Dubstepforum.com

Finding free samples

Finding good samples can sometimes be difficult. Recording your own is obviously the best way of sourcing samples, but this is not always feasible due to a lack of time, knowledge or hardware.

Luckily, there are many good free sources of samples, both online and offline. A good place to start is at http://www.freesound.org/.

A tutorial on organising your sample library can be found at http://www.dubstepforum.com/organising- ... 33144.html.

Online sources of samples

• 1> Software developers often release free sample content for use with their programs. These are usually called 'sample packs or sample banks'.
  2> Search engines, peer to peer networks and file hosts can provide many free samples. Start by running a search for 'free audio samples', 'free music samples', 'free audio loops', 'free music loops' or 'loop packs'!
  2> You can record small bits of audio from other media sources including websites and computer games.
  3> 'Text to speech' and 'speech synthesis' programs can provide vocal samples for free.
  4> Online sample libraries such as those run by the BBC can provide both free and paid for samples. Many other commercial sample libraries also exist.

Offline sources of samples

• 1> Computer music technology magazines like Computer Music Magazine offer cover-mount DVDs full of free samples with each edition.
  2> You can record small bits of audio from other media sources, including music, films, television, radio, toys and games.
  3> Your local library may have sound FX CDs available for hire from their media section.

Further sources of samples

• 1> Commercial sample CDs can provide excellent sources of samples and loops, including those by Zero-G, East West and Loopmasters amongst others.
  2> Refills
  3> Soundfonts

Sample format conversion

Many samples are only available in a proprietry format. In order to play back these formats, you must use the original software or hardware that the format was designed for. Some examples of proprietry sound formats include Acidised Wavs, Apple Loops, AKAI samples for AKAI samplers, Propellerhead Refills and samples for romplers such as Native Instruments Kontakt, Steinberg Halion and Tascam Gigastudio.

In some cases, this issue can be resolved by using a program that converts the sample format like Chicken Systems Translator. Other sample format conversion programs also exist.

Another useful utility is a Refill unpacker. This allows you to unpack refills so the samples contained within may be used with any music program. The Refill unpacker is available via direct download here or via torrent here.

Links to free samples

The following list of sites is quoted from this thread. Be advised that some of the sites listed below may no longer be available.

HAACK wrote: http://www.freesound.org/
http://dubstepforum.com/viewtopic.php?f=8&t=165922
http://theremin.music.uiowa.edu/MIS.html
http://audiencesounds.com/
http://www.sampleswap.org/
http://homepage.ntlworld.com/acapella/
http://homepages.nildram.co.uk/~mac/loops/
http://musicmoz.org/Sound_Files/Samples_and_Loops/
http://new.wavlist.com/
http://tduck.ca/
http://trackers.pp.ru/links/index.php?list=ls
http://vivisimo.com/
http://www.a1freesoundeffects.com/
http://www.abz.co.uk/
http://www.acidplanet.com/
http://www.acidplanet.com/downloads/8packs/
http://www.analogindustries.com/
http://www.sectionz.com/home.asp?keywor ... onic+music
http://www.analoguesque.com/soundfonts.asp
http://www.anwida.com/geq31v.asp
http://www.audioattack.de/
http://www.bap.free.fr/
http://www.beatbox.tv/
http://www.beatsandsamples.com/
http://www.brambos.com/
http://www.break-beats.co.uk/
http://www.breakbeatsonly.com/
http://www.breakbeat-paradise.com/
http://www.cakewalk.com/
http://lazoneacappella.chez.com/
http://www.computermusic.co.uk/
http://www.countrocula.com/
http://www.danirava.com/LINKS/links_samples.asp
http://www.discretedrums.com/
http://www.djbb.dk/
http://www.dj-mix.de/
http://www.dnbproduction.com/link.asp?message=0
http://www.dogbeats.co.uk/
http://www.drumsamples.com/
http://www.equippedmusic.se/
http://www.electromancer.com/
http://www.endlessflow.com/
http://www.findsounds.com/
http://www.flashtracks.de/
http://www.freaknoise.com/
http://www.freeloops.co.uk/
http://www.ftpsearchengines.com/
http://www.futurewebsonics.com/
http://www.garritan.com/
http://www.geocities.com/samplecatalog/
http://www.geocities.com/SunsetStrip/Balcony/8644/
http://www.groovedealer.com/
http://www.groundloops.com/
http://www.guitarwavs.com/
http://www.humanworkshop.com/
http://www.ibiblio.org/pub/multimedia/sun-sounds/
http://www.infonetware.com/
http://www.ixquick.com/
http://www.jumbo.com/
http://www.killerbeats.com/
http://www.lfenn.co.uk/
http://www.ljudo.com/
http://www.looplibrary.com/
http://www.loopsagogo.com/
http://www.melodymachine.com/
http://www.mightywight.net/
http://www.musicxp.net/
http://www.musiclibraries.tv/
http://www.nsf-music.de/
http://www.naturalstudio.co.uk/
http://www.peaceloveproductions.com/
http://www.mhat.com/phatdrumloops/
http://www.pitchforkmedia.com/
http://www.profusion.com/
http://www.searchalot.com/
http://www.sonichound.com/
http://www.sounddogs.com/
http://www.sound-effects-library.com/
http://www.soundfonts.it/
http://www.soundhunter.com/
http://www.soundoftheweb.com/soundeffects/
http://www.surfwax.com/
http://www.tcelectronic.com/
http://www.thespeakerboy.com/
http://www.tru-playaz.co.uk/
http://www.tweakheadz.com/
http://www.twilightrecordingstudio.com/
http://www.yogen.com/
http://www.acidplanet.com/artist.asp?so ... 390&T=1915
http://www.avhangout.net/
http://www.bassment.net/
http://home.scarlet.be/willem.bries3/
http://www.djdatabase.150m.com/news/finalscratch.html
http://www.drummachine.com/
http://www.goltstein.com/
http://www.hornet.org/music/samples/
http://www.greyinc.co.uk/
http://www.kvr-vst.com/
http://www.musicware.dial.pipex.com/
http://www.psylux.com/reason/
http://www.reasonrefills.com/
http://www.reasonstation.net/tutorials/
http://www.samplearena.com/
http://www.sounddogs.com/searchresults. ... word=Loops

