sampling - noun

The process of copying and recording parts of a piece of music in an electronic form so that they can be used in a different piece of music

Note:

In general terms, music sampling is the use of recorded audio in a new composition and recording. The original sample may or may not be the same, depending on the artist's intention. The "borrowed" elements from the original recording can vary from vocals, beats, etc. In addition, the sample may also be manipulated in different ways and combined with other sounds to make a new creation.

Sampling is a similar process to musique concrète in the 1940s where experimental music is created by splicing and looping tape. This process did not become mainstream until the invention of the tape recorder in the 1960s. Eventually, thanks to its rising popularity, the term sampling became official in the 1970s. Incidentally, sampling create some music genres, notably hip hop. Until now, sampling influences all genres of music, particularly pop and electronic music. Today, a variety of tools and software are in the market to make music sampling easier.

Although sampling is a very common practice in the music industry, it does come with legal ramifications when done improperly. When using samples from other people's music, one must obtain permission to avoid copyright infringement allegations. A prospective "sampler" should therefore recognize and understand the rights associated with the music being sampled. They should know how to obtain a "clearance" in order to gain lawful access to the desired material. Furthermore, copyright owners recover compensation from sampling without authorization.

Sources:

OXFORD LEARNER'S DICTIONARY, online, 2020. Accessed October 27, 2020. https://www.oxfordlearnersdictionaries.com/definition/english/sampling

WIKIPEDIA, online, 2020. Accessed October 27, 2020. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sampling_(music)