Who samples vinyl?

Elektron Gear Octatrack
21

I’ve been sampling vinyl again and loving it. Turntable into mixer out to AH and into OT.
I just record 16second bits then set loops in AED and save as sample and keep going. Fun. The only thing I dont like is naming so tend to use short abbreviations which I forget.

22

When sample vinyl first thing I do is make a folder in The OT audio folder with the name of the record I am sampling. My record player has its own preamp so I can connect it directly to my OY. Then I grab what I like using manual recording with track recorders. Any cropping and normalising etc is done there too. Finally I put each sample in its own folder. My OT filing system is unstoppable…

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23

My filing is a casual tsunami of nonsense fed through a ‘can’t be arsed’ processor.

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24

I’m trying to record directly from my turntable into the OT. I’m using Technics 1210 for this, which has no preamp :slight_smile:
So as expected the level of the incoming sound is very low, even with mixer settings gain (and dir) at max. Would there be any settings on the OT that could help me avoid to put a preamp or mixer in between the technics and the OT? Or would that be too easy? :- :laughing:

Thanks

25

I also use the old Technics turntables, they are connected to my xone mixer, mixer is connected to sound card, for recording samples I just record them with Adobe audition with my sound card selected. Then I load the sample into the octatrack and manipulate

26

You need an RIAA preamp, even if you could add enough gain with the IT to get a usable level, the EQ curve would be very wrong.

A cheap Pyle or something (about $16 on Amazon, I just checked) would probably be fine to start with.

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27

I love those Technics turntables but I use a Numark PT01 just for convenience (audio out straight into OT, OP-1, or Polyend Tracker. I have a ton of old Indian music vinyl my father-in-law gave me. Lots of sitar and really cool drums. Also, some old 70’s kind of cheesy records. Here’s an example:

28

Thanks for the feedback!
My main issue in fact is laziness :smiley:! I have an Antelope sound card which has preamps, yet I’m trying to minimise cables in my studio. But so if there are no tricks within OT I’ll just connect my 1210 to my preamp and then route that signal to my OT.
Not hard to do, just some more cables to add (I have a hate/love relation with cables) :upside_down_face:

1 Like
29

Again, if you don’t have an RIAA phono preamp you’re going to get very bad sounding samples. Vinyl has the low end really aggressively rolled off and the highs boosted when the master is cut, to maximize the amound of time they can cut on it (mor elow end = wider grooves) and the RIAA preamp has the opposite EQ curve and makes it sound normal on playback, plus it boosts it to line level (the output of a turntable is a bit lower than an electric guitar, nowhere near line level). It’s not an optional thing.

30

I use a 1010 Blackbox to sample off my Technics 1200. The portability is pretty great. Often times I’ll resample the Blackbox into my Digitakt for further manipulation.

31

i record thru pioneer dj controller amp into ableton or audacity at 24/96 or better.

record entire master, save it as v1. save a v2. and then throw that in whatever audio editor of your choice.

AdamJay recommend to export from ableton or DAW at tempo you plan on using loop at, as ableton does a better job with time modifying samples. then save to media card and transfer over.

32

Those are microphone preamps, they don’t help with the signal from a Technics turntable. Read what Supercolor keeps telling you.

33

MPC3000---->SP404----->OT

Try out different sample patterns while recording into the SP404, save onto computer and load into the OT.

1 Like
34

I have 2x OT inputs connected directly to my DJ mixer. Anything I run through there can then be sampled into the OT and has included vinyl, CD, YouTube clips, SP 303, field recordings, tapes, vocal, noise generators - I treat it like having extra, switchable OT inputs.

As others have said, the vinyl part is usually loops, sound fx, odd stuff. I would like to ry making my own Amens from old funk records but haven’t got round to this yet!

Everything processed/edited in OT.

35

You create your “own Amens” with the break segment on The Winstons track. There’s no such thing as “Amens made with funk tracks”

1 Like
36

I sample old jazz records in an age when people could actually play their instruments. Pure Gold.

4 Likes
37

Thanks this is clear now :slight_smile:
From your first post I understood that I shouldn’t boost the level of the sample with my OT to avoid bad sounding sample. I didn’t understand that this would be the same issue with my Antelope audio interface.
I wanted to avoid coloration of the sound as much as possible, yet I see now that plenty of EQ’ing is needed to compensate for the mastering choices/limitations of vinyl. I have been DJ’ing with vinyl for 15 years and always thought that the difference between ‘phono in’ and line in’ on a mixer was just that phono in had to boost more dB’s because the level of vinyl was lower. I never realised that there is some serious EQ’ing going on too :smiley:

But so i solved it by plugging my 1210 into the phono input of my DJM900 mixer. Then going from the record out of the mixer to the OT inputs. Works great and I also have the advantage that I have a place to attach the ground of the 1210…
I wanted to avoid to add a mixer in the chain because that takes a lot of place. Yet it’s the only way I can do this (without buying new things).

Thanks,
Michael

2 Likes
38

Yeah thanks I got it now :slight_smile:

39

Yeah i have a blackbox too, and love the fact that you can even use it in bed :slight_smile:
I bought the blackbox a year ago, after hesitating a long time between the OT, DT or the Blackbox. Although it’s surely a great machine, the Blackbox and me never really ‘clicked’. I then decided to buy an OT and never looked back…. I guess I like buttons instead of touch screen.
I know it’s two different machines, yet for the things that i use them, they have quite some overlap. So the blackbox…well…stays in its box. I’ll sell it in 30 years once it has become retro gear :-p

40

For me the Blackbox is a good for storing tons of samples and sketching ideas, but I rarely use it for final compositions. It is my mobile sound library. I will use its sequencer to test out a few grooves but ultimately I will take advantage of the Digis midi tracks and sequence from there.

But the form factor for sampling vinyl is hard to beat. The sound quality is amazing and you don’t have to worry about maxing out your sd card. Slicing samples and then sequencing them on the digi is a workflow I’ve come to appreciate thoroughly.