Anybody here use loop sample CDs in their work?

[Anderton]

Just wondering. I've found lately that adding in some loops from other sources is almost like doing some collaboration...I was working on a tune and it just wasn't quite working, so I threw in a couple of fresh drum loops and all of a sudden, the whole tune came together. Because they weren't loops I created, they put a whole different perspective on the tune. I also use loops a lot for tight budget soundtrack material when there isn't enough time for me to sit down and do the recording. Does anyone else here use loops and sample CDs? If so, how do you use them? To create entire pieces? To complement existing material? For DJ-type mixing? I'm curious...

[Gulliver]

Oh yeah, I use them a lot. And I use them to compliment existing material, never to create entire pieces. Though, on my latest project no other than Steve Smith himself played during the whole song! He did this without knowing that he did this :D and it was possible because I've got his sample CD "Steve Smith - Rhythmic Journey" (EastWest). I absolutely agree with you Craig, using loops is like doing some collaboration with other musicians. (Great musicians!) As was the case with this particular project I had a scratch melody line sung by a client on one track and his scratch arrangement (as one single stereo file) on another track. His initial idea was to add some "pro-touches" (no I don't use Pro Tools, I'm CoolEditPro user :) ) to the existing arrangement but soon I figured out that the only way to go would be building all the new arrangement. So I started trying different things but nothing seemed to work with the vocal line until I lied down one drum loop from Rhythmic Journey. That gave the right feel to the whole song and I was able to begun thinking in the right direction. By now the arrangement is almost complete and today I recorded 9(!) "real" lead vocal takes (plus more than 20 various snippets) from which I must compile the best one. I think I have a lo-o-ng sleepless night ahead of me...

[Audiobotica]

Short deadlines plus no loops = no sleep. Short deadlines plus loops = getting sleep. Why reinvent the wheel to create something generic? They want something that's not canned needle drop, but they won't give me time to create something entirely original. No probs, slap a few loops to build basic structure, overdub a few original parts, sprinkle a few more loops for flavor, presto!, semi-original music that sounds fine. Plus, since most of the loops already have some compression and eq, the mix goes extra fast. Client is happy and I get to go home and sleep! Plus, I just got to work with some musicians I'll never meet and might not have been able to fit in the budget. Is it true collaboration? In a weird we-are-all-moments-in-time-simultaneously way, I feel that it is! Yours in Music, Ben Fury

[Jotown]

I never build entire arrangments with them, but I wlll sometimes use them to compliment an existing song. Usually it will a percussion, or drum loop.

[D_dup3]

I see your points about using them as alternative idea sources & as time savers but, to me, it's better when musicians have the ability to reconstruct the elements of their compositions/recordings. So, while at times I've used samples of a particular sound, I even go so far as to recreate a record's elements when using it as a (pseudo)sample. I like drum machines & computerized technology but I find things that are [i]too consistently repeated[/i] to be less entertaining than those with slight variations.

[Lee Flier]

My drummer is pretty loopy, but that's probably not what you meant... :D

[Jotown]

[quote]I like drum machines & computerized technology but I find things that are too consistently repeated to be less entertaining than those with slight variations. [/quote]I hear ya'. A great Drummer in a great room wih some great mic's and pre's is the way to go, when you can. I just usually don't have the budgets for that. A good sequencer/programmer will take those rhythmic and dymanic variations into account, and put them in there.

[Dogfur]

Yeah, I've used a few here and there, and usally have to whack 'em a bit to fit my purposes. Lately we had some licensing questions for one of the libraries' producers and couldn't get a clear yes or no answer out of them... Generally better to create your own anyway...

[Audiobotica]

[quote]Originally posted by d: [b]I like drum machines & computerized technology but I find things that are [i]too consistently repeated[/i] to be less entertaining than those with slight variations.[/b][/quote]I agree, but most of the cues I'm doing are on the screen for less than a minute and most of them are WAY down in the mix underneath the dialogue, swimming in the SFX and ambience. I dropped a tune into a mix recently and the director said, "What's that weird sound in the music? Lose it!" I muted the tasty (disruptive) part and he was happy. As music, it was more boring, as a music cue to picture, it worked. Doing sound for picture is waaaaaay different than recording music to be listened to for its own sake. They don't want more "interesting" music, they want music that makes their story line seem more interesting. Yours in Music, Ben Fury

[D_dup3]

Again, I see your point, Audiobotica (& others---my earlier post was typed in simultaneously with but appeared after the two preceding it). It's been a while but I've done a bit of commercial soundtracking; there are lots of non-,usical considerations...but that's not the only realm in which loops are used, either.

