{"title":"Stanley Solutions Blog","link":[{"@attributes":{"href":"https:\/\/blog.stanleysolutionsnw.com\/","rel":"alternate"}},{"@attributes":{"href":"https:\/\/blog.stanleysolutionsnw.com\/feeds\/all.atom.xml","rel":"self"}}],"id":"https:\/\/blog.stanleysolutionsnw.com\/","updated":"2026-04-15T21:44:00-07:00","subtitle":"engineering and creativity - all under one hat","entry":[{"title":"Triggering REAPER Recording from Python","link":{"@attributes":{"href":"https:\/\/blog.stanleysolutionsnw.com\/triggering-reaper-recording-from-python.html","rel":"alternate"}},"published":"2026-04-15T21:44:00-07:00","updated":"2026-04-15T21:44:00-07:00","author":{"name":"Joe Stanley"},"id":"tag:blog.stanleysolutionsnw.com,2026-04-15:\/triggering-reaper-recording-from-python.html","summary":"

Python, REAPER, and a Stream Deck? What do those things have in common? Is this one of those weird games? Not really. This is how I hooked up a Stream-Deck controller to control my REAPER audio software.<\/p>","content":"

Did you think you needed new ways of controlling your REAPER audio software<\/a>. I knew it! I knew it. Well, today is your lucky day.<\/p>\n

I did this a while back, and it was great... until I updated my Ubuntu installation, and started using a newer version of Python. Best I can tell, REAPER doesn't\nactually support Python 3.11 or newer. Somebody want to prove me wrong? Leave a comment! I'd love to hear a better way to do this.<\/em> This left me flailing; looking\nfor a better solution so I could still have a big \"Record\" button on my Stream-Deck.<\/p>\n

This is all because REAPER has this cool system that allows you to interact with the software through a scripting interface, and even drive some actions directly\nthrough Python. Very cool for geeks like me!<\/p>\n

Now... this would've taken me quite a while, so I had a friend help me with some of the research. As this whole thing breaks down, you ultimately need to do the\nfollowing:<\/p>\n

    \n
  1. Install pyenv<\/code><\/li>\n
  2. Install Python 3.10<\/strong> with shared-library support<\/li>\n
  3. Configure REAPER to use that Python version<\/li>\n
  4. Install reapy-next<\/code><\/li>\n
  5. Create a working toggle recording<\/strong> script<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n
    \n

    1. Install pyenv<\/code><\/h2>\n

    Install dependencies<\/h3>\n

    Here's a list of packages that will likely be needed to help get your pyenv<\/code> system up and running.<\/p>\n

    <\/span>sudo <\/span>apt <\/span>update\nsudo <\/span>apt <\/span>install <\/span>-y <\/span>build-essential <\/span>libssl-dev <\/span>zlib1g-dev <\/span>\n  <\/span>libbz2-dev <\/span>libreadline-dev <\/span>libsqlite3-dev <\/span>curl <\/span>\n  <\/span>libncursesw5-dev <\/span>xz-utils <\/span>tk-dev <\/span>libxml2-dev <\/span>\n  <\/span>libxmlsec1-dev <\/span>libffi-dev <\/span>liblzma-dev\n<\/code><\/pre><\/div>\n\n
    Install pyenv<\/code><\/h3>\n
    <\/span>curl <\/span>https:\/\/pyenv.run <\/span>|<\/span> <\/span>bash\n<\/code><\/pre><\/div>\n\n
    Add pyenv<\/code> to your shell<\/h3>\n
    Add these lines to ~\/.bashrc<\/code>:<\/p>\n
    <\/span>export<\/span> <\/span>PATH<\/span>=<\/span>"<\/span>$HOME<\/span>\/.pyenv\/bin:<\/span>$PATH<\/span>"<\/span>\neval<\/span> <\/span>"<\/span>$(<\/span>pyenv <\/span>init <\/span>-)<\/span>"<\/span>\neval<\/span> <\/span>"<\/span>$(<\/span>pyenv <\/span>virtualenv-init <\/span>-)<\/span>"<\/span>\n<\/code><\/pre><\/div>\n\n
    Reload your shell:<\/p>\n
    <\/span>source<\/span> <\/span>~\/.bashrc\n<\/code><\/pre><\/div>\n\n
    \n
    2. Install Python 3.10 with shared-library support<\/h2>\n
    REAPER requires<\/strong> the Python shared library (libpython3.10.so<\/code>).<\/p>\n
    Install Python 3.10:<\/p>\n
    <\/span>env <\/span>PYTHON_CONFIGURE_OPTS<\/span>=<\/span>"--enable-shared"<\/span> <\/span>pyenv <\/span>install <\/span>3<\/span>.10.13\n<\/code><\/pre><\/div>\n\n
    Set it as your working version:<\/p>\n
    <\/span>pyenv <\/span>shell <\/span>3<\/span>.10.13\n<\/code><\/pre><\/div>\n\n
    Verify the .so<\/code> exists:<\/p>\n
    <\/span>find <\/span>~\/.pyenv\/versions\/3.10.13 <\/span>-name <\/span>"libpython3.10*.so"<\/span>\n<\/code><\/pre><\/div>\n\n
    Expected output:<\/p>\n
    <\/span>~\/.pyenv\/versions\/3.10.13\/lib\/libpython3.10.so\n<\/code><\/pre><\/div>\n\n
    \n
    3. Install reapy-next<\/code><\/h2>\n
    reapy-next<\/code> is the Python package that provides a whole slew of functionality\nfor interacting with REAPER through a Python lens. And hey, let's be honest... I'm basically blind to anything other<\/em>\nthan Python.<\/p>\n
    <\/span>pip <\/span>install <\/span>reapy-next\n<\/code><\/pre><\/div>\n\n
    \n
    4. Configure REAPER to use pyenv<\/code> Python 3.10<\/h2>\n
    REAPER must be pointed at:<\/p>\n