Samples. They’re quite literally the building blocks of electronic music. From one-second stabs to complicated orchestral runs, samples have been used by music producers since as far back as the 1940s. ‘Musique Concrete’ saw the first experiments with splicing and looping audio tapes, a pre-cursor to the monumental explosion of hip-hop four decades later. The term ‘sampling’ was coined in the 1970s by the manufacturers of the Fairlight CMI, one of the world’s first synthesizers that could record and playback short sounds. As tech evolved and memory chips grew big enough to cope with more complex requirements, the possibilities of sampling tapped into a brave new world of musical creativity. New generations picked up on older sounds, picking and snipping and reimagining classic bass and top lines for monumental effect.

Reconnecting vol. 4

‍

But not all samples come with a history. As production hardware evolved into much more affordable software, the numbers of music producers globally boomed. Today, over 120,000 tracks are released DAILY onto streaming services. If you want to make music that’s forward thinking, sometimes it’s better to lean into new pools of audio resources. Enter, the Sample Masters.

‍

Think the ultimate production geek. An audio obsessive. Someone who manoeuvres around DAWs, plug-ins and instruments with Jedi-like skills. Day in, day out, they’re immersed in the intricacies of sound design, creating sample packs that producers worldwide seize upon as soon as they’re let loose into the light of day. But how do you become a Sample Master? What does it take to become some of the most in-demand sound engineers in dance music? And what’s the day-to-day life of a Sample Master like?

‍

Komorebi is offering CH users 20% off all Komorebi sample packs until Jan 31st 2025 with this code: COLLABHOUSE20

‍

Collabhouse sat down with Daniel Bruin aka Skit, Harry Robinson, and Hanz and Sem0r, four of the world’s top sample creators from legendary studio Komorebi Audio, for an exclusive behind-the-scenes chat to find out exactly what the life of a sample maker looks like...

CH: Hi everyone, thanks for joining Collabhouse today. Can you tell us what do you, and how long you’ve been doing it, and how you originally got into making samples?

‍

Dan: Hi! My name’s Dan, I’m the founder and director of Komorebi Audio, and I’m happy to shed some light on the industry. I launched Komorebi Audio in mid-2018. Before that I was a producer/DJ, doing some gigs around London and Europe, hosting a monthly radio show, and putting on events in London under the label name Yusoul Records. How did I get into sampling? I was originally approached by Samplephonics to make a sample pack in 2015. At the time I was working part time at a gym and was trying to get my name out there as a producer and DJ, so I jumped at the opportunity for any paid music work. From there the pack did well and I was approached by Capsun Proaudio to start making sample packs for them.

‍

Harry: I’m a sample pack creator who creates a wide range of genres, from Hip-Hop, Drill and Garage to acoustic-based music such as full string arrangements. This involves sound design, producing, writing and recording. Professionally I’ve been in the music industry since 2005 but I’ve been making sample packs for the past 9 years. I was on a world tour with Sam Smith as a cellist and string arranger. I knew the tour was coming to an end and I had to find another way of making a stead income from music. A good friend of mine was making sample packs for Splice at the time and he suggested I should get involved and make some packs with him. So we did. This was a great way to build up my portfolio of sample packs, which paved the way for creating my own sample packs with Komorebi Audio.

‍

Sem0r: Hey, my name is Filip, and I guess you could say I’ve been a professional music producer for a couple years now under an alias of ‘Sem0r’. Throughout the last couple of years I’ve released multiple solo projects and produced a bunch of big records in my home country - Poland. It was only around 2 years ago when me and Thomas collectively decided to try and make a sample pack together. Turns out not only is the process itself fun, it’s also a great way to grow as a producer when you are forced to focus on making a certain element interesting enough to shine on its own - so we are keeping at it.

‍

Hanz: My name is Thomas Aka Hanz and I’m an artist/sample maker. Its hard to answer because I started playing piano when I was 3 or 4 years old and composed little triad piano ballads, but I guess I officially started producing music in 2016. I originally started making samples because it was a nice outlet for me to use ideas I had laying around on my computer.

CH: What does the day-to-day life of a sample producer look like?

‍

Dan: I’m the head of the company so anything that needs to be done on the business side gets handled by me. I’m also in charge of the communication with the Komorebi Audio artists, developing pack ideas, artwork etc and mixing packs, quality control and file editing. I work as a producer and mix engineer on specific packs we’ve done, such as the RnB or Rap vocal packs, and on the packs where we’re using all live instrumentation, such as the Mariachi sample pack that was recorded in Mexico, and the Sunset Jazz sample pack that was recorded in East London.  

