Hey everyone! I was curious what everyone’s favorite ways to use samples or loops are.
I tend to be a very sample based producer (probably because I come from the old House and Hip Hop days), but I’ve continued to be heavily sample based even into other genres I work on such as rock or pop.
Do you feel more creativity mashing and using loops and samples or do you like to work from blank canvas and create all from scratch?
One production use I do with samples is if I’m working on a genre like rock I may grab a vocal acapella for a totally different genre like soul that is within the same key/chord. I’ll use the acapella to show me how blending the worlds could work and then rework and do my own inspired by the absolutely opposite genre style put on top. We see more and more genre blending these days. Then whatever vocalist I am working with we approach with that in mind as inspiration.
We’d never think to write such a top line or melody if we listened to purely the one style and write to it. Then it really gets me inspired into something new and ends up blending worlds well. Goth + pop? Sure! Metal + RnB? Why not! It’s exciting to make these blends. Just curious how others are finding inspiration with their samples and keeping them fresh.
Using samples to blur genres??
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BlackOctopus_Slade BlackOctopus_Slade https://www.kvraudio.com/forum/memberlist.php?mode=viewprofile&u=436490 - KVRist
- 42 posts since 27 Feb, 2019 from Bern, Switzerland
C.O.O. at Black Octopus Sound : https://blackoctopus-sound.com/
Record Producer and Engineer at Multiplatinum Awarded Influx Studios (Bern/Berlin) : https://www.influx-studios.com/
Record Producer and Engineer at Multiplatinum Awarded Influx Studios (Bern/Berlin) : https://www.influx-studios.com/
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- KVRian
- 502 posts since 3 Feb, 2018
Hi doctor Nick!
I’m a blank canvas type of guy.
Browsing through a library of samples (or presets) is really distracting and takes me out of it so I will actually out of my way to avoid it.
I’m a blank canvas type of guy.
Browsing through a library of samples (or presets) is really distracting and takes me out of it so I will actually out of my way to avoid it.
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Constructed Identity Constructed Identity https://www.kvraudio.com/forum/memberlist.php?mode=viewprofile&u=288890 - KVRian
- 1355 posts since 29 Sep, 2012 from Minnesota
25 years ago I was the type to create a track starting from a sample I really liked. I think I was copying others.
Years later I would use samples to add onto the theme I was going to- think Ministry. Today, I just start from scratch and try not to sound so sample-based. I like to record my own samples.
Blending genres is always a good idea.
Years later I would use samples to add onto the theme I was going to- think Ministry. Today, I just start from scratch and try not to sound so sample-based. I like to record my own samples.
Blending genres is always a good idea.
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- KVRer
- 1 posts since 11 Jul, 2025
If I use a sample to start a track it’s usually by hitting it over and over with effects until something completely different and interesting emerges. Other than that, they’re dropped in after the composition has largely taken shape.