Hey guys, this'll be similar question to the typical "what's the BEST REVERB VST OUT THERE" topics.

But, please understand that i really have no clue which "company" that pushes out samples on sister site has quality samples or well is actually good (considering that there're many different samples being pushed out on regular basis)

So... i'm hoping for help in terms of advice.

What do you guys think of Black Octopus samples/zenhiser/bigfishaudio

Anything else that you could recommend to a newbie?

Thank you for understanding!

 

It depends on what genre you produce.

 

Hey
It's sort of board spectrum

Originally i'm composing (without samples) Orchestral compositions

However right now i'd like to experiment a bit with my vocals
Thus things like - billie eilish (bury a friend), what's that genre even called, dark pop?

But yeah, generally pop-singing, maybe some weird kpop stuff as well, etc

 

I make dark stuff like dubstep, dnb, trap, dark ambient mostly. and then house and techno stuff with a collab partner. these are just for darker stuff. (even though you can use anything whatever way it fits, of course).

If you like Black Octopus like I do, you will probably like Ghost Syndicate and Ghosthack alot. Yes, Zenhiser is up there for me also; great quality.

Others I use frequently in my productions are: Samples From Mars, Antidote Audio, Rankin Audio, Sample Magic, Test Press, Famous Audio, Industrial Strength, Digital Redux, Equinox Sounds, Fix-A-Flat, Freaky Loops, Future Loops, Prime Loops, Production Master, Reimann (for techno), Sample Freak, Sonic Mechanics, Strategic Audio, Uberschall, Vengeance (obviously), W.A. Production, Xenos Soundworks, Total Samples, Trap Veterans, TQ Audio, Premiere Sounds.

just to get you started

The Color Tags in MacOS are such a great little tool for sample management with no real extra effort (like maintaining a "Sample Librarian" type of program). You can sort by these tags inside nearly *any* DAW/Editor software that uses a file/open browser import method.

 

Last edited: May 20, 2021

Goldbaby, Wave Alchemy, Sample From Mars - for drums, good classic drum machines samples if you been looking for specific sound (ie. MPC, Linn Drum).

I think Splice pack posted occasionally on sister can be a good starting point for random ideas for Pop song. For Billie Eilish-esque you may need some good 808 samples, I usually create my own (you should too for more controls), but Ghosthack, and Cymatics (need to carefully choose because too much recycles) could provide a lot of 808 variety of samples. Finneas though been using Initial Audio 808 Studio II plugin for Billie's song (source: Mix With The Masters), check em out if you want that sound.

For Kpop I suggest check the KRS. samples (also Splice), even Blackpink song been using KRS. samples. ( source:

).

anyway, check this one -> Sample Magic - Deep Downtempo sample pack, could be useful for that weird dark stuff you been working on.

 

--------------------------
@Stevie Dude @clone


Thank you guys so much, you're the best \o /

One last question (I promise)
Since i've never really worked with samples before,

Do you guys edit your samples via some vst sampler like TAL-Sampler

Or do you mostly drag/drop and then play around with pitch/transposition if need be via other vsts?

(Literally any advice that you could give me on working with samples's much appriciated)
(This link isn't meant as self-promotion, i'd just like you guys to know my "area" of expertise so far)
(

)

 

I left out some of the "bigger" retailers, I try to especially only use them for 1 shots (like Cymatics). Goldbaby ones are awesome too.
I try to use easily replaceable general stuff.


You have of course, Loopmasters. Big Fish, East West, Zero G, Vandalism, True Samples, Freshly Squeezed, etc....

 

I use them both ways, as audio files or loaded into a sampler. which sampler depends on the type of manipulation I want to get. TAL or Kontakt mostly, or Halion. If it's a drum break, it gets bounced as audio into an Akai S2800. if it is something where I want more modulation and filtering, it goes into an Emu E6400 Ultra or E5K Ultra loaded via SCSI2SD.

but I do still try to keep everything in Logic if I can. You can manipulate drum breakbeats via MIDI triggering by dragging the sample inside a Logic Drum Machine Designer instance and then editing the Midi data. Or you can drag it into the Logic Q-Sampler and trigger it via Midi as a normal software instrument. Working with AIFF files changes some of your options for workflow.

you have endless options once your material is wav or AIFF. and Logic is like Acid Pro on Crack.

 

Thanks brother <3

 

@Stevie Dude, thanks for pointing out the Deep Downtempo pack. I bet they probably lost 50%+ possible listeners and buyers of this pack just by calling it "downtempo". it's at 110 and 140.