[Kendrix]

Steve Gadd does my drums ('cept for some snares) but I -program every hit. The idea of spicing up a track thats partially together with loops is not something Ive ever tried. It seems as if it would be difficult have them mesh - and I always feel that searching for just the right loop is painful. Maybe I should walk on the wild side and try it.

[stanner]

again, not what yer talkin about 'cause i'm a realtime live solo electric guitar looper. everything starts from scratch and develops(de-evelops?) from nothingness to something(?). people listening always think you are playing to backing tracks via cd or tape and are surprised that its all done live. we have had lively debates over @ concerning the use of pre-packaged loops (either your own or commercial) and the loopers that bring nothing but their creative skills on the spot. sorry-i ramble... s :cool:

[Sylver]

Flyscots and I recently did a couple of songs that started as a few loops that sounded cool together. On one, I replaced all of the loops except for the drums with guitar parts until it became a whole new song, complete with insane vocal harmony layers. On the other we just used the looped progression and live guitar and bass to add a human feel. It was quite a departure for me, and has been well received.

[Franknputer]

I like using them. I always tried to use drum machines to be a realistic as possible (rather than doing smoething 'electronic' with them) and I find that, by and large, loops sound more real than my programming. :D

[progfusion74]

I tend to program my own drums, but canned loops, when combined with [url=http://www.bitshiftaudio.com]Phatmatik Pro[/url] , can be used for some remarkable stuff.

[Anderton]

<> In the themes that I do, they also want lots of hit points for when people's names appear on the screen, and you're right, they don't want "lead" music, they want "rhythm" music. In some respect the unvarying nature of loops is an asset, because no weirdnesses will occur that might pull people away from the visuals.

[Mr Darling]

We do use loads of sample cds - but we sort of treat them like sound sources / synth. Every synth you get as loads of preset that someone else programed, so in a way that's also like colaboration. We use to relay on loops much more though. .. our previous CD had layers and layers of drum loops, but I never really liked the fact , and now a days,our songs are less busy, and if we use loops - it just as an underfeel effect.

[Dr Nursers]

All my songs contain samples, either commercial or self-recorded.....

[FrankieP]

I use a drum loop here and there... I really like and use Best Service's XXLarge No Kick Volumes 1&2 alot. Just layer your kick drum over it and it sounds great. Just drum loops though, not complete music. Speaking of which... that new Mercedes (or was it BMW) commercial uses a very prominent bassline/loop taken from the "Total House" sample CD. No wonder it sounded so familiar.

[halljams]

We use Drum loops all the time. They are great for building tunes with, even if you plan to replace them with real drums. Many are recorded really nicely and have varying degrees of ambience to choose from too. We have even make drum solo sections by chopping them up in to bits and dropping them in here and there for fills and intros etc. Sometimes it sounds great to have 2 or 3 patterns going at once to get the energy up. They are so much better than any drum machine. Plus we use them to cop feels by dropping them in "Recycle" and making a midi file. You can get tons of lo-fi loops on line for free that you can use to cop feels in recycle or cyclone with, and then replace them with better sounds.

[nc]

[quote]Originally posted by Anderton: [b] In the themes that I do, they also want lots of hit points for when people's names appear on the screen, and you're right, they don't want "lead" music, they want "rhythm" music. [/b][/quote]It's a tangental point but I think music that de-emphasises overt rhythm would seem to allow greater freedom in matching "hit" points without skewing the "feel".

[DJDM]

Pretty much everything I do incorporates drum loops at some point. Always in tandem with programmed drums. I feel like you do Craig that loops will add a new element to a song that I would have not/could not have thought of! Best thing ever to happen to a solo keyboardist! There was a very cool thread about this very thing in the Keyboard forum. We worked the topic over pretty hard and it looks like there are very distinct camps with very strong feelings on the subject! You can check out the debate here: http://www.musicgearnetwork.com/cgi-bin/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_topic;f=18;t=004993

[ricko]

I use 'em all the time, and I reckon the best release at the moment is "Beats Working" Recorded at Studio 2...there's nothing like adding a bit of Abbey Road to your mix :)