Chopping Samples, Slicing Samples, Flipping Samples – You have probably heard these phrases being banded about but what exactly does it all mean? In this article, we will be delving into the fascinating world of Sample chopping helping to shed some light on this highly creative process,

Sample Lowdown

Samples come in many different guises but at their essence, an audio sample is simply a piece of recorded audio that you can integrate into a musical composition. So before we get into the nitty gritty of sample chopping let’s start by establishing some of the different types of samples.

Sample

When it comes to utilising samples in a composition there tends to be 3 main types.

• Looped Sample: A loop is when you take a sample of a specific length and repeat it over and over. Common loop lengths tend to be 1,2,4 or 8 bars. Sample loops are played back and quantised to the track grid.
• Chopped/Flipped Sample: This is where rather than simply looping a whole unedited sample, you instead slice the loop or audio into pieces. You then re-program these sample slices or chops into your track.
• One Shot: These are typically a single hit or sound, used to add percussive/drum elements, musical accents, or sound effects.

Types of Sample

A Sample’s source and designated purpose is far more wide-ranging. Let’s take a look at a selection of different types of sample.

• Royalty-free samples: Audio samples that can be used in music production without the need for paying royalties, typically obtained from online libraries or sample packs.
• Copyrighted recordings: Audio samples protected by copyright law, requiring permission from the copyright holder to use in music production (Sample Clearance)
• Self-recorded samples: Audio samples recorded by the music producers themselves, often capturing unique sounds or performances for personal use.
• Vocal acapella: Audio samples featuring isolated vocal performances without accompanying music, used for remixing, mashups, or adding vocal elements to tracks.
• Field recordings: Audio samples captured from real-world environments, such as nature sounds, urban ambience, or industrial noises, adding realism and texture to compositions.
• Drum breaks: Audio samples extracted from classic drum recordings, commonly used in hip-hop, breakbeat, and electronic music for their distinct rhythm and groove.
• Synthesized samples: Audio samples that are purposely prepared and designed to be replayed through a sample player, VST or synth. This form of sampling can offer unequalled realism.
• Public domain samples: Audio samples that are not protected by copyright or whose copyright has expired, freely available for use in music production without restrictions.

What Defines Sample Chopping?

So what defines Sample Chopping? As the name suggests Sample chopping refers to any dissection of a sample into smaller constituent parts. A sample chop could be as little as cutting a one-bar loop in half or as much as slicing a 3 minute sample into 500 pieces (Believe me, people have done this!)

Commonly people associate sample chopping with a purposeful reimagining of a piece of sampled audio. This audio would be deconstructed by slicing new start and end points from the sample waveform. It would then be reconstructed through programming and arrangement. The practice of Sample chopping was largely pioneered during the late 80’s and early 90s within the Hip-Hop genre. Other genres such as Jungle and Breakbeat soon took the baton.

A great example of a sample that has been chopped in countless ways is the classic Amen Brother breakbeat by The Winstons. The process of sample chopping is no longer exclusive to Niech genres. As the popularity of sampling has grown in recent years so have the creative applications and sample chopping is just one of many inventive ways to manipulate a sample.

Sample Searching – The Quest Begins

Much like browsing for music to listen to on a streaming service, sample searching should follow the same rationale. A sample should speak to you in the same way one of your favourite artist’s track would. Alternatively, you may need a sample to fit a specific purpose within a track. For example, you might require a killer riser sound effect. in this instance don’t just settle for the first riser you come across. There is a world of riser fx out there (Don’t believe me? -Check out RouteNote Create for risers-a-plenty) Find one that enhances your track to the fullest. The joy of sample hunting is that you’re not affected by your own constraints and abilities to create sounds, melodies or rhythms. And in this modern age you have a world of sounds at your disposal so take full advantage of this.

To Chop or Not?

When searching for samples you do not necessarily have to be thinking of the process you will apply to that sample. The sample itself should dictate this. The main objective is to find samples that resonate with you. Some samples will sound as though they were made to be looped and anything else would take away from the intrinsic quality of that sample.

On the other hand, you may come across a sample that speaks to you but you feel you could add your own twist on it. For example, you may want to play around with the order of the chord progression. It may contain a bunch of great sections throughout the sample that you would like to combine together. Or there may be some fantastic sonic elements that you think would sound ace if isolated and replayed. There are so many ways a sample can get chopped and flipped. You as the producer are firmly in the driving seat and only you have the power to explore the creative possibilities inherent in a sample.

A Little Housekeeping First

So you have identified a prime suspect sample that’s screaming out ‘Do your worst’! Well, before you get the knives out and surgically dismember the waveform it can often be worth doing a bit of prep work. More often than not it’s advantageous to adjust any timing discrepancies in the sample. As a rule, purpose-made samples such as royalty-free samples will take care of these issues. But, if you plan on using a sample that wasn’t played to a click then it may well drift in and out of time. This could present issues down the line once chopped. Most modern DAWs feature time stretching or warping facilities. Learn how to use these effectively and this will streamline your producing game no end.

You may also want to check that the sample is in perfect pitch. Using a pitch detector and corrector to ensure the sample is at 440 Hz (Standard Pitch) will help it to sit perfectly with other virtual instruments and synths. These things are generally better to do beforehand.

And if you are recording your own custom samples take the time and effort to ensure that you get the highest quality recording you can. Or if you are trying for a certain sound or vibe then experiment until you’re happy with the sound.

