🎼Electronic Music Composition Unit 5 – Sampling and Sample Manipulation Techniques

What's Sampling All About?

• Sampling involves taking a portion of a sound recording and reusing it as an instrument or element in a new recording
• Allows producers and composers to incorporate unique sounds, loops, and phrases into their music
• Samples can be sourced from various recordings, including songs, speeches, movies, and field recordings
• Sampling has been a fundamental technique in various genres such as hip-hop, electronic dance music (EDM), and experimental music
• Enables musicians to create new compositions by manipulating and rearranging existing audio material
  • Can involve chopping, looping, pitching, and layering samples to create new musical ideas
• Sampling has revolutionized music production by providing access to a vast array of sounds and textures
• Raises legal and ethical questions regarding copyright and the use of others' intellectual property in new compositions

Types of Samples and Where to Find Them

• Drum samples are commonly used in music production to create beats and rhythmic patterns
  • Can be sourced from drum machines, live drum recordings, or sample libraries
• Loop samples are pre-recorded musical phrases that can be repeated seamlessly
  • Often include drum breaks, basslines, or melodic phrases from existing songs
• Vocal samples can be extracted from songs, speeches, or acapella recordings
  • Used to create hooks, backing vocals, or as a main element in a composition
• Sound effects (SFX) samples include various non-musical sounds such as foley, ambience, and synthesized effects
• Samples can be sourced from personal recordings, sample libraries, vinyl records, or online repositories
  • Websites like Splice, Loopmasters, and Sounds.com offer extensive collections of royalty-free samples
• Digging for samples involves searching through record stores, thrift shops, and online marketplaces to find unique vinyl recordings to sample
• Creating your own samples allows for greater control and originality in your productions

Essential Gear for Sampling

• A digital audio workstation (DAW) is the primary software used for sampling, recording, and arranging samples
  • Popular DAWs for sampling include Ableton Live, FL Studio, and Native Instruments Maschine
• MIDI controllers enable hands-on manipulation of samples and provide tactile control over various parameters
  • Drum pads, keyboards, and sample-specific controllers (Akai MPC, Native Instruments Maschine) are commonly used
• Audio interfaces allow you to connect external audio sources to your computer for recording and sampling
  • Important for capturing high-quality audio and minimizing latency
• Turntables and vinyl records are essential for digging and sampling from physical media
  • A phono preamp is necessary to amplify the signal from the turntable to line level
• Portable recorders are handy for capturing field recordings and creating your own unique samples
• High-quality studio monitors or headphones are crucial for accurate monitoring and critical listening when working with samples

Recording Your Own Samples

• Set up your audio interface and connect your audio source (instrument, microphone, or line-level device)
• Choose an appropriate microphone for the sound source you want to record
  • Dynamic microphones (Shure SM57) are suitable for capturing loud sources like drums or amplifiers
  • Condenser microphones (Audio-Technica AT2020) are ideal for recording detailed sounds, vocals, and acoustic instruments
• Adjust the microphone placement to capture the desired tone and minimize unwanted noise
• Set the appropriate input level on your audio interface to avoid clipping and ensure a clean recording
• Record the audio in your DAW, making sure to leave enough headroom to avoid distortion
• Edit the recorded audio to isolate the desired portions and remove any unwanted noise or silence
• Export the edited audio as a high-quality file format (WAV or AIFF) for use in your sampler or DAW

Chopping and Slicing Techniques

• Chopping involves dividing a sample into smaller segments or "chops" that can be rearranged and triggered individually
  • Allows for creating new rhythmic patterns and melodies from the original sample
• Slicing is the process of automatically detecting transients in a sample and splitting it into individual slices
  • Transients are sharp attacks or changes in the audio waveform that indicate the beginning of a new sound or note
• Most DAWs and samplers have built-in tools for chopping and slicing samples
  • Ableton Live's Simpler and Sampler devices offer intuitive ways to chop and slice samples
• Manual chopping involves using the audio editor in your DAW to visually identify and split the sample into desired segments
• Slicing can be performed automatically by setting a threshold for transient detection and adjusting the sensitivity
• Chopped or sliced samples can be assigned to individual MIDI notes, allowing you to play them in any order and create new patterns
• Experiment with different chopping and slicing techniques to discover new rhythms and melodic ideas within a sample

Manipulating Samples: Pitch, Time, and Effects

• Pitch manipulation involves altering the pitch of a sample without affecting its duration
  • Can be used to create harmony, correct tuning, or achieve creative effects
• Time stretching allows you to change the duration of a sample without altering its pitch
  • Useful for matching the tempo of a sample to your project or creating new rhythmic variations
• Resampling is the process of recording the output of a manipulated sample back into your DAW for further processing
• Applying effects to samples can dramatically transform their sound and create new textures
  • Reverb adds space and depth to a sample, simulating different acoustic environments
  • Delay creates echoes and can be used rhythmically to add interest and movement to a sample
  • Distortion and saturation can add warmth, grit, or aggressive tones to a sample
  • Filters (low-pass, high-pass, band-pass) can shape the frequency content of a sample, removing or emphasizing certain frequencies
• Automation can be used to create dynamic changes in pitch, time, or effect parameters over time
• Experiment with different combinations of pitch, time, and effect manipulations to create unique and evolving sounds from your samples

Layering and Blending Samples

• Layering involves combining multiple samples to create a richer, more complex sound
  • Can be used to add depth, texture, and movement to a composition
• Blending samples refers to the process of seamlessly integrating different samples to create a cohesive sound
• When layering samples, consider the frequency content of each sample to avoid clashing or muddiness
  • Use EQ to carve out space for each sample in the frequency spectrum
• Adjust the volume and panning of each layer to create a balanced and spacious mix
• Use time-based effects like reverb and delay to create a sense of space and depth in your layered samples
• Experiment with layering samples from different sources, such as combining organic and synthetic elements
• Blending samples can be achieved by using crossfades, volume automation, and effects to create smooth transitions between samples
• Use sidechain compression to make space for the transients of one sample while ducking the volume of another
• Experiment with different layering and blending techniques to create unique and evolving soundscapes in your compositions

Legal Stuff: Copyright and Clearing Samples

• Sampling copyrighted material without permission can lead to legal issues and copyright infringement
• Copyright laws protect the rights of original creators and their intellectual property
• Clearing a sample involves obtaining permission from the copyright owner to use their work in your composition
  • This process can be time-consuming and costly, often requiring negotiations and licensing fees
• Fair use is a legal doctrine that allows limited use of copyrighted material without permission for purposes such as criticism, commentary, or education
  • However, fair use is determined on a case-by-case basis and can be difficult to prove in court
• Royalty-free samples are pre-cleared for use in your compositions without the need for additional licensing
  • These samples are often purchased from sample libraries or websites that specialize in providing cleared samples
• Creative Commons licenses allow creators to grant certain permissions for the use of their work, such as attribution or non-commercial use
• When in doubt, it's always best to seek legal advice or obtain explicit permission from the copyright owner before using a sample in your composition
• Alternatively, create your own samples or use royalty-free sources to avoid potential legal issues