Layering and Matching Samples - Hip Hop Beats tutorial

[@mpchead]

I forgot about Melodyne, last time I worked with it it wasn't so good but it seems that you can use it nowadays. Still if you want to know how I do it, it's like I mentioned in the video. Thanks to everyone in the comment section that mentioned melodyne.

[@MS-1]

Have you tried Sononym as a sample manager? It's pretty dope.

[@ads718beats9]

We dont use computer plug ins on this side lol

[@MS-1]

@@ads718beats9 Yeah it can detect pitch like Melodyne too. I've been doing it for years by ear and, feel. I noticed the program would group sounds by similarity I would gravitate to. It's got some AI algorithm.

[@jdijrhxuhsgahchjejo4332]

Same

[@markbruggeman274]

I always stick to 1 song for sampling. And like you said Layer my own melodies on top.

[@koalemos1679]

"I never know what key I'm in. I don't care." I love this. I can totally find the key of a song and probably you can too. But who cares? Your ears are all that matter.

[@pho.phonic]

Word

[@魂忍者]

is Bond

[@madhigoodsociety]

James Bond.

[@Andy-km1xp]

@@madhigoodsociety Jerome Bond

[@LowFahSoul]

Jerome's Bail Bonds.

[@gnuttz1972]

i totally get it about not caring about the key and letting your ears do the work but learning a little about music theory can really help understanding why certain cuts don’t work, also filing samples by key comes in handy when your looking for ear candy samples once you know the key of the track your working on. Knowledge is always useful 🙏

[@gnuttz1972]

‘mixed in key’ vst is helpful to identify the key of samples

[@themadlooper3272]

You hit the nail on the head. “Just use your ear” I totally agree. In my opinion, just using your ear allows you to develop your own personal “sound”.

[@francomatiasmarron1274]

To me sampling is the musical version of doing a collage. You choose, cut and paste the pieces of paper that serve the purpose of composing your picture. The whole point of doing collage is making use of that "unique" piece of paper that fits perfectly into your collage. So, why would you change or modify such piece of paper? Sampling works just the same to me.

[@ZgraceLee]

Dope metaphor or simile. Well put.

[@lorro5002]

I totally dig what collage and sampling means to you, and at the end of the day that's what is important! Something to consider (just as a side note) might be: what I find inspirational about hip-hop and sampling is that it comes from a place of no rules, and in order to sample/collage, you are literally tearing up art that came before and using your own taste to create a new context. You could say, instead of "Why would you modify the paper?" to "Why wouldn't you?" - we are in fact already modifying the paper by cutting it up in the first place, so why stop there? Hip-hop comes from breaking all the rules to create art out of diversity, so when we create it, there should be no rules we can't break in order to satisfy our own creativity. Please do note that, for me, collage is about using my eye to create something new, and not about finding the unique piece of paper that fits, so I'm possibly coming from a different angle to you, and as above, you must go for what makes sense to you above all else!

[@user1756]

I would definitely be interested in watching a full video of you going through samples. I'm sure I could learn a lot from it

[@RealRonDonOne]

That‘s exactly what’s missing on KZbin! Everyone pretends like they do Beats in 5 minutes. Show people the reality of beatmaking, that’s where we really learn, the Rest is just showing of.

[@AIRJ0RDANx23x]

@user that would be a dope! And a great learning experience.

[@striknine570]

“Some samples don’t work, move on” well put my man.

[@thirdeyefocused]

Respect, someone who I still listen to that rocks layers is Damu. Peace and blessings

[@ambeez___]

Appreciate you saying that you don’t worry about what key it’s in. Obviously music theory can be helpful but the ears are what’s most important.

[@johnjohnjohnh]

2:56 this information right here told me my hours of spending listening to samples is normal. I personally thought as a new beatmaker that "Im not good at this" because i'd spend so much time assembling kits, finger drumming, changing the kick, snare, and highhat 20 times trying to find a good sound. Its these little snips of "inside the mind" that make me love this channel so much. Thank you again, and again Marlow.

