So my brother & I have been pretty focused on writing 2 new tracks at the moment. But through the process of writing these tracks I have been thinking about how much of a pain in the *** it is to make new samples every single time we want a particular sound/sample/whatever... When you write an electro track with a whole crap load of 1-shots & FX it can make it seem like it takes forever to write 1 song. Same goes for dubstep... atleast for us...
My point is that in this process I have been reallllllly thinking about how I need to start making a sample/demo library for ourselves. Something that helps allow us to not waste so much time doing the same things a million times. I know that people save presets & samples all the time, so I wanted to open up a discussion about it on the forums.
Basically I am planning on starting a collection of samples for just my brother & I to use when we are writing. A couple really awesome kicks, snares, claps, and overall favorite drum samples. Then the next step that I want to do is go through some of my favorite synths and make a bunch of synth 1-shots that sound really cool and can be used for a variety of things. The third step is to start spending a bunch of hours sampling vocals and making 1-shots or FX that will both be original sounding & add another layer to our sound. Last but not least keep all this stuff organized and continue to constantly update it on a regular basis.
Also as we continue to synthesize more sounds from software & the moog & guitars, save presets for the synths and organize sounds by instruments.
I am sure that lots & lots of pros do this. It makes sense because it would be easier to write a track not having to worry about constantly making your samples on the fly. Also think about when you do a tutorial on Sonic Academy, how much easier it is to follow because the samples are provided and you don't have to waste time finding/creating new samples.
I guess what I'm trying to get at is.... Who else does this on the boards? Do you have any suggestions or tips? Did I miss anything? I am sure that I did.
thats a long post with not many line breaks
are you saying that lots of careefully crafted samples made yerself are better than any sample pack ever because they are unique?
if you are then i agree
if not then i dunno
whatever…
dont wanna get a ban tbh
i make my original sounds depending on the track i’m doing at the time. make as you create is my modo. but it would be nice if i had a library of my owns sounds to grab.
you could sit down and start putting together i library of sounds. it couldn’t hurt!! an original go to sound back that’s all your stuff. may take time but you can’t go wrong either way. who’s better at sound design you or your brother? who’s ever the better sound designer should start putting to together your sound bank. while the other is coming up new ideas.
just a though!! can’t ever go wrong making your own sounds just might be a little time consuming!! 
Just did something on this very subject, and I think making your own ‘library’ of loops/samples for quick starting tunes (or finishing) is a great thing to get into.
Loads of ways round this, that will often give birth to tunes along the way.
Also its something good to do when creativity is blocking your tune, just divert yourself, record off loads of wacky sh!t and go from there. At worst you get some samples, at best some samples, some new skills and blast through your creative block.
Sometimes I jam with a loop, pushing it in all directions, meddling with pitch, length, arpeggiation rate, patch or whatever, recording as I go… then just chop it up into bits:
What Bang said
Glad I’ve come across this thread because i’ve been dealing with the same thing. My sample library isn’t too big, maybe 10 gigs… but it’s big enough that going through an *** load of samples for drums de-motivates me to make music sometimes… haha! Has anyone ever heard of or tried Audio Finder? Came across it after searching for some programs online that could help manage sample libraries (because i’m dont want to take the time to go through my sounds and do the work myself… haha!:P). It’s pretty pricey ($75 US) but it’s like iTunes on steroids. anyone ever use it?
oh sweet. im glad this re-surfaced… for some reason i thought this thread was ignored…
@chekka YES. i am saying making your own samples is the best way 2 be unique.
@willie I’m a little better then my brother at Sound Design & Mixing stuff so I tend to do more of that then he does, but he’s not a slouch at it either so we both def do it for the collections.
@bangthedj SPOT ON! exactly what I was talking about. going 2 remember those tips.
@slender i love techno
@J.HIZ i know what you mean man. its a bitch going through like 10-20 gigs worth of samples. there are so many bad ones. I’ve been saving for Komplete 7 and thats another 60 gigs worth of stuff. i notice that skrillex, poter, zedd, lot of guys I admire all use Komplete… Its almost overwhelming when your trying to get an idea down and your sitting there listening to 300 hi-hats wondering when or IF you will find the right one. arghhhh! lol
sooo. i started doing this after i posted this a few weeks ago. i do production work everyday, but I have started a routine where atleast once or twice a week, i don’t even work on a song… I just make sounds. Sometimes they are cool, sometimes they arn’t but it has been teaching me a LOT about the synths I use on the regular. More than any tutorial will, because hands-on is key! So i usually spend like 3-4 hours per week just making sounds. If & When I make a cool 1 in a synth, I save the patch to a folder collection relative to the synth and keep it for another day. The way I figure it is that after a few more months or even YEARS, I will have a pretty big collection of sample/synth patches that are all original & mine.
