Electronic music is more interesting when producers mine their own tastes, their own musical libraries of collected vinyl and found sound. Sample libraries contribute to the endless glut of mediocre homogeneous cranked-out tracks devoid of any real meaning. Interestingly, though, one of the features on my blog is that I share with others tidbits that I think are highly sample-able, so I suppose I am just as guilty as puremagnetik. Then again, I don’t make it a commercial pursuit. Still, there’s obviously a market for it, and if people want to buy sample libraries at the risk of sounding like everybody else who uses the same samples, well, good luck to them! I can’t deny that in the hands of a true artist virtually any sound source can be spun into dancefloor gold.

Left by cz on April 21st, 2008

Bad musicians contribute to the “endless glut of mediocre…tracks,” not sample libraries. On the contrary, good sample libraries like Puremagnetik’s do quite the opposite. They not only have the ability to inspire new productions, they contribute quality sounds to said productions.

I agree that, in order to be unique and stand out, a producer should tweak their sounds. Quality sample libraries provide a good starting off point for this. After all, isn’t a synth with preset banks just a tweakable sample library generating its own sounds? Should producers not use synths and only sample their own “vinyl collections and found sounds?”

Have you used PM’s sample libraries or are you simply making blind judgments about their content? Based on your comments, I would guess the latter…Nevertheless, you’re entitled to your opinion, I just don’t agree with you on this one…-NISE

Left by NISE on April 21st, 2008

“Bad musicians contribute to the “endless glut of mediocre…tracks,” not sample libraries.”

If you read my entire comment, you’ll see that to some extent I agree.

“Have you used PM’s sample libraries or are you simply making assumptions and blind judgments? Based on your comments, I would guess the latter…”

Simply put, no, I’m not much of a producer. That certainly doesn’t invalidate my opinion, though. Allow me to emphasize that I WAS NOT making a judgement of the specific quality of PM’s work. It was, rather, an indictment of the idea of sample libraries in general. In my opinion, one of the most important aspects of music production is the idea of community. When artists get together with other artists, better things happen. The idea of a sample library used by a lone producer outside of the community of musicians that contributed is directly contradictory to the way I feel music should be made.

Additionally, I don’t feel that “quality sound” is nearly as important as so many producers make it out to be. House music was not born out of a concern for “quality sound.” The producers who make the most exciting music, in my opinion, are the ones who spend more time listening to many different kinds of music rather than taking the easy way out and using outsourced prefab content.

Left by cz on April 21st, 2008

“In my opinion, one of the most important aspects of music production is the idea of community. When artists get together with other artists, better things happen. The idea of a sample library used by a lone producer outside of the community of musicians that contributed is directly contradictory to the way I feel music should be made.”

I agree that the community aspect of music production is vital to creating inspired tracks but who says that a sample library can’t be incorporated into a collective recording session? Just because someone owns a sample library doesn’t mean that he or she is destined for a life of isolated recording. In fact, I’ve been lucky to work with some very accomplished musicians in my studio thanks in part to the wide variety of tools that I have available for us to use, sample libraries included.

“The producers who make the most exciting music, in my opinion, are the ones who spend more time listening to many different kinds of music rather than taking the easy way out and using outsourced prefab content.”

Nobody likes bland/outsourced/prefab content in their music but using a sample library doesn’t necessarily mean that that’s what you’re going to end up with. Should I not use a good quality concert grand piano sample simply because I don’t have access to the real thing at Lincoln Center and is doing so going to have a negative effect on my music? I believe that the answer depends on how I use the sample. Hiring a virtuoso pianist to play the samples in my studio will usually have a much better effect than an amateur like myself playing the real thing.

Sample libraries, MPC’s, Viruses, Korg Triton’s or any other non-analogue synthesizer all come stocked with preset sounds that are often good jumping off points. If a producer starts there and puts his or her own signature on them, they can all be useful tools for creating inspired music. Puremagnetik’s samples, in my opinion, happen to be better jumping off points than many of the other available options and I have a feeling that some of their notable subscribers would agree.

Left by NISE on April 21st, 2008

Tools that enable musicians to create cannot be blamed for bad, homogeneous music. Period.

As tools become more accessible, there will be more music made, and relatively, more bad music (as well, more good music). So should we stop seeking out/making new tools?

Would you blame Ableton, or Apple, or Steinberg, etc.. for this increase in homogeneous music? How about the people that are making the music.

“Additionally, I don’t feel that “quality sound” is nearly as important as so many producers make it out to be. House music was not born out of a concern for “quality sound.” ”

You lost me here. Why is this a house music issue? i don’t make house music, but i use puremagnetik’s sounds as virtual instruments in the production of my music… this statement is nonsensical.

Left by john forz on April 23rd, 2008

I think this is just one of those areas where our opinions differ.

“As tools become more accessible, there will be more music made, and relatively, more bad music (as well, more good music). So should we stop seeking out/making new tools?”

What’s interesting is that I make this very argument often with regard to the vinyl vs. digital dj discussion. No, I suppose I don’t think we should stop making new tools.

I guess what I don’t agree with is the idea that the sample libraries are a product. While I understand the perfectly valid argument that people who produce them deserve to make money for their time and efforts, I don’t agree with it on a more philosophical level. I think it would be nice if sounds weren’t a commodity, and rather exchanged in a more free and altruistic manner, in a community, rather than a marketplace.

Left by cz on April 23rd, 2008

“I think it would be nice if sounds weren’t a commodity, and rather exchanged in a more free and altruistic manner, in a community, rather than a marketplace.”

ah, well as someone who pays for production tools often, i think they should be free too!!! (but i suspect they wouldn’t be as fine tuned and nicely organized/packaged if people like Micah weren’t getting paid to put that work in).

Also, to clarify, when I use a product such as Puremagnetik, or any other “sample” pack or virtual instrument, or VST or plugin, or whatever.. I am not, and I hope others are not, simply taking some melodic phrase that comes as the pack demo, and looping it over a beat. I use these types of products as instruments – probably ones that i don’t have access to in the analog world – and modify them sonically to fit my arrangement – and play them to create an original melodic phrase. So they are not so much samples as much as they are digital instruments.

I think a good example of a “sample” would be like daft punk hijacking 4 bars of George Duke’s “i love you more” and not changing the phrasing at all.

anyway, sorry to jump in 2 days after the discussion has fizzled… have a nice day!

Left by john forz on April 23rd, 2008

The Puremagnetik packs are much more than just sample libraries – at least the Ableton packs are – they are more instruments which encourage you to create, expand, change, have fun. I am a huge fan and love the fact that subscription is so cheap – around $5 a month! Keep up the amazing work.

Left by Phil Norton on April 23rd, 2008

I used to be a big believer in loop material in productions — but even with tweaking, there’s sterility with loops that is hard to remove. The best is to be unique in this new world of thousands of productions released each day. To achieve that one has to do all the work, including playing the instruments, in order to create uniqueness.

Left by Kent on April 26th, 2008

I’m pleased that somebody else agrees with me, even though you take it a little bit farther than I would.

Left by cz on April 26th, 2008