the key of some samples...

[genderM]

first post here, i searched but couldnt find anything on the topic, anywhoooo

for the sake of example we'll say i have a flute sample from an old jazz record, which i don't know the key of (in this example we'll just pretend its a flute in the key of G). now if i load this into my sampler and play it in on the key of D, will that make the flute sample sit right in a tune where every other element is in the key of D, or will the original key (G) effect the way the sample meshes with the rest of the sounds in D. i just wanna know if loading a sample and matching it to the key of my track is acceptable both sonically and musically. most of the time when i attempt this it sounds fine, but in the end im a mere novice when it comes to music theory, so i'm hoping that ya'll wobblymozartmofuggahs might be able to shed some light.

a big fat thanks to all of yous.

[Phigure]

first post here, i searched but couldnt find anything on the topic, anywhoooo

for the sake of example we'll say i have a flute sample from an old jazz record, which i don't know the key of (in this example we'll just pretend its a flute in the key of G). now if i load this into my sampler and play it in on the key of D, will that make the flute sample sit right in a tune where every other element is in the key of D, or will the original key (G) effect the way the sample meshes with the rest of the sounds in D. i just wanna know if loading a sample and matching it to the key of my track is acceptable both sonically and musically. most of the time when i attempt this it sounds fine, but in the end im a mere novice when it comes to music theory, so i'm hoping that ya'll wobblymozartmofuggahs might be able to shed some light.

a big fat thanks to all of yous.

By sample do you mean a series of notes or a single note?

If it's a series, I think it would work, as long as you mapped the original sample to the G key (if it's a sample in G). If it's an individual note, it should be obvious, but as long as you map it the correct note, it will play the note you press.

[bugsky]

If you have a sample in G and it is playing a simple G major triad (G, B, D) and transpose it into D major, you would have to pitch shift it down 5 semitones.

G <F#,F,E,D#> D
B <A#,A,G#,G> F#
D <C#,C,B,A#> A

D, F#, A = D major triad.

So, yes it would sound fine.

However, it wouldn't work if it was in G minor and you tried to transpose it, as the Bb in the G minor triad would become an F natural - which would clash with the F# in the key of D major.

Hope I helped... I'm very drunk.

[Recessive Trait]

if you load a sample that is in the key of G into a sampler, and play a D, for example, the result would be the sample played in the key of A. what you need to do is pitch shift that sample in G until it is in C, at which point playing a D on the keyboard will result in the sample being playing in the key of D. make sense?

[nowaysj]

Look at me posting in a music theory thread like I know what I'm talking about. lolz

So I think it is important to figure out what scale it is in. If you are in the same scale, no problem. Like if you are in a major scale, and your sample is in a major scale, merely changing the key shouldn't affect anything.

Now please, all the people that know far better, please correct me.

[genderM]

if you load a sample that is in the key of G into a sampler, and play a D, for example, the result would be the sample played in the key of A. what you need to do is pitch shift that sample in G until it is in C, at which point playing a D on the keyboard will result in the sample being playing in the key of D. make sense?

i get this, but how would i know when the sample is pitched enough to the point that it is a C??

[Basic A]

if you load a sample that is in the key of G into a sampler, and play a D, for example, the result would be the sample played in the key of A. what you need to do is pitch shift that sample in G until it is in C, at which point playing a D on the keyboard will result in the sample being playing in the key of D. make sense?

i get this, but how would i know when the sample is pitched enough to the point that it is a C??

With this

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Piano_key_frequencies

[Recessive Trait]

use your freakin ears. load up a sine wav, play a C, then play the sample, and change the pitch until the root note is a c. it's not freakin rocket science.

[genderM]

use your freakin ears. load up a sine wav, play a C, then play the sample, and change the pitch until the root note is a c. it's not freakin rocket science.

thx for restoring my faith in the internet and forums in general, i was getting scared that noone would give me an asshole response. big ups!

[hurlingdervish]

also

if the original is g with some harmonic content lets say a major third

you cant pitch it to d if your song is in d minor (unless you really want that major minor progression....but lets say you dont)

so you want to pitch it to the relative major of d minor which i believe is a#

so first pitch it to C maj by either droning a c note on another synth or by alternating one to the other

then play an a# on the sampler


if you get good at this, you can create coherent melodies and such from multiple sample sources without that 80's casio-kids-show-single-sample-mapped-to-the-entire-frakkin-keyboard-horridly-cheezy sound

[narcissus]

first post here, i searched but couldnt find anything on the topic, anywhoooo

for the sake of example we'll say i have a flute sample from an old jazz record, which i don't know the key of (in this example we'll just pretend its a flute in the key of G). now if i load this into my sampler and play it in on the key of D, will that make the flute sample sit right in a tune where every other element is in the key of D, or will the original key (G) effect the way the sample meshes with the rest of the sounds in D. i just wanna know if loading a sample and matching it to the key of my track is acceptable both sonically and musically. most of the time when i attempt this it sounds fine, but in the end im a mere novice when it comes to music theory, so i'm hoping that ya'll wobblymozartmofuggahs might be able to shed some light.

a big fat thanks to all of yous.

there are never rules set in stone when it comes to sampling. learn as much about music as you can, then use your ears and your heart. that is all.