KVR Audio

thesecession · Post by **thesecession** » Thu Jul 19, 2007 4:25 am

I just got a macbook and realized its possible to make really impressive and unique tracks just using a few apple loops from garage band. I know amon tobin and a lot of hip hop artists purely use samples and loops. I feel guilty even if i use a single sample. should i be?

Kim Lajoie · Post by **Kim Lajoie** » Thu Jul 19, 2007 4:39 am

Go ahead! Have fun! Learn!

The more experienced you get, the closer you'll get to being limited by your tools, loops included.

-Kim.

ouroboros · Post by **ouroboros** » Thu Jul 19, 2007 4:40 am

no. feel guilty if you never learn how to use them well.
it is another creative medium. give credit where credit is do and you're all set.
programs like garage band are deceptively simple, immediate in their impression. It is easy to sound good out of the box, but not to sound different, or even harder; different and good. They do a great job of empowering the user, but are a dead end until you either find more original, creative samples or master the slicing and effects until you create a new sound or vibe.

I wish I knew how to use my sampler better.

lotus2035 · Post by **lotus2035** » Thu Jul 19, 2007 4:47 am

Personally I dont feel like a song is mine unless it is composed from scratch: drums, bass, melodies, the lot... the only samples I use are one-shot drum samples and chopped up vocal samples and only because a)Im a lousy singer and b)I dont have access to a female vocalist..

It always been my opinion that the sampling scene was pioneered by people with a lower than average musical ability but they had a strong love of music so they made their own set of rules which in turn shaped the music scene as it is today regardless of the genre.....but sampling is no less valid than any other artform...It really depends on what kind of musician you want to be in the end I think...

...but if you are starting out its as good a place as any..i started messing around with PC music back in 99 using Acid Loops!... I had some fun with it and it sent me in the right direction...

...but to answer your question, no dont feel guilty, have fun!!!!!

stale bread · Post by **stale bread** » Thu Jul 19, 2007 4:51 am

no need to feel guilty at all, what amon tobin does and what you have there in garage band are quite unlike one another, think of it like this

apple loops = bricks, you use them to make houses which are songs
amon tobin = artist using grains of sand to make houses which are songs.

warp x · Post by **warp x** » Thu Jul 19, 2007 6:14 am

I only use my own.

androidlove · Post by **androidlove** » Thu Jul 19, 2007 6:21 am

i won't take you seriously, but you'll find plenty of others wanting affirmation to encourage you. it's like any other cult

joshhunsaker · Post by **joshhunsaker** » Thu Jul 19, 2007 6:59 am

i agree with ouroboros

a sine wave is technically a sample.

Lance · Post by **Lance** » Thu Jul 19, 2007 7:04 am

thesecession wrote:I feel guilty even if i use a single sample. should i be?

What samples do you mean? The royalty free ones or the stole ones used without permission?

Yes, for the latter one you should feel yourself guilty.

Zycat · Post by **Zycat** » Thu Jul 19, 2007 7:04 am

I'm not feeling guilty, I mean, recording a drumkit, a Bosendorfer, or the whole symphony is out of question for me, so I use samples whenever possible.

Also you can cut, mix and match loops using programs like ACID...

Atomsplitter · Post by **Atomsplitter** » Thu Jul 19, 2007 7:15 am

The way samples should be looked at IMO are building blocks, using samples without any edits maybe which isn't really creating anything original or unique, but re-doing the eq etc or changing the pattern, using one shot hits etc and making your own unique version of the original is what i think samplings all about. i started out using only samples when i started, then later went on to doing crazy edits with amen breaks etc so still using them but adding interest to the sound. Audio samples are just a resource imo, it's the same with graphic design where the designer uses stock images which would be the same thing really then creates something different from it.

declassified · Post by **declassified** » Thu Jul 19, 2007 7:30 am

stale bread wrote:what amon tobin does and what you have there in garage band are quite unlike one another

that's exactly the point. garage band loops are a makeshift, while Amon Tobin takes pride in the hard work he does (crate digging) to find the samples he uses.

Sampling != Sampling

camsr · Post by **camsr** » Thu Jul 19, 2007 7:38 am

since i dont have a recording studio, im GLAD I use samples!

shogger · Post by **shogger** » Thu Jul 19, 2007 7:53 am

thesecession wrote:I just got a macbook and realized its possible to make really impressive and unique tracks just using a few apple loops from garage band. I know amon tobin and a lot of hip hop artists purely use samples and loops. I feel guilty even if i use a single sample. should i be?

No! Just have fun making music. As long as your samples are legal everything is cool.

Shogger

jittered · Post by **jittered** » Thu Jul 19, 2007 8:06 am

You shouldn't feel guilty about using samples.

However, you could also try creating your own beats - maybe from single hits, maybe from recorded sounds (even stuff recorded with a very cheap mic can work), put some freeware fx on them to spice things up. You can then export those beats et voilà, you have loops to play with (slice them up, reverse them, wathever you like)...

I believe when you take this approach, you won't be feeling guilty anymore because you've got a big mental involvement with those samples + you'll probably end up with unique sounding stuff nobody else has. Oh well, that's just how it works for me of course...

anyone else feel guilty about using samples?