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First let me say that the TR-808 is one of my favorite drum machines. Let me also say that I agree that by sampling the machine, you lose some of the magic. However, recently I realized that I was quickly running out of inputs on my mixer for all my gear and the time had come to prioritize. Due to this fact I decided to sample my 808 into my MPC2000XL. I did this so I could use the 808's sounds while still having access to my sampler which is an essential piece of my studio. Basically the benefits of being able to have my sampler setup far outweighed the negatives of having to sample my 808 and put it into storage.
If you face the same dilemma, don't fret. Sampling an 808, despite what the naysayers say, is a totally legitimate thing to do IF DONE RIGHT. This includes sampling many hits of the same sound. Do this because due to its analogness, the 808 will never play the same sound the same way twice. Look at the shapes of the waves on an oscilloscope to see this phenomenon. If you do this, you will have enough variety to make a track of 808 samples that will groove.
Sample the noise after the sound decays. You will hear faint clock ticks and some hiss if the sequencer is running with no sounds. This gives the 808 sounds a "cushion" to sit on. This also contributes to its funkiness.
Sample accented hits as well as non accented hits. And obviously, sample variations of the same sound.
I certainly don't believe that sampled 808 sounds can ever be used to recreate the feel of the original machine. But I don't believe this to be the case because of the sound of the samples. I believe this is the case because of the idiosyncracies of the 808 itself. You can never recreate the sequencer, or the randomness of the circuitry. Nor can you accurately recreate the noise, distortion etc which all contribute to the character of the original. However, I feel that sampling is totallly legitimate because of what you have access to with a powerful sequencer running the 808 samples. If you use samples, you can use the 808 sounds in rhythmic ways that could never be produced on the actual 808. This includes 32nd note triplets etc... Plus you can use the 808 sounds in conjunction with any other sound in your library. In this way, the 808 is brought totally up to date.
Another positive to sampling is that the 808 will always be in sync. I don't know about you, but I find that the 808 drifts out of sync after a few minutes if hooked up via dinsync. This is annoying to say the least and disastrous if used live because in the middle of a song, you can't stop and start your master sequencer to bring the 808 back into sync.
I am an analog purist like many, but I believe that people get it wrong when they say that the 808 sounds cannot be sampled. They can, and they will still make your tracks groove. What you cannot sample are the more subtle things which only the 808 can produce and contribute to its unique feel. But don't despair. With some creative sampling, you will be able to do more with those great sounds than were intended. Don't get too hung up on the issue. Do whatever makes your music better.
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