Sampling and Influences
Sampling in music is defined as using previously recorded portions of music and using them as instruments to recreate certain sounds. It is usually used to replace live instrumentation, which can be costly to do. Many genres of music influence hip-hop, such as; R&B, Funk, Jazz, Disco, Rock, Pop, and even some dancehall Reggae. The most well-known hip-hop producers have their own particular style when it comes to how they transform or “flip” the samples. DJ Premier is a producer who pioneered the “boom bap” sound of East Coast hip-hop which utilizes a heavy kick drum with a crisp snare.
"Thomas Dolby, Genesis with Phil Collins, Iron Maiden, Van Halen, Talking Heads, Talk Talk, the New Wave scene, punk, James Brown, Chuck Berry, the Jackson Five, BB King, Siouxsie & the Banshees, Ozzy Osbourne, Thomas Dolby, Parliament/Funkadelic — you name it, I had their records or had been to see them in concert." |
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Along with DJ Premier, others like; Dr. Dre, J Dilla, 9th Wonder, Just Blaze, The Alchemist, and The J.U.S.T.I.C.E. Leaugue have been able to forge a style of their own even if they have interests in similar records to sample.
In the process of sampling, a producer goes through the process of “diggin’ into crates” in order to find particular records they feel might provide them with a certain feel or theme for a song. Usually, after they choose a record, they load it up and record it over to a computer using modern day technology, then they place the sample “chops”, as they are referred to, into a Music Production Center Device or an MPC.
These MPCs have drum pads that can hold multiple sounds and play them simultaneously. These devices are used to manipulate the sample’s tone, pitch, tempo, and add filtrations to the sound to create a particular “chop” After chopping the sample, you create a loop which will provide the base for the rest of the beat.
Producers also use various music editing software where they can further manipulate the sample, add percussion to the sample, and arrange the sounds and levels to create the beat desired. After creating the beat that is when the artist can come in and record verses and chorus over the beat as the producer aims to manipulate the sound so that the artist vocals compliment the beat he produced.
In the process of sampling, a producer goes through the process of “diggin’ into crates” in order to find particular records they feel might provide them with a certain feel or theme for a song. Usually, after they choose a record, they load it up and record it over to a computer using modern day technology, then they place the sample “chops”, as they are referred to, into a Music Production Center Device or an MPC.
These MPCs have drum pads that can hold multiple sounds and play them simultaneously. These devices are used to manipulate the sample’s tone, pitch, tempo, and add filtrations to the sound to create a particular “chop” After chopping the sample, you create a loop which will provide the base for the rest of the beat.
Producers also use various music editing software where they can further manipulate the sample, add percussion to the sample, and arrange the sounds and levels to create the beat desired. After creating the beat that is when the artist can come in and record verses and chorus over the beat as the producer aims to manipulate the sound so that the artist vocals compliment the beat he produced.
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Usually artists work with a particular producer more frequently than others because they develop a good working relationship and understand the sounds they want to create in a given song. For example, Dr. Dre, most notable for inventing the G-Funk sound in West Coast Rap, is a regular producer on recording artist Eminem’s albums, Game, and 50 Cent, while some of his early work was in collaboration with West Coast recording artist Snoop Dogg. Just Blaze has been known to frequently work with, who is regarded as one of the greatest hip-hop artist alive, Jay-Z. He produced songs on multiple Jay-Z albums such as; The Blueprint, The Blueprint 2, The Black Album, and Kingdom Come. The prominent producers in the hip-hop genre have learned to adapt to a constantly evolving genre based on trends while still maintaining their own style that made them successful in the first place.
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