M-Audio Torq Sampler

CHAPTER

English

English

CHAPTER

Sampler

When talking about music, a sampler is not a plate of hors d’oeuvres. A sampler is a device

that will digitally re cord a sound that you can then replay at variou s pitches. If you’re into

any k ind of electronic dance music or hi p-hop, you’ve undoubtedly heard sa mplers in

use.

But what good is a sampler for a DJ? In recent years, DJs have used samplers to add sound

effects to their mix. Such e ffects range from simple sounds like laser guns and bombs to

more complex passages, such as a radio st ation’s identication or the DJ’s name. Torq’s

Sampler will le t you do the same— and due to its tight integration with the D ecks, you’ll

also be able to record loops that will stay synchronized to your mix . This will give you the

ability to record and layer a song back o n top of itself, or to play other loops in sync w ith

your music. This can be especially effective w hen using th e Sampler w ith various drum

and percussion loops—you can create your own drum pattern s to layer with your mix for

added emphasis, or to keep t he beat owing during a breakdown in the music.

Torq has 16 ind ividual Sample Slots, each capable of recordin g and playing back a single

audio sample. Below, you’ll learn the how to use the various controls in the Sampler along

with techniques for cap turing perfect loops.

Before you can record a sampl e, you must choose an audio source for the sam ple. When

using Torq, this is a s simple as engaging t he PFL (he adphone icon) on a Mixer channel.

When you do this, you’ll hear that channel in your headphones and it will also be routed to

the Sampler. This means th at the Headphone Volume slider also act s as the Record Level

adjustment for the Samp ler.

This routing scheme has two benets. First, you can record a sample from an audio source

that your audien ce cannot hear. For examp le, you could record a vocal break from your

next song and play it to hint at the tr ack you’re about to play. Secondl y, this routing

scheme allows you to record from m ore than one source at a time. If you en able the PFL

on multiple Mixer channel s, their signals will be mixed together for sa mpling as a whole.

The ide a when making any type of digital recording is to record the sound as loud as

possible, but no t so loud that it causes distortion. Like “The Price Is Right,” you want to

get as clo se to the ma ximum without going over. Torq includes a limiter on the PFL, so

you won’t have to worry if the sound you’re recording has a few loud peak s—they won’t

cause distortion.