This is going to be the first of a few music related posts I have planned coming up, for this post specifically, I wanted to talk about sampling. Sampling is a technique used in music where parts of other recorded songs are used as parts of your own song. (Not the best explanation but you get the point.) I mainly wanted to talk about the good and bad when it comes to sampling, firstly wanting to address the semi-common belief that sampling is stealing or lazy.

Don't get me wrong, sampling can definitely be considered stealing or lazy in certain cases. If you have ever made music for any extended period of time, then you know that a lot of things you create are "stolen" from other things you like. Chords progression, improvisations, drum patterns, all of these things are recreated or emulated in your own compositions. This is often done naturally, without even thinking about it, its just the music that you're drawn to. As long as you use them in unique and creative ways that aren't just blatant rip-offs or lazy rehashing, then you can still make an original contribution to music, or any creative endeavour.

This same logic can be extended to sampling, many artists, specifically artists coming from hip-hop, have used sampling as a legitimate technique to enhance and add to their music in a creative way. Without going into the history of sampling, just know that it is one of the most common production techniques in hip-hop/jungle/electronic (and even pop) music. And just like using chord progressions, melodies, or drum fills from other songs, sampling can take someone else's original work and use it to make something new and interesting. Artists like Kanye, Madlib, and J-Dilla are known for their use of samples in their work, and how they manipulate those samples to create a sound thats entirely unique. It could be taking a small loop from a song and adding drums, instruments, and new harmonies over it, or taking small clips of the song and stitching them together to create your own drum pattern that wasn't originally present.

Sampling can involve changing the song to fit in a new time signature, or splicing different/seperated chords to fit together in a single loop. It is a creative tool first, although some people will use it as a way to get out of actually having to compose any music or learn any basic music theory. Low quality samples will often take the 4/4 loop of some popular pop song or soundtrack (in close to its original tempo and pitch), and add basic drums patterns and (sometimes out of key) bass over it. Something like this might work good for a beat if thats all you want in the end, something to serve as the backdrop for your vocal performance, but passing it off as its own original composition/song or anything close to it can definitely be considered lazy.

Another aspect of sampling is the discovery and promotion of older, great music. The song playing in this page right now uses a sample from Saint Etienne's "Madeleine", off of their 1998 album "Good Humor". I first discovered this band in 2018 when Tyler, the Creator used their song "4:35 In The Morning" (from Good Humor) as a sample in one of his songs. Then I came across this band again when one of their songs "Wood Cabin" (from that same ablum) appeared on an episode of the Sopranos. Good Humor features some nice, relaxing, and pretty music, (including "4:35") but the sample that was mentioned earlier turns it into a song that is meant to be exciting and loud. The song I made today, which is what is playing now, features drums, a bassline, and spliced cuts of the original sample to create my own melody. Then the sample is cut up again in the second half with different drum/bass patterns, and some synths and piano chords playing over the ending.

The end product is something completely seperated from the original work. There is no reason why you would listen to my song, if you just wanted to listen to the original sample. Its not close enough to the original to be considered a remix since none of the original elements of the songs structure, harmony, or melody remain (except in the beginning where the original plays out). With everything being said though, I would like to say that you shouldn't over rely on samples if you like to compose your own music. Some of the best practice/experience you will get when it comes to making music will be trying to solve problems of lack of melody, variation, or rhythm, by yourself; using only what you can create and organize from your own musical ability. Hopefully this was enjoyable for somebody to read, I have a few ideas for posts that will likely be just as long as this so I hope that doesn't bother you. Also this was supposed to come out a day earlier but I fell asleep and had other preoccupations. Sorry lol.