ReaLeader

Vim-style nested keyboard shortcuts for REAPER. Press a leader key to open a which-key overlay, then type a short sequence to trigger any action - without memorising dozens of modifier combinations.

L → t → m     mute selected track(s)
L → t → c → c set random custom color
L → s → m     toggle mixer
L → f → f     show FX chain

How it works

1. Press your leader key (e.g. L) - a floating overlay appears listing all namespaces
2. Press a namespace key (e.g. t for Tracks) - the overlay updates to show that namespace's actions
3. Press an action key (e.g. m for Mute) - the action fires and the overlay closes

Sequences can be nested to any depth. Press Backspace to step back one level, Esc to cancel.

Requirements

• REAPER 6+
• SWS Extension - required for any bindings that use named commands (strings starting with _)

Installation

1. Make a folder named rea_leader/ in the REAPER Scripts/ directory
2. Clone the this repo into that folder
3. In REAPER: Actions → Show action list → Load ReaScript
4. Select rea_leader/main.lua - it will appear as Script: main.lua
5. Click Add shortcut and press your chosen leader key

Customising bindings

All bindings live in config.lua. The structure is a nested Lua table:

M.bindings = {
  t = {                             -- namespace key
    label = "Tracks",               -- shown in the overlay
    keys = {
      n = { label = "New track", cmd = 40001 },  -- action key → command ID
      c = { label = "Color", keys = {            -- nested submenu
        c = { label = "Random color", cmd = "_SWS_TRACKRANDCOL" },
      }},
    }
  },
}

• cmd accepts a REAPER command ID (number) or a named command string (e.g. "_SWS_TRACKRANDCOL")
• keys instead of cmd creates a submenu - nesting works at any depth
• M.timeout controls how many seconds of inactivity cancel the sequence

Finding command IDs

Actions → Show action list → select an action → right-click → Copy selected action command ID

The ID is a plain number for built-in actions, or a _-prefixed string for SWS/ReaPack scripts. Both work in config.lua.

Files

rea_leader/
  main.lua          - entry point; bind this to your leader key
  config.lua        - all key bindings (the only file you need to edit)
  state_machine.lua - tracks the current position in the binding tree
  ui.lua            - gfx overlay rendering (HiDPI/Retina aware)
  actions.lua       - executes REAPER commands