Sampling is synonymous with interactive technology. The pressing of pads on an MPC or Maschine, the splicing of audio on a DAW or even the manual pausing on cassette. But we don’t really see many books or papers on the subject. Amanda Sewell, a musicologist from Indiana University has written a number of papers on sampling and its place in African-American music as well as its relationship with copyright law. In current times of strife with lawsuits, these papers may provide some food for thought or just pique an interest in those with curiosity about the art form.
Read and download them below.
- How Copyright Affected the Musical Style and CriticalReception of Sample-Based Hip-Hop
- Paul’s Boutique and Fear of a Black Planet: Digital Sampling and Musical Style in Hip Hop
- A Typology of Sampling in Hip-Hop
- “The Sampling Network of Public Enemy’s ‘Bring the Noise'”