About Sampling

Sampling is the process of creating music using previously recorded pieces and fragments of music, sometimes from existing music.

This practice was already very popular in the early days of the hip-hop movement and in the early days of rap music. It is in a way what gave birth to rap music, what allowed it to exist in the present time.

These pre-recorded samples will be reused in a new composition. Music producers use this sampling practice to create new beats, remixes, Instrus adapted in a new style and music pieces using samples of already existing songs.

Sampling is most often used in rap and other electronic music genres, and it is used in a variety of ways. A rap producer might use a drum sample to create a beat, or a guitar sample to add texture to an instrument, some do both, combining 2 or 3 sounds to create a whole new, sometimes more recognizable sound. Sampling is also used to create complete arrangements using a number of samples from different songs.

Although some criticize sampling, it is one of the most creative ways to create music, and it can revive songs that are no longer heard. However, it can also sometimes cause copyright issues if the samples used are not properly licensed, which can be costly to the producer and/or artist.

If you are interested in sampling, it is important to make sure that you are using samples legally, so that you don’t get caught. It is sometimes possible to sample a song in such a way that it is no longer recognizable.