Sampling
Sampling uses recorded sound as material for new music. You might play a sampled piano from a keyboard, turn a recorded tap into percussion or cut a phrase into pieces and rearrange them. The starting recording supplies a sound; your edits decide how it behaves in the new piece.
- Start with recorded audio
- edit timing and pitch
- keep track of the source
Where you run into this
- Beat making
- Sample instruments
- Sound design
How is a sample instrument different from a sampled loop?
- Sample instrument
Recordings are mapped to notes or pads so you can perform new phrases. A piano library may use many recordings across its range and at different playing strengths.
- Sampled loop or phrase
A recording already contains timing, articulation and perhaps several instruments. You can repeat it, edit its timing or cut it into smaller pieces.
- One-shot
A single event, such as a clap or impact, is triggered when needed. Its playback mode determines whether it finishes automatically or follows the length of a held note.
What does chopping mean?
Chopping divides a recording into sections that you can trigger separately. Record four taps with different sounds or strengths. Cut them into four pieces, label them A, B, C and D, then try A-C-B-D.
Keep the original recording so you can return to it. Place cuts carefully around attacks, and listen for clicks or unwanted pieces of the next sound. Short fades can smooth an abrupt edit, but a fade that is too long can soften the attack you wanted.
What is the difference between repitching and time-stretching?
| Process | What changes | Simple example |
|---|---|---|
| Playback-speed change | Duration and pitch move together | Double speed gives half the duration and an octave higher pitch |
| Time-stretching | Duration changes while pitch is approximately preserved | Fit a recorded loop into a faster project |
| Pitch-shifting | Pitch changes while duration is approximately preserved | Move a phrase up without making it shorter |
| Slicing and resequencing | The order and timing of pieces change | Rearrange A-B-C-D as A-C-B-D |
The independent processes require signal processing, and the result depends on the material and algorithm. Compare the attack and sustained parts after editing, especially when making a large change.
How do I make a loop join smoothly?
Set the start and end around the phrase you want to repeat. Listen across the join several times, including the last note's tail.
A click may come from an abrupt waveform discontinuity; a gap may come from an end point placed too late. A short crossfade can help a sustained texture, while a rhythmic loop may need a more precise cut to keep its attack timing intact. Judge the rhythm as well as the smoothness.
Why does a shifted voice sound like a different character?
Changing playback speed moves the whole spectrum, including the resonant regions associated with vowel color. Some pitch-shifting tools offer separate formant controls or preservation to manage that change.
Try the processed voice in context before deciding whether the effect is a problem. A noticeably altered character may be the purpose. For a natural-sounding correction, compare smaller changes and suitable processing modes rather than assuming one setting works for every phrase.
Make a small instrument from your own recording
- Record a sourceMake a few taps, claps or another sound yourself. Leave enough space between events to edit each one.
- Choose and trimPick one event, preserve its attack and trim unwanted silence. Add a short fade only if the boundary clicks.
- Map and playLoad it into your sampler and trigger a simple four-bar rhythm. Compare short and sustained playback settings if available.
- Create a variationCopy the sound and repitch the copy. Alternate the two versions and listen to how the changed duration affects the groove.
What should I check before releasing sampled material?
Keep a record of where each sample came from and the terms that allow your intended use. A library license may permit a sample in a finished song while restricting redistribution of the isolated sample.
Rules depend on jurisdiction and the material. In the United States, the recording and the underlying musical work can have separate copyrights, and there is no universal safe number of seconds for sampling without permission. For an actual release with uncertain rights, obtain advice suited to that material and jurisdiction.
How do I keep the project reusable?
Save the original source, your edited versions and the project settings. Give each file a name that identifies its role and source, and retain any relevant license.
When moving the project, collect the audio files it depends on. A sampler preset that points to a missing recording cannot reproduce the sound on its own.