parent track name $recpass : recording pass ($recpass00, etc to add leading zeros) $year : year $year2 : last 2 digits of the year $month : month number $monthname : month name $day : day of the month $hour : hour of the day in 24-hour format $hour12 : hour of the day in 12-hour format $ampm : am if before noon, pm if after noon $minute : minute of the hour $second : second of the minute $user : user name $computer : computer name
Comments
7 responses to “REAPER 101: File Names”
Great post, thank you for this short tips series, they are really helpful!
I use [trackname]_[project name] for my files. I mean, it should be obvious since its almost always inside the project folder to begin with, but just in case I’m looking at something out of context, it helps to see the project name in the file name.
I need to quickly set file name from take name. I record foley sounds and just want to change name of file [for clear database] from name of a item / take [2x click on item and change take/item name ex. knocking, soft].
I dont want to make new track for each item.
Does anybody know the “Wildcard” string of the Trackname[-xx] format provided? I don’t have the option for a dropdown menu in my preferences. I’m assuming this was changed in a recent version.
$Track
the number is automatic starting with the second recording on same track.
Why name them trackname[xx]???
All my files are now called the same thing. Is there something I’m missing?
It wouldn’t be nice if they all said what they were m, not just “trackname”
The wildcards changed since this tutorial was written. I’d update it but I think it needs a complete rewrite and it’s correct in a couple other more recent tutorials
Should be $track instead of [trackname]