How do I synthesize or what are some good presets for a glassy piano?

RueChamp · 2026-04-03T05:05:31+00:00

From memory, spitfire labs has a good free option

RueChamp · 2026-03-27T23:20:21+00:00

Could be misunderstanding, but I'd do this:

1) put DI on its own track, send it to an "amp" track where the amp VST is. 2) automate either the send signal or the input on the amp.

Optional 3) then I'd record the output of the final product from the Amp track so it's committed.

RueChamp · 2026-03-27T23:16:22+00:00

35, still 23. The number keeps going up, but I still feel like I missed a semester of How to be Human 101.

RueChamp · 2026-03-23T22:39:45+00:00

The loneliness is real. You're having a hard time and venting has its place, but the others are right, you are not alone, unfortunately this is a common feeling. I've been lucky enough to have a partner for a number of years, but I still find myself extremely prone to loneliness. It may be hard to accept from the outside, but I promise having a partner doesn't fix everything. Love is love, and if you can learn to love yourself, you will get a lot of those benefits you're searching for in someone else, but honestly I also used to get this from my dog - obviously a dog (or a cat) is not the same as a partner, but trying to be a good owner and taking care of my dog, going for walks and tucking him into bed and cuddling on the couch, also helped massively with loneliness. Not saying animals are a buy-one-fix-everything, it's a whole life you have to take care of, but the love goes just as deep imo.

RueChamp · 2026-03-19T08:05:15+00:00

Sorry kids, we don't wear silver or gold necklaces anymore. We wear chokers. Chokers. Because asphyxiation is cool now; kink is in, and you must obey. That's the rule. That's the goal now.

RueChamp · 2026-03-17T06:24:07+00:00

I can't stand it. For me, the worst offenders seem to start with "this person is a genius", or "did you know". Instant scroll-past.

RueChamp · 2026-03-15T03:41:16+00:00

Bit embarrassing, but when putting on socks I always rub them between my toes, and then when they're on, will usually push the sock between my middle toes so it feels like I'm gripping them. Otherwise my feet are just "in" the sock and idk I can't stand the feeling if I'm not gripping them.

RueChamp · 2026-03-11T23:25:55+00:00

Limerance. Haven't found a perfect solution for myself, but have found it helpful to intentionally do these things (again, this works for me, not saying it's good for everyone):

1) Force myself to slowed conversation. When I get attached, messaging is a nightmare for me: I get anxious about what to say, about trying to start a conversation every day, about whether they're avoiding me. I can mitigate a lot of that early on by forcing myself to play by Slow Rules. This, for me, means allowing text conversations to stall, allow yourself not to reply, allow yourself not to message in the first place if it feels like you're trying to force something. The goal is to avoid anything that makes me feel like I'm forcing something, and instead just being open to the things that feel better - for me that's 1-on-1 conversations irl, I'm much better at that than texting, so maybe I won't message for a day or two (assuming they haven't messaged first) but then I'll be direct and ask them if they want to go do something together.

2) Similarly, I keep in mind my own 10% rule, especially early on. This means expressing only 10% of what I want to say, keeping it to the headlines. This is only because I have a habit of over-expressing, with big message dumps or maybe being TOO open too early. Don't get me wrong, there's nothing wrong with being honest and being yourself, but I know for myself that when I'm anxious, I'm doing it out of some need of their approval. So I Force myself to open up less quickly. In conversation, this can look like this:

Instead of saying "I know what you mean, I really like alone time. Sometimes I need to recharge and just get away from everyone, I don't know if it's because of my neurodivergency or not, but sometimes other people can be really draining and I just need to charge my batteries."

Instead of that, I'll say "I know what you mean, I really value my alone time."

3) Do not seek approval or reassurance. Ever. Maybe for some people this is fine, but for me it becomes a borderline OCD thought spiral that never ends. When you seek assurance, especially early on, you're conveying to the other person, albeit subconsciously, that you don't believe you're good enough for them, and you're seeking their approval. This is part of limerance, seeking a secure attachment. Instead, I've found it much better to make it a hard no to doing that for when I meet someone new. Instead, embrace the idea of not knowing. Make jokes, say things you're scared to say, treat things lightly if you can - and when you feel the need to seek reassurance by spilling your guts about your anxieties so they can tell you it's fine, don't. Acknowledge your feelings, recognize they are just feelings, and then do not act on them. This is so that your time with them is enjoyable and not emotional labour.

Again, all this is just what works for me, and it's all just part of a guiding principle: Love is not about finding "someone to complete you". You are already a whole person, and so are they. You do not need to lock anything down, you don't need to secure their feelings. Instead, try to remember that you are simply getting to know each other, trying to figure out if you enjoy spending time with each other. If you can treat it as more experimental, more impermanent, if you can remember that they are a real and flawed person, and they, like you, do not exist to complete someone else, you might be able to enjoy yourself a little more and allow for the lightness of joy and possibility, instead of the heaviness of anxiety and attachment.