Sample Chopping methods

Right, so your sample is primed and ready to go! Let’s examine the 4 main techniques you can use to slice up those waves!

• Manual chopping: Involves manually selecting and cutting sections of a sample using editing tools in a digital audio workstation (DAW), allowing for precise control over the placement and timing of each chop to create custom arrangements and patterns.
• Beat-based chopping: Involves dividing a sample into segments based on rhythmic divisions such as beats or measures, often synchronized to the tempo of the project, enabling the creation of structured and rhythmic arrangements. For this method it’s essential that the sample is perfectly on time and sits on the grid. (See vid below)
• Transient chopping: Focuses on isolating and manipulating the transient peaks within a sample, typically used to extract percussive elements or enhance the rhythmic intensity by emphasizing the attack and decay characteristics of each transient.
• Real-time chopping: Involves chopping and manipulating samples on-the-fly using hardware controllers or performance tools within a DAW. This allows for spontaneous and improvisational experimentation with sample arrangements. Like manual chopping, this method is particularly effective when you have longer less rhythmic samples as you can pick the bits you want to use (see vid below)

For a demonstration of 2 of these methods, beat-based and real-time chopping, I have prepared an instructional video. While this demonstration is using Ableton Live the basic principles I show will apply to all DAWs.

Utilising Chopped Samples

When chopping up a sample the first thing to consider is how the chopped sample will be utilised in your composition. Here are some reasons you might want to chop up a sample.

Creative Sampling

This is probably the first application you think of when sample chopping is mentioned. Pioneered in the world of Hip-Hop, flipping a sample involves the use of some or all of a sample to create a brand-new rhythmic or melodic pattern. Hip Hop producers such as DJ Premier, Pete Rock and Just Blaze are masters of the flip. A trawl through these producers’ sample credits on whosampled.com should offer up endless amazing examples of creative sample flipping. The beauty of creative sample flipping is there are no real rules. You are very much in the driving seat with the samples final destination firmly in your hands.

Re-editing & re-arranging:

You may wish to Re-edit a sample by changing the bar structure or extending small sections. You may also want to re-edit and chop up a vocal. This technique became popular in dance music where a small section or sections of a vocal are isolated and then played back rhythmically. These chopped vocals are often reprogrammed in a repetitive fashion helping to create catchy hook lines and features.

Time Correction

Before the advent of time stretching and pitch correction chopping up a sample was often your only way to get it in time and on the grid. If you’re a producer who still likes to work using hardware samplers, then sample chopping may still be a necessity to get a sample in time. You can also chop a sample to add swing. By chopping a sample in equal increments you could try to experiment by increasing the track tempo slightly. This can add groove and feel as well as helping the sample fit nicely on a drum track.

Fitting samples to an existing arrangement

So you have a proper banger on the go but feel it could use a little something extra. This is where samples can come into their own. When auditioning samples over your beat you may notice that certain sounds, sections or snippets work but the sample as a whole wouldn’t fit. Sample chopping gives you the power to isolate these good bits. You then have total freedom to embellish your track by programming in the chopped sample snippets.

Sample disguising

So first let’s clear a few things up regarding copyright in particular relating to royalty-free samples. As long as you acquire a sample legitimately then you will be granted a license. This licence will allow you to monetize any song using the royalty-free sample in question. You cannot however ‘claim’ the copyright of the sample-based song. For example you cannot claim the copyright on YouTube’s content ID system. This however does not stop some people trying. Therefore if you use a sample loop there is always a chance the copyright has been wrongfully claimed by someone else and a match is made. In practice, this may make it harder to monitize your track.

An effective way to minimise this scenario from happening is to chop and flip your sample differently. The more flipped the sample, the less likely it is to match with the original sample loop.

*note: If you are using any sample that you have not created from scratch yourself, you CANNOT claim the copyright to a track, however well it has been chopped up and changed.

Go Forth and Chop

So the way you approach a sample chop will very much depend on your music-making scenario. In some instances, you will have a distinct idea of what you would like to do with the chopped sample. I.e. you play out the sample chops first in your head before taking any action. Other times you may just have an inkling that a sample could sound great flipped. You have no pre-destined idea of what it could sound like chopped, but you like the vibe of the sample. Once the sample in question has been chopped and assigned to your pads or keys then you are in total control of the chopped sample element. Who knows what magic can be conjured up? This process can be particularly fun as there is an added element of anticipation and excitement.

There are numerous, almost endless ways in which a sample can be flipped and I would certainly not want to suggest any set method. Besides, generally, you will find that it is the sample itself that determines the chopping approach and style you use.

And in regards to triggering the chopped samples find a workflow that suits you. Some people enjoy using pad based controllers such as the MPCs for replaying and reprogramming sample chops while others favour a midi keyboard. You can even trigger samples on your computer keyboard. It is however worth considering that the more pads or keys you have to your disposal, the more sample chops you can play at any one time (without flicking through banks or octaves)

Conclusion – The Power of Creativity is in your Hands.

Hopefully this blog has tempted you to step beyond conventional loop-based sampling. Of course, there’s nothing wrong with using sample loops but it’s also worth considering the wider possibilities sampling has to offer. And if you are ready to get your chop on then why not head over to RouteNote Create where a world of sample inspiration can be found – For as little as $2.99 for 100 samples!

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Remember – RouteNote Create subscriptions start from as little as $2.99. You also get 10 FREE credits to spend on samples along with access to our FREE sample pack bundle when you sign-up!