When Im trying to record 3 guitar tracks with two plugins on each track, reaper starts making this static noise, and the time bar at the bottom turns red, making it impossible to fucking record. BUT when I turn off FX on one track, its fine.... Is this a lack of RAM?

That is Reaper just saying that it can't do shit in realtime.

1. It could be because your hard drive is either nearly full, or just hasn't been defragmented in a long time.

2. Or, it could be that the CPU is too wimpy.

3. Or it could be that you need some RAM.

That is probably about in order of likeliness.

For whatever it is worth, i generally don't track with effects on, as it just increases the chances of adding glitches randomly. If i *need* the fx on something i am tracking to while i am recording: i will just render the fx 'd tracks down to a temporary stem. Mute the original, and play the stem. That way you hear the fx, but they aren't using any system resources.

Im actually direct recording, using amp/cab plugins. I hate recording through my mic.

What are your system's specs? Everything: CPU, RAM, OS, HDD, etc.

Another option would be to run a splitter/DI box, run a direct dry input, no amp or cab sims, not monitored. And just monitor your playing through a mic'd or unmic'd amp?

Intelcore 2 duo, 4.00 GB, 32 bit OS

Whats goin to happen if I defrag my drive?

RAM should be fine honestly.

Most likely you are hitting a hard drive wall, or you are just maxxing your CPU.

To clarify with the OP, you are recording one track to two other tracks? Or are you trying to record three tracks at once?

Here.

I have 2 plugins on each track.

For example, Im recording on the 3rd track over track one and two, with the fx on but I cant because real time stops. It seems like its too much for the system to handle......

I have never defrag'd my drive by the way....

Okee dokee.

What you want to do to take the load off the CPU, is select the two tracks you have already recorded(i.e. so the channels are highlighted) then you want to rightclick on the highlighted channels and select the option i have highlighted here:



You can either use that if you have stereo fx on the channel, or the option right below it if it is just mono trax and fx.

Later when it is time to mix, you can just trash the stem tracks and work with the originals.

Using fewer fx and rendered stems should eliminate your glitches.

OH! Dude! Do that ASAP.

Maybe let it run over night or something(it takes a long time, especially if your drive is big, and it hasn't been done in a long time).

That is probably about 80% of your problem right there. Recording fragments a drive up super fucking fast. And even a supercomputer will stumble when tring to do hard work at the same time as trying to read and write from and to a heavily fragmented hard drive.

Thank you, Chris, for reminding me to defrag my shit.

Well, that defrag didnt do anything. I think I need more ram

I've tracked more than three tracks using amp and cab sims/impulses and various FX on my roomies old laptop without a problem, and that was just about if not siginificantly less powerful than your computer. It definitely did not have 4GB of ram.

Are you running anything in the background that is hogging memory?