Targeted Synth Sampling - Creating Tracks
Today we take a look at targeted synth sampling. We'll explain what it is, how to do it and why you might want to use it in your own projects.
There are actually many, many reasons why you may want to use targeted synth sampling techniques in your own projects. Perhaps you have a great sounding synth patch that you only want to use part of. Or maybe you don't really know enough about synthesizer programming and sound design to make the changes you desire inside of the synth itself. Or perhaps you are wanting a specific kind of sampled aesthetic that can really only be accomplish by chopping, looping, etc. Regardless of the reasons, there are shortcuts built right into all modern DAWs that can make the process of converting a MIDI sound into audio and then converted again into a sampled instrument. And the entire process should only take a matter of seconds!
Using targeted synth sampling gives you the best of both the MIDI and audio worlds, if you do it right. And you should also set yourself up nicely to discover plenty of unexpected goodies along the way. In fact, don't be surprised if the first few times you do this that you end up liking all the little FX that you pull out more than the actual sampled instrument you create. It's totally common and a great way to evolve your ability to discover and anticipate new sounds in every project you happen to use targeted synth sampling in.
For some added fun, try using the built-in modulation options inside of the sampler you decide to use. The EXS24 sampler in Logic Pro is actually quite basic and may seem familiar to many of the old school, while DAWs like Ableton Live offer parameters geared toward both traditional and progressive production practices. That said, samplers found in any modern DAW can largely accomplish the same exact tasks with great results. Third-party samplers, like Kontakt from Native Instruments, offer very robust feature sets and can do just about anything you can possibly imagine and more.
In fact, Kontakt quickly became the industry standard and most-trusted sampler in the industry when Native Instruments showed just how much commitment they had to making it the sampler for modern musicians, producers, sound designers and audio engineers the world 'round. In large part, they have already accomplished this goal and continue to push the boundaries in very creative ways. So using this particular sampler is not only opening new doors and opportunities for you sonically, it is also universal, which means it runs in any DAW or in standalone mode.
Cheers,
OhmLab