Hip-hop producers can now access thousands of free samples through the Library Of Congress’ archives
Something of note for producers around the globe.
Brian Foo, a DJ and computer scientist, has created a new computer program in tandem with the Library Of Congress recorded music archives.
Entitled Citizen DJ, the new program aims to make countless archived recorded material available free of charge for producers to sample in their compositions.
The idea, spearheaded by Foo, is to usher back in the golden era of hip-hop, when producers were able to take a collage approach with samples to best construct their beats. As copyright issues have become more prominent within the world of sampling, Citizen DJ will give producers access to thousands of raw recordings – dating right back to the invention of the phonograph.
A beta version of Citizen DJ is available to use now here.
The full program, due out later this year, will allow producers to scroll the entire catalogue via three methods.
The first will be an interface for searching by sounds and by metadata, the second will be an app which will allow you to wholesale remix recordings with beats. Finally, the third option to producers will be sample pack styled collections of recordings which producers will be able to download and use how they see fit.
The whole Citizen DJ program seems like a state of art endeavour, it’s the result of the US government’s Innovator in Residence Program (currently Brian Foo) – definitely well worth a read up on.
