Sample Digging...??

C

Chew_Bear

New member
Newbie to sampling...

1. What exactly am I supposed to be 'listening' for when sampling...???

Depends on what genre I am working in or what kind of instrument/sound I want to manipulate right...?

So...am I supposed to be listening for Drums, Basslines, instruments (synth, piano, guitar etc.) and vocals...??

Or....is it as simple as listening and "catching anything" that sparks my mind/creativity and says "wow, I think I can rearrange this sound in a creative way and make it unique" kind of thing...???

For example...My name is spelled Chue but its pronounced "chew" or "choo", however you want to perceive it. And yesterday...I came across a song named "Choo Choo" on soundcloud. And I immediately thought..."WOW", I can use this vocal sample to make a 'one shot' for my DJing and productions. Luckily...it was a free download.

Help...?!?!

Are certain genres better suited for sampling...???

I'm listening to some Trance right now and trying to figure out if I can sample something but I feel like I am not finding any creativity or spark from the songs I am listening to. Maybe I am listening to the wrong genre/songs.
 
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This is one of the hardest things to grasp when you first start sampling, well it was for me anyway.. I think you're pretty much spot on with "catching anything" that sparks your creativity as you put it. That's an extremely general statement though so it doesn't really help much ha.
When I listen for samples I listen to the melodic elements in the song mostly, and then think how I could manipulate it to use it in a beat. Like I will consider how it will sound if it's pitched up or pitched down, if it will sound good if I chop it up and rearrange it, or even what it will sound liked reversed, stuff like that. This stuff just becomes instinctive after a short while though, now I listen to a sample and pretty much straight away know what I'm going to do with it.
As a vague guideline, I find samples with just some chords and/or a melody easier to sample than a busy song full of drums and percussion, layered melodies etc. They just give you more room to work with if there's not as much going on.

As for genres to sample, some genres are definitely better than others but it entirely depends on your style and what type of music you're making. For me, trance would be one of the worst genres to sample but that doesn't mean it cant be sampled, just doesn't suit what I do. Try digging through heaps of different genres and you will eventually find what works better for you. Also, look at what genres others have sampled in the past.
 
Listen to some classic hip hop producers (Lord Finesse, Pete Rock, J Dilla, etc) and the songs you like, check them on Whosampled. See how they flipped those samples to create the songs. you'll get a clearer idea. It is a challenging art form for sure
 
When I drop the needle on a record I'm listening out for a few things...

Is there already a groove in the song I can mess with? If the song makes my head nod before it's even hit my software then I'm on a winner!
Are there any interesting progressions or chords are the chop points obvious? Maybe a lick I can pull while re-ordering the chord progression
Do I like the sounds?

If I'm feeling really clever I'll already know whether I'll be layering the sample or not. (Sometimes I'll chop the sample and then copy the chops onto a second group - eq the first for low/mid ends and the second in the highs - and have a driving loop on the low/mid group and a sparkly melody (for want of a better word) on the high group...
 
Great advice from the responses above. I would add that to glean some insights into how the "big boys" work with samples, watch some episodes of "Crate Diggers" and especially "Rhythm Roulette" on YouTube!

GJ
 
rhythmgj said:
Great advice from the responses above. I would add that to glean some insights into how the "big boys" work with samples, watch some episodes of "Crate Diggers" and especially "Rhythm Roulette" on YouTube!

GJ
Click to expand...
But avoid the newer 'Sprite' episodes... Mass Appeal not doing the show any favours with this new format - was much better to watch in the producers in their own studios!

I haven't seen 'Crate Diggers'. Could you link it please?
 
Youre listening for interesting rhythms, instrumentation, drum breaks, vocals, sound effects, basslines... (the list goes on and on). Anything that strikes you as interesting and that you might want to use in any way. Sample stuff just to get the drums or bass, then cut it up and use it as an instrument to create something totally different from the original.

Once you get used to it and practice sampling, you kinda can't shut it off lol Whatever you hear, your brain enters analysis mode and interprets anything good, even if youre not really paying attention.
I hear stuff all the time that makes my ears perk up and take notes.
 
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