A Big Fat Sampling Video!

[@QuirqUK]

Portishead did this, recorded their own lounge/jazz music ("Hookers And Gin by the Sean Atkins Experience" amongst others), had it pressed to vinyl and then sampled/scratched it into their music. Even did it with their own name on Mysterons! All as well as sampling others' recordings.

[@AlexBallMusic]

Didn't know that! Brilliant.

[@robertreid8241]

Damn, I'm strangely disappointed hookers and gin isn't a real song!

[@rorz999]

They even went as far as making the vinyl they got pressed dusty so when they'd sample it, it would sound vintage (i.e. a bit crackly)

[@klinkske]

They even stepped on the album with their feet to make it sound bad :) do a search, they tell it in a yt video. Very cool

[@jmm8476]

If I remember right, the first album had only one sample that wasn’t themselves on vinyl? Utley/barrow said it wasn’t an innovation but a necessity as they didn’t know how to produce conventionally.

[@MoraFermi]

That "60s" arrangement is one gunshot away from Bond film main theme. Awesome!

[@SomeMorganSomewhere]

Yeah, my thoughts exactly :)

[@rcz8422]

To me it sounded like the bridge of Don't Talk by the Beach Boys

[@ErichWK]

Dude. This is the kinda shit I've been trying to do myself but have been failing miserably. Thank you for making this.

[@AlexBallMusic]

The answer was disco all along!

[@ZenMountain]

A musician! Someone who actually makes music and knows how to do it. Thank you so much for your channel and for sharing your work.

[@AlexBallMusic]

Cheers.

[@morayonkeys]

Awesome tracks! Both the originals and the remixes. I had to do some electro swing tracks a while back and did this exact thing, making some 30s/40s-style big band tracks, running them through a vinyl processor then went to town chopping them up. Writing the originals was almost more fun than the final remixes!

[@puppetsnob]

I have been so craving another Alex Ball orchestral mockup video, the kind you did when you first started the channel. This combo hardware synth jam tied in with that is fantastic.

[@Xaero188]

Honestly, these first two and a half minutes were brilliant enough to be a video on their own. And it's just the beginning. This channel truly deserves ten times more subs than it has now.

[@piynubbunyip]

slicing your own sequencing can be very rewarding and spontaneous

[@dervishcapkiner6679]

This is a brilliant reference video, full of gems for many composers out there. Brilliant as always Alex!

[@AlexBallMusic]

Hey Dervish! Cheers, glad you enjoyed it.

[@nikomokrov]

Danse macabre as a disco remix? Absolute banger!

[@AlexBallMusic]

Works quite well, tempted to start disco-ing the whole public domain.

[@hermanmeldorf7529]

@@AlexBallMusic *in the voice of Emperor Palpatine* "Dooo eeeett!"

[@simonprecheurllarena]

@@AlexBallMusic Please sir do 🕺 we'll be here watching

[@Herfinnur]

It's so satisfying to finally see you back doing the orchestration stuff! The synth stuff can be interesting, but this is my jam, especially when it's your doing it

[@Herfinnur]

I know that this is very rude, but does this mean you'll finally go back to doing what made esq Árnafjall sign for your channel? I watch your "My Computer is a 50s Orchestra" -series at least once a year

[@HOLLASOUNDS]

I dont usually go to such lengths but still resample alot of My stuff and often terns out well.

[@simonhodgetts6530]

Top marks for the Deodato mention! His versions of Moonlight Serenade and Sprach De Zastava (you know the one) are utterly brilliant!

[@AlexBallMusic]

Yep, fantastic stuff.

[@nebula0697]

The one stop shop for all your disco arrangements of Danse Macabre.

[@RobertFisher1969]

I grew up in Houston in the 70s, and that Astros shirt hit me right in the nostalgia! As someone who has never been much into sampling and remixes, this was quite interesting.

[@AlexBallMusic]

I raided a vintage t-shirt rack and grabbed a bunch of these. 😀

[@johntammaro]

Bravo to you sir. Much better than the other 95% of sampling videos that still insist of showing how to slice an Amen break. This was different in a good way and very much out of the proverbial box to get those creative juices flowing😊.👍

[@needfortweed8734]

Another interesting view into the creative process of a certain Mr. Ball. As someone who dabbles in DAW, I found a few of the tricks applied to this stuff interesting.

[@AlexBallMusic]

Cheers, glad it was of use.

[@spotlight-kyd]

Brilliant lifehack!. Now I can rationalize that all those unfinished tracks I have are uncompleted not because I fleshed them out in too much detail too early and then didn't know where to go from there, but because I only wanted to sample and remix that single part anyway. :-)

[@AlexBallMusic]

Exactly this!

[@CJH3D]

That second remix needs to be a full song, like NEEDS to be. So good.

