By fdodds
Thu Sep 11, 2014 2:06 pm
So ReaRoute only supports 16 channels, seems to be a hard limit. Now that MPC software supports 32 virtual outputs, we have to find a new way to virtually hook shit up.
That means it's time to graduate to Jack audio, which is painful at first but now that I've got it running, I can see a lot of utility for the future... Would especially be useful for people who use multiple/better interfaces with the ren..
Anyway follow this dudes advice, pay attention to the part where he registers JackRouter.dll if you're running 64 bit windows, as without doing that JackRouter won't show up as a device for any program.
I downloaded those extra programs he recommended (cadance, cartia, carla, wack names) but i don't really see much point to them other than looking nice (they also crashed on my system) so I wouldn't bother with that stuff... maybe he shows a point to them, i only watched ~ a third of that video and figured the rest out through FAQs and other guides... let me break it down for you
How to set up Jack to route MPC softwares 32 virtual outs to Reaper (I'm assuming you have the basics of jack running, ie. if you're running a 64 bit system register that jackrouter.dll)
You'll want to go into the JackRouter.ini file found in C:\Program Files (x86)\Jack\64bits or C:\Program Files (x86)\Jack\32bits, edit it with notepad (make sure you right click whatever program you use to edit the file and run it as administrator and then load it and edit it like that) and change the number of inputs and outputs to 34 (you need 32 to route the MPC's 32 virtual outputs into Reaper, plus 2 extra inputs to route the ren's hardware inputs into Reaper)
Now that you've done that, run JackControl and go into setup. Set the frames/period to 64 (this is the buffer size, if your computer can't handle 64 samp buffer set it higher, also set it higher when you're doing heavy mixing with lots of plugins to avoid bad audio). Set the input and output device to MPC Renaissance. Set the sample rate to 44100. Set the timeout to 10000. Ignore where it says channels I/O. Go to the Misc tab and set it to start the jack server on startup. In settings click save, then apply.
Now open up Reaper and MPC Software, and set the audio device in each to JackRouter. In Reaper you have to define the range of inputs. Select 1 through to 34. Leave the outputs as Out 1 and Out 2. Set up a track in reaper with the input set to stereo: 1,2, arm it and monitor it so you can test the set-up in a few steps.
The next bit is kinda annoying, you have to reconfigure the connections in jack (and it seems you have to do this every time you start up jack, as I haven't found a way to save the connections set up on windows. On OSx there is a program called jackpilot and there are various ways to do it on linux, windows seems to be left out in this regard). First click 'connect' on the jackcontrol screen. Then click disconnect all.
Wiring jack up is pretty easy. First click and drag from MPC on the left in the Readable clients screen and drag it over to reaper on the right in Writeable clients. This wires the 32 outs from mpc into Reaper. Now click and drag from Reaper in the left of screen over to System on the right - that enables the output of reaper to run out of your ren's headphone jacks as well as mix out on the back for monitors.
**note that if you're not intending to do any recording through the rens inputs, this next step is unnecessary, so if you're just making beats and chopping audio files, you can be done with the connections set up just by dragging mpc from the left to reaper on the right, and reaper on the left to system on the right.
To hook up the recording inputs you have to click the triangle next to system on the right and expand it (showing capture 1 and 2 (the mic/line ins on the ren) and capture 3 and 4 (the phono inputs)), and also expand reaper on the right. Scroll down to inputs 33 and 34 in reaper. I have capture 1 set to input 33, capture 2 set to input 34, capture 3 to input 33 and capture 4 set to input 34 - you could alternatively set it up with an extra 2 channels (when you change JackRouter.ini set it to 36 ins and outs instead of 34), and then you could drag the whole of system to input 33, and it will automatically route captures 1 - 4 from system into inputs 33 34 35 36 in Reaper, but I think I prefer having all the inputs going into the same channel since they can't run simultaneously anyway.
With everything collapsed it should look like this:
and with system and reaper expanded so you can see how i have the inputs wired:
And with that you should have sound. Load a program up in mpc software and give it a whirl, you should be able to hear it coming through Reaper assuming you have your tracks set up correctling. Everythings working? Time to get around to updating those patches... remember to change the inputs from rearoute inputs to regular inputs... If you have any other devices I'm sure integrating them with your setup will be much easier with Jack... Painful process to get up for sure, but definitely worth it.
Oh also, if you want to use the Ren's assignable mix outs from Reaper I'm pretty sure it would be easy enough. You would just have to define Reapers outputs as from 1 to 4 in the audio device settings, then when wiring the connections from jack it would automatically map outputs 3 and 4 from reaper to playback 3 and 4 in the system, and I've already checked and confirmed that they correspond to the assignable outs... perfect for integrating physical pedals/effects... and if you have another interface on hand (i gave my old one to my buddy... maybe i'll have to nab it back off him) you could integrate all your ins and outs with reaper via Jack..
That means it's time to graduate to Jack audio, which is painful at first but now that I've got it running, I can see a lot of utility for the future... Would especially be useful for people who use multiple/better interfaces with the ren..
