Is It Cheating? Presets, Samples, and Pre-made Loops

“I make everything myself.” It’s a point of pride for many producers. Some people refuse to use anything in their productions that wasn’t made by their own hands. It’s a valid point. If that’s you, go for it.

The problem occurs when these production purists bully budding producers, claiming that using pre-made loops is tantamount to “cheating.” Often, these are the same people who look down at producers who like presets as well.

But is it really cheating to use presets and loops in your productions? Does it compromise your integrity as a producer?

Short answer: Nope. It certainly does not.

Music Creation Is The Art of Thieving

When it comes down to it, musicians are a bunch of thieves. We always have been and always will be. Music propagates due to new people recycling ideas, sounds, and rhythms they have heard time and time again. Each new person adds their own personal flair to it. This is how a music becomes a living, evolving thing – a beast all its own.

Getting more to the point, electronic music is particularly brash about its tendency to steal – not stopping at riffs or lyrics, but literally stealing performances. We have a special word for this type of theft: sampling.

Samples

This kind of stealing is so prevalent, we even have a machine that specifically does it for us. Sampling is something every producer will do at some point, and the legalities attached to the topic can be daunting and convoluted – something outside the scope of this particular article. But as long as you have done your due diligence in acquiring the appropriate licenses, using samples is just fine. In fact, electronic music culture encourages it. So don’t feel bad about shamelessly lifting your favorite TV show lines and popular acapellas. Steal EVERYTHING!

Do you have a favorite artist? Steal their kick drums! Piggy-back your track on a few sounds someone else has made. Technically, yes; you need licenses to do that, just like a well known drum break. Ethically, it is wrong to sample without crediting, and I cannot condone it, but what is the likelihood that you get busted for a kick or hat sample? Mind you, the penalties for getting busted stealing and publishing without licenses can get steep. I would err on the side of caution — licenses are cheaper than legal fees.

What About Loops?

Loops are something hard-headed fundamentalists hate because they see it as a shortcut. In their minds, they are earning their success by creating “all-original” music. They often tend to take much longer to produce, or they fail to complete tracks at all.

Loops are a means to quicken your workflow. You know you want a certain tambourine-kind of loop? If you’re stellar at programming drums, you may bang out a quick loop that would work well. But what if you don’t have a specific idea? Reach into your tambourine bag and try on a quick loop. It grooves? Great – next part!

The key here – and what these angry producers look down upon – is when a track is mostly composed of pre-made loops or construction kits. Sure, there is definitely an art in the selection process, but at that point you might as well just be a DJ and call it a day.

So where is the line? It’s a gray area. Personally, I don’t like to use more than one or two pre-made loops in anything I do, if that. I would much rather learn how to create the types of loops I want.

And Presets?

There is nothing wrong with using presets. Anyone who tells you otherwise is full of it.

The truth is, not everybody is a sound designer. Sound design is a deeply involved, time-consuming process that some people get a great deal of personal satisfaction out of. That’s great for them, but you have access to a variety of staples by using presets. Tweak them a little bit and presto – you have a new sound.

Or don’t tweak it at all. If it works, it works. Do you see bass players all running home to build their own bass guitars from scratch? Of course not. That would be ridiculous. Likewise, don’t feel you need to build your pluck sound from an INIT patch every single time. You do not need to reinvent the wheel.

Conclusion

Different people have different strengths when it comes to music production. Some people are gifted performers. Others have a ear for arrangement. Yet others just have a knack for sound design. The point is to find your strength and joy in the studio and lean into it. That doesn’t mean you stop learning or practicing your weak points, it means pinpointing what YOU do best and putting that on display in your productions.

Don’t let any purist tell you what tools you may or may not use in your own workflow. What works for them may not work for you, and that’s okay. However on the same token, beware of abusing premade loops. They can overtake your production and silence you as an artist if you are not careful.

Chris Lazaga
AudioMunk

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