Specifications

54
Part 1 Introduction to Sampling
◊ Sampler Parameters ◊ Break Beats
■ Loop Start Point (Loop Start Address)/
Loop End Point (Loop End Address)
Used to determine the portion of the sample that repeats
over and over during playback. The sampler plays back
the sample from the start point, and when it comes to
the loop end point, it repeats the sound between the
loop start and loop end points (Figure 7). Frequently
used to simulate long sustaining sounds of musical
instruments.
Notes:
1) Nearly all models can set start and end points in 1-word units
(when the sampling rate is 44.1 kHz, 1 second equals 44,100
words). Depending on the model, it is also possible to set
these points in units of seconds and/or beats using a specified
tempo.
2) Phrase samples are usually not looped when played back with
a sequencer; the sequencer is used to repeat the sample
instead.
■ Sample Playback Mode
Because samplers handle audio in digital form, the way
they play back a sample can be easily changed.
“Reverse playback” is a typical example. Back when only
analog tape recorders existed, the sound of tape playing
backwards was in vogue, but with samplers, reversed
sound can be easily obtained simply by setting the
sample playback mode to “Reverse.” In addition,
techniques exist such as one-shot playback, which
causes a sample to play back until the end point, even if
the key is released earlier (Figure 8). Variations in how
the loop portion of sounds are played back (Loop Mode)
also exist.
In the A4000/5000, other than normal loop playback (Forward
Loop No Exit), there is also Forward Loop Key Off Exit mode,
which loops a sample while the key is pressed, and plays it
through to the end point once the key is released (Figure 9, 10).
In addition, depending on the model, there is also a mode that
returns from the loop end to the loop start using reverse
playback, and repeatedly plays a sound back and forth between
the loop start and end points.
■ Original Key
When a sample is set to play as a scale across the
keyboard, the key that generates the original pitch of the
recorded sound is called the Original Key. Changing the
setting of the Original Key lets you raise or lower the
pitch of the entire keyboard, thus this parameter has a
close relationship with other pitch-related parameters
(Figure 11).
■ Key Range
When using multiple samples across the keyboard
(assigning them to different keys is referred to as
“mapping”), it is necessary to set the playback range
(key range) for each of the samples. By setting the Low
Key and Hi Key parameters, you can limit playback to
the interval between these notes (Figure 12).
Parameters for original key and key range do not exist in desktop
samplers because they use pads, rather than keys, to play back
samples.
Break Beats
A New Music Production Technique
Brought About by Samplers
Samplers have become firmly rooted for use in
applications that require the sound of realistic musical
instruments. Not only have samplers changed the face
of electronic musical instruments, but they have also
changed the face of music by giving birth to new
music-making techniques based on phrase sampling.
“Break beats” are a typical example of phrase sampling.
Break beats were originally created by using two
turntables to alternately play the same part of a record
over and over. But today break beats are created by
combining phrases sampled from records and other
music sources.
Let’s take a look at the main sampling techniques used
to create songs with break beats.
Using sampled sound material “as is”
Sample a passage from a record where only drums are
being played, or sample a drum loop from a sample
library, either one that’s commercially available or one
that came bundled with a product. Use a phrase with a
length of around 1 to 4 bars and don’t make any
changes to the sound. This sampling technique lets you
use various samples “as is” in your music compositions,
while retaining the groove of the original sample.
However, you need to search hard for sample phrases
that best suit your music because it is difficult to alter
the groove of the sample or fix mistakes.
With special phrase loop samplers, such as the highly
popular Yamaha SU700 (p. 32) and SU200 (p. 36), you
can create the foundation of a song using this technique
and then overlay samples on top. This method is good
for creating music with a lot of repeating parts. To make
rhythm variations, it’s probably a good idea to play back
multiple phrases first, and then make variations by
combining them.
Because it is difficult to make changes to the underlying
rhythm of a phrase sample, this type of sampled
material is intended to be used “as is.” But by applying a
few clever techniques, you can create new patterns from
these captured samples. Let’s take a look at them on the
following pages.
Yamaha samplers come bundled with audio CDs containing a large number of high-quality samples. The A4000/5000 come with a
nine CD-ROM library of various musical instruments. Yamaha samplers are ready to go from the day of purchase.