In this article, we'll talk about one of the most critical instruments in hip-hop, the sampler. We'll talk about what the sampler actually does and how it can be incorporated into your studio setup.
A sampler is essentially a high-tech tape recorder. It allows you to record "samples" of audio, and then map that sample to keys on your keyboard or pads on your sampling drum machine so that you can play that piece of audio like a live instrument. To accomplish pitch shifting, samplers will actually change the pitch (and speed) of the audio in order to make the desired pitch. For example, if you sample yourself singing a middle C via microphone, a sampler will allow you to play back your voice by hitting the middle C on your keyboard.Furthermore, if you play A or B, you will hear your voice singing A or B as well. The beauty of the sampler is that it allows a beat maker to update and add new sounds at low cost. Without a sampler, you'd have to buy a whole new synthesizer or program in order to get new sounds. With a sampler, you can just update your sounds by getting them from the following sources:
3rd Party Companies: Today, there are a plethora of companies that specialize in selling drum kits, loops, and completely multi-sampled instruments online. Big Fish Audio is a reputable firm that sells a variety of sample cds from different genres. Modern Beats is another company that specializes in selling drum sounds to hip-hop artists.
Sampling Other Records: This is the method that gave birth to hip-hop. In this method, the producer takes various chunks of audio from existing records. The range of audio can be a complete loop of a song section. It can also be a short "hit" such as a horn stab. Finally, it can involve sampling individual drum sounds from a drum break. Be very cautious that there are legal implications when sampling other works, so please be responsible when you sample and give artists their proper credit.
Self-Recorded: If you look around your immediate environment, there are plenty of objects that can make great sounds if you experiment with them. How about dropping change into a cup or beating on your chest? Take out your mic and start recording.
The possibilities that a sampler opens up are endless. A sampler really is critical to the role of a hip-hop producer since sounds that are in fashion are constantly changing. In our next article, we'll talk about some of the more advanced terms that you'll hear of when discussing samplers.
A sampler is essentially a high-tech tape recorder. It allows you to record "samples" of audio, and then map that sample to keys on your keyboard or pads on your sampling drum machine so that you can play that piece of audio like a live instrument. To accomplish pitch shifting, samplers will actually change the pitch (and speed) of the audio in order to make the desired pitch. For example, if you sample yourself singing a middle C via microphone, a sampler will allow you to play back your voice by hitting the middle C on your keyboard.Furthermore, if you play A or B, you will hear your voice singing A or B as well. The beauty of the sampler is that it allows a beat maker to update and add new sounds at low cost. Without a sampler, you'd have to buy a whole new synthesizer or program in order to get new sounds. With a sampler, you can just update your sounds by getting them from the following sources:
3rd Party Companies: Today, there are a plethora of companies that specialize in selling drum kits, loops, and completely multi-sampled instruments online. Big Fish Audio is a reputable firm that sells a variety of sample cds from different genres. Modern Beats is another company that specializes in selling drum sounds to hip-hop artists.
Sampling Other Records: This is the method that gave birth to hip-hop. In this method, the producer takes various chunks of audio from existing records. The range of audio can be a complete loop of a song section. It can also be a short "hit" such as a horn stab. Finally, it can involve sampling individual drum sounds from a drum break. Be very cautious that there are legal implications when sampling other works, so please be responsible when you sample and give artists their proper credit.
Self-Recorded: If you look around your immediate environment, there are plenty of objects that can make great sounds if you experiment with them. How about dropping change into a cup or beating on your chest? Take out your mic and start recording.
The possibilities that a sampler opens up are endless. A sampler really is critical to the role of a hip-hop producer since sounds that are in fashion are constantly changing. In our next article, we'll talk about some of the more advanced terms that you'll hear of when discussing samplers.
About the Author:
Learn more about hip-hop beats for sale by visiting Frank Lubsey's site on how to purchase beats.
