Building sample commercial libraries, How To?

[abstractcats]

Hi guys, I'm looking to learn how to build sample commercial libraries.
I need to learn basics of making loops and samples, such as processing, final rendering, mastering, etc.
Any tutorials, blogs, etc.?

Sorry if I've over looked and posts, I'm sure there are some I have not seen.

Here is one sound I did recently, I feel its very good, but I'm not sure if its sale quality, yet.
Any opinions?
https://soundcloud.com/abstractcats/pulser

Thanks, ScottAC

[DSmolken]

First I'd grab some of the big free sample packs from commercial developers such as What About or Function Loops, and use those as a reference point. There you can see if processed and unprocessed versions are both included, how loop tails are handled etc. A lot of the construction kits really just seem like unfinished tracks without too many layers, broken up into easily reusable blocks.

Mastering is probably something I'd skip, since these are going to be used in tracks which are going to be mastered.

[ctype]

Haven't heard any update on this for a few months(?) and I'm sure it's still in the process of being written but when it is released it might be of some interest to you.

http://www.thesamplinghandbook.com

[abstractcats]

Thanks guys! The book looks great. And I understand about not mastering, I'd thought about the, but the conformation is great!

Here is one sound I did recently, I feel its very good, but I'm not sure if its sale quality, yet.
Any opinions?
https://soundcloud.com/abstractcats/pulser

[SampleScience]

It all depends on the customers you want. Different music genre has different needs. For instance, take the hip hop producer crowd, culturally they are used to sample sounds from vinyl records. But samples from records needs royalty clearance, so their needs is royalty free samples that sounds like vinyl.

Which means that if you want to make a commercial sample library, you have to identify a need and fulfill it. The fx sample you show us sounds beautiful, but to be sellable you'll have to put it into a cultural context. For instance, it could be a good sounds to sell as a logo ident. Here's some examples of logo idents for sale on AudioJungle:

http://audiojungle.net/category/logos-idents

Hope it helps.

[abstractcats]

It all depends on the customers you want. Different music genre has different needs. For instance, take the hip hop producer crowd, culturally they are used to sample sounds from vinyl records. But samples from records needs royalty clearance, so their needs is royalty free samples that sounds like vinyl.

Which means that if you want to make a commercial sample library, you have to identify a need and fulfill it. The fx sample you show us sounds beautiful, but to be sellable you'll have to put it into a cultural context. For instance, it could be a good sounds to sell as a logo ident. Here's some examples of logo idents for sale on AudioJungle:

http://audiojungle.net/category/logos-idents

Hope it helps.

Yes, it helps a great deal! Yeah, I really need to work on marketing. I love the idea of the logo indent, had not thought about that, they sound great. I don't believe I'm at the quality level yet, but getting close, I believe. Glad to hear the sound is good, thanks! Oh, I love your new logo!

[dmbaer]

Tracy Collins of Indiginus wrote a beginner's tutorial which can be found here:

http://soundbytesmag.net/sample-library ... indiginus/

[Uncle E]

It all depends on the customers you want. Different music genre has different needs. For instance, take the hip hop producer crowd, culturally they are used to sample sounds from vinyl records. But samples from records needs royalty clearance, so their needs is royalty free samples that sounds like vinyl.

Has anyone ever made a sample library, cut it to vinyl, and then resampled it? Is there still a preference for that kind of sound in hip hop today?

[SampleScience]

It all depends on the customers you want. Different music genre has different needs. For instance, take the hip hop producer crowd, culturally they are used to sample sounds from vinyl records. But samples from records needs royalty clearance, so their needs is royalty free samples that sounds like vinyl.

Has anyone ever made a sample library, cut it to vinyl, and then resampled it?

Yeah, I know Drumdrops did it in the past, but they're not the only company who' done that. The hiphop market is a whole market by itself, and oldschool sampling is obviously not the only trend in the genre (it was just an example).

[abstractcats]

Tracy Collins of Indiginus wrote a beginner's tutorial which can be found here:

http://soundbytesmag.net/sample-library ... indiginus/

Cool, thanks!

[abstractcats]

What about Kontakt as a basic sampler, for shapping sounds or what other samplers, or just using my DAW with layered FX, to taste?

[abstractcats]

What about Kontakt as a basic sampler, for shapping sounds or what other samplers, or just using my DAW with layered FX, to taste?

[Shabdahbriah]

What about Kontakt as a basic sampler, for shaping sounds or what other samplers, or just using my DAW with layered FX, to taste?

Any and every thing you use to manipulate your sound(s) is simply a TOOL. there are no "rules" when it comes to "tools", YOU choose, to do what you desire to do. Use what works - for you. Every single sample you make... and modify, you are going to have to spend that much time, at least once... listening to it again. *Planning* for your "end product", is simply smart. That being said.

