Adding textures to samples.

[admbmb]

Anybody have any advice to get more textures out of your samples? I know if you compress hard with crackles or white noise, you can get some wicked effects on somewhat dull tracks. Sometimes it seems like if you sample very low and then use vinyl sim, there is a little fluttery effect that occurs (probably line noise, idk...).

[Jim Y]

Working at a lower level is a good thing. It leaves more headroom for radical treatment and makes it easier to bring the low level inner detail of a sound out. It makes ordinary multitrack recording and mixing better too.

EQ can be very useful. Try cutting the mid band a lot, then any treatment after that causes distortion will create harmonics from the low band that will fill in the space the EQ made in the middle. The SP Isolator is a very powerful EQ to try.

Filter effect used subtly can further sculpt the sound. Avoid the temptation to raise the Q so high that it quacks and just tune the controls so it lifts something interesting out.

Filter > Distort > Filter

Jim

[lodger]

resampling while changing or modulating effects (such as the filters) even on a small level can add dynamic interest to an otherwise boring sample. I'd highly recommend it.

[admbmb]

Thanks for the advice. Really having a lot of luck with recording low and then compressing to bring it loud again.

Didn't have a whole lot of luck with the Filter>Distort>Filter deal, but I guess we all have our resample processes.