[@mpchead]

It's ok to spend time listening to samples. I love digging for samples as much as making the beat

[@nicolasmalvicino5235]

Marlow it's a rainy day here in Argentina, hasn't been like that for a while. The second your intro beat kicked in it was a whole vibe. Much love man!

[@francomatiasmarron1274]

Ehhh wachooo

[@BeauTylerMakesMusic]

Nerd side note: I love the overlay filters on your video. Very dusty and relaxing. Great video as always, brother.

[@DopamineOverload]

Marlow, I always love all of your videos. I must have missed this one.... but man, this is probably the most easy-to-understand video about sample-based hip-hop. 12 minutes of pure knowledge, experience, and perfect teaching.

[@danielsolomon63]

Check Melodyne. If you have clean chords like piano, rhodes, strings, brass etc. it can split them to individual notes which can be then altered changing the chord as you wish. of course this means involving a third party software in the creation process which is sometimes mood killer but it can be done. Really great vid as always! Peace!

[@MakingMadBeats]

When that filter came in that Rhodes sample fitted so much better! Often it is not only about pitching semitones but also micropitching in small increments until it sounds and feels just right. Keep droppin' them gems, Marlow 💎!!!

[@dryrainwetsun]

I can listen to this dude all day talk about music from one Producer to another love it👊🏾🙏🏾

[@mpchead]

🙏🏼

[@SteveYeagerMusic]

5:13 it's simple. There's nothing to it. Correct!! ...but for creators that don't have your ears yet :) Listen, this is chord motion = the music theory in this beat is this: Sax sample is a D maj pentatonic scale . Bass and chords move through B minor, F# minor and E minor. Perfect for D pentatonic. You get good at this by listening to a lot of good music. The patterns show themselves if you take the time. 10,000 hours

[@mdptg1990]

You're spitting the truth!

[@TeraGreene1]

Prep sessions are always as important as production sessions, in my creative flow. Also, I’m grateful you just reminded me to play around more with dissonance.

[@caevv6026]

I really appreciate your channel. Your videos helped me a lot as a beginner. Thanks for the great content!

[@koaballero2794]

Hi, I've been a "real musician" ^^ (as you say) all my life, playing reggae, soul, funk mostly and listening to hip hop a lot on the side since the 90s, and at age 47, I've decided to get into beatmaking. As I'm nowhere close to being able to afford an MPC machine, I have got myself FL Studio and a MIDI controller and chop samples from the pretty hefty vinyl collection that I have amassed over the years. Your videos are so great to help me understand the mind process at work in beatmaking on an MPC. Thanks to you, I'm trying to apply this mindset to working on a DAW, even though it will be more time-consuming that doing the real thing. Maybe one day, I can put this knowledge to use on a real MPC machine...

[@tmpecho]

I mean, you can pitch shift to change the key of a sample. It doesn't always yeild the greatest result's but it's there. Great vid man i love this kind of tutorial!

[@drinnerd8532]

Tmpecho, I was looking for this comment! No offense to Marlo Diggs or anything but... changing the key is a whole other technique all on it's own. If you are willing to put in the work, you can make pitch shifts sound VERY authentic by utilizing other techniques (key locking, tempo adjusting, etc...) I just figured that was part of the package of sampling. I rarely leave a sample sounding exactly as it did when I sampled it, though, Mr. Diggs may have already said what I'm trying to say. Nonetheless, I agree with you

[@billywitchd0ctor]

I've never heard anyone explain the appeal of dissonance this successfully nor succinctly. Lol awesome. Great vid as always.

[@MrBlueHaze]

This has to be one of your most insightful video ever! Great work.

[@trashcat3000]

>I don't know what key I'm in Speaking for myself it's sometimes discouraging to think that I can't get too far as a "musician" because I don't know what key or what scale I'm in most of the time. Hearing this it's quite reassuring and useful. Thank you!

