Sampling has existed in music since the 1970s. Stories vary, but the general consensus is that the use of a sample library in music originated in the New York nightclub scene.

It started as the pastime of DJs, who were looking for a little something extra to keep the people on the dance floor. DJs began to use sampling, which involves the insertion of bits of prerecorded beat tracks into a recorded song, to link two separate songs together.

This sampling link would easy the transition between one song and another, eventually creating a blur of music, so that clubbers could not really tell where one song ended and another began. The art of sampling, particularly back then – before computer technology existed, was really quite brilliant.

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Technology on the Move

Computer technology exploded onto the music scene in the 90s. Recording became easier. Suddenly sampling tracks were easier to record and much easier to use. Nightclub DJs reaped the benefits. A sample library, filled with all sorts of prerecorded beats and rhythms, could be accessed with a click of a mouse.

DJs now wielded the ability to remix or overlay entire songs, if they choose. The music community quickly caught on, with musician, artist, composers and producers developing their own sample libraries and accessing the libraries of others. Technology was moving swiftly, and the music industry was quick to keep up.

Sampling Today

As technology progresses and music becomes instantly accessible to anyone with a computer, the groups that built the sample library became aware of their inability to protect this resource.

Sample tracks were showing up in all manner of music with little regard for ownership rights. In the 1990s a number of sampling issues began to plague some of the music industries hottest artists, and the sample clearance law became the new reality.

However, sometimes the sampling issues surrounding the music community are murky at best. While it may be true that one artist used a few beats of another artist’s song, it only takes a minor alteration to the clip – an extra note or a slight shuffle to the beat – for it to become a disputable claim.

Sample Clearance Rules

It is for this reason that sampling is a very hot topic in the music industry right now. While it is important for artists to take ownership of the sampling that occurs in their music, it can often be hard to discriminate between what has been actually sampled from another artist or a sample library, and what is a track of the artists own making. According to attorney, Rich Stim, from Nolo.com it is important for artists to follow the music sampling regulations. But, he admits that if there is a will there is away for those who wish to avoid paying the copyright fees.

In the End

In the end, only the artists themselves can resolve the issue of sample use. Hasn’t it been said that, “imitation is the highest form of flattery.” So perhaps society has reached the point where there is no more room left for complete originality, and artists and musicians should consider it an honor when their colleagues sample their work.

A sample library is a critical piece of music development online. If you are looking for the most innovative music technology available today, contact us at OutputSounds.com right now. For more information on sample library, you may also visit Wikipedia.

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