Chopping (sampling technique)

In hip hop music sampling, chopping is the "altering [of] a sampled phrase [or break] by dividing it into smaller segments and reconfiguring them in a different order." (Schloss 2004, p.106)

When a producer chops melodic samples, he/she generally rearranges the order of the loop to create a new and often rhythmic melody based around the drum beat. The chopping of samples was not very prevalent until the mid 1990's when sampling hardware was improved. Most samples were chopped on Akai MPCs and SP-1200s.

Notable Producers Who Chop Samples The chopped style of sampling is generally associated with DJ Premier, but many other producers use it effectively, for example: J Dilla, Apollo Brown, Madlib, Large Professor, Just Blaze and The Alchemist.

Source

• Schloss, Joseph G. (2004). Making Beats: The Art of Sample-Based Hip Hop. Middletown, Connecticut: Wesleyan University Press. ISBN 0-8195-6696-9.