Old-School Homemade Amiga Sampler

drewzle · Post by **drewzle** » Wed Sep 05, 2007 4:24 am

looks mean

what can it do and how do you use it?

606man · Post by **606man** » Wed Sep 05, 2007 4:26 am

I can't remember which thread I was telling peeps about this archaic peice of gear now, so it can have its own thread.

This luvverly lil box was constructed by a mate of mine (Dave Hanson - legend!) way back in the day. Around 1990, if I remember correct.

Before we had this, all we could do was use a tracker to play back samples ripped from games and music demos. We couldn't put our own sound into the tracks we were programming (all tracks were programmed back then - in hexadecimal!!). I hated it, becuase on the C64, you could actually program the sid chip in hex; it made the 64 a bit like a synth.

Dave built this box and it was all change. I can't remember clearly, but I think it was actually a kit that he put together from plans he got from other nerdy boffins at the time. Suddenly, we could RECORD sound!

Dave had an Akai synth, and an SH-101 and we spent the first few weeks just sampling those and the TV for vox samples. Incidentally, at the time we generally only called vocals 'samples' - everything else was just called a 'sound'..

Here are the specs (as I remember them lol)

Sampling Rate: 8-bit/ 4-bit (switchable)

Sampling Time: about ten seconds

Inputs: Stereo 1/8 inch jacks with mic/line settings.

Outputs: 1x SCSI + 2 x RCA

Input Gain: + c.10db ( the original pot was a cool-looking knob, but it broke and Dave put that dodgey-looking one on instead).

Noise: Lots

Fun: Heaps

Inspiration: I'm still sampling today, so hell yeah!!!

So there you have it; an old, old sampler; one that needed a computer to work properly - just like my trusty 606

cartesia · Post by **cartesia** » Wed Sep 05, 2007 4:47 am

ha thats awesome

I reckon back then when things were so limited, it was alot easier to 'get into' makin music...

You weren't overwhelmed with possibilities. . even an amateur would really have to cut the fat out to make a track with 10 seconds of sample time!

kinda why I sold all my gear and am slowly building an ultra-minimal setup.. . and why im not so into computer music production... too much to choose from / waste your time mucking round with

606man · Post by **606man** » Wed Sep 05, 2007 4:57 am

We only had four-tracks to play with too

Funny, that whole idea of 'getting into music' at the right time - there's many who have observed this. Sure, it was painful programming a beat in hex, but it also taught you heaps about patterns of sounds and the like on a very basic level.

Today, while any git can grab a copy of Garageband and throw together a track, the sheer multitude of choices would indeed be overwhelming.

I dunno if I'd have the same enthusiasm if I was just starting out now

cartesia · Post by **cartesia** » Wed Sep 05, 2007 7:26 am

606man wrote: I dunno if I'd have the same enthusiasm if I was just starting out now

I started with PC, and I just couldnt cope. . because there are so many things you're trying to get to happen all at once. .you need to just force yourself not to do it all straight away - heaps of tracks, effects, mixing, synthesis...

kind of why i prefer hardware - can limit myself and keep it simple.

billyboy · Post by **billyboy** » Wed Sep 05, 2007 6:58 pm

I started up with trakcers on atari, and the on pc (ft2 rulez !). THat's what really got me started into music. Then I learned piano, trumpet, guitar...And finally learned cubase and the like.

Now, I haven't opened cubase in two months...only playing live instruments and the sp...That's how addictive hardware is...

balazs · Post by **balazs** » Wed Sep 05, 2007 7:36 pm

thats awsome. got any recorded music from it?

ColeRockLee · Post by **ColeRockLee** » Wed Sep 05, 2007 7:51 pm

juxt wrote:thats awsome. got any recorded music from it?

^ what he said

606man · Post by **606man** » Thu Sep 06, 2007 12:49 am

Yes and no. I did have a whole 'album' recorded on cassette but my 'partner' lent it to some girl and that was that. Damn it made me mad because there's not really any other source for those tracks - they died when the Amiga died.

I do, however, have a couple of samples that I recorded with the unit that I can post - not songs but at least you can hear the gritty sound of the ol' Amiga. I have a piano riff that I got from some wierd TV show at the time that I reckon could almost be flipped for Hip-Hop purposes.

Shit, maybe there could be an 'Amiga Sample' battle

Lopar-XL · Post by **Lopar-XL** » Thu Sep 06, 2007 2:35 am

That looks spiffy, dude. It's sad to read that you lost your music from it. Please do upload your samples to The Library.

drewzle · Post by **drewzle** » Thu Sep 06, 2007 3:24 am

606man wrote: I have a piano riff that I got from some wierd TV show at the time that I reckon could almost be flipped for Hip-Hop purposes.

yes!

Dr. Tad Winslow · Post by **Dr. Tad Winslow** » Fri Sep 07, 2007 12:13 am

So I have nothing to add except this:

That shit looks dope! Much respect, I'm impressed.