Did I just build a Quad Cortex killer at home - and on the cheap, too?!
Over the last few weeks, I’ve built a custom modular guitar rig that merges my passion for audio tech, scripting, sound design, and live performance — with no mouse, no monitor, just a footswitch and touchscreen.
🎸 Modular Guitar Rig with REAPER, TouchOSC & MIDI Captain 🎛️
More than a creative project, it became a playground for real-time scripting, logic design, automation, and deep MIDI/OSC integration.
System Highlights:
• DAW: REAPER — for scriptability, routing, and live performance
• Controllers: MIDI Captain footswitch for FX/preset/project control, TouchOSC UI for monitoring and toggling
• Middleware: ReaLearn for logic and mapping, TouchOSC Bridge for MIDI/OSC integration
• Scripting: 20+ Lua scripts for FX routing, envelopes, and presets; Batch scripts to launch REAPER projects via MIDI
Key Features:
• Smart FX routing with XOR logic — only one “container” (Lead, Clean, Ambient, etc.) active at a time
• One-button looper with short/long-press logic
• Track-based preset loading with automatic FX window focus
• MIDI-triggered project launching
• Global envelope automation for parameters like Cab Sim On/Off
• Bi-directional OSC feedback for live preset/FX state
• MIDI-triggered rig switching (Fusion, Prog, Ambient)
Lessons Learned:
• Modular thinking and automation are as vital in music as in software
• REAPER is a programmable environment, not just a DAW
• Thoughtful UX (TouchOSC) + logic abstraction (ReaLearn/Lua) = streamlined performance
Next Steps:
• Looper
• Integration with the GIG Performer
🎯 This is a case study in how software engineering meets music performance. With the right tools, one well-orchestrated rig can replace racks of gear.
💬 If you’re exploring the intersection of music, coding, control systems, and UX — let’s connect!
https://open.spotify.com/artist/0RMQ8... - Raven Trophy on Spotify, ΔEnJOY!
https://github.com/entropy-laboratory... - GitLab repository