I was reading an old thread where the thread starter mentioned that they’d deleted their entire sample library. Having recently picked up an OT I’ve been thinking of doing the same. I definitely have a collectors mentality as my TB size sample library demonstrates. I’m really thinking of committing to pressing that delete button and starting fresh with the goal of having a really well-curated and selective sample collection.
Has anybody done something similar? Any tips or advice?
I can’t be bothered collecting digital goods, pictures especially but same for samples.
Our best family pics get quality prints, the rest deleted after a few years. All this (digital) hoarding is just stress for nothing IMHO. It has no real value and we certainly can’t take it with us when our stories are told.
I think fresh starts are a blessing. I had many already and if we do move to Crete in 2021, I will have another big one myself.
Do it! You will remember the best ones and where you bought them anyway 
Edit: Grammar is a #@*& especially on the phonez
My tip: rather than deleting all the content, start with a new Set (on OT).
Go the furthest you can with this.
Thank you for the idea, actually: I was about to start a new project but having to start a greg and sample my own stuff might be what I need, in fact.
I did that last year! I ended up resampling a lot of similar sounds over and over but I got really fast at patching. Recently I got a 64gb CF card for the OT and I added some drum samples and factory samples back, but I don’t rely on them anymore. Or rather I use them often, but I rely on my ability to modify sounds to keep them fresh rather than having a thousand minute variation on a high hat with different analog eq applied.
So I guess I’m saying you might want keep a few drum kits but otherwise starting fresh was very constructive for me once I found some synths I enjoyed patching.
I can only second that. Either this when there is still enough space on the card or start from another blank card. Storage is cheap. So there is no real reason to burn everything down first, before starting fresh.
My sample collection (aside from stuff I live sample on a whim) consists of around 50 one shots. There really is no need for anything else, unless you want choice paralysis. Anything else I need must be created on a synth, in Bitwig or from a YouTube sample. So, pick a heavily curated selection of samples to use, and meld them into other shapes when needed. Get creative. Love limitations.
How about going whole hog and only using samples you make yourself?
well said. I have been contemplating on that subject of irrational attachment which really is compulsive hoarding on my part.
It’s a strange phenomenon, creeping around our minds. I guess it is mainly because our brain is always in denial of our finite nature. I am not a specialist in the matter though. Just personal observation here.
I agree. I am forced to believe that it might have to do with the insecurity we experienced as species with the unpredictable and domineering relationship with nature…where danger and scarcity forced us to band together and hoard for survival.
This is not my experience at all. One of my favourite sounds I made recently was using an old crosby stills and nash bass sample I recorded from my mums collection back in 2000 ish. I fairly frequently stumble across a sample recorded years ago and end up transforming it into something completely new. Saying that, my sample collection is probably actually that big. Maybe a few thousand samples.
That’s what I do. Really nice to do it this way, sampling stuff is an experience and a source of musical inspiration in its own right.
PS: @OP I wouldn’t delete your entire sample library unless you feel you are ACTUALLY hoarding, then yes, chase that devil out to space! 
Otherwise just put that disk into a drawer and forget about it…and then in a few years, when you will stumble upon it, THEN delete everything and use the disk for whatever you need storage then 
Probably really different from people who make techno and stuff like that, but I record new samples for every project. Old projects get saved, but the samples are only in the project folders, not really meant to be used again. I have dug around for some field recordings for re-use if inspiration strikes and it’s not feasible to record a new sample, but other than that it’s always new stuff.
I’ve avoided the need and urge to delete things en masse by staying organized early on. Especially with things like Rytm, MS, OT where there is a finite amount of RAM or sample slots that need to be considered.
So, if you’re going to wipe the slate, consider starting the new slate with a plan.
A little management and consideration early on, followed by continued management will actually save you time, and stress in the end. You’ll be less likely to find yourself in a stress inducing unorganized situation, and more likely to spend that time creating rather than imagining what it would be like to be more organized.
Make a plan, stick to it, and it will reward you. Especially with the OT, as it can wear so many different hats. If you want it to be able to do so in as few projects as possible, an organizational plan that you can adhere to is the only way forward.
Max Romeo!? Excellent choice of quote for this thread since that song has been sampled so much.
i only use proven & trusted sample collections — i.e. old E-Mu sample libraries from P2000/P2500 era (and i don’t care how dated they are), and some selected drum sounds. that’s all, less is moar.