Anyway follow this dudes advice, pay attention to the part where he registers JackRouter.dll if you're running 64 bit windows, as without doing that JackRouter won't show up as a device for any program.
I downloaded those extra programs he recommended (cadance, cartia, carla, wack names) but i don't really see much point to them other than looking nice (they also crashed on my system) so I wouldn't bother with that stuff... maybe he shows a point to them, i only watched ~ a third of that video and figured the rest out through FAQs and other guides... let me break it down for you
How to set up Jack to route MPC softwares 32 virtual outs to Reaper (I'm assuming you have the basics of jack running, ie. if you're running a 64 bit system register that jackrouter.dll)
You'll want to go into the JackRouter.ini file found in C:\Program Files (x86)\Jack\64bits or C:\Program Files (x86)\Jack\32bits, edit it with notepad (make sure you right click whatever program you use to edit the file and run it as administrator and then load it and edit it like that) and change the number of inputs and outputs to 34 (you need 32 to route the MPC's 32 virtual outputs into Reaper, plus 2 extra inputs to route the ren's hardware inputs into Reaper)
Now that you've done that, run JackControl and go into setup. Set the frames/period to 64 (this is the buffer size, if your computer can't handle 64 samp buffer set it higher, also set it higher when you're doing heavy mixing with lots of plugins to avoid bad audio). Set the input and output device to MPC Renaissance. Set the sample rate to 44100. Set the timeout to 10000. Ignore where it says channels I/O. Go to the Misc tab and set it to start the jack server on startup. In settings click save, then apply.
Now open up Reaper and MPC Software, and set the audio device in each to JackRouter. In Reaper you have to define the range of inputs. Select 1 through to 34. Leave the outputs as Out 1 and Out 2. Set up a track in reaper with the input set to stereo: 1,2, arm it and monitor it so you can test the set-up in a few steps.
The next bit is kinda annoying, you have to reconfigure the connections in jack (and it seems you have to do this every time you start up jack, as I haven't found a way to save the connections set up on windows. On OSx there is a program called jackpilot and there are various ways to do it on linux, windows seems to be left out in this regard). First click 'connect' on the jackcontrol screen. Then click disconnect all.
Wiring jack up is pretty easy. First click and drag from MPC on the left in the Readable clients screen and drag it over to reaper on the right in Writeable clients. This wires the 32 outs from mpc into Reaper. Now click and drag from Reaper in the left of screen over to System on the right - that enables the output of reaper to run out of your ren's headphone jacks as well as mix out on the back for monitors.
**note that if you're not intending to do any recording through the rens inputs, this next step is unnecessary, so if you're just making beats and chopping audio files, you can be done with the connections set up just by dragging mpc from the left to reaper on the right, and reaper on the left to system on the right.
To hook up the recording inputs you have to click the triangle next to system on the right and expand it (showing capture 1 and 2 (the mic/line ins on the ren) and capture 3 and 4 (the phono inputs)), and also expand reaper on the right. Scroll down to inputs 33 and 34 in reaper. I have capture 1 set to input 33, capture 2 set to input 34, capture 3 to input 33 and capture 4 set to input 34 - you could alternatively set it up with an extra 2 channels (when you change JackRouter.ini set it to 36 ins and outs instead of 34), and then you could drag the whole of system to input 33, and it will automatically route captures 1 - 4 from system into inputs 33 34 35 36 in Reaper, but I think I prefer having all the inputs going into the same channel since they can't run simultaneously anyway.
With everything collapsed it should look like this:
and with system and reaper expanded so you can see how i have the inputs wired:
And with that you should have sound. Load a program up in mpc software and give it a whirl, you should be able to hear it coming through Reaper assuming you have your tracks set up correctling. Everythings working? Time to get around to updating those patches... remember to change the inputs from rearoute inputs to regular inputs... If you have any other devices I'm sure integrating them with your setup will be much easier with Jack... Painful process to get up for sure, but definitely worth it.
Oh also, if you want to use the Ren's assignable mix outs from Reaper I'm pretty sure it would be easy enough. You would just have to define Reapers outputs as from 1 to 4 in the audio device settings, then when wiring the connections from jack it would automatically map outputs 3 and 4 from reaper to playback 3 and 4 in the system, and I've already checked and confirmed that they correspond to the assignable outs... perfect for integrating physical pedals/effects... and if you have another interface on hand (i gave my old one to my buddy... maybe i'll have to nab it back off him) you could integrate all your ins and outs with reaper via Jack..
Last edited by fdodds on Thu Sep 11, 2014 2:17 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Thanks again Hahaha. 
WDM capture can't work so.
Man I googled around for a good while before I gave up on ReaRoute, for some reason kept finding threads where people were saying 16 is the limit.... So yeah if you hit show device control panel when configured with rearoute you can increase the number of channels thru ReaRoute... 
ah well I've been meaning to try Jack for quite a while, I think I might stick with it given all the routing possibilities..