Make money selling sample packs! This article will show you how to build a business to sell sample packs and drum sample packs online.
You can follow these steps to sell music sample packs, audio presets, and music software templates.
If you’re a musician or music producer, you may have a great ear for sound design.
You can package up your own sample packs and sell them to fellow music creators.
There are tons of producers looking for unique music samples to help with music production.
So here are eleven steps to help get started.
Table of Contents
- How to Sell Sample Packs
- How to Make a Sample Pack to Sell
- Workflow Tips for Sample Packs
- Videos: Creating Sample Packs
- Selling Sample Packs Frequently Asked Questions
How to Sell Sample Packs in 11 Steps
Step 1: Start Small
It can be very tempting to attempt to create a 500 loops sample pack.
But the process can quickly become too overwhelming if you’re not used to it.
Instead of going all in, start small with a sample pack of 20 to 50 music samples or loops.
This will make the process less overwhelming, and you will get an idea of what works, and what doesn’t.
So start small and experiment before investing weeks or even months into creating a single sample pack.
Step 2: Package Up Your Samples
Once you build a collection of your best samples, you need to package them up to sell online.
Best Audio Format
WAV is the most popular audio format for samples.
WAV files provide high-quality uncompressed audio which is popular with most music software programs.
Create Subfolders
If you have a lot of samples in your sample pack, consider creating a subfolder to sort and organize the samples.
You can sort by instruments, BPM, genre, and more.
Compress Into a Zip File
Next, compress the sample pack folder into a Zip File.
Putting the audio in a Zip file will compress the folder size and package the file to make it easier to share online.
Both Windows and Mac support Zip files.
Step 3: Create Sample Pack Artwork
To make your sample pack stand out you need to create exciting artwork.
You will see a lot of sample packs with a 3D box graphic.
Here is a link to download a free 3D box graphic.
You will need Adobe Photoshop to edit the graphic design file.
Here are our suggestions to create interesting sample pack artwork:
- Download the box graphic above.
- Browse and Buy a Pre-made Flyer Graphic – Buying a premade graphic can save you time and money.
- Take the graphics from the flyer design PSD, and then apply them to the 3D Box in Adobe Photoshop.
By following these steps, you can create a graphic for your sample pack without spending a lot of time and money.
Step 4: Create a Sample Pack Audio Preview
Creating a good audio preview is one of the most important aspects when selling a sample pack.
This will be the first impression a customer will get about your sound pack.
So you want to make sure it sounds great.
Tips for Creating an Audio Preview
- Create a short song (10 to 20 seconds long) using the samples from your sample pack. This will show your potential customers how they can use your samples with their audio projects.
- Create two audio previews: One showcasing the samples in a full production situation. The other showcasing some of the samples by themselves.
- Mix and master your audio preview properly to give a great first impression of your sound.
- Use a catchy short tag on your audio previews to brand your work and make a lasting impression.
- Create different versions of your audio preview. One shorter for platforms such as Instagram. The other one longer for your site and your YouTube channel.
Step 5: Create a License Agreement
It is important to include a license agreement or terms and conditions with each sample pack.
By including a license agreement customers will better understand what they can and cannot do with your samples.
Your license agreement doesn’t have to be complex.
The simpler it is to understand, the better.
What your license agreement should include:
- Specify that you are licensing, not selling the samples exclusively. This means that even though the final consumer can use your samples with their projects, you still own the copyright to them. But you still hold the copyright for the samples themselves.
- State that your sample pack shouldn’t be shared or re-sold/re-licensed.
- Specify if you allow the commercial use of your samples or not. We strongly recommend that you do since otherwise there wouldn’t be many uses for your sample pack.
- State if your sample pack is royalty-free or if any royalties should be paid to you. We recommend that you make all your sample packs royalty-free. This means the customer won’t have any extra costs in the future. The vast majority of sample packs are licensed that way.
Step 6: Create an Online Store to Sell Digital Products
Building your own website is the best option for running your sample pack business.
With your own store, you will keep 100% of your sales and have much more freedom to decide about your content.
Building a website may sound complex.
Luckily it doesn’t have to be with the Music Maker WordPress Theme.
With the Music Maker WordPress Theme you can:
- Sell Digital & Physical Products
- Set your own prices.
- Have total freedom over your website design.
- Offer discount codes and special offers to attract more customers.
- Have a built-in audio player so people can preview your sample packs.
- Accept different forms of payment.
- Offer customer service.
- Create more revenue with ads.
After purchasing the Music Maker WordPress Theme, you need a website host.