[@markusfuller]

Danse Macabre is one of my favourite pieces of music. and you made it even better. Brilliant as usual Alex.

[@davidhughes1461]

This process is really up my alley! Trying to make source material for Vaporwave and Future Funk compositions. As well as not having to worry about copyright issues you also learn so much more about music production and music theory than you might have otherwise

[@tincanpete]

Love this video. Your talent is inspiring. Thanks for sharing! Edited to add: and I think the track sounds awesome too :)

[@AutPen38]

Three videos in one. Exceptional!

[@sub-jec-tiv]

Fashion on point with Astros jersey. Great idea for a video, as usual your composition is choice as well. Nice work sir! 👏

[@RobertDorschel]

Thanks for the inspiration. Although I did download your sound bits here, thank you. Please note, I will be playing the Godzilla minisong over my phone speaker whenever I walk into work from now on.

[@jimle22]

Alex, I think your music is awesome! Since I found your channel I have acquired profound respect for synthesis. I have always been intrigued by electronic music and I am an old guy. What you bring to the genre are musicality. I am also a guitar and bass player so I can really apprecitate your love for vintage and modern music. Your music is just top notch and I really enjoy listening. Synthesisers are being used to make real music and not just a lot of wiered noise and SFX. I am subed and have been binge watching your older videos. Thank you for your content and all you do.

[@thesamplemotion]

really brilliant as always, man! that godzilla-type cue remix is prime boss-battle material, it's so intense. and that 60s arrangement is so lush, with those fascinating harmonies. amazing!

[@AlexBallMusic]

Cheers!

[@hellomynameisjoenl]

Hey, I know this user.

[@thesamplemotion]

@@hellomynameisjoenl oh hey! lmao

[@jakehendriksen2841]

This is an awesome return to something akin to your Light Music "My Computer is a 1950s Orchestra" series. I love all your videos, but I think this kind of content best shows off the depth of your knowledge and thinking. An awesome idea to compose/orchestrate something original to then chop up into something "vintage and resampled".

[@tao8365]

I bet most people watch your videos in their office, living room, the studio or on transit. I watched this vid at 4:30 am while taking a hot bath. Can recommend.

[@marsmediapro]

Astonishing! ❤

[@Mouxbar]

Loving them chamber strings. Very Bond like. Must release my chamber pot samples. Money to be had in this game! 😆

[@AlexBallMusic]

😂

[@soulfulandnice]

This has been a thorough video exactly as you described! 😊 Being creative from public domain music is a great way to feel inspired when writer's block happens. I just started playing with instrument samples a couple months ago as VSTs. I'll try this out to see what I come up with. Thank you for sharing this video of recreating audio! 😁

[@horizontalblanking]

I’m getting Daft Punk and Orb vibes… and I’m all in. Another amazing video, matched with great technique and application. Chef’s kiss!

[@xa1a]

This is utterly fantastic Alex! Well done again mate.

[@SpikesStudio3]

Hey bro. That lesson was gold. I have always loved that you look like you are loving it. Thank you for producing on you tube and letting me watch you mastery. 👍

[@jloiben12]

Something that can help are programs that rip turn audio files into midi like RipX. Take some Hendrix guitars, turn them into midi, and then make your own guitar tone. All you’d have to deal with is the easy licensing

[@peter-utrblk]

The intro song sounds like a hidden 70s disco classic. Schöner track. Best wishes.

[@CommunityGuidelines]

Your disco "Danse Macabre" was fantastic, it reminds me of Ennio Morricone's "Dies Irae Psichedelico" from 1968, which is exactly what the title implies. Your "60's Orchestral Ballad Remix" has a real Yasuharu Konishi vibe to it. Nice work!

[@TomiTapio]

Alex, you're a Grandmaster. We amateurs with three softwares and one midi input keyboard and zero practice time, can't do what you do.

[@jtedit]

Thoroughly enjoyed that. Have been eagerly awaiting another production video from you. Thanks.

[@chrismurphy9750]

Thanks for taking us inside that process! Awesome! I didn't even know you did orchestral arrangements - sweet!

[@tadknuf7979]

Sampling is beautiful

[@koosfockens1707]

fantastic work , enjoying this already and only just listened to your 'original', let's see what's next in the coming 20 minutes... 🙂

[@IanWaugh]

Hey Alex - Great idea! And the Jonathan Creek theme to boot 😄👍

[@paulsmith1843]

Alex, you're a flipping boss. Great ideas, man, sick!

[@SlightlyNasty]

I've tried to get into the habit of banging out stems for every project I do, they're such a sampling goldmine.

[@AlexBallMusic]

Good idea.

[@OriginalRaveParty]

If you were a chef, Gordon Ramsay would be jealous of your food.

[@AlexBallMusic]

I once worked as a chef in Whetherspoons. I lasted two weeks, was the worst job I ever had. Well, one of the worst.

