Over the years, there have been at least a hundred different samplers on the market — everything from primitive hardware devices in the 1980s (the Fairlight CMI and Ensoniq Mirage, for instance) to today’s sophisticated software instruments.

Downloaded a few? Here’s how to turn them into real music.

The muscle that powers music technology.

The Swiss Army knife of computer music production.

If you want to produce a great pop record, getting great performances out of the musicians is only half the battle. Once the tracks are laid down, it’s time to do the mix. Mixing involves adjusting the volumes of the tracks, changing ...