Everybody Samples – Here Are My Top 10 Favorite Free Sample Spots

This post is for electronic musicians who enjoy what we call “Sampling”. Whether you are using NN-XT, Simpler, ESX24 or a cassette, you will find something you like, chop it up, and play it out like it sounds in your head. It is as if it is a human instinct to want to replicate the things we find beautiful.

My first foray into sampling started as a kid; my mother got me this toy microphone that would play out to anything with a blank FM station, and I would sample the TV to play music over it with the little tone buttons on it. Come to think of it, I never had a chance to be anything but a musician with the way I grew up. Looking back on my childhood, everything I had was some type of instrument, and most of them were electronic.

It only makes sense that I would be here, scouring the net as an adult, hoarding cassette and vinyl-ripped samples like I’ve got a TV crew following me for A&E.

I was going to my usual sample spot while I was messing with ReNoise, and had an epiphany; back in the day, we didn’t tell other musicians and DJ’s where we were chopping samples from. It was kind of the “Secret Sauce” in the musical process, because you didn’t want other people getting all of your uniqueness. Now it is much different with the internet, so there is really no reason for me to hold back as far as sharing samples, so here it is:

Here is my top 10 (+additions) list of free sample spots:

1. http://TheSample.net/
2. http://thefifthmicrophone.blogspot.com/
3. http://www.souldennis.blogspot.com/
4. http://www.hammersound.net/
5. http://www.acapellas4u.co.uk/
6. http://strictlybeats.blogspot.com/
7. http://www.blaxploitationpride.org/
8. http://soundsofthe70s.blogspot.com/
9. http://akashaman.blogspot.com/
10. http://blacula.blogspot.com/

• http://www.whosampled.com/ (contributed by Peasey)
• http://www.freesound.org/ (contributed by WarriorBob)
• http://looperman.com/  (contributed by Lynx4)

I hope you guys enjoy my little addition of flavor to your day, and I hope this list gives you something that will inspire you to be more creative in your next creation.

Thanks for reading, and if you liked this article, feel free to share, like, and subscribe below! You can also leave me a comment, and I’ll add your favorite sample spot to the list!