Cockos Reaper with WINE or Cockos Reaper Linux edition (?)

[tapenade]

This not so much a question, but a place to put answers as the times change.

BACKGROUND:

Personally, in the past, I had great success in the past with 32-bit (windows compatible) Reaper on WINE in 32-bit Xubuntu, 32-bit Lubuntu, 32-bit MX Linux, and I can't remember if I got it to work on Manjaro or not, years ago. That was a long time ago now.

I came back to computer music after a hiatus.

This time, I went straight past the familiar 'buntus and even the honorable AVLINUX.
My reasoning was that since AVLINUX is maintained by a very small yet powerfully smart and kind crew (one guy?!?!?!?!), I decided to skip that one in case I need more support in the future. I know it works well, but I derive some pleasure from setting some stuff up myself and customizing. AVLINUX tends to work right away alot.

As for Lubuntu and Xubuntu and Ubuntu Studio and MX Linux, I had really good results with those too.
However, there was some YouTube gossip and speculation that Cannonical / Ubuntu support or maybe the LTS model in general might be a source of frustration for brand new users. While I'm not a brand new user, the video was convincing and I haven't worked with Linux until recently because I spent a few years off due to tragic life circumstances beyond the scope of these conversations. I want to make my return to Linux fast and productive, however, and truly long-term. So...

In the past I really got Reaper 32-bit for Windows working with PulseAudio and MIDI and VST Instruments and VST effects. WINE was the main vehicle and it was working out. I no longer have that computer, however; I'm on a completely different computer, several years later.

GOOD NEWS:

But the good news is that the Reaper made for Linux, 64-bit, seems to be working quite well so far with me. I haven't tested nor configured everything, I'm still working on it day by day. But the current edition in this 2022 year is impressive and seems to show that Cockos came through for us Linux people and didn't let us down. They had and still have plenty of success with the Microsoft Windows one. But it means that we might not have to rely upon the Windows one anymore and in a few weeks or months or years or maybe even already(!) we'll have the advantages of Linux and the advantages of Cockos Reaper without too much fuss.

PURPOSE OF THIS(?):

OK. So post up any key info about the pros and cons of either kind of Reaper & Linux combo (with or without WINE, with or without WineTricks, with or without WinePrefixes, with or without a specific distro, with or without a specific VST bridging technique, audio config settings, with or without full duplex audio, old computer, new computer, AMD or Intel or NVIDIA, ASIO or WASAPI or WDM or whatnot,etc).

It's probably significant to mention which Linux kernel you did or didn't have success with if you choose to participate. But since that might NOT be why a Linux DAW computer configuration did or didn't work, if you're willing to state plenty of other system and config specific details, those who read this area might notice a trend.

The noticed trends will come in handy so brand new systems can be accomplished faster and users will be able to "sort themselves out" according to preferences.

Personally, I'm having success with YaBridge, WINE, and both Reapers (Windows and Linux). The down side is that for some odd reason, this time around, the Windows version has difficulty showing the VST(i) GUI's (graphical user interfaces). However, a temporary workaround is to use the generic UI mode from within Reaper.

As for the Linux version of Reaper, I'm able to get things working with YaBridge without problems. My biggest problem so far, is getting free wifi hotspots in public where I can download my VST's and other softwares without censorship. And for some terrible and odd reason, all the Arch Linux websites are getting blocked at my main hotspot source. There's a few other hotspots I use, but they have inconvenient hours for me or are so popular that download times can be slow, unless I go there totally after hours and "camp out" nearby. Overall, these are NOT LINUX problems, however. And it's not that bad some days.

But it's ironic that the biggest hurdle actually comes from free cultural wifi irregularities rather than any kind of technical difficulty.

TO MODERATORS and everyone else...

OK, so this is clearly a lot of preamble and jibber jabber. But the purpose is to have a place where people can get an idea as both Linux distros and Reaper editions and varieties change. If people are willing to post some successful config highlights, it will be almost like a seasonal compatibility report aggregate, and it will help new users in the future.

As mentioned above, if we share our working config details during and after initial setting up, future readers here will be able to use the noticeable similarities as a loose guide for what they could do for greater ease and success. Also, it might help these forums archive historical info in a slightly centratlised way without being too clinical and still being optional for privacy reasons.

So "what say you?" about this?
Am I acting silly to post this?
A better alternative you know of?

Search Engine Tags: LINUX DAW (Digital Audio Workstation) EXTRA HELP v2 (Tips, Tricks, Optimizations, Techniques, Settings, Preferences, Cockos REAPER, ASIO, PulseAudio)

[Michael Willis]

Which specific plugins are you using? I would suggest that the more Linux native you can run, the less trouble you are likely to have. If you run the Linux native Reaper, then you can use native plugins and windows plugins with a bridge. It would allow you to test them side-by-side and use native plugins if they are satisfactory.

My personal choice is to run a Linux native DAW with native plugins. Yes, that gives me a significant limitation on which plugins I can run, but that's a constraint that I choose -- creativity thrives within constraints.