[@xyzoka]

At the end of the day the only thing that matters is the beat sounding good, hip hop is about that, most of us are not experts on music theory, we work with what we have. Work smarter not harder

[@TheMattmatic]

A lot of famous musicians from the 60s and 70s didn’t know music theory, or they knew just the basics.

[@mdptg1990]

Key and scale is definitely learnable, that's pretty much a science rather than an art. If you just want to have fun beat making with samples it's not required, but it may help you out when you want to match a bassline to your sample.

[@DJ279V]

It's all about flowing. Some things will, some things won't. If it doesn't work, let it go to make room for something that works. That's the beauty of it. Thx for sharing the truth!!

[@synaptyx]

Happy to watch an hour long process video tbh. :))

[@izzylazy2902]

thanks Marlow! your honesty and sincerity means so much, just got my LIVE2 ,Im just beginning, and every sample seem to fight with each other, and I should thank you for telling me that's normal and I should keep trying.

[@mpchead]

Thanks for tuning in, happy layering.

[@mrmusic9892]

I know this is an old video but i just want to say thank you. I enjoy the way you strip it down and explain, great technique.

[@novaklem]

Man, you're a mentor for all of us. Much respect

[@mpchead]

Thank you 🙏🏼

[@projectsmarsh]

ur tutorials are flawless and spot on thank u for all this. bc of u im saving up for an mp. sending u good vibes

[@BlackMajj]

'when "real musicians" play' - Marlow Digs 2021 complete with air quotes. ;) But all jokes aside, top-notch video. I'm one of the peeps asking for more tech tips and really appreciate videos like this. I'd still love a long video without cuts but with multi cam so we can see the display and the knobs and can see what you do and follow the whole process from first loading drums and sampling cuts to mixing and adding fx. Make it a masterclass with downloadable file pack so we can follow along and make the same song together.

[@kursive1]

Real real good drop man. Found you recently and glad I did. Quality info and your beats are fire. Keep up the solid content G.

[@mpchead]

🙏🏼thanks for tuning in

[@brokenfinger1979]

love your old skool technics in the background!

[@miguelfelix9749]

It really helps to just have a keyboard and try to pitch match the melody of a sample...gives u a ballpark of potential notes that work..and then using something like serato to have it to tell u the key...not always perfect but helps

[@kivloff]

Those videos, when you talk about the process are the best. Very helpful and inspiring. Thank you.🙏

[@rickywashington2594]

Good info!! On the real its all about trial and error. I think people try to do what you do and thats wrong meaning taking your style. You have your own ways of layering and i seen myself doing different ways to layer beats!! Being original is key in making beats!! You are original!! Good work!!

[@KarasamaBeats]

I really needed this ! Thanks so much. Really appreciate it. Felt like a one on one class with you 🥺

[@TeraGreene1]

Thanks for all you do! I got one of your albums in the mail recently and its fantastic addition to my collection. :-) 0:54 I have found that watching your videos helped me to understand the mechanics and how to think like an MPC user. But, I am finding my own musicality and technique by just constantly creating. When I choose to watch a video like this of yours, it’s to see if there is a faster, more efficient way to use my gear and improve my workflow. ...And, soak up whatever gems and golden nuggets you drop. Plus, you just remind me of some really special folks in my life that I have been able to chill and create with. Peace! Looking forward to this video

[@mpchead]

Constantly making and creating things is the key to make better. Thanks for the support Tera 🙏🏼

[@TeraGreene1]

@@mpchead You speak the truth! You're welcome... you're worthy and deserving of the support!

[@poppyflds3169]

use a tuning app for fine tuning to make sure the samples are at least sharp helps a lot..otherwise it leads to problems if say one sample is -38 cents off and the other one +21 cents off, there is a big chance it won’t sound good together

[@guillaumehurtebize5356]

Hi! I have been using MPC one for 1 year, before I used Maschine. And I am very satisfied with this new tool. your videos are a great source of inspiration.. thank you very much

[@Bigjuggs64]

Nice video. Thank you for putting this out to the world.