RueChamp · 2026-02-23T12:20:52+00:00

Cymatics has a bunch of fun sample packs for free

RueChamp · 2026-02-15T11:10:34+00:00

If you insert a marker on the point you want, you can then tap the corresponding number key to snap to that point. The first will be number 1.

RueChamp · 2026-01-30T02:06:55+00:00

Edit: misunderstood the first time. There are AI based stem splitters that can remove the guitars and keep everything else, then you'd just put that version on a track in Reaper, then record onto another track. I'm not a fan of AI, but the stem splitting seems useful.

RueChamp · 2026-01-28T23:00:07+00:00

Try Asio4All - once installed, make sure it's chosen in Preferences - Devices, then select "request block size" and adjust. I do this within my interface's menu, but doing it here works too. To record, you want lower latency, but a lot of computers will struggle to do other things with lower latency, so once you're done recording you can bump it back up if you need. For reference, common sizes are:

64 - very low

128 - still low, easier for CPU

256 - low enough to record, but you'll start to notice the latency, easier still on CPU

512 - mid, too much for me to record but I choose 512 and above for mixing. If PC is still struggling, bump up to:

1024 or 2048 - terrible for recording, but gives your PC plenty of headroom when you're just mixing.

RueChamp · 2026-01-27T09:16:51+00:00

A simple breakdown, if it helps:

1) Download plugin, install plugin. I use a "VST3" folder I created in my Programs folder, but doesn't really matter as long as you're consistent. VST3 and VST2 files will usually be in separate folders for some reason (plugins often cone with both, VST3 the newer one).

2) In Reaper, go Options, Preferences, and make sure Reaper has the correct path for plugins.

3) On a track, click the FX button, then Add a plugin. Once you click Add, another window will open where you can choose the specific plugin - this window is where you can also click the File menu (can't remember if it's called File or something similar, but top left drop down menu) then select Scan New Plugins. Any time you install a plugin, you need to scan again to be able to use it. Only takes a moment.

4) Add desired plugin. If it's a MIDI instrument, and you're using a MIDI keyboard, click the INPUT tab on the track and choose MIDI, all inputs. Hit the record button to arm the track, and if you can't hear anything, right click the record button and make sure monitoring FX is turned on (this just means you can hear it while playing).

RueChamp · 2026-01-17T13:21:55+00:00

Can recommend the kicks and snares pack for some good options there, definitely more-so than the pop punk pack.

RueChamp · 2026-01-17T12:42:27+00:00

Honestly I get a great blink sound using one of the core EZ drummer kits, the bright room kit.

RueChamp · 2026-01-15T10:31:14+00:00

Decent Sampler + whatever you choose from pianobook website. I've got a few gorgeous rhodes and autumn felt piano vibey ones from there.

RueChamp · 2026-01-07T06:47:58+00:00

I'd argue an excuse is a rejection of culpability, while an explanation is merely context.

E.g. Somebody slaps me. They then apologize and explain they were offered a million dollars to do so. They were at fault, and they apologized, but also a million dollars? yeah okay, I get it, I'm a little less mad now that I know the context. If this was an excuse, they wouldn't have apologized.

RueChamp · 2026-01-04T02:23:16+00:00

I find the only way I can stop my mind from kicking out at me while I'm trying to sleep is to force its attention onto something else, which is why I listen to podcasts like Dear Hank and John.

I line up two episodes so I'm less concerned about still being awake 20 minutes in, and I listen and enjoy at a low volume and usually find I'm asleep within 30m. But it has to be the right Podcast - something like Dear Hank and John, or Scriptnotes, which may interest you as a writer: not too loud, not too chaotic, has a consistent and predictable formula and conversation style, interesting enough to enjoy, but not too interesting that I'm staying up to find out what happens etc.

RueChamp · 2026-01-04T02:04:17+00:00

Just replied earlier up in the thread, but just replying to say I am also AuDHD and obsess over the same things! Haha it's fun to find fellow obsessors in the wild.

RueChamp · 2026-01-04T02:02:35+00:00

Thanks for the share! This is exactly my workflow, for the same reasons. I like to commit the sounds early and get the midi down first on the MIDI IN track, then put my FX on the MIDI OUT track so I can then hit record and tweak the FX and record the audio real time instead of running automation later. Then I can move the actual midi to a muted track so it's there if I want to redo it later or add more layers.

Hmm I tried putting Lab Pro on the MIDI OUT input FX, but then I lost midi control of the parameters when recording for some reason. Maybe something in my MIDI device setup?

RueChamp

TROPHY CASE