Moving stems between different projects in Reaper

[Arpangel]

I need to do this, I have various different templates in Reaper, and sometimes I need to move an entire project into a different template, how on earth do you do this? I’m assuming you can?
Basically, it’s transferring different stems between projects.

[Aled Hughes]

Insert Media Item, or you can just drag and drop from the folder in which they’re saved.

[Drew Stephenson]

Well you could open the project and the new template in a different window, select all the audio and midi segments and copy them into the new template, but I don't think that's quite what you're after is it?
Are you wanting to render from one project and import into another as a kind of one click exercise? Summing several tracks in the first project to stems at the same time?

[Arpangel]

Thanks Drew, it’s this damn "save all media to project folder" thats confusing things, I need to save all media to two different project folders, so I’ve got different versions, but I’m guessing copying all the files in a project folder and pasting them over will do it, was hoping there was a one click solution.

[Aled Hughes]

Thanks Drew, it’s this damn "save all media to project folder" thats confusing things, I need to save all media to two different project folders, so I’ve got different versions, but I’m guessing copying all the files in a project folder and pasting them over will do it, was hoping there was a one click solution.

Is there a reason why you need two copies of the media? Different projects can be pointed at the same source media - your editing/processing etc. in Reaper doesn't destructively affect the source files.

Think of sample that gets used in a lot of different projects for example - you only need one copy (and backups!) of that sample, but all projects can use it. Same goes with your recordings - it only needs to exist in one place (and backups!!), and it can be used in however many projects you want.

[Drew Stephenson]

Normally I would agree with you Aled but Arpangel has previously mentioned that he is pretty free with the delete button once he's finished with a project so in this case having a separate set of storage for each instance might not be a bad idea.
I'll have a look at things later when I'm at my machine and see if any shortcuts leap out at me.

[MarkOne]

Is this ‘stems’ as in mixed down segments (like the drum bus, or the string parts) or is it this new fashion of using the word stem to really mean ‘track’?

Or, is it both?

[amanise]

I have a 'Make Stem' doohickey button here in ACID Pro. I have no idea what it's supposed to do. Sounds bad to me.

[OneWorld]

At first I found this confusing in Cubase. I would do a Save As, and all that would do in essence is use the same audio files, same MIDI files, effects setting etc but just give the project a new name.

Then in version 2 of the project I might delete some audio files. Then at some point in time went back to version 1, and would get 'Wav files missing' message - yes of course because I had deleted them in version 2.

Then it dawned on me, I shoud have selected Save New Project. That then created a completely new project folder, with all files and setting intact. That was because everything was copied into the new project folder, and anythign I deleted/edited in the other version did not impinge in any way on the original project folder, they became two separate entities.

I'm sure Reaper will also offer the same option

[Aled Hughes]

Yes, under ‘Save As’ there is an option to copy all used files over to the new project directory, therefore creating a stand-alone complete project folder. This might the best option for Tony?

[Drew Stephenson]

Yep, to just move the files to a new location Aled's prompt above works.
If you actually want to render some stems and just keep the audio then select all the stems you want to keep in the mixer and in the Render window instead of MasterMix select Selected Tracks and it will render these out as separate audio files in one click.

[shufflebeat]

"Save new version of project" - then, in the save dialogue, "create subdirectory for project" and "copy all media into project directory".

...possibly?

All features I've used but not all together.

[Arpangel]

Thanks Drew, it’s this damn "save all media to project folder" thats confusing things, I need to save all media to two different project folders, so I’ve got different versions, but I’m guessing copying all the files in a project folder and pasting them over will do it, was hoping there was a one click solution.

Is there a reason why you need two copies of the media? Different projects can be pointed at the same source media - your editing/processing etc. in Reaper doesn't destructively affect the source files.

Think of sample that gets used in a lot of different projects for example - you only need one copy (and backups!) of that sample, but all projects can use it. Same goes with your recordings - it only needs to exist in one place (and backups!!), and it can be used in however many projects you want.

You’ve highlighted an issue, I think I need to back-up the media files to a safe location, so the original ones are saved, that’s the first thing, as the same files get used in different projects.
I was under the impression that if I edit a file in one project then it alters the waveform, is it “completely” non-destructive?

[Hugh Robjohns]

This is the most basic tenet of non-linear editing (NLE). The source audio files are never changed. The DAW just logs instructions on which bits of audio to play when, at what level, and with what processing.

If you create something you like, you can then bounce/render/export that manipulated audio as a brand new audio file.

Created audio files are normally stored within a project folder, but you can save them (or copies of them) wherever you like.

If you want to use original or manipulated audio files in multiple projects you can drag them directly into the new DAW timeline, but I generally prefer to copy them to a new project folder and start a new DAW project from there.

That way you don't risk losing source material in one project if you (intentionally or accidentally) delete it from another.

[Matt Houghton]

This is the most basic tenet of non-linear editing (NLE). The source audio files are never changed. The DAW just logs instructions on which bits of audio to play when, at what level, and with what processing.

True. Though worth noting that Reaper can open any files/clips in an external editor, and it's very possible to destructively process the files there. Eg that's how I tend to work with RX and Reaper (though I always 'open item copy' in RX and when done have RX overwrite the original file). Probably not what OP's doing, but worth the caveat, I reckon!

[Hugh Robjohns]

Fair point...

[Arpangel]

I’m trying to remember to make new copies of files and put them in a new project folder, but sometimes I hit the “save project as” button and all the original files get moved into a project folder instead of staying in my compost folder.
This is an example of “aging memory” all too too familiar lately.

[Aled Hughes]

I’m trying to remember to make new copies of files and put them in a new project folder, but sometimes I hit the “save project as” button and all the original files get moved into a project folder instead of staying in my compost folder.
This is an example of “aging memory” all too too familiar lately.

If you hit 'save as', you'll have the option of saving a new version in a different location, with the option of copying all files over to the new directory too, so the new project will be self contained in its own folder.

To reiterate - any editing/FX processing you do in Reaper do NOT affect the source files, as Hugh mentioned. Matt's point is also true (and that's the way I use RX for editing too), but that's a deliberate step out of Reaper you have to take to overwrite the files.