# AXIS REAPER — Bare-Bones Tracking Setup

**The problem this fixes:** the full axis-pedalboard.jsfx puts EVERYTHING on
one chain (HPF, delay, reverb, OctaBass, DL4, looper, chorus, etc.). When you
drop that on a vocal track to monitor while tracking, REAPER chokes. You
can't even play the instrumental back. The fix: split the chain so the vocal
monitor path is **input → EQ → delay → out**, and everything else lives on
its own track.

## Files

- `axis-track.jsfx` — **bare-bones vocal tracking chain.** Input → 3-band EQ → single delay → output. CPU ~0. This is what goes on every vocal take.
- `axis-looper.jsfx` — **standalone looper.** Record / Dub / Play. Put on a separate bus track, route anything into it via sends. Never on the vocal monitor.
- `dl4-delay.jsfx` — **DL4-style delay** with 5 models (Digital / Analog / Tape / LoRes / Sweep). Mono insert. Use on guitar or vocal when you want a character delay.
- `axis-pedalboard.jsfx` — **the kitchen-sink pedalboard** (kept for reference / guitar). Don't put this on vocal tracks. It's huge.

## Autotune is OUT of the default chain

`nova-scale.jsfx` (NOVA-Scale synth + autotune-style scale lock) stays as
an *optional insert* for tracks where you want pitch quantization. **It is
not in the default tracking chain.** Add it per-track when you need it.

## Install

Copy all three files into your REAPER Effects folder:
- **Windows:** `%APPDATA%\REAPER\Effects\`
- **macOS:** `~/Library/Application Support/REAPER/Effects/`
- **Linux:** `~/.config/REAPER/Effects/`

Restart REAPER, then add effects from the FX browser under **JS**.

## Recommended track layout

```
Track 1 — KICK / DRUMS
Track 2 — BASS
Track 3 — INSTRUMENTAL
Track 4 — VOCAL (RECORD ARM)
   FX:    AXIS Track
   Sends: → Bus LOOPER (when you want to layer)
Track 5 — VOCAL DOUBLE (if doing layers)
   FX:    AXIS Track
Track 6 — Bus LOOPER
   FX:    AXIS Looper
   Receives from Track 4 and/or any other source
Track 7 — MASTER OUT
```

## Using axis-track (the bare vocal chain)

1. Add **AXIS Track** as the only FX on a vocal track.
2. Adjust the 3-band EQ (Low Shelf / Mid / Air) to taste. Default is flat.
3. Toggle **Delay** on if you want a slap on the vocal. Set Time / Mix / Feedback.
4. That's it. There's nothing else. No reverb, no looper, no autotune, no
   chorus. CPU is essentially zero. REAPER will play the instrumental
   while you record.

## Using axis-looper (separate bus)

1. Create a new track named "Bus LOOPER" (Track 6 in the layout above).
2. Add **AXIS Looper** as its only FX.
3. Route vocal (or guitar, or anything) to the bus: click **Route** on the
   source track → add a new send to Track 6.
4. Hit REC on the looper, play your loop. Hit PLAY when done. Hit DUB to
   layer.
5. Toggle **Input Monitor** on if you want to hear the dry input through
   the looper track (useful when the looper is the only thing the
   audience hears). Off if you only want the looper output.

## The split is intentional

The autotune, the looper, the DL4, the reverb — all of them together is
~1500 lines of DSP per channel, evaluated every sample. That's what makes
REAPER stutter when monitoring a vocal. Splitting them:

- Vocal monitor path (the only one that runs while you're tracking): 1
  plugin, 3 EQ biquads, 1 delay line. Done.
- Looper: 1 plugin, runs only when active. Not in the vocal path.
- Autotune: 0 plugins in the default chain. Add per-track only when
  needed.
- DL4 / Reverb: insert on individual tracks at mix time, not monitor time.

This is how the pros run REAPER for tracking: one stripped insert on the
record-arm track, everything else on busses or off until mixdown.

## Migrating from the old kitchen-sink setup

If you have a project already using `axis-pedalboard.jsfx` on a vocal
track:

1. Remove `axis-pedalboard.jsfx` from the vocal track.
2. Add `axis-track.jsfx` instead.
3. If you were using the looper in the pedalboard, create a new bus track
   and add `axis-looper.jsfx` to it. Re-route your source to the bus.
4. Save. Your vocal monitoring will work now and the instrumental will
   play.

## No-guilt tracking rules

- If REAPER is dropping audio while you record, your vocal track has too
  much FX. Strip it to AXIS Track only.
- If you want autotune, add `nova-scale.jsfx` AFTER you've laid down the
  rough. It's a mix tool, not a tracking tool.
- If you want to hear the looper while you sing, route the vocal to the
  looper bus. The vocal track itself stays minimal.