You can get website hosting for as low as $3 to $8 per month.
By selling 1 sample pack sale per month the hosting will pay for itself.
- Unlimited Beats & Pages
- Sell Digital & Physical Products
- Full WordPress Music Website
- 90 Free Graphics - Get $15 Off
Step 7: Set Your Sample Pack Prices
Pricing a sample pack can be a hard part of the process.
Many variables should be taken into consideration.
Thousands of producers and businesses price their sample packs differently from each other.
Let’s take a look at the best sellers as of today from the sample pack marketplace Loopmasters to have an idea:
- Unity Samples Present – Techno Megapack Bundle 2 – On sale for $36.82 (Reg. price $225.12)
- Monrroe – Drum & Bass – $42.50
- Retro Funk Vocals – $42.50
- Slap House Influence – $42.50
- Minimal Swing – $21.21
Most of the sample packs on this list are priced around $42.50 for a decent-sized sample pack with 500MB to 1GB size.
Except for the Minimal Swing sample pack. Which is a smaller pack and therefore priced lower.
Another exception on the list is the Techno Megapack Bundle 2.
The product is a bundle of 8 sample packs from Unity Samples that if sold separately would cost $225.12. But is now on sale for 80% OFF at $36.82.
That is a great example of how offering big discounts and bundles from time to time can give you a lot of sales.
Overall, the price of the sample pack will depend on its size, how many samples it has if it includes presets too, etc.
Test your prices from time to time and offer discounts and sales.
Step 8: Promote on Social Media
Use social media and YouTube to promote your sample packs.
Create YouTube videos showcasing your custom samples.
Here is an example video of a free synth sample pack we created.
Then repurpose the video for Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, and other social sites.
Don’t just create ads telling people to buy your sample packs.
Create helpful and entertaining content showing how your samples can help fellow music producers.
Then create content such as video tutorials, tips & tricks, and behind-the-scenes to help build your brand.
Search Instagram for how other marketers do this effectively.
Related: How to Use Content Marketing to Make More Money
Step 9: Offer Sample Pack Samplers
Create free sample pack previews for potential customers to download.
These can be sample packs of 5 to 10 loops from your main sample pack to give the customer an idea of what they will get.
This is a great practice to allow potential customers to try before they buy.
This will make people feel more comfortable spending money if they like the sample pack preview.
Step 10: Upload to Online Marketplaces
By selling your sample packs on other marketplaces, you can earn more and spread the word about your brand better.
The biggest marketplace for samples is Loopmasters.
Sample subscription websites are all the rage nowadays.
They make it easier for producers to buy and download only what they need instead of a larger pack.
You should try contacting these companies once you have a big catalog and build a name for yourself.
Currently, the biggest sample subscription websites are Splice Sounds and Noiiz.
Here are the links to submit your samples to Splice Sounds or Noiiz.
Step 11: Ask Music Producers for Endorsements
You can give your sample packs away for free to music producers with a big following online in exchange for a positive endorsement.
These producers can create videos showcasing your packs and even use them in their work.
This will make potential customers feel like they’re getting much more value for their money. Since your product is being endorsed by someone they trust.
Bonus Tips
Offer Freebies to Generate Traffic
Offering freebies and gifts means you care for your customers and is a great way to attract people in the beginning.
Producers are looking for free samples all the time and they will certainly remember your brand later if you offer them value.
Sell Presets & Software Templates
If you’re good at sound design, selling presets and pre-made software templates can be very profitable too.
Producers are always looking for presets for plugins like Serum and templates to speed up their workflows.
Offer Promotional Discounts
Giveaway Discount Codes and Create Sales from Time to Time
All the big names in the sample pack industry are doing this frequently and you should too.
Giveaway a first-time discount code for your followers and potential customers.
Also, creating sales with big discounts from time to time is a great strategy.
How to Make a Sample Pack to Sell
Follow these tips to ensure your sample pack is high-quality.
- Stick to one theme and a maximum of two genres to make it more marketable.
- Name your samples correctly including key and BPM. Be creative with the titles.
- Normalize the audio to ensure all the samples are at the same volume.
- Create a high-quality preview showcasing the samples.
- Create videos for YouTube showcasing the samples and loops by themselves.
- Create a high-quality cover for your sample pack. It’s a great idea to hire a designer if you don’t have the necessary skills.
Here is a video showcasing the process of creating a sample from start to finish.
7 Workflow Tips for Making Sample Packs
So far I’ve talked about how to create a website and promote your sample packs. But not much about the production part of it.
