Research into and design of a digital sound sample library for acoustic drums

[摘要] ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Sound sample libraries represent the format in which huge collections of sampled sounds are made availablefor use within digital samplers and/or other digital audio workstations (DAW's). Although in use for manyyears, little or no academic research has been done on the methodology of compiling a commercial soundsample library.In this endeavour, the factors influencing the design, recording and publishing of a sound sample library areinvestigated through the actual design of a drum sample library. The rationale behind the sampling of a drumkit is carefully depicted in the light of various other factors influencing the instrument, as well as beinginfluenced by the instrument itself.A professional drummer was engaged to play a state-of-the art Gretsch acoustic drum kit. Samples of the kit,consisting of various individual instrument parts, were recorded in three locations within the Konservatoriumof Stellenbosch University, for reasons carefully explained in the text.These numerous drum hits were mixed and cut into individual drum samples. The samples were mapped intoa digital software sampler, GigaStudio, creating five distinct collections of drum samples that faithfullyrepresent the quality of the drum kit, the recording rooms as well as the equipment used in the process.The outcome of the study is a professional product in the form of a Gretsch drum sample collection, preparedfor commercial release. Many of the drum samples have already been used successfully in commercial musicreleases over the past 12 months.Whilst the drum sample library is currently being published, the product and documentation clearly depictthe viability of the study in terms of the artistic and academic expectations that have been met. The studyanticipates future research on the subject.

[发布机构] Stellenbosch University