Despite initially being widely assumed to be stealing, sampling is a common practice of many music creators and enthusiasts. Famous examples you may know include Kendrick Lamar's "Money Trees" which samples Beach House's "Silver Soul" or ‍M.I.A's "Paper Planes" which samples The Clash's "Straight to Hell." 

Let's explore everything you need to know about sampling. We'll cover what it is, its origins, how you can start, and our top recommendations for online sampling libraries.   

Ready? Let's go!    

What is a music sample?  

Sampling is the process of capturing an existing sound and reworking it. A music sample is an edited “snippet” of a song. This could include speeding up or slowing down its rhythm, changing the instruments used, or reversing the sound.

In simple terms, you make a soundbite your own and incorporate the new creation into your music. ‍  

But why do artists sample?   

Sampling gives artists the opportunity to find inspiration in the work of other artists and use existing soundbites as part of their music creation practice. Whether it's a drum break  melody, rhythm, or vocal, sampling opens the door for creativity and collaborative efforts.   

What are the origins of sampling?    

When it comes down to it, sampling is a demonstration of resourcefulness. It asks the question: can producers use their creativity and sound design skills to create something new?  

In the past, producers would search thrift stores to find obscure records. ‍They would find new sounds and unheard beats and transform these sounds into a new song.  

Specifically, during this time period when producers would search thrift stores, the tools and technology of the music industry were limited at best. Developing a unique song required finesse, expertise, and experimentation.    

With the commercialization of tape recorders in the 1940s and the appearance of the mellotron in 1963, sampling became a lot easier. You could now play "looped songs," which made it easier to duplicate and repeat sounds.  

‍This practice emerged in the 1970s at the cultural crossroads of Jamaica and the Bronx district in New York. The immigrants in this area would set up music speakers in the street to party. In these block parties, iconic Jamaican DJ Kool Herc invented the "cut or break." The cut or break involved moving from one record to another using rhythmic loops as transitions.  

The first commercial sample dates from 1979, when The Sugarhill Gang released "Rapper's Delight" using excerpts from "Good Times" by Chic. Given the wide distribution of the two tracks and the financial interests at stake, this led to a legal battle.

Many artists who sampled music, and the artists whose work was being sampled, began to oppose each other. Some defended their creative spirit, and others denounced the artistic choice as stealing.  

Despite this disagreement, sampling as a creative method took off, accompanying the rise of hip-hop in the 80s and gradually becoming commonplace in the musical landscape. If you are intrigued by its history, check out this video on a brief history of sampling.

Is sampling music legal?   

Anyone has the right to sample, provided they obtain permission from the copyright holder of the sampled piece. Usually, permission is given via a contract.  

Different contractual arrangements are possible. You can pay a one-time fee or pay out royalties for broadcasting your song. It all depends on what the songwriter or the copyright holder of the sampled music grants you.   

This process is known as "sample clearance." Without sample clearance, you risk receiving a lawsuit or being forced to remove your music from the distribution platforms.     

Sampling for cheaper: How do online sample libraries work?  

More affordable ways to sample than going through a contract include: 

1. Using sounds that are in the public domain (i.e., whose authors died at least 70 years ago). 

2. Using sounds available in online sample libraries like Tracklib and Splice.   

What if I share my recordings to be sampled?    

You can post your own music to these online music sampling libraries, but be aware of the rights you will have to give up.  

A royalty-free license means that you give up your patrimonial rights. Giving up these rights means you lose remuneration for the distribution of your work forever, everywhere in the world, and irrevocably (meaning you can't change your mind). The same goes for your moral rights, as you have no say in how your creation is used.   

Weigh the pros and cons of giving up your rights.

For some artists, it makes more sense to share their music and earn money via online sampling libraries and licensing catalogs.  

If you are affiliated with a CMO or a PRO / MRO for your copyrights, you must notify them that you granted a royalty-free license to an online sampling library.  

The same thing happens if you have granted your rights to a producer, except that you need his written consent to share your work online. If you don't share your rights with anyone, you don't need to tell anyone, and you can share your recordings today.  

‍What are the benefits of sharing your songs to be sampled?  

One word: Money!  

Splice pays you a sum of money proportional to the frequency with which your audios are downloaded. The more downloads you have, the more money you earn.  

With Tracklib, you usually have to be represented by a producer or a publisher to share your creations. The contract is, therefore, signed between the company and your producer/publisher, not directly with you.   

Using other people's creations with Splice   

The concept of Splice is the following: you pay a monthly subscription fee, and in exchange, you gain access to samples which you can work on directly through your account to create your music. You can also invite other users to collaborate on the sampling if you wish.    

Since Splice’s music samples are royalty-free, you can distribute them as you like once you make a noticeable change. That said, you can't take a sound "as is" (aka unchanged) and then try to sell or distribute it.  

Make sure you create your own unique version of the song by transforming the song into something new. Differentiating your work from the original sample will help you avoid legal issues-- the most common of which is takedown or removal from distribution platforms.  

Splice works on a credit system. You accumulate credit according to your subscription and spend it according to the duration and the number of samples you exploit. Additionally, the more you pay, the more music editing tools (plug-ins) and online tutorials you get.    

Using other people's creations with Tracklib  

On Tracklib, you also pay a monthly subscription to access a library. However, Tracklib's library is composed of whole tracks, not royalty-free samples. Therefore, it's a bit different of an approach to sampling. Instead of being given samples, you are invited to create your own from the tracks.     

Since most of the tracks are not royalty-free, Tracklib offers a licensing service that you buy in addition to your subscription to facilitate any legal issues. This license, aka sample clearance, defines the sharing of copyrights between you and the copyright owners according to the track and the number of seconds you use.