Guitar Sample Packs / Loops in Modern Music Production

There’s no doubt that guitar is one of the most popular and most common instruments on the planet. In modern music, guitar is incorporated in a wide variety of productions. But what happens when a producer or an artist doesn’t play guitar and they want to use guitar within their productions? A couple of options are to: 1) hire someone to play guitar for you, which could cost hundreds of dollars depending on the guitarist, or 2) use a VST or plugin that tries to replicate a real guitar sound, even though it ends up just sounding, meh. 

This is where guitar loops, or guitar sample packs, come into play. Using guitar loops or guitar samples gives artists and producers the opportunity to use real guitar within their productions, without having to pay someone tons of $$$.

Benefits of Using Guitar Loops / Samples in Productions

Guitar loops, guitar samples, or any type of loop or sample in general, really helps trigger creativity and inspiration. Now, before any of the “sample shamers” come along and say how sampling is just “stealing someone else’s work” or how it is “cheating”, let me just say this:

If sampling is cheating or taking someone else’s work for your own credit, then I also shouldn’t sample drums or percussion, right? I should make my own drums and percussion. 

But wait, now here I am using someone else’s plugin or ‘‘sampler’’ or whatever to make my own drums. Let me go make my own plugin…

Well hang on, now I feel guilty because I’m using a DAW that someone else made. Same with my computer. This could keep going on and on, but I’ll stop. My point is, I don’t think there’s anything wrong with using samples or loops in order to either aid or spark an artist’s creativity. They are there for a reason and unless you are blatantly copying someone else’s full productions, there is nothing wrong with using samples or loops. 

Popular Artists and Producers that Use Samples

There are SO many artists and producers that use guitar loops or just random samples in their productions today.

One that sticks out in particular to me is Marshmello. You know his song “FRIENDS” that’s racked up BILLIONS of streams worldwide across all different music streaming platforms? Yeah, that uses a guitar loop from Splice throughout the ENTIRE song… yet, it’s still a HIT. And you know what the best part is? Marshmello actually plays guitar too. But he heard something special and decided, ‘This is what I want to use in order to create my next hit song.’ 

Another artist that has tons of songs with guitar loops is Iann Dior. Iann Dior is a singer, rapper, etc. who makes bangers. And almost all of his songs are sitting on the foundation of guitar loops, and they all sound great. 

Another prime example is Justin Bieber. Justin Bieber used a chord sample from one of Laxcity’s sample packs on his newest album “Changes”.

Lastly, I’ll mention Oak Felder. If you don’t know who Oak Felder is, he is a Grammy nominated songwriter and producer. He’s also won multiple BMI Pop Awards for songs such as “Here” and “Scars to Your Beautiful” by Alessia Cara, and “Sorry Not Sorry” by Demi Lovato. He also has songwriting and production credits with artists such as Chris Brown, Kehlani, Jason Derulo, The Chainsmokers, Kelly Clarkson, John Legend, Snakehips, and SO many more. 

Anyways, Oak Felder basically built Demi Lovato’s song “Sorry Not Sorry” on the foundation of Splice samples. Check out this interview for yourself: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RD1tIcDlunE. 

I’ll wrap up by re-emphasizing my point that there is so much good that can come out of sampling and just using samples in modern production. By all means do what you can to create music and art that is yours and original to you, but samples are there to help aid you in your creativity, so rather than feeling guilty about using them or worried what others might think, use them to your advantage. That’s why they are there.