The fastest way to copy a section in Reaper
To copy a section of a song in Reaper, select the time range you want, then press Ctrl+C (Windows) or Cmd+C (Mac). The copied section stays in your clipboard until you paste it elsewhere in the project or in a new project. You do not need to select individual tracks — Reaper copies whatever is playing in that time range across all visible tracks at once.
The selection itself is the key step. Click at the point where you want the section to start, then drag to where you want it to end. You will see a highlighted area across the timeline. Once that area is highlighted, the copy command works when ready. If you paste into the same project, Reaper places the copied section at your current playback position or at the start of a new selection.
Key Takeaways
- Select the time range by clicking and dragging on the timeline, then press Ctrl+C or Cmd+C to copy all tracks in that section at once.
- Pasting with Ctrl+V or Cmd+V places the section at your current cursor position, and you can move it afterward if needed.
- If you want to copy only certain tracks instead of all of them, select those tracks first, then select the time range, then copy.
- Copying a section preserves all effects, automation, and volume changes that were in the original — you get an exact duplicate.
Selecting the exact time range you need
The selection box at the top of Reaper's timeline shows you exactly what you are copying. Click once on the timeline ruler at the top to set your start point, then hold Shift and click at your end point. This method is more precise than dragging if you need to hit exact beat boundaries. You can also type the exact start and end times directly into the selection fields if you know the numbers.
If you are working with a song that has clear sections — a verse, chorus, bridge — it helps to zoom in on the timeline first so you can see the waveform clearly. Press the plus key to zoom in, or scroll your mouse wheel while hovering over the timeline. A zoomed view makes it much easier to select exactly where one section ends and another begins.
Copying only certain tracks instead of all of them
By default, copying a time range copies every track that is visible on screen. If you want to copy only the drums, or only the vocals, you need to tell Reaper which tracks to include. Click on the track number or name on the left side to select that track, then hold Ctrl (Windows) or Cmd (Mac) and click other track numbers to select multiple tracks. The selected tracks will highlight in a lighter color.
Once your tracks are selected, select your time range as usual and copy. Reaper will copy only the content from those selected tracks. This is useful when you want to duplicate a drum pattern but keep the vocal track as it is, or when you want to copy a guitar riff without copying the bass underneath it.
Pasting the copied section back into your project
Press Ctrl+V or Cmd+V to paste. Reaper inserts the copied section at your current cursor position — the vertical line showing where playback would start. If you want to paste at a specific spot, click on the timeline at that spot first, then paste. The pasted section appears on the same tracks it came from, in the same order.
If you paste and the section lands in the wrong place, press Ctrl+Z or Cmd+Z to undo, then click where you actually want it and paste again. You can also click and drag the pasted section to move it left or right after it lands. This is often faster than undoing and re-pasting.
Copying a section to a different project
You can copy a section from one Reaper project and paste it into another. Open both projects — you can have multiple Reaper windows open at once. Copy the section from the first project the same way: select the time range and press Ctrl+C. Then click on the second project window to bring it to the front, click where you want the section to land, and press Ctrl+V.
When you paste into a different project, Reaper pastes the audio and all the track information, but it does not copy the effects or settings from the original tracks. If the original section had reverb or compression, those effects do not come with it. You will need to add those effects to the new project's tracks separately if you want them.
What happens to effects and automation when you copy
Reaper copies the audio itself and any automation you recorded — volume changes, panning, effect parameter changes — but the copy includes only the automation that was in the time range you selected. If you had a volume fade that started before your selection and ended after it, Reaper copies only the part of that fade that falls within your selection.
Effects that are on the track (reverb, EQ, compression) are not copied with the audio. The audio plays back through those effects when you paste it on the same track, so it sounds the same. But if you move the pasted section to a different track, or to a different project, it will not have those effects unless you add them again. This is usually what you want — it keeps the copied section flexible.
Copying and pasting without moving the original
When you copy a section in Reaper, the original stays exactly where it is. Copying does not cut or remove anything. If you want to move a section instead of duplicating it, you need to cut it first: select the time range, press Ctrl+X or Cmd+X, then click where you want it and paste. Cut removes the original and leaves a gap; copy leaves the original in place.
If you cut and then change your mind, undo with Ctrl+Z or Cmd+Z and the section goes back. Reaper's undo history is deep — you can undo many steps back if you need to. This makes it safe to experiment with moving sections around.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I copy just the audio without the effects?
The audio itself is always copied without the track effects attached. When you paste it back on the same track, it plays through the track's effects as usual. If you want the audio without effects, paste it on a new empty track instead, and it will play dry.
What if I copy a section and paste it, but it sounds different?
This usually means the pasted section landed on a different track with different effects, or the track effects changed between when you copied and when you pasted. Check which track the pasted section is on, and compare its effects to the original track. You can also undo and paste on the correct track.
Can I copy a section that spans multiple tracks at different times?
No — when you select a time range, Reaper copies that same time range from all selected tracks. If you need to copy sections that start and end at different times on different tracks, copy and paste them one track at a time, or use Reaper's item editing tools to move individual items around.
Does copying a section use a lot of memory?
Copying stores the section in your clipboard, which uses memory, but not enough to cause problems on modern computers. Pasting creates a new copy of the audio in your project file, which does use disk space. If you paste the same section many times, your project file gets larger.
Can I copy a section and paste it at a different speed?
Copying and pasting preserves the original speed. To change the speed of a pasted section, select it and use Reaper's time-stretch tool, or right-click and choose "Item properties" to adjust the playback rate. This stretches or compresses the audio to fit a different tempo.