Samples From Mars Free Samples

Elektron Gear Octatrack
#1

Hey guys!

I wanted to introduce myself - in addition to being a big Octatrack user, I run Samples From Mars - we create vintage drum machine and synth tape samples / sample based instruments.

Anywaays…I wanted to offer you guys some free samples because

  1. I think they sound awesome in the Octa and

  2. I’d love your feedback on how to better create samples specifically for the Octatrack. (If there’s enough interest here I’ll be doing Octatrack specific formats).

You can go to the site, add anything to your cart, and enter the following discount at checkout (not cart) to get $29 in store credit

OctaOcta

This will work for new customers only - if you’ve already purchased from us, send me a DM and I can give you a new discount code.

Anyways, hopefully this is allowed here and hopefully you guys dig the samples. Let me know any input you have for samples, some of my thoughts below

  • possibly make a 64 drum hit single wave file that can be used as slices
  • Make some single cycle looped synth waveforms
  • label synth WAVs w/ root note name
5 Likes
#2

I checked out a couple of your free samples a while ago and I think they sound great!

I think 64 slice chains of single hits and synth scwf’s with root notes labeled are a good start.

Another thing you could do is take advantage of the octatracks ability to stream larger files and make up for its inability to easily play chords by making chains of long synth hits.

I like to make 16 slice chromatic chains of long synth hits. I do single notes in chromatic chains so I can transpose the whole track up a semi-tone just by selecting the slice start. I do this because when recording in chromatic mode on the OT it locks the pitch values as p-locks so there would be no easy way otherwise to transpose an entire track.

I also do diatonic chord chains in various keys/modes so all the chords for a certain key can be played in slice mode. When recording in slice mode the slice start is p-locked so the pitch knob works as a transpose for the whole track now,

Having a couple chains set up like this and having a sound with some modulation already built in makes playing the octatrack really fun.

Just some ideas :slight_smile:

edit:
P.S. Thanks for the samples!!!

#3

Just wanted to say that the Databender Toolkit samples are the shit. Bought that pack a while ago and I love it.

#4

Love your samples. Right up my lane.

One thing that occurs to me, is that providers of quality samples such as yourself, too often offer quantity with quality, and in a well-meaning proposal to do so, sometimes miss the opportunity to add something of even greater value - your selection and taste skills.

I might be perhaps alone in thinking this, but when I buy and download a pack of samples, I don’t buy the experience of browsing through an odd 800+ of samples or so. I don’t need a hundred versions of the same kick drum in different tunes and processed in different ways - what I need is a pack of samples that in their limited but carefully selected set, offer up interesting opportunities by simply being part of an idea.

One thing I like about the Volca Sample, for example, is that it only allows you to store 100 samples in it, no matter if you can stay within the limit of time and memory. 100 samples. That’s it. I can build my theme packages, upload those to the Volca Sample and work with what I’ve got.

And with the right 100 samples, I can make an album.

People such as you, who clearly know what they’re doing and have amazing skills at recording, processing and packaging - I’d like your take on 100 samples (or something along those lines), put together as theme packages.

Give me a Beats After The War package, or a While Daft Punk Made Homework package, or a Grandpa Had An 808-package, or Vinyl Kicks package, and keep it small, tight, lean.

I trust your taste, and I’d pay good money for you to tell me to stick to these 100 samples and make good shit with those. I suck at sampling, I suck at engineering, but I’m good at writing and making music, and if you give me good quality samples, I don’t need all that many, I just need the right ones.

Elektron does this a lot, for example. And it works really really well.

1 Like
#5

big thanks man!Know you already, love your tips and samples! :slight_smile:

#6

Thanks so much, really looking forward to mangling away on these :slight_smile:

#7

Thanx, your tips section is great !
I’m not that interested in samples as I have so many synths and drum machines, I’d rather use them.

#8

Thanks for the discount. I listened to every demo - really well recorded sounds. The CR78 samples are the best I have ever heard by a long way! Really nice website too. I have bookmarked the Tips and Tricks section.

WRT sample packs for the OT, I agree with andreasroman - less is more.

I would like you to dump a bunch of samples to an Octatrack and play around with the filters, fx, rate etc - and then make a sample pack of the (original, unaffected) samples which lent themselves best to this procedure.

It may take longer than usual but a smaller number of carefully curated samples would be much more valuable for Octatrack users, I feel.

#9

DM’d!

#10

Awesome! Thanks a bunch! I’ll let you know how it goes once I’ve had some time to get the samples into the OT and then destroy them :slight_smile:

#11

Thank you kindly!

#12

No problem guys!

Yes I definitely agree with smaller amounts of sounds - as Brian Eno says

“What you need are fewer possibilities… that are more interesting. It’s not more options that you want, it’s more useful options”

I definitely agree with this sentiment. However, I do personally think that pitching the samples on hardware or tape greatly affects sound quality. I also think that when we’re formatting a drum rack, for say, Ableton, its easier to navigate larger amounts of samples. So even with a set of 300 sounds, we still just have 16 pads set up - but on the kick pad you can select between 16 different hardware pitches for instance.

But for hardware its very different (I’m a big hardware user). I plan to create smaller 16 sound kits in this case.

Additionally, The 808 / 909 samples were created years ago, and I’ll be re-doing them shortly with this in mind (I’ve also become much better and have new gear). The other releases do adhere to the less options philosophy - with 1 sample per pitch.

All of these ideas you guys are mentioning sound great! I really love user feedback and I really appreciate the kind words.

1 Like
#13

Hey SamplesFromMars! I bought some (a lot) of your sample packs last week.
Quality Stuff! I forgot to enter the 50% off code but I regret nothing!! :smiley:

May I suggest a Vermona DRM-1 pack ?

The PerFOURmer is also great for drums – I have one. the DRM-1 is similar somehow, judging from the examples on the web, but I have no more space for it. I’d buy a proper quality sample pack from you in a heartbeat!

#14

Cheers for the samples! Putting them on the Rytm. Enjoy layering vintage drum samples with the Rytm synthesis.

#15

Thanks man! I love the TR-606!!!

#16

Just got the Databenders Toolkit.
Thanks!

#17

Wow, thx man!
Samples are really awesome!! all the best

Giovanni :wink:

#18

I’ll add to the chorus that sample chains are highly effective, not just for OT but for Rytm as well.

And, this doesn’t answer your question about better samples for the Octatrack… But, I really love the Ableton drum racks your sample packs come with. There is so much packed into them and all the layers available via the selector knob makes a large collection of sample hits easily accessible.

#19

Thank you so much!

#20

Cheers!. Had a hard time deciding amongst them all. 606 is pretty tidy
+1 for chains and or selected packs with less variations of the hits (for cheaper).

Would be great if you could do up some MPC .pgm file versions as well

Let us know when you re record the 808 909s