also I do the same thing with 1-shots and samples now. When I hear drums or FX i like when i’m going through stuff, i keep a copy of my sample window open and just copy that drum sample to the corresponding folder through ableton. that way I am filtering out the good from the bad in my sample collection. Also a lot of times I will be making samples for a track, and I’ll make something cool, but not right for the track i’m working on… so same thing, I take the sample and save it to my collection folder and maby I’ll use it again later.
thats just how i do it. long post tho. im done now. hahaha 
Prove it UV
Nah good post mate
thanks for the tips UV.
My personal sounds library is relatively small but I do own the majority of the vengeance samples libraries… I personally think its just me being lazy and not taking the time to do anything about it…
I like these tips but i’m relatively new to production. I like the idea previously mentioned of collating your own libraries. But, what are your thoughts on sample packs. Do they aid your productivity or actually hinder your creativity? My sample library is non existent, do you think it wise purchasing packs or will that leave me amass with sounds i don’t really want?
Liam x
[quote]L_TRAIN (19/06/2011)[hr]I like these tips but i’m relatively new to production. I like the idea previously mentioned of collating your own libraries. But, what are your thoughts on sample packs. Do they aid your productivity or actually hinder your creativity? My sample library is non existent, do you think it wise purchasing packs or will that leave me amass with sounds i don’t really want?
Liam x[/quote]
I have probably 20 gigs of samples I may never use so don’t worry about it
If your new to production then I don’t se why not - If you just type free sample packs in to google i guarantee you’ll find some thing you will like -
Yeah I’d definitely stock up on samples dude. Don’t worry too much about it, you’ll find ways to use them while being creative
Chop them up, slice to midi, put effects on them, etc. Loops can give you a push when you’re a bit worn out or stuck with a song. And it’s definitely a good idea to stock up on percussion samples and stuff, it’s tough making stuff like that yourself.
The only thing to stay away from is using melodic loops and stuff like that
I’m the most poorly organised person in the world! There is no method on the planet that will organise my setup! I’ve thought about making a folder of favourite sounds and putting them into subfolders, but then I get bored to tears and stop, leaving everything in a mess!
It will never change!
[quote]gavisthename (21/06/2011)[hr]I’m the most poorly organised person in the world! There is no method on the planet that will organise my setup! I’ve thought about making a folder of favourite sounds and putting them into subfolders, but then I get bored to tears and stop, leaving everything in a mess!
It will never change![/quote]
LOL I have been saying I must organise my samples for over a year
[quote]slender (21/06/2011)[hr][quote]gavisthename (21/06/2011)[hr]I’m the most poorly organised person in the world! There is no method on the planet that will organise my setup! I’ve thought about making a folder of favourite sounds and putting them into subfolders, but then I get bored to tears and stop, leaving everything in a mess!
It will never change![/quote]
LOL I have been saying I must organise my samples for over a year[/quote]
Who we kidding! Finding the right sounds will always be a blind panic!! :w00t::w00t:
[quote]gavisthename (21/06/2011)[hr][quote]slender (21/06/2011)[hr][quote]gavisthename (21/06/2011)[hr]I’m the most poorly organised person in the world! There is no method on the planet that will organise my setup! I’ve thought about making a folder of favourite sounds and putting them into subfolders, but then I get bored to tears and stop, leaving everything in a mess!
It will never change![/quote]
LOL I have been saying I must organise my samples for over a year[/quote]
Who we kidding! Finding the right sounds will always be a blind panic!! :w00t::w00t:[/quote]
Maybe for some Gav 
Ooooo you bitch {said in a horrendously camp voice} :Wow:
[quote]L_TRAIN (19/06/2011)[hr]I like these tips but i’m relatively new to production. I like the idea previously mentioned of collating your own libraries. But, what are your thoughts on sample packs. Do they aid your productivity or actually hinder your creativity? My sample library is non existent, do you think it wise purchasing packs or will that leave me amass with sounds i don’t really want?
Liam x[/quote]
I would give some sample packs ago if your just starting out. It gives you something to learn and play with. Later on you can make your own sounds and samples which I think is far more rewarding
excellent, will use this advice, thanks:D