With the current technology at our disposal, sampling has never been easier. It’s mind boggling to think about the multitude of digital and analog samplers out there – as well as the endless number of sample libraries.
Creating a beat with samples or being able to sample replace a kick or snare drum on the fly is a real blessing.
Of course, sampling is not limited to beat creation alone and sometimes, to really make our music stand out, we want to take things a step further.
There are many fantastic examples of “unconventional” samples in modern music. Burial’s incredible use of samples like the ‘Metal Gear Solid‘ in-game sound fx always stands out to me, but he’s a very special case.
This video is going to show you how you can use unconventional samples as part of your music and even base your entire production around their use, if you so choose.
Who wants to be conventional anyway?
Check it out!
Now, I’d love to know…
What’s the craziest, most “out there” sample you’ve used in your productions?
Leave a comment below!
professional sounding mix every time...
A steam freight train in a thunder storm which blended in with the production. Your approach did definitely flush out the mix.
Great innovation and you are doing a great service in your tutorials.
“A steam freight train in a thunder storm” – I love that!
Thanks for the kind words, Phil. I really appreciate it.
I have you a few over the years but the one that comes to mind is a machine gun that i used on anti war song and lined it up with the snare hits and it turned out really great, I also layered some planes in flight and crashing and a crowd screaming , it created the whole scene , I was very pleased with the end result
Nice work! Reminds me of ‘Machine Gun’ by Jimi.
Thanks brotha. Interesting. I appreciate your site…………..Cheers
Thanks Ringo!
I recently did some tracks for a young singer/songwriter who wrote a song about loving the rain. We recorded a mono guitar part (which I later changed to a duplicate offset the by a few ms and added some effects….I should have just recorded it in stereo), and a mono vox track. After the editing and static mix, I started to hear rain, thunder and wind in certain parts. So I plugged in my Yamaha es 6 and added the effects.
The guy was blown away by the effect it had on the song. I’ve been adding ‘post production’ realism in my tunes for a very long time.
It is quite affective……I recommend expanding your ears to include natural sounds in your mixes. Sometimes it’s the perfect addition without detracting from the tune.
I’ve never had anyone complain about it…..
Creative, inventive, simple but so effective. Great work Dave!
Didn`t had time to watch this video `till now (and was full of curiosity).
Finally! Someone talking / showing something about the usefull aspects of samples…
Must say this is my cup of milk: I use samples of some kind in every song I write and normaly use them in some arranjements that I create for other people as well. I just can`t help it (guess it`s in my african nature). I`ve done so many combinations and used so many options that I can`t answer your question right now… maybe some other day.
But when it comes to sampling, let me point just one band from the past: ART OF NOISE (remember them?)
Good subject you pic this time, Stephen! 😉
Glad you liked it Paulo. I hadn’t heard of ‘Art of Noise’ and that’s kind of strange because I think Trevor Horn is a genius. I know what I’ll be listening to tomorrow…
Now I remember: the most significant sample I`ve used was my son`s voice with few months of existance in a song called “Pequeno Ser” (Small Being) that I made for him when he turned 1 year.
NOTE: I firmly believe that we should use “hand-made” samples. For example, voices of friends / family rather than “someone else`s voices”. Not only we`ll recognise them in the arranjements, plus they can be immortalized as well, don`t you think?
I usualy pic samples / modify sounds from all my analog gear or use live sound recordings instead of wasting time making downloads (Argh!…), so I can alwais say: “these are my samples”…
🙂
Ah now that’s a sample that makes a lot of sense. Your son will treasure that in years to come.
I love your approach and long may it continue!
Thank you for the kind words…
Now, about ART OF NOISE:
Art of Noise (also The Art of Noise) were an English avant-garde synth-pop group formed in early 1983[2][3][4] by engineer/producer Gary Langan and programmer J. J. Jeczalik, along with arranger Anne Dudley, producer Trevor Horn and music journalist Paul Morley.[5] The group had international Top 20 hits with “Kiss” and the instrumental “Peter Gunn”, which won a 1986 Grammy Award.
The group’s mostly instrumental compositions were novel melodic sound collages based on digital sampler technology, which was new at the time. Inspired by turn-of-the-20th-century revolutions in music, the Art of Noise were initially packaged as a faceless anti- or non-group, blurring the distinction between the art and its creators. The band is noted for innovative use of electronics and computers in pop music and particularly for innovative use of sampling. From the earliest releases on ZTT, the band referred to itself as both Art of Noise and The Art of Noise. Official and unofficial releases and press material use both versions.
(source: Wikipedia – no, I`m not such an intellectual; I use glasses because I have to)
PS: I didn`t know who Trevor Horn was (see what I mean?)
Yes, this is a great thought – It brings the listener to the place the song is telling a story about.
In a song about – a train – I’ve done this with the sound of an approaching train at the beginning, then at the end with the vocalist’s reverb taking him down a tunnel with the train as his vocal faded out.
This is along the same line, but without samples: In Norah Jones’ song “Little Room” on her “Not Too Late” album, they placed a short delay on her vocal to make it sound like she was indeed in a small room (or I suppose they might have intentionally recorded her vocal in a small room). This takes the listener to the place she is singing about much as the background talking you included does the same thing.
I think this “visualization” or ambience is often very important and effective to paint the whole picture of the story being told.
Great subject Stephen!