How to create your own samples?
The majority of musicians and artists who compose alone today have already resorted to the use of samples. You can find some for free individually on online sound banks, or paid ones in the form of packs like here on VT Production ! But why not create your own samples yourself?
The use of samples among musicians
Having a small collection of samples by category on your computer is in itself very practical. Especially if like me, you compose songs on your own from A to Z.
Not everyone is lucky enough to know how to play any instrument. Or even having the budget to hire a session musician. This is why having samples comes in handy.
For example, if you are comfortable playing guitar and bass but are completely lost sitting in front of a drum kit, it might be interesting to have ready-made drum loops, also called "drum loops" in English.
In electronic music, it can be a pack of sound effects or ambient effects. Or a collection of punchy Kicks and Snares. It is also in electronic music styles that the use of samples is most widespread.
Creating your own samples: 2 ways to proceed
We will now see the 2 best-known methods for creating your own samples. There may be others, but in my opinion these 2 ways of proceeding are used by most artists and musicians.
1- Cutting, or “sampling”
I call it the cutting method. Basically we take music that has already been created, it can be a complete piece, an extract, or any audio file. And then after having imported it into our DAW (Digital Audio Workstation) software, we will select only the part that interests us, and cut it carefully.
In the context of music with a well-defined tempo, you have to arrange so that the sample, once cut, is perfectly “loopable”. This means that we do not hear any parasitic cutting noises at the start and end of the sample, and that it respects the necessary duration.
For sound effects or ambient sounds without tempo, it's a little more flexible because you can recut a little more freely.
Sampling began to emerge with Hip-Hop. Today it is widely used in this style of music, but also in rap, electro, or even certain more "pop" oriented music.
Benefits
The main advantage of this method is choice. Indeed, sampling is not only on your own music, but also on music created by other artists. It is by drawing on pieces by other artists that sampling is most widespread and that it saw the light of day.
It is also not necessary to play an instrument to do sampling. You only need to have a computer with DAW software, and to master some basic tools of your software.
Disadvantages
Disadvantage number 1 is linked to the main advantage. If you sample music from another artist, there are problems related to its use, particularly commercially. For example, copyright.
Many amateur musicians use samples from other artists without declaring or asking anything from the author. Most of the time, it's true that it works, but if you start to make yourself known, it could cause you some trouble if you haven't taken the legal steps.
2- Registration
Personally, this is the method I prefer. This simply involves recording your own samples.
For example, recording a chord progression on the guitar. We are talking here about loops or “loops” in English. Or only one note, in this case we speak of a "one shot" sample.
It can also be a purely electronic creation using virtual or physical synthesizers. For example creating a kick or a bass sound.
Or simply your voice using your microphone.
Here you create unique and original samples. You will need to have some equipment, especially for recording acoustic instruments.
Benefits
What's great about this method is that you are the sole creator of the samples. You create everything from A to Z and therefore the result is unique and original content found nowhere else.
There is also the pride of creating all of your sounds alone. But also not having to worry about copyright or legal issues. Especially if you want to sell your samples later.
In my opinion, this is one of the great advantages of this method. Being able to sell your samples without asking the question of copyright.
Disadvantages
Recording or "synthesizing" your own samples requires a lot of technical and theoretical knowledge. You already have to know how to play at least one instrument. Or in the case of purely electronic creation, master sound synthesis on synthesizers.
It also requires having a lot of equipment, especially for recording instruments. You need one or more good microphones, a good audio interface, but also a room with good acoustics. Obviously, recording requires knowledge to obtain clean results.
What to do with my samples next?
Well, 2 solutions are available to you:
The first is to keep your samples warm and carefully stored on your computer to use them in your compositions.
The second is to offer them for sale.
Obviously you can do both. Keep certain samples for your compositions, and create some specially to sell them.
Sell your samples
If you want to sell your creations, be aware that samples are very rarely sold alone but rather in the form of packs. This is also what is offered here, all the samples on VT Production are sold in packs.
You will also need consistency in your packs.
First of all, prefer sample packs restricted to a very specific category rather than packs that are too “general”.
Example: “250 country rock drums loops”
Then, it is very important to classify your samples into different subcategories so that everything is easily readable and so that your buyers do not spend 3 hours looking for this or that sample.
Remember to rename each of your files as well.
If I take the example of drum loops, you can classify them in different folders. Be by tempo, by drum model, by type of rhythm, etc...
Then comes the question of where to sell your samples.
1- On your website
In my opinion, this is the best option!
Even if it is the most complicated method to implement and the one that takes the most time, it is also the most profitable and effective in the long term. By using your own site, you remain in control of your prices and are not dependent on the sales conditions of specialized platforms which can change at any time.
Whether it is a blog, a store, or a simple showcase site, you must consider this sales medium as the central element around which everything will revolve. Nothing prevents you from offering your samples on specialized platforms or marketplaces, quite the contrary.
2- On your social networks
The ideal is to have your website upstream. But even without a website, you can create a Facebook page or YouTube channel. Try to attract subscribers by publishing quality informative content first, then offer your sample packs for sale.
I advise not to spread yourself across too many social networks, but to favor 2 at most. Personally I decided to focus only on Facebook and YouTube.
3- Platforms and marketplaces
I prefer to warn you, it is not easy to find a place in the sale of samples on large specialized sites. Most are very selective and only grant the right to sell to a “chosen” few. And the competition is fierce, as are often discounted prices. I will still mention a few of them. Some specialize in samples, others are more general.
There are certainly other platforms or other methods to sell your samples, but I think I have presented the main channels. However, if you know of other effective solutions, say it in the comments :)
This article is coming to an end. In any case, I hope that it will have shed some light on this dark side that reigns around the creation and sale of samples. And maybe who knows, motivate you to get started ;)
Musically,
Valentine