‍

Harry: Due to the nature of being self-employed I’m very strict with myself and generally keep to a 9am-5pm Monday-Friday schedule in the studio. Sometimes my days can be longer than this, going into the early hours, depending on what I’m doing and how inspired I’m feeling. My day usually involves a mixture of writing, playing and recording various instruments, drum sound design and programming, and sound design using various different synths, instruments and creative plug-ins.

‍

Hanz x Sem0r: Even though we live a Baltic Sea apart we usually meet up on a Discord call in the morning after we’ve had our routines, and try to get a solid 6-8 hour work session where we just make samples, show it to each other, feedback and feed off of each other’s creativity.

‍

CH: What was the first sample each of you ever made, what was the most recent – and how do you think they compare in style and quality?

‍

Sem0r:  It’s actually hard to figure out which sample was the very first one, as for the last one it’s a drum loop from the Reconnecting vol.5 pack. I’m currently really inspired by all the early 2000’s stuff at the moment so I’m just having fun trying to flip that style to my liking. The difference in quality is enormous even though those samples are only around 2 years apart. The details and nuances are not just happy little accidents anymore but rather thought out decisions and even though we both show a big variation in genres the samples always sound like us.

‍

Hanz: To be honest it’s impossible to know what the first sample I made was, but the most recent was a melody loop for the upcoming Reconnecting pack. As for the difference in quality they are galaxies apart. Working on sample packs has been an amazing way for me to grow as a producer.

‍

Dan: the first sample I made was probably a simple ambient arp loop. The most recent one I worked on was a chilled jazz sample with live drums, Rhodes, bass and saxophone. In terms of quality and style they are completely different. My first sample was made on a soft synth in my bedroom, and the most recent sample was recorded in a professional studio with some great session musicians, so I think I’m definitely putting out a much more sophisticated and high quality sample these days.

‍

Harry: The first sample I ever made was a Hip-Hop strings loop consisting of strings, drum and bass. The most recent was a 70s soul sample consisting of various different instruments that are typical to the genre. Making samples for such a long time now has massively improved my writing, sound design, recording techniques and use of various different instruments that I have acquired over the 9 years and learnt how to play. When I go back now and listen to my older samples the difference between old and new is night and day. Now I understand the quality control that’s needed to be successful within the sample pack industry and repeatedly have my packs chart in the top 10 or 20 on Splice.

‍

CH: What sample packs are Komorebi Audio most well-known for?

‍

Dan: Reconnecting - Hanz x Sem0r (which is our best performing sample pack to date), Modern Trap Vocals and Rap Acapellas Vol. 2 (which has trap and rap vocals performed by vocalist Jamell Rene), and Anime Soundtrack Strings & Keys (which is orchestral sound inspired by Anime films). I’m also really proud of the Sunset Jazz Sample Pack we just put out which features a bunch of amazing session musicians and a good variety of instruments on the pack.

‍

CH: How niche of an industry is it? Do you all know each other? Are there any intense rivalries between different sample makers, or are you all good friends?

‍

Harry: I would say with the amount of producers involved in the industry the market is overly saturated, however at the top level it can be quite niche. After 9 years creating samples I have made some good friends within the industry. It’s impossible to know everybody in the industry, however the producer friends that I’ve made are all great people and helpful if and when it’s needed. I genuinely don’t feel any sense of rivalry between these friends and I’m happy to see them win. Sometimes it’s nice to collaborate with some of these producers on a sample pack.

‍

Dan: I would agree with Harry that its very niche at the top levels as there are people who crank out good quality packs consistently all year long for different companies, you just wouldn’t know it was from the same producer because they don’t have their name on it.

‍

On the other side of the coin it is very, very saturated as people have started to realise how much money can be made doing sample packs so many producers are now putting out their own kits.

‍

Hanz x Sem0r: As for most of the niche industries, the more time we spend in the ecosystem the more friends we make along the way. We don’t look at it as a rivalry - we just wanna make the best possible sounds.

CH: What are your favourite sounds or themes to create packs for?

Hanz x Sem0r: We would say it’s making stuff that just sounds cool and that we would like to use ourselves. Oftentimes sample packs can sound like the same recycled sounds over and over again, we love making something that can ignite the spark.