 

really ? lol, I haven't really pay attention genre-wise but while I remember the pack after OP posted "dark weird" and thought about the pack. Lol halftime 110/140 don't count ?

 

download splice pay for a monthly subscription and enjoy a world of amazing things.
including if you want to get in to billie elish type stuff her producer has released a splice pack

 

Last edited: May 21, 2021

Don't sweat about "quality" of samples. It is meant for marketing.
If you like it, go ahead.

 

That's a bad idea, generally speaking. Good starting samples are critical. Now granted, "quality" means little if you are just sampling a movie dialog or one old music loop. You usually will have to fight a little with it inside your audio editor processing to filter out only the sounds/frq's you want, or de-noising, de-clicking, etc. Maybe a sample is even worth some serious audio restoration efforts to you like in RX or something!

But the original question is more towards loop and one-shot usage, (I think, anyway). Starting sample quality is really important to your workflow. You have multiple considerations. The first is obviously the initial recording quality. There are alot of processing tricks to "put lipstick on a pig", but this TAKES TIME. And it must be done before really continuing along with your track, at least to some extent. You do not want core parts of your track having all sorts of negative impacts on your signal to noise ratio right from the jump, to only try to fix later. That's like building a house with a foundation of bricks that may, or may not, still be there later on.

Starting out with samples of BPM closer to (or faster than) your project is even important. The further you have to Time Expand (slowing down) a sample, the more your DAW or Sampler get a chance to show off their time stretching algorithms, to the detriment of the audio quality of the sample. Your audio quality will never get better by time stretching a sample. Using Time Compression (speeding up), the sample will usually not suffer as much; but even still, stretching or warping will not do anything positive to your samples.

Please do not take this as me taking for granted your/anyone's skillset to fix these things. I know they can be overcome with effort. But that is the problem. While you are creatively writing a tune, the worst possible thing you can do is SLOW DOWN. Which is exactly what happens when you try writing and have to do (what I consider) some "administrative technical bullshit" fixing sounds (maybe even offline/out of your DAW) while you are trying to get your ideas flowing. Usually if I am writing and come across a loop that is going to need alot of processing and time, I will dump it outright and continue auditioning another minute or two. Or you can spend a lot of time doing prep work before even opening your DAW if you want; but better starting quality can be far more productive.

If you were going to compete in a 1/4 mile race, would you pick the Llama over the Ferrari on purpose; because you know with "just the right amount of work" it will be a really great Llama?

 

I disagree. Choose slower than.
To speed up is better and reveals less artifacts than to slow down.
Having used Logic for 20 years, I'd say the Time and Space Machine algos work better when speeding up, not slowing down.
And this goes for Logic's newer features regards this too.

 

no, imo you actually agree with me. that speeding up (time compression) does not have the same level of undesirable effects as slowing down (time expansion). like a record player. this rule of thumb is what makes Paulstretch so impressive to me, that it can do such an extreme time expansion and not completely destroy the audio quality.

 

It seems clear to me that he states disagreement with that "Starting out with samples of BPM closer to (or faster than) ..."
(I detect no animosity in that and intend none by pointing this out - just adding a bystander's perception...)
You said "samples of BPM closer to (or faster than)".
That would imply a BPM faster than target (and needing to be slowed to match target, revealing more undesirable artifacts).
Smoove Grooves says speeding up reveals less artifacts, so a sample with BPM slower and then needing to be sped up to match target, and will reveal less undesirable artifacts.

I think you actually do agree with HIM, and I do as well.
Although I DO think slowing Steven Pinker to "sloshed" speed is funnier than giving him Eminem rap skillz, even with the unfortunate artifacts.

 

Hi. I'm just clone's clone and Stevie's brother; DoubleTake and Smoove are my cousins.

In other words I have nothing to add to what they said, but a sampler thread can't pass without me posting at least something. Especially clone's as we seem to have very similar taste and workflow. I think you've gotten a lot of excellent advice, and ideas for experimentation and innovation here, Sillytune, so go for it!

p.s. time-stretching artefacts can sound lovely [try Akaizer program ;)], depending on what you're after for, of course. TAL-Sampler is great for experimenting with time-stretching, and a great in the box sampler. Use it. It's my favourite sampler aside from Yamaha A5000, E4XT, and Akai S3200.

Cheers!

 

Last edited: May 22, 2021

Guys, you all are amazing
Thank you so much :*

 

Hi, for loops I usually go for rex files as it syncs to your tempo quicker and easier in my daw so something you might also want to look at.
Also good to look for artists work you like and see if they have a sample pack.
Sample Magic has some good texture packs and drums that Flume, Mura Masa used.