6 ways to create instruments from loops
Ever stumbled upon an audio loop that sounded incredible but just didn't quite fit your track due to the rhythm, melody, or chords? Fear not! By importing the loop into Soundation’s Simple sampler and using these 6 effective sampling techniques, you can steal the sound and create your own instrument. Then, you become the master of the sound and what it plays.
1. Isolating single notes
Find loops with uninterrupted single notes that have clear starts and ends. With the sampler, isolate one of the notes and tune it to the right root. The pitch will then be mapped correctly across the keyboard, allowing you to play melodies and chords of your own making.
2. Sampling chords
Experiment with sampling chords in the same fashion as notes. Though limited to only being able to play one chord type, the convenience of playing complete chords with single keystrokes is hard to beat. By playing one chord type at different root positions, you’ll unlock a classic house and techno harmony trick.
3. Sampling less ideal loops
Even loops without pristine starts or ends can be repurposed. Isolate the longest note, activate the loop, and adjust the looping options for a smooth sustain. Play with the attack and release in the envelope to mimic the natural silhouette of the sound. Alternatively, creatively shape the sound into the artificial realm.
4. Embracing rhythmic chaos
Rhythmic ideas can be difficult to sample because of the change in speed at different pitches. It can tend to sound out of time. By embracing the inherent chaos, you can tame it to create striking and unique textures. Shift to a higher octave turn the rhythm into more of a tremolo effect and play chords to further diffuse the clusters into a beautifully woven mess.
5. Sample manipulation
Create instruments that stand out by pitching sounds up or down and using them for unintended purposes. For instance, morphing a bass into a lead or vice versa. Experiment with the interpolation mode and audio effects like distortion to bring out extraordinary characteristics.
6. Microsampling
Any sound can be turned into a tonal instrument through microsampling. By looping a very short piece of audio, you end up with a waveform with a distinct pitch. This is essentially what wavetable synthesis does as well. Simply activate the loop in the sampler and adjust the looped region to create different tones. This tone can then be shaped by the sampler and effects to create a wide variety of instrument types.