[@theberndsen]

Inspiring!

[@TDRKB]

Even though you have brought respectability to hip-hop styles on the 2400, I just loved the Godzilla theme. You nailed it totally. An interesting approach to a sampling video. Those soundtracks were a lot of work! You didn't put your disco specs on for the first track!!! Good fun video.

[@shebrr]

I really watch these videos for the music.

[@bradylasserre9320]

Your melodies are always so beautiful.

[@JohnSk82]

Paul Thomson's very excited today ...oh wait hah .Great work mate (cudos for the spitfire stuff as well)

[@AlexBallMusic]

I imagine when fully excited, Paul taps a finger in time to the music. 😀

[@JohnSk82]

@@AlexBallMusic While playing Chariots of Fire and the didididi of the intro ? :P

[@AlexBallMusic]

@@JohnSk82 Haha. Perfect.

[@activelow9297]

I think disco is your strong suit.. I'm continually amazed by how well you do the genre. Your stuff is almost too good to give away for free on KZbin.

[@XavierRadix]

Wow... Never really thought of doing it this way! Also I think it's worth noting the amount great things you will learn from making a sample track that is totally out of your musical comfort zone. Learning how to write a 70s disco song, you'll find it's probably bloody fun to do even if you're not a musician that plays in that style normally. And the endless amount of experimentation with sampling you can do afterwards is just beyond fun, to me at least... Such an inspiring video this is, thanks Mr. Ball!

[@AlexBallMusic]

Yep, attempting another style is a cracking way to learn.

[@gunark]

I had the idea to do just this in about 1998 when Cubase VST/24 came out and I saw the possibility of a studio in a box. So I built a super PC and got the Yamaha DSP factory card and was all set to be a one man Dust Brothers. Unfortunately I didn’t count on computers of 1998 being a fair way off being that powerful, and my own inability to somehow write and also play the instruments for those genres. Plus, despite there being all this power, at this point you’d still need a studio to record the parts in. But now it really is possible, which is amazing to do even using a cheap desktop and a bunch of drives. Nuts.

[@rlbf1967]

Totally absorbing! I think one of my favourites of your videos so far😃 A peek behind the magicians curtain indeed… I especially loved the way you used the Korg with envelope follower (and inverter) to control the low-pass filter - wonderful! Aside from that I’m trying to erase the image of you in a Godzilla costume stomping NewYork. They wouldn’t like it.

[@RichardDenRooyen1973]

..... just WOW

[@alien_brain]

the disco sounds real. youre a master

[@arenotdiy7280]

This video is certainly more outside of your box than usual, but it has all gripping scores and well explained insights we all come here for. I would ask you for just a slice of your talent, except you hand it over by the shovel-full here. I am actually inspired, Thank You for your efforts Mate!

[@AlexBallMusic]

Glad you enjoyed it. Thought it would be fun to do something a bit different.

[@tenalock]

used to shuv my s900 through my ms20 env follower filter in the 90s gor great effect and a few releases even. I have been using AI to strip out music I made 20 years ago, especially the drums, your own instant sample library! Good work.

[@GingerDrums]

Very propellorheads vibe on that second remix, which is a big compliment!

[@amonster8mymother]

Oh wow varying the portament speed!!!

[@robertverri9357]

ASTROS Baby!

[@starsky101]

“ I’m not a remix kinda guy” nails it not once but thrice

[@gofelriebenschmalz6687]

the last one reminds me of the first ratchet and clank soundtrack. well done :)

[@TheActualJae]

I love how the answer here is "be really good at turning classical music into whatever style of music you need and then sample that!" Reminds me of that Simpsons clip with the "half assed approach to foundation repair" which...even "half assed" was super complex for regular folks. OR! You could use Tracklib which makes it easy to license old songs for sampling usage. It's just a smidge easier than writing your own library of samplable tracks.

[@klinkske]

I was very twisted watching this. I m totally not a vst sample pack user but wow - using hardware to make it fun is fantastic.

[@AndyVonal]

Just simply awesome! Thank you so much for sharing your skills and imagination with us. What a great lesson!

[@mixolydian2010]

That's great fun and inspiring, take it easy.

[@PaulBoos]

I love Danse Macabre! And now it is my favorite disco song!

[@cravecave505]

You‘re a f….. genius! btw I like your „light 70-80s TV vibe“ grading too. 📺

[@kevinbatchelor9566]

Damn, you’re so good at this.

[@briannicholson5747]

Those 60s ballad strings have DJ Premier somewhere like "...wait a minute"

[@Amazology]

BIG FAT understatement. That was > D O P E

[@pongtrometer]

Superb

[@TisMeJohnDee]

Fantastic stuff, very clever remix of Dans Macabre.

[@AynenMakino]

Disco Macabre could vibe really well with some ABBA style vocals over it!

