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ALL ABOUT UNPERMITTED SAMPLING

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Join me in fighting UNPERMITTED sampling!

Click here to learn more about unpermitted sampling!

What is sampling?

Sampling is taking a part of an existing sound recording and using it to record new work. For instance, a guitar’s chord progression from one recording is taken and used as a melody in a new recording. It is important to note that samples do not necessarily have to be taken from songs, but they can be taken from any recording that has sound.

Examples of sampling
  •  Avicii’s “Levels” contains a sample of “Something’s Got a Hold on Me” by Etta James 

  • Sam Hunt’s “Hard to Forget” contains a sample of “There Stands the Glass” by Webb Pierce 

  • Ye’s (aka Kanye West’s) “Stronger” contains a sample of “Harder, Better, Faster, Stronger” by Daft Punk

 

Note that samples do not have to come from recorded music. 

For example: 

  • Charli XCX’s “Boys” samples the coin sound from the Super Mario Bros. video game 

  • Living Colour’s “Cult of Personality” samples famous speeches, including President Kennedy’s 1961 inauguration speech 

  • Billie Eilish’s “Bad Guy” samples the audio from a pedestrian crosswalk signal

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