Can Some One Break Down The Benifit Of 12 Bit Samples

Cos I've been thinking about this alot recently, is 12-bit only banging when sampled on vintage machines such as the s950, mpc60 and the sp1200?

If thats the case then im thinking its most likely the A/D converters making shit bang.

Cos im sure when u already have a wave on ur pc that is 16-bit and u reduce the bit rate u dont get the same effect do u?

its all about overdriving the inputs on a 12 bit machine when sampling.....so i guess its all to do with the a/d converters as you cant get the same results just by resampling in sound forge....

greg

I think you should be able to emulate it by first bitreducing, then adding just a touch of overdrive distortion and then give it a boost somewhere around 5-8khz.

A 12 bit sampler, like the S950 or Emax or Roland S550, sounds beautiful along side a 16 bit sampler nowadays. Can't use it for everything, but it can offer a sound color that escapes you if you only have modern synths and computer programs.

If you have everything else, a 12 bit sampler is a good tool to have in your sound arsenal. If all you have is a 12 bit sampler in your studio, then your palette is very much limited.

Peace.

what about pete rock?

i think pete rock probably uses some other pro bits of gear these days...even the old skool stuff would have been mastered giving you a sheen that you couldn't achieve with just a sampler...

greg

Since so many people that I encounter online who talk about producing Hiphop have mainstream or mainstream-ish commercial aspirations, I am talking about that kind of person. I happen to like Pete Rock. I think he is a cornerstone of this art, but I'm sure he's happy with what equipment he's got and is not wondering what he should purchase next. I also don't know what tools he currently uses. I heard he has a MPC3000, but I don't know for sure.

Anyway, I still think that nowadays if all you have is a 12 bit sampler in your studio today, your palette is limited. Doesn't mean you can't make good music. Just means that the kinds of sounds and the quality of sound that you can make are not as broad as that which is possible with a range of different instruments.

Peace.

yup agreed...id love a 12 bit for that grimeyness but also want a s5000 for its clarity.....

greg

pete rock uses the SP1200 and now also the MPC2000XL. He said it in an interview... He used to have the SP12 back in the day though..
Also, did you guys know that madlib does not use the quantize setting on his sampler? I'm not shure which one he has..think it's the 2000XL

yeah you can hear it...prefuse does the same i think it comes from pad practice....i think for any styles which are funky or soul based need the quantize off.....unless its a faster dance based style...and then you only need to quantize one or two elements to keep time...

greg

last interview I read he said sp303, sp 1200, MPC 3000 & 4000

pete rock made every album up until his newest on the sp 1200. he switched to the mpc 2000xl on soul survivor 2.

madlib rocks the sp1200 and the sp303.

the reason that most of their shit bumps harder is indeed from mastering.

mastering houses can do a hell of a lot more than we can. its worth the dough.

12 bit is dope, but i dont use it for everything.

i try and keep everything in the mpc and freak it as hard as i can.

I have 2 12 bit and 1 16 bit sampler.

What I like about the 12 bit one is that whatever you put into it sounds a bit different. Like it has more presence. I can get clean and dirty on my 60, but even when something sampled sounds the same as the source, it has a presence that the original didn't. I think it helps make a bunch of different kicks and snares sound like they are all one kit, because the 12 bit quality is uniform regardless of the source.

In a track if you have something 12 bit come in it really grabs your attention, it stands out in the track.

You can get sounds like that ith software, but hardware 12 bit has many more advantages than just the sound.

sensewondah wrote:the reason that most of their **** bumps harder is ...

...because they have talent!

elmacaco wrote: I think it helps make a bunch of different kicks and snares sound like they are all one kit, because the 12 bit quality is uniform regardless of the source.

In a track if you have something 12 bit come in it really grabs your attention, it stands out in the track.

You can get sounds like that in software, but hardware 12 bit has many more advantages than just the sound.

I feel you on that one. I have two 12-bit samplers too. I use them in all my tracks.
You can emulate it by bitreduction and distortion, but since a pair of good plug-ins/effects are likely more expensive than an old 12bit sampler, why bother?