Replicant orchestra : creating virtual instruments with software samplers
Vuolevi, Aleksi (2018)
Vuolevi, Aleksi
Tampereen ammattikorkeakoulu
2018
All rights reserved
Julkaisun pysyvä osoite on
https://urn.fi/URN:NBN:fi:amk-2018053011167
https://urn.fi/URN:NBN:fi:amk-2018053011167
Tiivistelmä
Sampling is a widely utilized media production technique. It has a multitude of uses in music, sound design, movie and TV production, and in interactive media like games. By sampling source sounds like acoustic instruments, virtual representations of them can be created. Modern modular samplers break apart the sounds of instruments and provide access to the low-level variables that together create the whole. With the possibilities of that degree of control, a lot of new problems are introduced.
Sampling is a broad topic and information about it can sometimes be fragmented and superficial. The purpose of this thesis was to gain a deeper understanding about the process by assembling a comprehensive overview of the topic and examining the commonly used methods and problems they are meant to solve. The benefits and drawbacks of the various methods were researched.
Utilizing various sampling-related literary sources, the thesis analyzed the conventional techniques and workflows that have become prevalent in applications of sampling, and reviewed the associated terminology and other key concepts. Example use cases were introduced, pointing out practical problems that arise from them, and knowledge from closely related fields like audio recording, editing and mixing was applied to identify and analyze problems specific to sampling.
It was observed that the various methods were susceptible to compromises such as increase of memory requirements, complication of the initial sample recording process, and sound quality side effects such as phase cancellation, inconsistencies, unnaturalness and repetitiveness. The benefits and compromises of the methods also vary depending on the properties of the specific source sound.
Knowledge about the different methods and their associated benefits and drawbacks is important to optimize the production process of sample sets. Instrument-specific considerations need to be taken into account when deciding the best methods to emulate their character. Better evaluation of these factors can lead to better planning and pre-production, and can save a lot of effort and resources in the process.
Sampling is a broad topic and information about it can sometimes be fragmented and superficial. The purpose of this thesis was to gain a deeper understanding about the process by assembling a comprehensive overview of the topic and examining the commonly used methods and problems they are meant to solve. The benefits and drawbacks of the various methods were researched.
Utilizing various sampling-related literary sources, the thesis analyzed the conventional techniques and workflows that have become prevalent in applications of sampling, and reviewed the associated terminology and other key concepts. Example use cases were introduced, pointing out practical problems that arise from them, and knowledge from closely related fields like audio recording, editing and mixing was applied to identify and analyze problems specific to sampling.
It was observed that the various methods were susceptible to compromises such as increase of memory requirements, complication of the initial sample recording process, and sound quality side effects such as phase cancellation, inconsistencies, unnaturalness and repetitiveness. The benefits and compromises of the methods also vary depending on the properties of the specific source sound.
Knowledge about the different methods and their associated benefits and drawbacks is important to optimize the production process of sample sets. Instrument-specific considerations need to be taken into account when deciding the best methods to emulate their character. Better evaluation of these factors can lead to better planning and pre-production, and can save a lot of effort and resources in the process.