[@AlexBallMusic]

Gimme, gimme, gimme Saint-Saëns after midnight..

[@AynenMakino]

@@AlexBallMusic Haha, excellent!

[@HalonOfficial]

This is great Alex! 😀

[@AlexBallMusic]

Thanks!

[@polymolly]

The 60’s ballad came with the Phillips logo! It sounds so Scott Walker / John Barry

[@AlexBallMusic]

Cheers. Was going for the Barry vibe a bit, Humperdinck too.

[@stevehofer3482]

Those horns at 19:30 are massive.

[@pavlovsky0]

Love the Houston Astros Tshirt!

[@noodlessynth7777]

Wow ever video you do is creative gold. Fantastic music.

[@addiKdude]

"I don't have a Clavinet, I don't think many people do" - Geert Van Schlänger

[@geertvanschlanger8057]

That'sch right shexy viewer.

[@adam872]

Damn this is fantastic. Some of this sounds like Propeller Heads or Cinematic Orchestra, which is to say - excellent.

[@HOLLASOUNDS]

Propellerhead is now Reason Studios and yes as a Reason user since 2006 I can confirm that all of the sounds used from spitfires here come stock with Reason 12.

[@adam872]

@@HOLLASOUNDS well there you go. The more you know eh? 🙂

[@styleguide01]

Great as always. Btw i like the Dave Smith shirt👍🏻

[@thebkstank2095]

Those string and woodwind sounds are amazing. And how it all somehow sounrs vaguely pressed to vinyl already

[@chadwixom]

So crazy good brother! So talented.

[@mrr2816]

Apologies I promised myself No more comments on t'tube But come on.. That is a lot of work A lot Must've taken some time But.. It's an absolute belter of a vid! Just brilliant Good job Sir!

[@toddtrillo7445]

F- ing fantastic Alex , as always . The last track just about had me get down and funky then I remembered im old and home with covid , probably should just stay in bed and save it for another day

[@AlexBallMusic]

Hope you get better soon!

[@ramsaysg]

Great video , full of tips 👌

[@macronencer]

This is 20th level Musicking.

[@maandalen]

The start of your version of Dans Macabre sounds a bit like Altin Gün, nice 😎

[@AlexBallMusic]

I'll have to check them out, not heard of them.

[@LaraSchilling]

Dude, this is so badass!!

[@AlexBallMusic]

Cheers Lara. 😀

[@ioan7670]

Thanks for the video..

[@bf0189]

Disco is extremely hard to produce! You did a great job. Detroit techno legend Carl Craig uses this approach for his music but uses a DAW to produce something interesting but then samples it and reworks it on a MPC.

[@AlexBallMusic]

Great info, thanks!

[@thomasberner5282]

Please release an album/an EP with these songs and their remixed counterparts (a release on vinyl would be a great match, right?) 🤩

[@tonycowin]

Or a remix comp with the stems.

[@ascensionrecordings]

When i first starting recording (2000) i was really into DJ shadow. I didn't know what sampling was and thought he played all the parts so thats how i started making music. looping drums and guitar and keys that i played and chopped up

[@pimhansen6720]

Lurved this sampling episode! Better release that Macabrodisco quick before someone nicks it.

[@GizzyDillespee]

Lately I've been into crossfading - for example, if you play 20 seconds worth of clavinet riffage, go ahead and crossfade it down to 10 seconds. Just a simple equal power/volume/etc crossfade, treating the middle of your highlighted area as your breakpoint. Simple experiment for those who may have audio recordings of themselves, and wonder what they can try: If you have a copy of freeware audio editor Audacity, then open one of your audio recordings (File drop-down), and highlight a section of your audio, and then under "effects", select "crossfade clips", then listen to what it did, then get creative with it. If there's a click at either end of the highlighted area, it means there's a discontinuity you'll have to repair (either cut to a zero crossing or use "repair" in the same fx menu as crossfade, after you zoom in and highlight a few samples around the discontinuity). Also, while you're there, the same effects menu has a version of Paulstretch, so while you're sampling yourself using free software, you might as well compare Paulstretch to "Change Tempo" and "Sliding Stretch" in the same Effects drop-down in Audacity. And I'm using an old version from maybe 4 years ago... there's more now, since Tantacrul's tentacruls absorbed Audacity, if it ruins your music, go complain to him, not me. If good things happen, then thank Alex Ball, for convincing you to sample yourself.

[@ISLAInstruments]

Utterly Brilliant video mate, would loved to have seen Ashley get his big horn out for you on that disco danse track!

[@AlexBallMusic]

Did consider getting Ashley on it. He did me the sound of a kiwi playing an alpine horn for a TV show recently. True story.

[@tomtebby7408]

Amazing skills Alex - fantastic

[@AlexBallMusic]

Cheers sir. 🙂

[@AlexBallMusic]

(You should see my skills wiring a plug) 😉