If you are going to make "commercial samples", it would be wise to make them FOR (and in) "sampler" instruments formats, that support that venture. [full stop]

Kontakt is a no brainer, for both of those purposes. As is MACH-5, and a number of others. I'm rather partial right now, with the potential of the $67.00 MUX (MuTools), not only as a modular environment which *hosts* Vsts, but in that it currently has a 'proprietary' format, or "container" for samples, so that they can not be directly extracted/exported/edited as wav/aiff. The dev wants to drop that feature, which will (IMHO) lesson its appeal (re: sales) as an outlet/option for distributing sample content. That would suck, as it would be great to have more options!

Apart from Kontakt, Mach-5, and MUX, (and Reaktor) for mapping and a bunch of mangling options, this works well, and the "Pro" version is cheap and worth supporting (IMHO):

http://www.tx16wx.com/

I really liked your sample, btw.

Try this: The Lost Art Of Sampling, SoundOnSound ... {written by Stephen Howell a.k.a. Hollow Sun}

The Lost Art Of Sampling Part 1

The Lost Art Of Sampling Part 2

The Lost Art Of Sampling Part 3

The Lost Art Of Sampling Part 4

The Lost Art Of Sampling Part 5

The Lost Art Of Sampling Part 6

The Lost Art Of Sampling Part 7

p.s. I have used Sound Forge since early v.1, as my main audio editor and 'hardware-sampler' feeder of choice (I always end up going back to it), and [aside: still use 'cool edit pro2/audition-3', for preliminary "multi-track" recording/work, as well as Live, and DP], but I spend at least an equal amount of time in Izotope RX4, particularly when working with field recordings, as I do in Sound Forge. I highly recommend both, for their respective strengths in editing/sound design. As to freebie editors, I'm drawn to Wavosaur because it looks, and to a degree 'works' like sound forge, and I honestly can't stand the "looks" of audacity, though it has some add-on processing "tricks", that are worth my being forced to squint when I open the UI, just for them.

[abstractcats]

What about Kontakt as a basic sampler, for shaping sounds or what other samplers, or just using my DAW with layered FX, to taste?

Any and every thing you use to manipulate your sound(s) is simply a TOOL. there are no "rules" when it comes to "tools", YOU choose, to do what you desire to do. Use what works - for you. Every single sample you make... and modify, you are going to have to spend that much time, at least once... listening to it again. *Planning* for your "end product", is simply smart. That being said.

If you are going to make "commercial samples", it would be wise to make them FOR (and in) "sampler" instruments formats, that support that venture. [full stop]

Kontakt is a no brainer, for both of those purposes. As is MACH-5, and a number of others. I'm rather partial right now, with the potential of the $67.00 MUX (MuTools), not only as a modular environment which *hosts* Vsts, but in that it currently has a 'proprietary' format, or "container" for samples, so that they can not be directly extracted/exported/edited as wav/aiff. The dev wants to drop that feature, which will (IMHO) lesson its appeal (re: sales) as an outlet/option for distributing sample content. That would suck, as it would be great to have more options!

Apart from Kontakt, Mach-5, and MUX, (and Reaktor) for mapping and a bunch of mangling options, this works well, and the "Pro" version is cheap and worth supporting (IMHO):

http://www.tx16wx.com/

I really liked your sample, btw.

Try this: The Lost Art Of Sampling, SoundOnSound ... {written by Stephen Howell a.k.a. Hollow Sun}

The Lost Art Of Sampling Part 1

The Lost Art Of Sampling Part 2

The Lost Art Of Sampling Part 3

The Lost Art Of Sampling Part 4

The Lost Art Of Sampling Part 5

The Lost Art Of Sampling Part 6

The Lost Art Of Sampling Part 7

p.s. I have used Sound Forge since early v.1, as my main audio editor and 'hardware-sampler' feeder of choice (I always end up going back to it), and [aside: still use 'cool edit pro2/audition-3', for preliminary "multi-track" recording/work, as well as Live, and DP], but I spend at least an equal amount of time in Izotope RX4, particularly when working with field recordings, as I do in Sound Forge. I highly recommend both, for their respective strengths in editing/sound design. As to freebie editors, I'm drawn to Wavosaur because it looks, and to a degree 'works' like sound forge, and I honestly can't stand the "looks" of audacity, though it has some add-on processing "tricks", that are worth my being forced to squint when I open the UI, just for them.

Thanks,mate!
Yeah, I've liked what I've seen of MACH-5, a bit pricey, if I remember, but probably worth it. I've heard some of Hollow Sun's work, I believe he released a free drum sample pack, a few years ago. I'll check out the articles! I've found some great info at the electronotes site (should work for VST sound design, as well)http://electronotes.netfirms.com/free.htm I even bought the hardcopy pack.

Here is my latest demo sound.
https://soundcloud.com/abstractcats/sound-scupting

[ctype]

You can get a very nice discount on Mach 5 if you already own kontakt or similar via their cross grade license that is available quite a few places.