Sampling: How do you feel about it?

Supafly · **on:** February 22, 2006, 09:15:45 AM

I know that sampling as a technique for producing music is most commonly a**ociated with rap and electronica. But I am interesting in how people feel about that approach.

I have heard some tired arguments about sampling amounting to artistic / intellectual theft. For other music fans, it's not a question of copyright infringement but about the limitations of working with samples; in other words, they prefer the supposed freedom which comes with using live instruments to make music.

Where do you stand on this issue?

Do you feel sampling is a useful approach to music-making? How do you think it stacks up against more 'traditional' ways of making music (i.e. composition and instruments)? What do you think is limiting about sampling, and what about it is empowering for the music maker?

I'm interested in hearing from people who are involved in making/composing music and those who are just interested fans.

PEACE

Supa!

biz-ark-human · **Reply #1 on:** February 22, 2006, 10:07:55 AM

Well, it's really two-sided for me

1. I hate it when "beatmakers" lift shit off records, speed the shit up or slow it down, add some drums...then boom, you've got a track. There are a lot of examples in hip-hop of such, and to me, that's not sampling (okay, maybe it is, technically). To me, it's straight up biting, and shows a lack of creativity.

2. The other part is when the producer chops up a sample, adds some effects, EQs and whatever, layers the shit (or plays some keys thru' midi that'll complement the composition) and makes a complete track. Now, to me, that's utter creativity.

I dug what Paulo (340ml, The Volume) said... "Hip-hop is sample-based music, what we're doin' on the new [Volume] album is just sampling live".

To me, that's why hip-hop can cross borders, because peeps can sample just about anything (check out Madlib) and make proper shit. I hope my point comes across as sensible.

If it wasn't for sampling in hip-hop, I would possibly have never developed a taste in old school music, crate-digging, and the likes. So, big up to CREATIVE crate-diggin, ait!!!

Royal · **Reply #2 on:** February 22, 2006, 10:40:57 AM

I think sampling is great, its really amazing how u can take the hi-hat from D'Angelos untitled and put it together the strings of a chinese marcial art movie like Hero. But im a bit tired av all those sampled 70:thies tunes that are pitched up like Chip and Dale.

C4 · **Reply #3 on:** February 22, 2006, 11:58:05 AM

Personally I have no problem with sampling. My opinion overlaps with biz-ark. Blatant 'theft' of a sample without much modification and/ or addition to it doesn't impress me much.
When a sample is cut and enhanced or modified in a creative way, i have no problem with it.
Also, sampling doen't limit the beatmaker in my opinion. I'd say a sampler who know knows what he's doin has an edge over the guy on alive instrument, namely the ability to add damn near limitless effects in the snap of a finger, as well as reversing the sample, playing it at a ridiculously high pitch that's way outside the original instrument's octave/ frequency range, etc. etc.
It's like instruments on drugs. One can compose a song and play it using instrument samples such as those found in Reason's soundbanks, and come up with the same result as the guy blowing the trumpet, with no need to catch your breath afterwards.
I think sampling, if done correctly, is a-ok!

nil fioktissovich grozny · **Reply #4 on:** February 22, 2006, 12:04:21 PM

:evil:

Unfortunately, modern music is not only characterised by, but overburdened with the incorrigible, corrupting influences of "the untalented ones", which is why the question of 'intellectual copyright' infringement even comes up in the first place...

Otherwise, sampling -until the emergence of the sampler as a musical tool- is not unique to hip-hop, but is characteristic of ALL music forms, even the 'traditional ones' - Paganini's 'Variations on a Nursery rhyme' is exactly that, taking nursery rhymes and busting them on a piano. By sampling we are basically building on our collective heritage as human beings...

On the flip-side, the 'avaracious ones' just want to keep all the conglomerate-record-industry millions for themselves, but they'll never catch Grozny, The Mighty...

Ha, ha, ha! Ha, ha, ha, ha, ha! Ha, ha, ha! :twisted:

Original Syn · **Reply #5 on:** February 23, 2006, 12:06:56 AM

As an instrumentalist and occasional producer, i see sampling as justa nother nifty instrument/tool to use in order to make a tight track, I'm on the same tip as biz and C4, don't pull a puffy and jack an instrumental, thicken up the drums and put a vocalist on it and say you produced something. But sometimes I want the sound and swing of live drums (which you cant ever reproduce, you can get close but the tiny inconsistencies which distinguish humanity cant be sequenced, not with todays tech) and some times want squelchy 808's wit heavy compression and a sub ba** pasted on top which I've run thru blockfish and bitcrusher, and becos I work with both rack hardware and the software i can say with confidence that VSt plugins are mad tight, they not the same as analogue hardware, they just different. On this track we was just workin on our drums are synthesised, our ba** and guitars are live and f***ed with thru the nord rack and the effects pedals, the horns are played thru midi, flute is live and clean, and the vocals are effected and layered with samples we pulled of products of crate digging. Use it all and make good shit, why waste time arguing?

biz-ark-human · **Reply #6 on:** February 23, 2006, 09:39:10 PM

Quote from: "C4"

It's like instruments on drugs.

:lol:

Quote from: "syntactic"

But sometimes I want the sound and swing of live drums (which you cant ever reproduce, you can get close but the tiny inconsistencies which distinguish humanity cant be sequenced, not with todays tech)

Indeed

SolitaryNative · **Reply #7 on:** February 24, 2006, 03:28:01 PM

Quote from: "C4"

Personally I have no problem with sampling. My opinion overlaps with biz-ark.

Ditto. Sampling has to have limits and can't just end up as biting. As soon as your sample is selling your track or getting it heard and not the way you've used it, my flag stays the f*** up.

What's funny is shit like Jerbilbrain Dupri samples the f*** out of some wack a** PM Dawn (memba the beatdown?) joint for Mariah and its all glitter. People running around falling down over this track and shit. Absolute wackness. The reason it touches you is coz you've heard it before and you couldn't place it coz you tried to remove the part of your brain that was exposed to the original.

Seriously, I hate it when people use samples and don't credit the original. Like honestly other than AG who the f*** knows who Minnie Ripperton is? That's shite man.

Di(L)do built a career on being sampled and that's some shit too. Kinda wierd state of affairs if you think about it- what could be called the inverse rewiration of the Ripperton situation.

As long as you're doing something with it, you're track is not hoping that the sample alone will carry it and you're not fronting like its your baby then I'm generally happy.

Anybody heard Ca**ette BoY? What do you make of people who make a career out of clever sampling and does it do anything for Hip Hop? Glad he stuck the streets though.

Tek · **Reply #8 on:** February 24, 2006, 04:02:54 PM

well....i feel what most cats are sayin..

I think sampling complemented with live or played shit makes for a dope combination, i love it all.

Anthony · **Reply #9 on:** February 24, 2006, 06:03:19 PM

wish i could play instruments.then i could make music... :lol:

Royal · **Reply #10 on:** February 24, 2006, 08:31:07 PM

that would be a good start

MaddStone · **Reply #11 on:** February 25, 2006, 01:58:30 AM

Personally, I think its a disgusting practice and should be banned from now on.Any person calling him or herself a producer should just be beaten with a stick if they do this practice.Sampling is totally wrong............ :lol:

Now, back to being serious...........I appreciate sampling for what it can deliver in the bigger scheme of things.I am of the thinking that the ideal is a combo of both live and sampling.Depending on track nature and vibe.