SP Studio Systems SP-12 - Manual (Page 82)

APPENDIX
© E-mu Systems, Inc. 1985 Page 82
Enhanced by The Emulator Archive 2002 www.emulatorarchive.com
APPENDIX A: THE ART OF SAMPLING
Recording good samples is not always easy; creating a really super set of User
sounds requires patience, practice, and skill. Sure, you can get musically useful
results within a few days after working with the SP-12, but as you learn your craft the
quality of your samples will improve dramatically.
Sampling involves two major processes:
1.
Taking the best possible sample.
2.
Manipulating the sample within the SP-12 (truncating and looping).
PART 1: TAKING THE BEST POSSIBLE SAMPLE
What comes out of the SP-l2 can only be as good as what you put in: Strive for
maximum fidelity when sampling. Here are some ways to increase sample quality.
GENERAL TIPS
Live sampling: Sample “live” whenever possible, rather than recording a sound on
tape then sampling from the tape.
Beware of overloads: The SP-12 is a digital recording device. Unlike analog
recording devices, distortion does not increase slowly past a certain level; rather, it
increases rapidly above the overload point, and produces a “non-musical”, splattering
type of distortion. Monitor your levels carefully.
Sampling direct vs. sampling via microphone: Whenever possible, sample
electronic instruments directly into the SP-12. Avoid using a recording console, direct
box, or other device in between the instrument and SP-12.
Maintain the instrument to be sampled: Tune your instrument if applicable, and
check that the instrument doesn’t have any loose parts that rattle, squeak, or make
other noises.
Sampling acoustic instruments: Choose the microphone and mic placement as
carefully as you would for any recording project. Musicians sometimes note how hard
it is to get a good “sound” in the studio, but that’s what sampling is all about getting a
good sound, and once you’ve got that sound, keeping it.
Play naturally: Sometimes it’s a lot harder to play one note than several hundred.
Unless you’re trying for a special effect, play the sample as you would normally play
the instrument. It’s often a good idea to play several notes, and use truncation to zero
in on the best of the bunch.
Avoid ground loops: Ground loops occur when electricity can take two different
paths to ground. If there is a resistance difference between the two paths, this can
generate a signal (consisting mostly of digital “hash”) that can work its way into the
recording chain. With all the instruments patched in place and connected to each
other, turn off the SP-12 and insert a ground lift adapter between the SP-12 plug and
the wall. CAUTION: