Conductor Williams Discusses the Art of Sampling

Introduction

“Peace man, peace man, peace—back at it. The Conductor chops…”

That’s how Conductor Williams kicks off his laid-back yet deeply insightful discussion on the art of sampling. If you’ve followed his rise—especially through his work with Griselda—you know that his unorthodox methods and unbridled enthusiasm give him a one-of-a-kind style. In this post, we’ll dive into Conductor Williams’ journey: discovering sampling, working with Westside Gunn, and chasing the “feeling” in every record he flips.

A Chance Encounter With the MPC

Conductor recounts the day his friend Cali Nate brought an MPC 2000 into his house:

“He just sat it down in front of me…I had no idea what he just put in front of me. It was like some alien contraption.”

At that time, Conductor was already making music with a Korg Triton LE, but the MPC opened the door to an entirely new way of producing. This wasn’t simply about pressing keys—it was about grabbing sound from any source imaginable and molding it into something fresh.

Learning by Experimentation

After figuring out how to capture sound through the MPC’s inputs, Conductor took a childlike, experimental approach. He explains:

“I knew how to get sound in it, so let’s see what happens if I hook a VCR up…or a CD player.”

Plugging in random devices taught him that the possibilities in sampling were limitless. He emphasizes that, in the beginning, he was clueless yet open—he didn’t have years of YouTube tutorials or producer forums. Instead, he tapped into raw curiosity and allowed mistakes to guide him to new textures and ideas.

Finding a Sample: It’s About Feel

A critical piece of advice Conductor gives is that it’s not about chasing a specific sample style, but rather trusting your intuition:

“I don’t look with my eyes or my ears. I look for something that feels like how I’m feeling in that time.”

He describes days where he’s just not in the mood for a classic soul record—so he shelves it and moves on to something that resonates more deeply with his current vibe. In his view, forcing yourself to work with a sample or a genre you’re not feeling leads to writer’s block and frustration. Instead, pivot to where your energy naturally flows.

How He Linked With Griselda

Surprisingly, Conductor’s connection to Griselda came about organically. Westside Gunn discovered him through Instagram:

“Westside Gunn found me on Instagram—don’t know how he did it to this day—and I was ready. That’s basically it.”

The moral of the story? Always be prepared. Conductor mentions he already had a Dropbox full of beats ready to go, allowing him to strike while the iron was hot.

Developing a Signature Style

While Conductor humbly credits “dumb luck” and experimentation, his true secret sauce is consistency and authenticity. He follows his muse day-to-day, letting that flow dictate his sampling decisions. Whether he’s chopping up a thrift-store vinyl find, hooking up a vintage keyboard, or sampling from a film on VHS, he’s driven by feel rather than trends:

“The innocence of not knowing but being willing to experiment is how you get magic.”

It’s a refreshing reminder that having fun is at the core of true creativity.

Applying Conductor’s Approach

Although Conductor Williams first honed his craft on the MPC, his free-spirited, feel-driven approach translates seamlessly to Ableton Live, FL Studio—or any modern DAW. It begins with capturing any and all sounds that spark inspiration. Maybe it’s vinyl, an old VHS player, your phone, or an obscure YouTube video—whatever triggers that creative spark. Once recorded, focus on finding the right texture by dropping your audio into Simpler or Sampler, then playing around with filters, envelopes, and LFOs. Don’t be afraid to embrace serendipity; set aside dedicated sessions to experiment, toss on unexpected effects, reverse clips, and let yourself fail before judging the results. If a particular sample isn’t aligning with your mood, move on—try something else that resonates emotionally. Finally, always keep a stash of loops, skeleton beats, or halfway-finished projects so you’re never caught off guard when opportunity strikes. When it comes to sampling, Conductor’s secret sauce is simple yet powerful: capture everything, trust your feelings, and stay ready.