I feel the need to weigh in on the pro-sampling side of this debate. There
is little doubt that there are talentless morons making millions biting
other people's stuff, but jeez, that's the fault of an industry that fears
innovation and rewards familiar accessibility rather than the fault of a
technology. Without samplers, these talentless morons would still be
making crappy music, so don't blame the tool. And when it comes down to
it, what sound is truly original? Don't tell me you can make any original
sounds with a grand piano or a cello.... all those sounds have been made
before. A good musician working with samples, like the collage artist
mentioned by the big kumquat, is not simply regurgitating the already-said
but reincorporating the familiar (or even the unfamiliar) into a new piece.
Music is like language in one sense -- how could we understand each other
if we had to use brand new words every time we spoke? Isn't sampling
simply a more technological form of the kind of repetition that has been
going on for centuries in music? Why is sampling a beat to use as the
backbone of a new song any different from basing a new blues song on an old
blues riff in the end?
Personally I like samples that are recognizable, especially when they are
put together in a clever and ironic manner (think EBN or Steinski). I
think it is generally obvious whether someone is doing something new and
different with the sample vs. when they are using it to thinly veil their
own lack of ideas (think puff daddy). But why is it any different if the
artist uses a computer rather than a set of strings? Or in this case
(ironically enough) the discussion seems to center around whether it is
different if the artist uses one kind of computer program (sampler) vs.
another (synthesizer)? Those making the args should remember that
electronic dance music was dissed hard for a long time (and still is in
some circles) making virtually the same argument - the synthesizer makes it
too easy for someone to be unoriginal yet sound good; these weenies should
become Real Musicians and learn to fiddle with strings or reeds before they
are allowed to make people dance!!
my 2 cents...
Ben