The breakthrough of sampling: 1985

[bitley]

1985 was the big year of the new sampling technology, 36 years ago. Paul Hardcastle's groundbreaking stuttery Sa Sa Saigon - the track's name was "19", and triggering the word 19 creates the epic na na na na nineteen - thus giving the word wranglers at (then) Propellerhead the idea of naming Reason's first sampler NN-19.

In 1985 the first public sampler to be affordable - at around $1995 - was the 8-voice polyphonic Ensoniq Mirage. Akai were also releasing their first sampler with the optional Quick Disk 2 Rack unit - the S-612 which would allow endless overdubbing of sample recordings.

I have two samplers from the 80's today, still inspiring machines; the Ensoniq EPS and the Akai S1000KB.

Which were your first favourite tracks with sampling?

[EdwardKiy]

My mom sang this to me as a lullaby when I was little. I still remember all the lyrics

[bitley]

Beauuutiful.

{Those knowing their Yello history knows what I mean}

[teddymcw]

Thanks! This is cool and wouldn't have made it all the way without the context.

[bxbrkrz]

Jean-Michel Jarre - Zoolook (198?)

[fullforce]

1985 was the big year of the new sampling technology, 36 years ago. Paul Hardcastle's groundbreaking stuttery Sa Sa Saigon - the track's name was "19", and triggering the word 19 creates the epic na na na na nineteen - thus giving the word wranglers at (then) Propellerhead the idea of naming Reason's first sampler NN-19.

In 1985 the first public sampler to be affordable - at around $1995 - was the 8-voice polyphonic Ensoniq Mirage. Akai were also releasing their first sampler with the optional Quick Disk 2 Rack unit - the S-612 which would allow endless overdubbing of sample recordings.

I have two samplers from the 80's today, still inspiring machines; the Ensoniq EPS and the Akai S1000KB.

Which were your first favourite tracks with sampling?

MARRS - Pump up the volume. Massive track, still is.

[miyaru]

Mmm, wasn't the breakthrough of analog sampling in 1967 with The Beatles performing "Strawberry Fields Forever"? On the Mellotron?

The beatifull flute intro and psychadelic parts in the end of the song. The Mellotron was the first sampler as far as I know of.



https://open.spotify.com/track/3Am0IbOx ... e3c02e4e27

[bitley]

MARRS - Pump up the volume. Massive track, still is.

Oh I absolutely agree. It's amazing.

[Heater]

I bought a Ensoniq Mirage second hand as soon as I could afford it but was sadly stolen out of my flat.
It had some great sounds and was a fantastic instrument to play.

[bitley]

Sad to hear that, the Mirage was apparently used a lot by Jam & Lewis on many of Janet Jackson's hit tracks. As well as on Good Life by Inner City of course.

Beatles & the Mellotron is blueprint yes but the Mellotron was the analog forerunner to digital sampling instruments. It would not let you sample so in a way it was the first sample playback instrument, where each new sound would cost like a new car or so. Installing a sound was also similar to installing an engine into a car

[BRIGGS]

Installing a sound was also similar to installing an engine into a car

[raymondh]

Nice!
I used to have a Roland W-30 workstation. Loved that. From memory it was used by MC Hammer, not sure who else...

Favourite first albums/tracks with sampling:
+1 on JMJ Zoolook (Fairlight CMI)
JMJ - The Concerts in China (CMI)
Kraftwerk Electric Cafe album (Sampler ?)
Tangerine Dream Central (Sampler ?)
Yello Oh Yeah (Sampler ?)
Depeche Mode - lots People are People, Get The Balance Right, ... (Emulator)
Pet Shop Boys - West End Girls, Two Divided By Zero - (Emulator)
Kate Bush - Wuthering Heights (CMI)
Herbie Hancock - Rockit (CMI)
Jan Hammer - Escape from Television [Miami Vice soundtrack] (CMI I think)

[motuscott]

Installing a sound was also similar to installing an engine into a car

Lucy, you got a lot of splaining to do...