[@mpchead]

Thanks 🙏🏼

[@luke3055]

Loving this Marlow, you are inspiring a whole load of musicians out there 👏👏👏

[@mdptg1990]

EQing always makes a big difference for those little elements you want to add to a track. EQing will mask it into the track, add more textures to the sample and blend all together well.

[@flimflama9333]

Really appreciating your videos, beats are phat, Smooth pure hip hop vibes, I feel like overtime my appreciation for some of them slightly newer and more aggressive old-school style beats like more Gangster rap has faded a little, some begin to sound almost a little tacky for lack of a better word, but, these type of beats, I don't think I will ever not love..

[@lindasson]

Great conversation points that can be used for inspiration and a reminder that if the sample doesn't work move on, and people don't see the unedited versions of beat makers finding the sample that works for them. Great video as always my friend!!🙏🏾✊🏾🔥🔥🔥🔥

[@DaDa-kf4vp]

Your talent is having good taste in sample selection and knowing when something is out of key.

[@nikolastamenkovic7069]

Dude, he doesnt care which key he's in :P Jk, I agree!

[@Havencheese]

I was laughing to distraction at just how off that Rhodes sample without filter sounded over the beat and the deadpan expression, every time. Comedy gold. It sat very nicely in the end with the filter.

[@W6rr10r21]

If there’s a magical technique to all this, then it would be training your ears and a hell lot of patience for looking for chops that fit.

[@denniscolindres4236]

I find Serato Sample helps me find the key of multiple samples to help me layer them together ! Respect on your method 🙏🏽 You definitely have an ear to put the right samples together 🤘🏽

[@JAv2305]

That’s the joy of sampling you have to dig and search for samples that work well / good vid

[@derlazynist2035]

Dope video man Your examples and explanations really helped me with approaching samples and beatmaking in general Really enjoyed watching it Looking forward to your next vid :)

[@abelchristian951]

With all this advanced technology and computer programs we still yet have a good VST plugin that will let us isolate the sample in other words to extract the multi-tracks and be able to do what marlow is talking about or play our own stuff and pitch it up n down to the tampo

[@CEJSkate]

great content as always! i relate to u in not knowing what key the samples i use are in, i just go by my ear and what feels good like you said. looking forward to your next videos, thanks for making this one.

[@A.V.O.O.V.A.]

Man some really good info in this video, honestly i've been learning a lot from you lately. Thx so much for all this knowledge man! Hands up and respects to you.

[@YFGP1]

Man, if i may, in Ableton you can extract the notes of a sound and replace the instrumenta that gets converted in, also the notes, it's on a piano roll. Lord Finesse showed it in a video with a masterclass in Moscow. That's pretty dope, right? Anyway, thanks for always provinding us with good info and dope beatmaking sessions~! Inpiring, man, i'm learning a lot! Thanks, respect!

[@mpchead]

Hi ✌🏼 Yes I know that, I used Ableton a while and used to do that. I meant changing in the sample, not extracting the midi and then changing the notes, because you can't put that back in the sample. Thanks for tuning in bro

[@YFGP1]

@@mpchead makes sense, it'sa not the same sample after. is that still considered sampling though? peace man!

[@sagcap7927]

You can most certainly sample a loop of anything and change the key it’s in. I do this in Logic Pro X on a weekly basis. I couldn’t do this when I had my mpc 2000xl and hardware synths. Mind you. The MP’s were designed for drum sampling from the beginning, so theirs not gonna be any functions to change key or scale on a drum sampler. This is why they built keyboard samplers. You may find those functions there. Or find it all around better in a software sequencer like ableton or Logic Pro.

[@mpchead]

You can do it in Logic now? I didn't know that, do you have a video on that?

[@sagcap7927]

@@mpchead I can find one. And it can be done for sure. In two ways. You can record what you want into logic. Chop what you need or truncate the st and end points. Then send or save it to apple loops as a playback sample. You can then adjust it to the key you want it in for your project. The other way is record in what you want without sending it to your loop library. Truncate your points. Click on the region and adjust the key you want it in. But this is why I stop sampling for loops and started sampling for sounds or drum loops.

