Production masterclass

In this tutorial you’ll learn how to use a famous synth… for sampling

with Ashley Thorpe

Alchemy is a really cool synth for sound design and manipulation, but did you know that it can also be used as a sampler? I think it’s actually pretty amazing given that it’s a free tool native to Logic Pro X since version 10.2. Music makers really should be taking advantage as it offers a lot.

In this tutorial I’m going to show you how to use Alchemy with your MIDI keyboard to trigger samples, and also the depth at which those samples can be manipulated. There are endless possibilities if you just want to experiment.

If you’ve read or watched my previous tutorials, you’ll know that I’m a producer who largely dabbles in hip-hop sub-genres. Sampling is a historical mainstay of a track whether it be drums or the basis of a new song entirely. I’ve used several tools to aid my creativity when it comes to sampling: Akai APCs, Novation Launchpads among them. But I’ve had an equal amount of success just using my MIDI keyboard with the Alchemy synth. One of the best things about it has been the option to play a range of individual samples triggered by individual keys, in addition to having the full range of keys play a single sample at a different pitch. That kind of flexibility shouldn’t be overlooked.