Dan: I’ve been working with some session musicians over the past year or so developing and mixing some ambient, chill jazz sample packs. Those have been pretty well received so far and it’s been really enjoyable and challenging to mix those packs.

‍

Harry:  I would say my favourite sample packs to make are my 70’s soul and Hip Hop sample packs. These are by far the most labour intensive packs to make but also the most rewarding, musically and financially. After that I would say I really enjoy making Drill music and anything around that 140-160 bpm.

Sunset Jazz

‍

CH: How does it work when it comes to the legal side of sample making? What sounds are you allowed to use and what ones aren’t you?

‍

Dan: In terms of the legal side of making samples it’s a bit of a minefield as a lot of the younger guys coming through have no idea what sounds they can and can’t use so will send in drum sounds they have dragged and dropped from someone else’s sample pack, pitch it up and call it their own drum sample and see nothing wrong with that. The reality is that is definitely not allowed and if you’re caught out doing that sort of thing you won’t work again in the sample industry.

‍

Sampling records or existing tracks even if you are flipping it so its unrecognisable is also prohibited. In terms of software synths it really depends on what software you are using and you have to refer to the manufacturers EULA (end user license agreement) to see in what way you can use the plugin, that will clarify whether or not you can make samples with their plugin. Generally speaking, soft synths like Serum or Sylenth are a lot more likely to be able to be used to make samples than Romplers or sample based plugins such as Kontakt, Arcade etc. Analog synths are usually fair game but obviously that’s quite a big barrier to entry as they can be pretty pricey.

‍

Ideally when I’m signing people to make sample packs I would like them to be mainly sound designing their own samples using soft synths, hardware synths, or recording the source material, i.e. drums, guitar, trumpets etc.

‍

CH: What kind of equipment do you use to create samples?

‍

Harry: It’s a mixture of creating samples within the box and also using a wide range of real instruments and outboard gear. It really depends on what genre I’m making. I have a collection of outboard analogue synths, and various pieces of analogue hardware that gives the sound a certain warmth, depth and clarity. My DAW of choice has always been Logic. I find it the best for writing and creating out of all of the DAW’s. If I’m making 90’s boom bap Hip Hop then I will use my trusty AKAI 2000XL as I feel that is the best sounding MPC for that genre. I find it most inspiring to make samples when I can touch an instrument or press buttons rather than using a mouse all the time.

‍

Sem0r: I’ve gathered a little percussion collection that I like to record myself, using 2 of my favourite microphones - WA-47 and an incredible sounding old school AKG C28b. Most of the drum post-processing and melody loops is usually done in the box using an array of soft synths and VSTs.

‍

Hanz: I mostly use VSTs and digital tools to make my music but I have a Nord piano and a UDO-super 6 that I use a lot.

‍

Dan: It depends what kind of samples I’m making, if I’m recording vocals at home it’s an AKG C414 going through a Neve clone and through the Distressor and then mixing with UAD and Waves plugins. If I’m writing electronic music I’m using things like Kick 2 and Serum for synthesising drums and a mixture of soft synths and hardware like the novation peak for making synth sounds. Alternatively if I have an idea for a pack that I couldn’t do well alone I’m hiring in session musicians to play and write for those packs and hiring out a bigger studio for the sessions.

‍

CH: How do you approach making a sample? What’s the creative process?

‍

Harry: I start by importing a drum loop as I find it way more inspiring to write to a drum loop. I generally start making my samples with the melody, usually on the keys and then flesh it out from there with different uses of instrumentation. Depending on the genre I might start with the bassline and then build on that. I do this quite a lot when making 70’S Soul loops however if I’m making Drill or Garage for example I would always start with the main melody first, then add bass then drums after that.

Hanz x Sem0r: Usually - for us - it's best not to think too much about what you’re doing. Just let the creative juices flow. we find that its the best way to not end up second guessing every creative choice.

Modern Trap Vocals 2

‍

CH: How do you make sure that every pack you deliver has the same kind of quality and consistency?

Hanz x Sem0r: To be completely honest, we don’t feel like they do have the same consistency. We feel like each new pack is the next stepping stone in keeping the quality not only higher but also more consistent throughout the pack. As with any other creative field - hard work, consistency and being critical of your work leads to growth - it’s no different in this field.

Dan: You just have to take the time to go through every sound with a fine tooth comb and make sure they are up to scratch. There’s countless times where I thought I finally finished a sample pack to then listen back and realise half of the drum sounds are much better than the others and I have to go back and tweak the sounds again. I’m also referencing sounds I’ve made against released music to see if the sounds cut through the mix.