Having a workflow when creating your sample packs is important so you don’t get overwhelmed and burn out.
Creating sample packs can quickly become a repetitive task.
Follow these tips to ensure a great and healthy workflow when making sample packs:
- Set a realistic goal on how many samples you plan to produce daily. We recommend you start slow, between 5 and 10 samples a day, and gradually increase that number.
- Take frequent breaks when working on sample packs. A good rule of thumb is to take a 10-minute break every hour or so of work. Use a timer app to help you.
- Maintain a balance between working on your sample packs and your music. This will help you stay creative.
- Work on different sample packs at the same time, so if you get stuck on one of them you can work on others in the meantime.
- Frequently test new approaches and tools. There are many free plugins available online that you can try on your samples.
- Have a clear direction you want to go in before starting your sample pack. Define the genre and instruments that are going to be used, for example.
- Brainstorm different ideas for sample packs. This is a great way to find creative themes and styles.
Videos & Tutorials for Creating Custom Sample Packs
How to Make a Sample Pack
How to Make Sample Packs ( Music Producers )
How to Create Sample Packs: Batch Processing Tricks
How to Create Custom Royalty-Free Samples for Beat Production
How I Make Drum Samples To Sell Sample Packs
Selling Sample Packs Frequently Asked Questions
Here you will find answers to common questions about selling sample packs.
Is Selling Sample Packs Online Profitable?
Yes, selling sample packs has great potential to bring a lot of profits for music producers if you have high-quality products, a good online presence, a large number of followers, and know how to promote your sample packs right.
How Much Should I Charge for My Sample Packs?
As mentioned before in the article, a great base price is around $40 for a decent-sized sample pack (500MB to 1GB). However, you can charge less or more depending on the size of your product.
How do I Build a Marketplace to Sell my Sample Packs?
To build a marketplace to sell your sample packs you will need hosting and some website-building skills. If you want to make the process even easier, we recommend using the Music Maker WordPress Theme so you can focus on producing more sample packs instead of having to struggle to create a website from scratch.
How Do I Promote My Sample Packs?
Create social media profiles for your brand, build a YouTube channel to showcase your sample packs, and network with other music creators to find endorsers.
How to Ensure My Sample Pack is Good?
To make a good sample pack you should follow some guidelines:
- Mix your samples one by one.
- Make sure all the samples are at the same volume level.
- Include dry and wet versions of all samples if possible.
- Have a great-looking and catchy cover art for your sample pack.
How do I Make a Cover-Art for my Sample Pack?
If you have the necessary skills, Adobe Photoshop is the most used tool to create cover arts. If you’re on a budget, GIMP is a free and powerful graphic designing software.
However, if you don’t have the skills, you can always hire a graphic designer to do it for you. We recommend the website Fiverr to find freelancers for hire.
What License Information Should I Include with My Sample Pack?
Serious sample pack brands include a license agreement as a document with the product file.
You should include everything you find necessary so the customer knows how he/she can use your samples, including if commercial use is allowed and if is there any copyright that should be paid to you.
We recommend that you allow commercial use for your sample packs and make them royalty-free (like the vast majority of sample packs), otherwise, there wouldn’t be much use for your product.
In conclusion, selling sound kits can be rewarding for music producers and sound designers. Through your website, you can showcase your sound kit talents and provide a platform for other producers to access your unique sound kits. Remember, you’re offering a gateway into the creative process, a tool that helps inspire the production of music.
An online store is crucial if you want to sell sound kits successfully. This is your storefront, your space to showcase what you’ve got. From loop kits to preset packs, your online store is where customers can discover your signature sound. Whether you’re selling drum kits or trap sample packs, a well-maintained store is essential.
Start selling sound kits and see how rewarding it can be. Your sample library could be the next big thing that music producers are searching for. Your drum kit could be the missing piece in someone’s music creation process. But remember, selling isn’t just about making sales, and it’s about growing a customer base and contributing to the music community.
With your own site as your platform, selling sound kits becomes a platform for you to engage with other music producers and sound designers. Sharing your creative process and showcasing your unique take on production music can be incredibly fulfilling.
So, whether you want to sell samples, start selling sound kits, or simply share your passion for music production, remember – you’re part of a vibrant, creative community. Never stop creating, sharing, and inspiring.
I hope you found this article helpful as you begin selling sample packs online.
Create a Store to Sell Sample Packs Today!
- Unlimited Beats & Pages
- Sell Digital & Physical Products
- Full WordPress Music Website
- 90 Free Graphics - Get $15 Off
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