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Learning the Art of Sampling

Welcome! By the end of this pathway, the hope is that you'll have a better understanding of sampling in (Hip-Hop) music.

Table of Contents

How To Use This Document

However you explore this pathway is up to you. Feel free to jump back and forth from chapter to chapter and activity to activity.

In each chapter, you will find JOURNAL prompts. These are optional moments for you to reflect on each activity and record your thoughts about your experiences. In my opinion, these are important because music, like all art, requires a lot of reflection and deliberation.

If you have any questions, feel free to email me @brendansson@gmail.com.

Let's begin!

A. Let's Dissect Some Music!

sam·pling (n): the technique of digitally encoding music or sound and reusing it as part of a composition or recording.

Before we even begin to talk about what this really means, let's take a listen through a few songs and break them down and see if you can figure it out:

Part I: LISTEN!

  • Pick any 5 from this Spotify playlist.
    Take as much time as you need to listen to them, and feel free to replay songs to become familiar with them! Also, make sure to record which songs you chose in your journal.

  • JOURNAL: Take a second to jot down a few things about the songs. Did you like/dislike them? What sounds did you think were interesting in each?

Part II: BREAK THEM DOWN!

  • Go to this page, and click on the songs you chose from the Spotify playlist. Each song has a hyperlink that will bring you to a page that will show you more about how these beats were made.
  • JOURNAL: As you click through the document, I'd suggest you write down whatever observations, conclusions, reflections, or questions you might have in your journal. If you want a place to start, consider the following questions:

-Were all the songs sampled the same way? If so, what was similar about them? If not, what were the differences?
-What kinds of genres of songs did these producers sample from?
-What time periods were the sample sources from?
-What did the producers do aside from the sample to make these songs distinct from their original samples?

B. What is the art of Sampling?

When artists sample music, they are essentially "repurposing" preexisting sounds and manipulating them to create new songs. There's a long history behind it that's very worth diving into. The songs that you listened to in the previous chapter are a part of that history of sampling. Take a watch below for an explanation by Mark Ronson:

Want to see some prolific producers and artists sample some records? Here are some links to a show called "Rhythm Roulette," in which blindfolded artists pick three records at random to sample from. Click on this link to open a Youtube playlist of episodes.

  • Pick 3 to watch and write down some observations, reflections, and questions.

These are just some personal favorites that I think give great insight into the creative process:

  • JOURNAL: Compare what you wrote for the previous section to what you wrote or saw in this section. Have these videos given you more insight into the process that artists go through when they're deciding what and how to sample?

C. Try to Sample!

At this point, you've seen many examples of sampling in different:

  • genres
  • sampling styles/methods
  • uses of the sample in a song (whether it's used as a melodic loop or a percussive sound)

It's time to try your own hand at sampling! Here's a chart of some resources:

Tool Description What to use it for
BandLab An online DAW (Digital Audio Workstation) that lets you design songs. This is easily the most powerful tool here. DAW's are the standard for recording artists nowadays, and although this one might not have the flexiblility and freedom of some more expensive ones, it's plenty equipped for you to create your own music. (You may need to sign up for free.) Making a complete track, chopping up samples, recording your own samples
Sampulator Someone has chopped up and loaded their own samples onto a cool website. To play a sample, hit the corresponding key on your keyboard. Experiment with samples, try different sounds, and make music!
WhoSampled.com A website dedicated to archiving samples. Find out what songs your favorite artists sample from, or discover new samples to use in your own music.
SampleStitch An artist named "Matthew Daniels" has attempted to "re-create the process of chopping up a sample, just as a producer would." Make sure to scroll down! Experience the creative process of three prolific artists!

If you want to use BandLab, here are some extra resources that might help you make the most out of it:


  • JOURNAL: After you've tried these tools, write a reflection on your experience using these. Here are some more questions to get you started:
  • Discuss the ease/difficulty that you had finding/chopping/manipulating a sample. What made it easy/difficult?
  • How creative were you able to get with these different tools?
  • What musical skills and tools do you think might be needed for an artist to create songs using samples?