Anyone know the history behind drum "samples"?

[johnzorn]

This has sparked my curiosty recently because of how many of use talk of using "this" or "that" certain kick sample or snare sample. Where the need for "samples" come from anyway. Is that some band was playing really fast and loud and the kick drum got drowned out and the producer said, "Hum, ya know what, I can't hear the kick. I think I'll replace it with a kick from a drum machine." And BAM!!! *The sound of 100 baskets ball dropping onto a gymnasium floor* Well, I'm pretty sure the idea came from someone producing a metal band. Or as some stated, maybe the drummers drumset sounded like shit and they just thought, "I'll lay a some samples of a Pearl Masterworks snare over it." And also, how did they go about doing this back in the day before aptrigga or drumagog? I know they had samplers back in the day, but I didn't know they had drum sample cd's back then either. So anywho, for Andy or anybody who knows the back story I'm fiendin' some good ol' stories and education on this subject.

 

[Ola Englund]

Before the time of soft-triggers people used the provided hardwarebrain, like the D4 or stuff like that.

This has sparked my curiosty recently because of how many of use talk of using "this" or "that" certain kick sample or snare sample. Where the need for "samples" come from anyway. Is that some band was playing really fast and loud and the kick drum got drowned out and the producer said, "Hum, ya know what, I can't hear the kick. I think I'll replace it with a kick from a drum machine." And BAM!!! *The sound of 100 baskets ball dropping onto a gymnasium floor* Well, I'm pretty sure the idea came from someone producing a metal band. Or as some stated, maybe the drummers drumset sounded like shit and they just thought, "I'll lay a some samples of a Pearl Masterworks snare over it." And also, how did they go about doing this back in the day before aptrigga or drumagog? I know they had samplers back in the day, but I didn't know they had drum sample cd's back then either. So anywho, for Andy or anybody who knows the back story I'm fiendin' some good ol' stories and education on this subject.

 

[Nitronium Blood]

Before the time of soft-triggers people used the provided hardwarebrain, like the D4 or stuff like that.

Huh?

 

[johnzorn]

Huh?

I believe he's referring to the Alesis D4 module.

 

[Nitronium Blood]

I believe he's referring to the Alesis D4 module.

 

[johnzorn]

Its a module used in conjuction with a recording station or what not to trigger the samples. Speaking of which, how far does the D4 date back to anyway? Where their earlier drum modules? I remember electronic drums being big in the 80's.

 

[James Murphy]

i had a d4 in the early 90's, but the holy grail of "triggerable" drum instruments back then was the d-drum systems.. and they're still quite good today.

 

[johnzorn]

i had a d4 in the early 90's, but the holy grail of "triggerable" drum instruments back then was the d-drum systems.. and they're still quite good today.

I'm not too familar with the D-Drum systems. Does anyone recall the earliest death/metal/grind, which ever band that has their kick or what not triggered. I was listening to Death's "Spirutal Healing" and I think the kick is a natural one. Just well eq'd.

 

[James Murphy]

as memory serves there was a sample mixed in... that session is where i learned to do drum replacement/enhancement with midi

 

[johnzorn]

as memory serves there was a sample mixed in... that session is where i learned to do drum replacement/enhancement with midi

Awesome. And that was back in 1990. So I take it they were probably used earlier than that. My mind is still stuck in "The 80's were all about natural drums and at what time did someone think to sample over a natural kick with something else." Give more punch? An easy way to put the kick up front? Experimentation is the logical answer. I just really dont' know how to phrase questions Heheheh.

 

[Andy Sneap]

the old way of doing it was either using something like a midi gate and triggering either a sampler or drum machine, or the old TC delay where you could sample and trigger.

 

[James Murphy]

yeah.. those TC 2290's.. Morrisound had a few of those back then.. probably still have them, but Jim uses Sound Replacer and Beat Detective these days.

 

[Hopkins-WitchfinderGeneral]

the old way of doing it was either using something like a midi gate and triggering either a sampler or drum machine, or the old TC delay where you could sample and trigger.

Andy was having fun before any of us!

 

[johnzorn]

Amazing. It sounds like being able to use samples and trigger has come along way. And the samples still seem to stay the same. Although I'm sure back then in the 80's/early 90's the drummers must have been very freaked out to have their kicks sound like drum machine kicks.

 

[Andy Sneap]

There was the old Akai ME35 that linked to the S1000, I remember using one of those in 1990

 

[Frank'nfurter]

i had a d4 in the early 90's, but the holy grail of "triggerable" drum instruments back then was the d-drum systems.. and they're still quite good today.

Are you shure? I allways thought SIMMONS and the legendary LINN 9000 was the first triggerable Drum module.

 

[James Murphy]

Are you shure? I allways thought SIMMONS and the legendary LINN 9000 was the first triggerable Drum module.

yeah, i overlooked Linn Drums.. haven't thought about them in years... the D-drums however are still used by loads of metal guys every day.. think Vinnie Pual, Pete Sandoval, etc.

 

[Frank'nfurter]

btw. what do you think about the production of Rammstein 'Reise Reise'

 

[James Murphy]

btw. what do you think about the production of Rammstein 'Reise Reise'

i'm just getting my first listen in after pilfering it from my brother so i'm still wrapping my head around it... last i heard of these guys was Sehn Sucht.. not sure of the spelling.. from some few years ago.

sounds pretty good so far though.

 

[Ermz]

I like the production. They get a pretty powerful wall of sound going, especially during the chorus in 'Amerika'.