Creative Ways to Process Samples

Samples can be an endless source of inspiration and creativity. Whether you’re working with a vocal snippet, a drum loop, or a field recording, there are countless ways to transform and manipulate these sounds to fit your unique musical vision. Here are seven creative techniques to inspire your next project.

1. Pitch Shifting and Ableton Pitching Algorithms

Description: Pitch shifting involves changing the pitch of a sample up or down. Ableton Live offers different algorithms for this purpose, including Complex, Texture, and Formant.

Tips:

• Complex Pro: Use for melodic and harmonic content to preserve audio quality.
• Formant Shifting: Maintain the natural quality of vocal samples while altering the pitch.
• Texture: Try this algorithm for wacky sound design.
• Creative Applications: Create harmonies or entirely new melodies by re-pitching samples.

2. Saturation and Distortion

Description: Adding saturation or distortion can add warmth, grit, and character to your samples.

Tips:

• Stacking Dtsortions: Try chaining various distortion plugins together.
• Distortion Algorithms: Be sure to change the algorithm regularly during sound design sessions
• Creative Distortion: Apply distortion to unconventional samples (e.g., vocals) for unique textures.
• Subtle to Extreme: Experiment with gentle saturation to heavy distortion to find the right balance.
• Chain Up: Dont be afraid to change plugins at the start of your chain as all the plugins later may react differently!

3. LFOs (Low-Frequency Oscillators)

Description: LFOs can modulate parameters like volume, pitch, or filter cutoff, creating dynamic movement in your samples.

Tips:

• Non Rhythmic Modulation: The temptation might be to make your LFO sync to your project. Be sure to try turning the tempo syncing off as some most random and interesting sounds can not be in time with the project.
• Pitch Wobble: Apply LFO to pitch for a vibrato effect – often overlooked!
• Filter Sweeps: Modulate filter cutoff for evolving textures.
• Map Up: Plugins such as Ableton’s LFO can be ampped to any parameter on any plugin for extra randomness!

3. Filters and EQ

Description: Filters and EQ can shape the frequency content of your samples, from subtle tweaks to dramatic cuts.

Tips:

• Experimental Filters: Experiment with filter types such as notches or bells instead of just the standard high or low pass
• Resonance Cranking: Emphasize specific frequencies for a unique timbre.
• Combine LFO & Envelopess: Be sure to play with any modulation settings if your filter has them for sound design possibilities.
• Filter Algorithms: Some filters even let you change the filter slope or algorithm for different filter styles. Try experimenting with drive settings if your filter has these (such as the MS2 algorithm in Ableton’s Auto Filter).

5. Granular Synthesis

Description: Granular synthesis breaks down samples into small “grains” and reassembles them, creating entirely new textures.

Tips:

• Time Stretching: Create evolving soundscapes by stretching samples.
• Texture Creation: Generate ambient pads or glitchy rhythms from ordinary samples.
• Granular FX: Use granular plugins like Granulator in Ableton Live for in-depth manipulation.

6. Reversing Samples

Description: Playing samples in reverse can yield surprising and creative results, turning mundane sounds into unique elements. Often overlooked yet very powerful, especially when combined with other processing!

Tips:

• Reversed Reverb: Apply reverb to a sample, then reverse it for a dreamy, swelling effect.
• Backwards Beats: Reverse drum loops to create unusual rhythmic patterns.
• Melodic Reversal: Flip melodic phrases for unexpected musical ideas.

7. Time Stretching and Warping

Description: Altering the timing of your samples without affecting pitch can lead to interesting rhythmic and textural effects. Can often create some of the most wacky and unique results from a sample.

Tips:

• Extreme Stretching: Create ambient drones or pads from short samples.
• Micro Timing Adjustments: Humanize drum loops or tighten up grooves.
• Warp Modes: Experiment with different warp modes in Ableton Live for varied results.

The essence of sample-based music production lies in its limitless creative potential. By exploring these techniques, you can discover innovative ways to transform your samples and enhance your tracks with original sounds.

Our recommendation is to embrace the process, experiment thoughtfully, and let your creativity guide you where it wants go. Many of our best lightbulb moments in Koherent sound design were by attempting simple techniques such as these.