[bitley]

Lucy, you got a lot of splaining to do...

Right about now...

My funk soul brother

[marcuswitt]

Nice!
I used to have a Roland W-30 workstation. Loved that. From memory it was used by MC Hammer, not sure who else...

Favourite first albums/tracks with sampling:
+1 on JMJ Zoolook (Fairlight CMI)
JMJ - The Concerts in China (CMI)
Kraftwerk Electric Cafe album (Sampler ?) --> Synclavier
Tangerine Dream Central (Sampler ?) --> Emulator
Yello Oh Yeah (Sampler ?) --> Fairlight CMI III
Depeche Mode - lots People are People, Get The Balance Right, ... (Emulator)
Pet Shop Boys - West End Girls, Two Divided By Zero - (Emulator)
Kate Bush - Wuthering Heights (CMI)
Herbie Hancock - Rockit (CMI)
Jan Hammer - Escape from Television [Miami Vice soundtrack] (CMI I think)

[BRIGGS]

Lucy, you got a lot of splaining to do...

Right about now...

My funk soul brother

+1 like

[bxbrkrz]

Commercial works:
Kate Bush - Wuthering Heights
The Art of Noise

Non commercial works:
All the demoscene songs out from my Atari ST, and my friend's Amiga 500. And in "pure digital crispness", not from my old tech TDK cassettes
My Floppies were my "ipod" collection. My collection was in many shoeboxes, in perfect 2 rows (or columns? Depending how you open the box I guess).
To me that was the true breakthrough of sampling. That, and dreaming about owning a Casio FZ-1 one day.

The Mellotron is an analog rompler, imho.

[fullforce]

Nice!
I used to have a Roland W-30 workstation. Loved that. From memory it was used by MC Hammer, not sure who else...

I have one. And a DJ-70 MK2

Oh, and maybe the Prodigy rings a bell?

[Billy+]

Interesting thread but you could definitely go back a few more years for music made using samples, definitely not available for the average home/bedroom producer but many of the tracks that have been released over the years since have probably got a little fairlight in them..

https://blog.scienceandmediamuseum.org. ... -playlist/

[bitley]

And you are telling that to me? Seriously.

1 9 8 5 :

I will however always remember that 1985 was the year sampling was breaking through commercially and became known to us kids on the street. It became the buzz word in every pop magazine.

[integerpoet]

I love that YouTube believes "19" should be age-restricted and "Fucking In Heaven" should be available to everyone.

[Billy+]

I love that YouTube believes "19" should be age-restricted and "Fucking In Heaven" should be available to everyone.

Well it's the best solution for all concerned

[raymondh]

Nice!
I used to have a Roland W-30 workstation. Loved that. From memory it was used by MC Hammer, not sure who else...

Favourite first albums/tracks with sampling:
+1 on JMJ Zoolook (Fairlight CMI)
JMJ - The Concerts in China (CMI)
Kraftwerk Electric Cafe album (Sampler ?) --> Synclavier
Tangerine Dream Central (Sampler ?) --> Emulator
Yello Oh Yeah (Sampler ?) --> Fairlight CMI III
Depeche Mode - lots People are People, Get The Balance Right, ... (Emulator)
Pet Shop Boys - West End Girls, Two Divided By Zero - (Emulator)
Kate Bush - Wuthering Heights (CMI)
Herbie Hancock - Rockit (CMI)
Jan Hammer - Escape from Television [Miami Vice soundtrack] (CMI I think)

Thanks!!

[raymondh]

Nice!
I used to have a Roland W-30 workstation. Loved that. From memory it was used by MC Hammer, not sure who else...

I have one. And a DJ-70 MK2

Oh, and maybe the Prodigy rings a bell?

Nice! Oh yeah I think I had heard Prodigy used a W-30. Very cool!

[fullforce]

Nice! Oh yeah I think I had heard Prodigy used a W-30. Very cool!

Their first EP was made with 2-W30's and nothing else.