[@Prodbysuavv]

Pure truth ser! God! You just dropping facts. Definitely going to subscribe

[@mpchead]

Appreciate that thanks

[@ChainsTheChefBeats]

PERSPECTIVE is the main thing that makes things work, if you go about sampling with the right perspective, the type of perspective where you don't need to be so analytical about keys and music theory and you just go with the things that sound good to your ears, a new harmony of sonic elements that you happened to find and they get to achieve the creation of a DOPE BEAT, if you go with this perspective it's more likely that you will make more good stuff because you are not judging a lot and that tends to flow better.

[@mpchead]

Yeah I think you're right about that, just focus on what you're listening

[@bryanbytes]

Smashed the like button for the Coltrane record in the back

[@BennyDeez1]

Thanks for your videos Marlow! One comment I would add, which doesn't particularly align with what you're using in studio, the Audio Module in Maschine (MK3/Plus/.etc) can be re-tuned without modifying the tempo and visa-versa, which is extremely helpful when working with disparate samples that you want to align on a root note, or similar. Just a piece of info for anyone who comes across this. Peace!

[@АлександрВодяков-и6п]

The perfect answer for a simple question, thank you!

[@TeraGreene1]

I tend to do LP2 filters, but you just reminded me to let just the highs pass through with the HP filter, too.

[@filmingonhardwheels7489]

Great advice/encouragement. Nice to see the compressor/Tegeler Audio rack on your left. Thanks!!

[@petersambrini6693]

Thanks Marlow. Ive just bough a Isla S2400 and these tips are invaluable. Really appreciate it. :)

[@mpchead]

I hear great things about the S2400

[@donaldhayes6584]

Wow. May GOD bless you for this video, I had a sample that I know I wanted to use, I was kinda stuck on. This just showed how to make it work. Thank you.

[@T1muzic]

Dope tutorial bro 💯

[@lordshiva83]

this channel is a gem, fam...

[@MusicalMylow]

The "wow, it doesn't work!" at 7:30 actually made me laugh. I might have to sample that 😆

[@xG4M3FR34Kx]

you can absolutely change the key of a sample! that’s what pitch shifting effectively is in this context. A minor is the relative minor of c major so so as far as your example goes you can technically shit to C major. yes you can’t change a dominant 7 chord to a major 7 and if the chord in the sample is minor but you want a major chord, you’ll have to find it elsewhere. but, that’s all part of fun of sampling and part of the value of knowing a bit of theory

[@mpchead]

That's what I said in the video.

[@bennyfairfax1]

If you want to change a sample from c minor to c major, you can change it to the relative minor of c major which is a minor. What that means is that a minor has all the same notes as c major.

[@Thechango_]

Can you do a tutorial on how to save your samples and how to organize your sounds ?

[@PA_Dre_beats]

you can change sample keys by using serato sampler

[@szymon3676]

You can actually change a single note in a sample. With the new Melodyne you can change whatever you want including timing and single notes inside the chord.

[@mpchead]

Yes I see people saying that in the comment. I've tried the trial version and I am very impressed with it.

[@Hogboy345]

9:40 if it's a minor or major chord you basically have a one in 12 chance of pitching it correctly. If the chords aren't the same it will always sounds wrong unless you're adding a sample that's playing an extension (7th/9th/11th) of the chord that's already in there. Filtering out the low end is not a solution as the fundamental is still in there, some basic music theory really helps with this type of stuff.

[@switzonthegreat]

Thank you! I appreciate you and this you have no idea. Much love from LA!!!

[@mpchead]

❤️LA

[@JedHelmers-ub3ue]

Or you could pitch-shift what you have to a different key, then add new tones on top to shift the tonal center. For example: If you have a C-minor-triad that you want turned into a C-major, pitch it down to an A-minor, then add a G-note. This would give you a C6.

[@mpchead]

Clever 👊🏼

[@JedHelmers-ub3ue]

@@mpchead Thanks!😀. I love your content

[@bossmedia4028]

This is great. I always get stuck on whether my sounds are the same key.

