When it comes to creating music with loops from sample packs, it’s easy to get an idea going quickly! Sample packs enable you to bust out a track that sounds and feels professional within minutes by simply dragging and dropping. But, while making a track entirely from pre-made loops is possible, using them to kickstart your creativity is what they are all about. Taking the time to customize your samples will make your music far more original, and truly make it something you are proud to call your own. Learning how to be a music producer is all about originality, and you can’t simply rely on pre-made loops if you expect to make great music. Today, we’re bringing you 5 simple, creative tricks you can use to give sampled loops a personal touch.
So, let’s say you like a percussive hit from one drum groove, but you like the hat shuffle in another? Who’s to say you can’t cut them both up and splice them together?
The whole idea of chopping up loops is so you can surgically remove the best parts and create hybrid loops from others.
Slice up the sound file with your scissor tool and cut out whatever you don’t need, whilst leaving the good stuff!
One of Ben Remember’s top tips is re-pitch to your heart’s content!
Re-pitching your samples up and down can do all manners of great things. Start off by getting your samples in key, and get creative with high or lower octaves. You can even create a melody with your samples, if you wish.
Whether it’s a drum loop, snare hit or high-hat, you’ll often end up with some interesting and often unexpected results, merely by shifting the semitones up or down. Try it out!
Reverse your samples and see what happens. I bet you’ll be surprised at how good it sounds! Sound reversal is a timeless technique that completely changes the way a sound is heard, making it one of our favorite tactics to use when tearing into a sample pack.
Create risers, build-ups, and transitions by simply flipping the orientation or the sample.
Many software programs let you flip a sample and play it backward. In fact, Ableton has a “Reverse” button in the sample window. Give it a try!
The word “distortion” often brings to mind screaming, amped-up guitars or bit-crushed drums. In actuality, there’s plenty of ways we can enhance our mixes with a simple distortion unit.
Always remember that with distortion, a little bit goes a long way. Always reference your tracks and listen with fresh ears, making sure you’re making the loop sound better and not worse.
Does your loop feel too polished, dull, or mechanical? Crank up the distortion and give it some grit!
In your quest for richer, pro-sounding sample packs, it’s likely you’ve come across the concept of sound layering – particularly with drums.
Drums are at the foundation of a groove, get them right and the rest will follow in suit.
The choice of layers and the way those layers are manipulated contribute not only to the impact of the drums, but also the sound of the record and the producer’s individual style.
Try layering up your drum samples to add width, depth, and overall thickness.
However, don’t be too hasty, use each element as a contribution to the bigger picture. Be prepared to remove some sounds that aren’t quite working.
The goal is to get as creative as you can with your loops and samples. Simply dragging and dropping, and using nothing but pre-made loops isn’t particularly creative, and certainly won’t cut it when it comes to releasing your own music. Be picky, take your time and find the right sounds, even if they are just there to get your creative juices flowing.
Get creative with Mark Knight’s brand-new sample pack, Toolroom Trademark Series – Mark Knight Vol. 2.
Jam-packed with a wealth of flawless loops & single hits spanning every essential track element, the boss man himself has created the perfect pack of loops for you to go crazy with.
This pack is loaded with nothing but our best finds, straight from the Toolroom studios. The pack allows House, Tech House, and Techno producers to dip in and find that one, missing sound.
Have a listen, and check it out here!
