BEKO’S PRODUCTION QUICK TIP #1
Grain, Groove and Vibe combine to create that classic hip-hop sound that defined the genre for so many years. We all know that many of the classic beats come from vinyl samples, but it wasn’t the records alone that gave the beats that rough and raw sound. Lots of those samples we recorded using 8 or 12 bit machines giving them that low resolution “grungy sound”.
The popular E-mu sp1200 recorded at only 22khz at 12 bit resolution, but it was just that diminished quality that gave this all in one beat box its distinction. Artists from J-Dilla to Cypress Hill, and countless others had sounds or complete tracks from it on their albums. I want that sound on my next beat, however, our lab, does not have an SP-1200. What can I do?
I don’t really want to spend $1200 on this piece of gear so I choose to re-sample the recording. Using my MPC2000XL, I turn my pristine 16 bit 44.1K loop, into a grimy, nasty 8 bit 22.05 sample that sounds like it’s been swept up off the dusty shop floor. Check your sampler or software for re-sampling options. It could open up a whole new bag of tricks.
Tags: E-mu sp-1200, re-sampling, sampling
