The ethics of digital audio sampling: engineers’ Discourse –  1991 – Thomas Porcello

Porcello defines sampling as the process in which one “Extract a fragment of sound from one context and place it in a new one” (p.69), Samplers can be seen as “Instruments of controversy” (p.69) within the industry particularly to sound engineers. Since this text was written (1991), technology has progressed significantly. Now we are able to obtain samplers on our mobile phones, how does this affect the ethics of sampling if almost anyone could access sampling equipment? “The traditional division of labour in the recording process have become blurred the past several years by the increased affordability, simplicity and quality of home-recording equipment.” (p.71) The “division of labour” is an interesting phrase, as I feel over last few decades (since this text was released) there has been an uprise in artists engineering/ producing there own works as well as a rise in ‘bedroom musicians’.

Some argue that “The original work is given new meaning through the act of being placed in a new context. Creativity is embodied not only by composition, but by transposition of meaning through contextual- and thus semantic – shifts.” (P.71-72), I agree with this statement that recontextualisation counts for fair use, particularly within sound art context due to its difference from the samples’ original form in comparison to the final piece. It is important to note that although I do not personally see any major problems with sampling the “semantic – shift” plays a crucial role within this. I feel that the idea of one owning a sound is a product of capitalism, why are some so protective over the sonic elements they create and share with the world? I don’t particularly like the idea that artists are so set on their work as a commodity, although this may be easy for me to say as an art student with no idea if I will ever profit from my work.

• “At what point does individual or collective creativity begin? The question is based on an implicit attempt to draw a line between what is public and what is private. At what point do the raw materials of artists’ works (be they sounds, colours or words) become the intrinsic elements of personal expression?”(p.76)
• “What difference does it make whether I sample a bird, a plane, or someone else’s drum sounds? Who, when all is said and done, really owns a sound (Alvaro 1986)” (p.77)

I find these two extracts from Porcello’s writing particularly interesting, outlining the idea that an artists  materials are simply that, materials. I find the commentary on public and private interesting, if an artist shares there work publicly then the consumption of it is out of their control but does that make it public? Alvaro highlights the concept that there may not be many differences in sampling things such as a bird (basically field recording) and someones drums because ultimately all sounds are a product of something but maybe not always a product of someone.

‘Wilson’ from Saint Ettiennes debut album Foxbase Alpha (an album with a plethora of genius sampling from start to end) is a brilliant example of sampling. This track is comprised mainly of two samples. The melodic sample taken from Hey Jude by Wilson Pickett and the vocal sample from an educational record designed to teach children about the change in the currency from shillings to pounds and pence, set in a sweet shop. As one might expect, a key way in which Saint Ettienne used samples was by looping them, this is a way of adding rhythm in a very interesting way but I would say that when the loops are broken or paused even more interest is added. The use of audio effects distorts the samples further changing them from there original form. By proscribing new meaning to a sample, meaning and intention are warped; the educational record made reference to the abriviations of old money – L,S,D which was recontextualised by Saint Ettienne making a reference to the drug culture of the 1960s and 70s. 

Link to listen on spotify: https://open.spotify.com/track/1n8g8Sg9NefHO7fW2P9EA6?si=4b88b05d6c3645a7

Trying sampling using techniques shown in the lecture 15th April. The sample I chose to use in this instance was from Pauline Oliveros’ talk with Red Bull found on youtube as well as some exerts from my own previous works.