“Outside” and “Poke in the Ear with a Sharp Stick” sampling audio CDs

by J. Arif Verner

Both sampling CDs in this review are audio disks - as opposed to sampler-specific CD-ROMS. There are several advantages and disadvantages to this format. With audio CDs, simply pop the disk in the player, audition the sounds and pick the ones to be used. And since audio disks are easier to produce, they are a lot cheaper than CD-ROMs. However, the samples still have to be imported into a sampler. Not to mention the editing and looping that may need to be done. With CD-ROMs, the sounds load directly into the sampler. No fuss and no mess. But the cost of a CD-ROM is often twice the amount of the audio CD version.

A Poke in the Ear with a Sharp Stick

The folks at Rarefaction are at it again with another collection of brain-twisted sounds. Actually, “A Poke in the Ear” ($89) contains selected samples culled from Pokes Volume I and II. So I guess this is a “best-of” collection. Sounds on this one hour disk are divided into seven main categories. These include Ambience, Complex Hits, Machines, Melodics, Percussive, Rhythmic Loops and Voice. Within these categories, there are a total of 99 CD tracks. Each track contains one to a dozen indexed samples. The indexed samples are the actual sounds. Rarefaction lists most of this information on the inside liner notes. For the complete listings, there is a supplemental booklet available. Wouldn’t it make more sense (and be cheaper) to include everything in the CD notes?

The samples range anywhere from a fraction of a second up to approximately 12 seconds. However, most are short at a couple of seconds. The exception is track 99 which contains several longer samples and ambiences from the Oakland Jail. The descriptive names do justice with the likes of “Alien Garbage Disposal,” “Big Metal Sheets,” “Mutating Life Form” and “Machine Chain.” Many of the sounds are quick “industrial” hits and crashes. These are meant to be looped into rhythmic patterns. And many of the samples list the bpm (beats per minute). This makes life easier when constructing sequenced loops. Also included in this disk is a ten second test tone (a sinewave at A440 at 0db). All the samples in this package are normalized to the tone. Good idea.

This kind of stuff may not be for everyone. But if your next project calls for dissonance, abrasive sounds and weird effects, “A Poke in the Ear” is the best place to get it.

Outside

Voice Crystal’s new two disk set sampling CD is aptly entitled, “Outside” ($99.95). The back cover of the case describes it best, “Cinamatic to X-Static, Deep Space Atmospheres.” Audio samples range anywhere from ten seconds up to three minutes - with the majority around two minutes. At these lengths, “Outside” makes for a rewarding listening experience in addition to a sampling opportunity.

These disks will appeal to anyone scoring sci-fi films, planetarium soundtracks, “classical” ambient music or any creative post-production work. The origins of these samples are digital and analog synths and treated samples of natural sounds. However, the overall feel is of thick, fat, processed analog sounds. Many of these samples are slow, subsonic drones that breathe, gurgle and evolve. Nothing static here. These disks also include many mutated nature sounds. How about frogs, crickets and birds filtered through an industrial factory?

Samples are divided into 13 categories with names like “Time Travel,” “Quantum Mechanics,” “Breath of God” and “Falling Space.” Sonically, this disk is impeccable. Imagery is alive and full of movement. The idea behind the long samples is that the user can pick and choose what parts to use. So expect to do some editing.

Yes, this is also specialized stuff. Two hours of dark atmospheric music that can be listened to or sampled. Many of these pieces are fairly complete works with multiple layers of tracks. Some sound designers may feel that there is little room to add anything else. But with two hours of sounds and 108 samples, there is plenty of “Outside” material to choose from.

Contact Rarefaction at 415 346-0171.
Contact Voice Crystal at 1 800 726-7664.