[@723kiro]

Why does this dude not have 1+ mill subscribers

[@petersambrini6693]

I like your presentation and content. Makes it easy to comprehend.

[@miguelfranco9655]

thanks marlow, very insightful, as always. Thanks for taking the time.

[@peterwyrostek6112]

Super informative thanks!

[@TrekStar11]

This is brilliant stuff. I'm walking away from this video with a different perspective on how I should be using my samples

[@SclimBeats]

thank you for the knowledge and your time and effort making all this videos

[@mpchead]

🙏🏼

[@spind6917]

If dope DJs spend big time in diggin, its because of that. You have to find "the" sample instead to "change" the sample. If you wanna do the old way I mean. BTW thanks for your videos man.

[@javarjav7523]

Thank You Very, Very, Very Much!❤

[@mpchead]

You're welcome!🔥🔥🔥

[@digitaldiezel5870]

Just what I needed to hear..."Move on to the next sample"!

[@TheMOBAStudios]

Thanks this video was great and actually helped.

[@JalyDj]

This is amazing

[@mistahmath5063]

Another great video bro! Just keep playing the beat and search, search and search until you find those pieces that fits. Its like a puzzle, exept you don´t have all the pieces infront of you from the beginning. And you don´t have any description on how it will look when its ready :) Peace bro! Have a gr8 day

[@Mista808]

8:54 It would definitely work if you lowered the dB on the sample. 😎

[@LeeStoneman]

Yep. I was literally screaming "turn it down!" at the screen. It fit fine, it was just too loud.

[@KGBT-PLUS]

Loving your videos dude keep at it!

[@Mista808]

I'd like to do videos like this with my MPC X as well but I'm curious how you got your audio from your MPC into this video? Are you just using OBS and somehow routing it to allow us to hear the sound coming out of your MPC X? If so can you please tell me how you went about doing this? I've used OBS alot but always for gaming or when with music with FL Studio but have never tried using it with my MPC X but I would love to. Please help me out! Love your videos thanks.

[@mpchead]

I record everything separately, the audio I record into my audio interface and I match it with the video later in the Final cut. kzbin.info/www/bejne/pIC0oYWlaZpjb9U

[@freedbeat]

Yeah it's all that, trust your ears and follow your feelings! What do you think about putting a short sample in a keygroup, do you think it could give a bit more of flexibility in specifics cases?

[@mpchead]

It's fair game, you could try it, maybe if it is the main sample of the song it makes sense but I would personally just use 16 levels if I needed pitching the sample. But it's definitely good to try different techniques.

[@messbeatss]

how you change your studio set up every video? hahahha, thanks for the video bro, always fire shit

[@matthewstory2316]

I've never stressed about key etc when I'm playing guitar I've written 8 min epics with no clue what notes im playing, " hands translate emotion " but I find myself wasting so much time looking for key notes etc as a professional musician sampling really is an art , kinda hard to go by feel from a predetermined sound. I'm going to try anew approach

[@DavidGillodes]

Brilliant and groovy as usual. Thanx.

[@Snotboxrocked156]

“I don’t know what key I’m in, and I don’t care” this should be heard by the beat makers who say that you need to learn music theory to a certain degree to produce beats the right way.

[@danrdgreen]

One day I'd love to see the whole process, an hour long vid is fine by me 👍

[@MrBlueHaze]

Actually you are doing it the sp 12 way just using your ears. Insightful and deep thank you.

[@mike-pm6xn]

I was looking for any videos you might have of you using the 3000... No 3000 vids for the mpc head?! damn

[@mpchead]

Yeah bro they're too expensive for me. Hope they come down in price

[@mike-pm6xn]

@@mpchead The X isn't cheap either ;) I'd guess you like the features the X has over the 3000, which I understand. I had the X for a short time, but it just drove me mad going through so many menus to do something, so I went back to the 3000..... In the end, we're all mpc heads :)