[tapenade]

Hey, thanks for the response. I do agree that fewer pluins tends to invite stability. However there's an inherent trade off and it's hard to avoid not having lots if some of them come in "packs" such as the LADSPA pack.

But yeah, I agree, it's better to go with a minimum. But seriously, if you add up the total number of types of unique specific effects, you're gonna find it's already over 50. For those of us who utilise each kind for specific audio purposes, we can't really have fewer than that and still create what we want to create. Some entire subgenres depend upon vast varieties of DSP FX. There's no way around it.

You wouldln't ask an artist to deprecate themselves down to 4 bit visuals or make the color-deficient ("color blind").
We need what we got.

The comments not relate to the OP are kind of an aside.
I'm not really seeking debate on any details nor nitpicking about my excessive background info.
Yet thanks for the repy, nonetheless. It is related to system stability and workflow.

[Linuxmusician01]

Trouble shooting wise. If you use a Windows native application via Wine as opposed to its Linux native counterpart and it crashes how do you know which is the culprit: Wine, Linux or the application? If you use a Linux native application you know it's either Linux or the application. And then there's probability: chances of something going wrong if you eliminate Wine out of the equation are smaller.

They don't make Linux native applications for nothing. Using Linux to run Windows applications is worse than using Windows to run Windows applications.

And even worse: running a 32 bit application, in Wine on a 64 bit Linux machine? Why would one want do that? We should advise people to never, ever do that if there's an alternative. Use YABridge by @robbert-vdh to bridge 32 bit Windows VST's.

[sysrqer]

Reaper works perfectly well on linux (native version). Not really sure why you would even consider using the windows version in wine. I've only come across a handful of plugins that don't work with yabridge or linvst. Specifying which are not working for you might help.

I've used this set up in ubuntu, manjaro, and arch.

As for your issue with the wiki, why not just use a vpn? I wouldn't use public wifi without one. ProtonVPN for example is free for browsing.

[mdiemer]

Do whatever makes sense to you, and works. Native Linux is the best way to go, but the situation is that for some of us, there are things we need "from Windows." I put this in quotes, because I believe that Vst and Vsti are not Windows or Mac apps; they are just apps. If you need to do certain things to get them to work on Linux, there is nothing wrong with that. The philosophy of Linux is that you use what you need to use. The landscape of Linux is purposefully diverse enough to allow you to do that.

There is nothing wrong with using "Windows Vst and Vsti" on Linux. Nor is there anything wrong to take the purist route and go native only. Both are "allowed" (as if you needed anyone's permission). Again, do what makes sense to you, and works.

[sysrqer]

There is nothing wrong with using "Windows Vst and Vsti" on Linux.

I don't think anyone suggested that. If it's not necessary to run your whole daw in wine then it's probably best not to. With yabridge or linvst you can run windows plugins seamlessly and, on the whole, very successfully. But, like you say, anyone is free to do whatever they like if it works.

[mdiemer]

There is nothing wrong with using "Windows Vst and Vsti" on Linux.

I don't think anyone suggested that. If it's not necessary to run your whole daw in wine then it's probably best not to. With yabridge or linvst you can run windows plugins seamlessly and, on the whole, very successfully. But, like you say, anyone is free to do whatever they like if it works.

Actually, I lost track of the topic. I was thinking Windows vst vs. native Linux, when the question was, well, it's right at the top of the page. but I somehow lost sight of it.

I agree, it's better to use the native Reaper for Linux than running your DAW in Wine, as you said.

[Ideitbawx]

This is actually a really great topic! I'm new to Linux, and was worried I'd have to run the Windows version of Reaper to get any Windows-compatible plug-ins to run. But I can use another program to get them to work?! That's insane! I love it!! This could save me so many headaches in the long run... or create different ones that I didn't consider before, it's hard to tell with this OS.

Anyway, thanks for bringing up this topic, because it's helping me get on the right track.

[sardine_lord]

I purchased Reaper in December 2021. Hence I have been using Reaper regularly for 18 months.

I have had no problems at all. It's not crashed once. I have always used the Linux native version on Ubuntu Studio LTS. That being said, there are many things that I have not done. I narrate books; that leaves me with no need to install any third party plug ins, either FOSS or closed source.

I use a Focusrite 3rd Gen 2i2 as my audio interface. Reaper has always recognised it. It's never dropped out. I've been easily able to switch between its soundcard and my computer soundcard with full functionality.

I could go into more detail such as my Linux Kernel etc if that helped anyone.

[solnechny]

This is actually a really great topic! I'm new to Linux, and was worried I'd have to run the Windows version of Reaper to get any Windows-compatible plug-ins to run. But I can use another program to get them to work?! That's insane! I love it!! This could save me so many headaches in the long run... or create different ones that I didn't consider before, it's hard to tell with this OS.

Anyway, thanks for bringing up this topic, because it's helping me get on the right track.

To get Windows compatible plugins on Reaper native Linux, you need Wine and Yabridge. I use it successfully.