How do I route multiple sources to single track?

I want to combine 2-3 live mics down to a single mixer track in my project. IE I want to blend the 3 mics on the guitar cab to a single track without an external mixer. Do I need to just track all 3 and submix it?

If I'm understanding correctly, the simplest yet most powerful would be to create a 4th track and set that as the folder for the other three. That automatically gives you a submix.

Maybe I don't understand but... Couldn't you just route an AUX from each trak you are monitoring to another track that is recording????

I think he wants to avoid multiple tracks and just have multiple inputs for a single track so he can record the three tracks all into the same track. Brent

Hmmmm. I think he just doesn't want 3 tracks recorded. But you would have to use 3 tracks as an input mixer and then have a 4th track that actually records. As far as I know...

I suppose he's asking for Reaper to allow recording surround or "greater than stereo" tracks? Below is a track with 3 inputs. Reaper doesn't currently record surround (multi-channel) formats afaik. You can still "mix" the parts within the file with a surround plug...

Ok, you mentioned Cubase doing it and (afaik) this is the only way it does that without bus routing. I mean, to actually sum tracks you always need a "summing bus" somewhere. Where would the summing happen in that case? Each input has it's own discreet converter so... those tracks would have to be "summed" before being printed to disk, which requires a bus. Seems to me you'd route / monitor those 3 to one folder - as suggested above - and record the output of the folder to mono? It will take 4 tracks... 3 of which you can delete afterward. Thanks.

I'm no Reaper whiz-kid by any stretch, but I seem to recall that Reaper lets you record direct track output. So, you could route your three tracks and have them basically just echoing input, but only record on a fourth, single track that is listening in. I'd have to test to verify. There's no way to do this without having three tracks representing your inputs, even if you delete them later. Even in an analog world, there's three mic cable going somewhere before they all iris down to one channel. That said, I think most people are confused about the process because you're purposely eliminating all the benefits using a DAW gives you. Sure, for ease of use you may want to submix or otherwise get all the shenanigans of multiple tracks over with, even destructively, but it's really in your best interest to track them all in individually and tweak your mix accordingly. Even if you decided the balance and rendered it down, hiding or deleting the originals, it gives you a chance to make any adjustments you want to make to balance, dynamics, well crap and everything else I reckon!

Ye, as said before - reaper works differently. You say you want 3 inputs and in the end it has to be 1 mono file. So -> Either the folder thing, or: 4 Tracks 1 Recieve track 3 Record tracks I/O the stuff from the record tracks to the recieve track. Find your volume settings for the record tracks, arm the 3 tracks, record your stuff, done recording?, right click the recieve track -> "render mono tracks and mute original", this will create a mono file of the recieve track and you can delete the rest. There you go... I dont really understand though why you would want that. You loose the possibility to edit the 3 different inputs. A track-folder would suit in this case. But it's your thing. :-/ Sorry that it does not work as easy as in other tools, but I think REAPER's solution to that is simple enough. I hope you can reach your goal without any troubles, have a nice day. :)

Hmm.... It would appear none of you have worked with tape and a desk or you would know why I want to do this... :) There are going to be a lot of over dubs on these sessions. Its going to be tough enough as is. Multiplying every part by 2-4 tracks is how you end up with 100 track sessions. That is what I am trying to avoid. There just is no reason to record 4 tracks per take just to blend mics to get the sound I already have from the blended mics. There is value in committing to things and making decisions. It would appear reaper can't do it. So be it. I will find a work around