Electronic musical instruments that record and manipulate audio samples, allowing musicians to trigger and modify recorded sounds. Also refers to embroidered pieces of cloth displaying various stitching techniques and designs.
From Middle English 'sample' via Old French 'essample' from Latin 'exemplum' (example). The musical meaning emerged in the 1980s with digital technology, while the needlework meaning dates to the 16th century as young women created practice pieces.
Digital samplers revolutionized music production by allowing any sound to become a musical instrument - from breaking glass to human voices. The parallel with needlework samplers is striking: both represent practice and experimentation with a craft, whether stitching or sound design.
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