Those folks who started out in mid-1990s through early 2000s when the broadband connectivity was still a privilege, may recall those CDs sold in the open and – more often than not – under the counter as ‘warez’. In fact, there have been multiple sample libraries vendors who made themselves names back then.
And while software piracy is not nearly the thing to endorse, it probably did increase exposure for then-fledgling sample-production companies. Then again, not necessarily.
Anyway, the library offered here is a sort of homage to those old CDs: legally sold, or conterfeit; or sourced from the BBS’es, or FTP servers, or a city block-wide intranets driven by the tech-savvy fancy, then ‘burnt’ on a CD-R by the means of Nero Burning ROM – back then it was a meaningful thing. And browsing those often chaotic smorgasbords of random samples was an experience as memorable, as sifting through the physical wares at a record store.
So here it is: I have made a library of the assorted samples in .WAV format called black.sided.sun.Special.Sessions.vol.1.WAV.44.1.24.zip. There are field records, mangled field records, synthesized sound effects (helluvalot of blips and beeps), and more.
The demo, aside from the dry samples, also features their heavily reverbed versions. The latter are not included in the collection.
All samples are original, of course, and in no way do I endorse using the pirated content. To the very least, because I know what a hell of a chore it takes to make and assemble anything like that.
The collection in ZIP format contains three folders: ‘field’, ‘synthed’ and ‘websdr’.
The first, as the name suggests, is as hotch-potchery of random field recordings. Many of them feature sounds from a woodworking workshop I’m studying the craft these days: tools, heavy doors clanging, air compressor buzzing, some ambiences etc.
The second features mostly the video games UI-like blips, beeps, bops, as well as some heavily manipulated sounds from the field recording section.
Finally, ‘websdr’ is a handful of SFX records made at this site, then somewhat denoised and upmixed to stereo.
The price is $9.99, and license is CC0 which means that after purchase you are totally entitled to do anything with these samples… Well, as long as you have fun with them.
Please, do have fun!
