Samples are the fastest way to get pro-sounding drums, loops and textures into a track. Producers in community discussions keep raising the same worries: subscription fees and credit limits, sounds that everyone else is using, and whether they are actually allowed to release what they make. This guide covers all three.
The three ways to get samples
| Free sources | Subscription (Splice, Loopcloud) | Buying packs outright | |
|---|---|---|---|
| You pay | Nothing | A monthly fee | Once per pack |
| You get | Packs and instruments chosen by others | Individual sounds from a huge library | A complete, curated pack |
| Download single sounds | Usually no | Yes | No, the whole pack |
| Best for | Learning and experimenting | Variety and following trends | Owning a fixed collection |
| Watch out for | Unclear licences on community sites | Paying for months you barely use | Packs you only use two sounds from |
Subscription libraries
Splice gives you monthly credits to download individual sounds from a very large, searchable catalogue. Its download data is behind many genre trends, including the rise of Afro house.
Loopcloud, from the team behind Loopmasters, also works on a subscription, with a browser inside your DAW so you can audition sounds in time and key with your project.
Buying packs outright
Stores such as Plugin Boutique sell complete sample packs and plugins you own permanently. Sales make this cheaper than it looks. Instrument bundles like Native Instruments Komplete give you playable synths and sampled instruments rather than loops.
Work out the real cost
Divide what you pay by the sounds you actually keep in finished tracks, not by what you download. A subscription that costs the same as one pack a month is good value only if you use more of it than you would of that pack. Two habits help:
- Before subscribing, list the sound types you are missing, such as Afro house percussion or vocal chops. Search for them in the trial or free tier.
- Cancel or pause in months when you are mixing rather than writing.
Good free options
- Free instruments: Spitfire LABS and the free synths in our free tools list.
- Free packs from established stores: many stores give away sampler packs; the licence is usually the same as their paid packs.
- Community sites: useful, but the licence depends on each uploader. Read it before you release.
- Make your own: resample your own synths, record household sounds for percussion, and save one-shots from your projects. Nobody else has them.
Licence checklist before you release
- Is the sound royalty-free for use inside your own music?
- Are there extra rules for vocals or for featuring a sample prominently?
- Are you allowed to sell sample packs that contain it? Usually not.
- Keep a note of where each sample came from.