Sample vs Synth based instruments

[JamesSullivan]

Hi All,

A question that has often come up in my mind is this: how are samples "made"?

To further explain the question, I'll provide a bit more information:

If you go for example to the Ableton Library you will find a patch called "Ambient-Downstairs". This is a beautiful instrument, but once you open it you realise it is sample based rather than synth based.

Throughout all the software packages I use, the libraries are split between sample and synth based instruments. I've assumed that some of the sample instruments could not be devised using a synth, and that is why the samples are used.

But that begs the question, if the synth's can't generate them, how do companies such as Ableton, Loopmasters, Native Instruments etc, "make" their samples????

I'm curious on this big time!!

Cheers,

James

[Angstrom]

But that begs the question, if the synth's can't generate them, how do companies such as Ableton, Loopmasters, Native Instruments etc, "make" their samples????

Sometimes a sample might be from a hardware synth and effect setup that the native synths cant reproduce. For example a sample might come from a Wavestation a/d through a Lexicon, there's no native synth and effect to approximate that.

Secondly the samples used may come from a set of processes which are inherently offline
. So the sample you see might be of a drum break, slowed down to 10000% in Paulstretch, run through an granular processor, reversed, put through a reverb and resonance chain and reverse again.

That sort of thing requires offline processing.

[simmerdown]

ye recerd erm, then ye cherp erm urp

[yur2die4]

Also, depending on what you expect from the outcome of the sound, the source material (sample vs oscillators) is not the only choice. Samplers and Synths handle their material in unique ways and have unique capabilities.

Edit: I should have read the other posts a little more thoroughly haha

[JamesSullivan]

Thanks everyone I think this gives me good information.

I also found a video today where somebody took a bowl of barbecue sauce and sampled the sound of stirring this round, he then processed it with various audio techniques - really amazing how sounds can be generated!

Thanks again,

James

[simmerdown]

known as Sound Design, a world in and of itself

[nathannn]

One day I was trying to work on some music but couldn't because my neighbors lawn mower was so loud I was having a hard time judging the music coming from my monitors. I gave up and decided to record his crap and it turned out to be my favorite sample to manipulate. I probably could create a similar sound using synths but its much easier just to drag that in to a sampler.

[simmerdown]

always better to have a few real rec'd sounds, even if heavily altered the live feel comes through subliminally i think...