More samples created by other Dubstepforum users may also be found here.

Further sites with free samples.

Very nice. Will help with the noob questions. Cheers!

they should make you a mod for the production forum

useful stuff...

is all this stuff your posting getting put in the bible futures? It should be! Very usefull stuff indeed, thankyou once again sir.

my_fickle_eye wrote:is all this stuff your posting getting put in the bible futures? It should be! Very usefull stuff indeed, thankyou once again sir.

Yes it is sir

It's taking a while to collate, but eventually I'll post the Production Bible v3 when it's ready.

I can't really be arsed though, so it may take a week or two...

Big Up another very useful post!!! freesound FTW!~!

Awesome post!
I actually just found an amazing resource for movie/general media sounds
Thought I would post it up here,
here's the link:
http://www.soundboard.com/

Also on the note of soundboards, I'm sure most of you are familiar with those flash based ones (examples here: http://www.realmofdarkness.net/pranks/j ... boards.htm )
They're a pretty awesome resource for random VOX
If you come across one with a sound clip you like, there's a way to extract it directly

1. When the page is fully loaded in your web browser, right click and select "view source"

Note: Not all web browsers are the same (I'm currently using Opera 11) so you might have to enter a menu of some sort to do this. Just google it, all web browsers have the option somewhere

2. When your viewing the sourcecode of the webpage, use your browsers the search feature (almost always CTRL+F) to locate the .SWF file (the soundboard)
All you have to do is search for ".swf" and find the link associated with the file
Example: http://www.realmofdarkness.net/soundboa ... dboard.swf

3. Paste the link of the SWF file into your browser. When it's loaded, press CTRL+S to save the SWF file to your computer

4. Errr, buy this program; install it:
http://www.sothink.com/product/flashdecompiler/

5. Open up Flash Decompiler

6. Open -> Your saved .Swf file

7. Viola, you now have access to every sound in your selected soundboard Select the sounds you want and export them . This is a sweet technique because not only does it work for soundboards, but any .Swf file you might come across (i.e. flash movies, games etc.)

Just thought I'd contribute something here, since this forums helped me out so much. If anybody has any questions hit me up

Nice first post!

Welcome to DSF

Patrick

Here's a website called dubstep samples where samples are posted daily.

Thanks

My bad

Wrong thread

Gearslutz thread where they shre samples.

http://www.gearslutz.com/board/electron ... -here.html

what happened to the darkbeats sampleswap iv been wanting to use that again

There is also Loopport.com - they've been beta testing for quite a while, and now they've launched. As I'm a newbie, not sure if I can post the full link but obvo - it's www.Loopport.com.

This production tutorial is *massive!* Never seen another like it. I'm excited to check it out. I use a rather primitive software (not even sure if I should say? Been reading around, looks like not too many folks use it!) so to get a rundown of some more realistic recommendations is a relief so I can use better tools and make better beats.

Anyhow, thought it'd make sense to add that one. There's a bit of a Deadmau5 promo video if you want to check that out as well (tho' I know it's up for "dubstep" debate... ]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UGPr73snFYs&feature=plcp

As part of writing my own songs I like to make sample packs for myself from scratch it helps to get unique sounds.

I wack them into packs for fun you can get them weekly on my site.

http://trisamples.com

No charge, no ads, just for the love of sharing.

Peace

^Cheers mate

MMMM yess ^-^