‍

Harry: The most important thing for me is to give myself enough time to create a Sample pack ensuring that I can provide the highest quality. This is usually around d 8 weeks from start to finish. I’ve been there and done that where I used to just fire through sample packs to ensure I had lots coming out all the time. This is not a good way to go as these packs make much less money in the long run. As the market is so over saturated it’s important to ensure that your particular sample pack stands out from the rest. Every element has to be on point from the writing, playing, sound design, programming, recording to the mix. If any of these elements are not as good as they should be then this will be apparent and reflect on sales.

‍

CH: Do any of you have a speciality or ‘signature’ sound that you’re known for?

‍

Hanz x Sem0r: We have a very specific way of programming and processing both drums and synths that make us stand out from others.

‍

Harry: This is a tricky one as I tend to make such a wide range of different Genres. I would say I’m mostly known for making 70’s soul samples and then sampling those samples I’ve made to make Hip Hop. Within my sample packs I usually include a wide range of real instruments rather than using a VST which doesn’t sound nearly as good.

‍

CH: Do you ever get writer’s block and how do you cope with it if you do?  

‍

Sem0r: Obviously, I think everybody does to some extent. I feel like currently the writer's block has gotten a bit more mild for me personally. I try to keep myself exposed to a lot of genres at the time and look for music that I normally wouldn’t listen to or sometimes even like and actively listen to what makes it interesting and different.

‍

Hanz: Every person that does something creative has to face a writer’s block at some point. But the best advice I can give is to allow yourself to suck sometimes.

‍

Harry: Yes I think we all do at times. I have 4 ways of dealing with this when it happens.

‍

1. Get some inspiration by listening to other people’s music. Anything can spark an idea which you can then turn into your own creation.

‍

2. I sit down usually at the keys or guitar and just start playing and improvising. I never know what chord progressions I may come up with and usually something sticks. Once I have the chords recorded then the melodic topline ideas usually come to me and then I can build on the loop from there with counter melodies and so on.

‍

3. Just record anything in whether its chords or a melody and then start applying plugins that will change the sound. These techniques can range from reversing a sample, chopping it up to create a different progression to utilising plugins like Halftime that gives the sample a totally different feel and vibe.

‍

4. Sound design a new fresh sound and that can spark inspiration which makes it easier to write a melody.

CH: Do producers tend to prefer one particular brand of sample packs, or do they tend to use a wide range?

‍

Harry: Before Splice, Loopcloud and other subscription based platforms were involved in the industry I think that producers did have certain labels that they would naturally gravitate too.

‍

This could be for multiple reasons whether it’s the Genre of music the labels were releasing and the quality assurance these labels would provide across the board from writing, production to mixing. Now with these subscription-based platforms it’s now possible to cherry pick your sounds from various different sample packs rather than buying a whole sample pack at a time.

‍

Dan: I think people shop all over the place these days, especially with services like splice you can browse millions of samples to select the perfect sound for your track so I don’t think people really get too attached to brands these days.

Hanz x Sem0r: If a pack is good enough and it fits your taste it’s usually not necessary to reach into many other packs at the same time. To be completely honest - nowadays we just use our own stuff.

CH: If any of our readers would like to work as a sample maker, how would they get started? What’s the best route into the industry?

‍

Dan: I would make a few small sample packs of your own and then start sending them about to see if anyone likes them enough to want to work with you, like I said earlier the industry is pretty saturated though so you have to be really outstanding to get your foot in the door.

‍

CH: Finally, what packs have you each got coming up?

Hanz x Sem0r: Just finished working on Reconnecting Vol. 5 with a release scheduled for early 2025.

Dan: The most recent sample pack I mixed was Modern Trap Vocals and Rap Acapellas Vol. 3 with Jamell Rene. That should be coming out in December at some point.

Harry: I’m currently working on a pack where I make 70’s soul loops with live instruments and then resample those soul loops to make 90’s Hip Hop. I’ve also got an Anime Keys and Strings pack coming out soon with Komorebi. Mainly in 2025 I will be focusing on various styles of Hip Hop and vintage sounding Soul sample packs.

‍

Komorebi is offering CH users 20% off all Komorebi sample packs until Jan 31st 2025 with this code: COLLABHOUSE20

‍

Anime Soundtrack Strings And Keys