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in: Useful Notes, Omnipresent Tropes, Music Tropes, Amen Break

Amen Break

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A Treatise of Schemes and Tropes This a Useful Notes page. A Treatise of Schemes and Tropes

In 1969, a Soul/Funk group called The Winstons came out with an single called Color Him Father. On the B-side of that single was a song called "Amen Brother". It contained within it a 5 second drum solo. This drum break, called the Amen Break, has the distinction of being the single most sampled piece of music in modern history. Every genre, from Hip Hop, to Techno, to Rock has used it at one time or another. It is one of the most ubiquitous pieces of music in modern pop culture. Whole genres of music owe their very existence to it. The genre(s) of Jungle and/or Drum and bass[1] are pretty much built entirely around the creative use of the Amen Break; sometimes chopping the sample into tiny pieces and building completely new beats out of pieces.

It can be heard here. Hear more about its history here. Read one scientist's theory on how it is mathematically perfect here

A more complete list of songs that sample the drum break can be found at WhoSampled.

Examples of Amen Break include:

Music 0-9[]

  • µ-Ziq – "Carpet Muncher"
  • µ-Ziq – "Grape Nut Beats (Pt.1)"
  • µ-Ziq – "Meinheld"
  • 2 Live Crew – "Feel Alright Yall"
  • 3rd Bass – "Wordz of Wisdom"
  • 3rd Bass – "Portrait Of The Artist As A Hood"
  • 4 Hero – "Escape That"

Music A-D[]

  • A-Sides and MC Fats – "Crazy V.I.P"
  • Abstract – "The Message"
  • Acetate – "Cold Steel Pressure"
  • Acetate – "Noir"
  • Afro Kid – "Yo DJ"
  • Alaska - "Alaska"
  • Altern-8 – "Re-Indulge"
  • Amazon II – "Booyaaa!"
  • Amon Tobin – "Nightlife"
  • Amy Winehouse - "You Know I'm No Good"
  • Andy C – "Cool Down"
  • Aphrodite – "Bomber"
  • Artificial Intelligence – "There For You (D Kay Remix)"
  • Atari Teenage Riot – "Burn Berlin Burn"
  • Atari Teenage Riot – "Raverbashing
  • Atari Teenage Riot - "Deutschland (Has Gotta Die)"
  • Babylon 5 – "Yes Yes"
  • Back 2 Basics – "Horns 4 95"
  • Bizzy B – "16 Track Relic"
  • Bizzy B – "2099 Dub"
  • Bizzy B – "Afraid Of The Dark"
  • Bizzy B – "Bad Boy Sound"
  • Bizzy B – "Bless This Sound (feat. Equinox and TDK)"
  • Bizzy B – "Creation"
  • Bizzy B – "Darkside"
  • Bizzy B – "Deep, Dark And Nastie"
  • Bizzy B – "Deep In My Soul"
  • Bizzy B – "Exceeding The Speed Of Sound"
  • Bizzy B – "Fire"
  • Bizzy B – "Flava"
  • Bizzy B – "Jah Works"
  • Bizzy B – "Merda Style 2004 (feat. Equinox)"
  • Bizzy B – "Sound Test"
  • Bizzy B – "Strength"
  • Brand Nubian – "The Godz Must Be Crazy"
  • Brockie, Ed Solo & DJ Kane – "Outboard"
  • Capone – "Jah"
  • Ceephax Acid Crew – "Dog Drum N Bass"
  • Cex – "Am I Soundboy"
  • City Connection - "Impact"
  • Clint Mansell - Pi Soundtrack: "πr^2" and "2πr"
  • Concept 2 – "Cause n Effect"
  • Covenant - "Storm"
  • The Crystal Method – "Keep Hope Alive"
  • The Crystal Method – "Name Of The Game"
  • The Crystal Method – "Roll It Up"
  • Daniel Bedingfield - "I Can't Read You"
  • David Bowie – Little Wonder
  • DÅÅTH – "Illuminator"
  • – "Droppin' Science Vol. 1"
  • Dead Dred – "Dred Bass"
  • Deee-Lite – "Come on In, the Dreams are Fine"
  • Dosh – "I Think I'm Getting Married"
  • Digital – "Sounds Of Freedom"
  • Digital – "Waterhouse Dub"
  • Digital – "Waterhouse Dub (A-Sides Remix)"
  • Dillinja – "Acid Trak"
  • Dillinja – "Fluid"
  • Dillinja – "Fusion (Remix)"
  • Dillinja – "I Wanna Know"
  • Dillinja – "Mutha* ucka"
  • Dillinja – "Super DJ"
  • Dillinja – "The Angels Fell"
  • Dillinja – "Violent Killa"
  • DJ Hype – "Tigerstyle (Krome & Time Remix)"
  • DJ Hype & DJ Zinc – "Musically Dope (Ganja Kru Remix)"
  • DJ Rap – "Digable Bass"
  • DJ SS – "Black"
  • DJ SS – "Orange"
  • DJ SS – "Rollidge"
  • DJ SS – "The Intro"
  • DJ Starscream – Sword Sharpening Remix feat. Shannon Mitchell
  • DJ Sy – "The Chain"
  • DJ Zinc – "6 Million Ways"
  • DJ Zinc – "Feel"
  • DJ Zinc – "It's Like That"
  • DJ Zinc – "On Fire Tonight"
  • DJ Zinc – "Reachout (Remix)"
  • DJ Zinc – "Super Sharp Shooter"
  • DJ Zinc feat MC GQ – "Bring The Danger"

Music E-H[]

  • Ellis Dee & MC Fats – "97 Style"
  • Enduser – "Kill It"
  • Eric B and Rakim – "Casualties of War"
  • EMF - "Unbelievable"
  • Eminem and Dr Dre- "Forgot About Dre"
  • Equinox – "Acid Rain V.I.P"
  • Equinox – "Do You Understand Me?"
  • The Flashbulb – "Amen Iraq"
  • Freestylers – "Breaker Beats Part 1"
  • Funky Technicians – "Airtight"
  • Ganja Kru – "Magic"
  • Ganja Kru – "New Frontiers"
  • Ganja Kru – "No Fear"
  • Ganja Kru – "Plague That Never Ends"
  • Ganja Kru – "Science"
  • Gearwhore - "Passion (Harley mix)"
  • Goldie – "Chico: Death of a Rock Star"
  • Heavy D – "Let it Flow"
  • Heavy D – "Flexin'"
  • Heavy D – "MC Heavy D!"
  • Heavyweight – "Oh Gosh"
  • Hive – Ultrasonic Sound
  • Hixxy & Sharkey – "Toy Town"
  • Hrvatski – "Apostle"
  • Hrvatski – "Atelier"
  • Hrvatski – "Carrot (Hrvatski's Nightvision)"
  • Hrvatski – "Catstep/My Kitten/Catnip-Vatstep DSP" remix of Kid 606
  • Hrvatski – "Cirrus Minor", a cover of the Pink Floyd song
  • Hrvatski – "Corcoran"
  • Hrvatski – "El-Ron are Dangdut Kings"
  • Hrvatski – "Epoxy (Live)"
  • Hrvatski – "EWC 1"
  • Hrvatski – "Ghatam)"
  • Hrvatski – "Paint It Black", a cover of The Rolling Stones song
  • Hrvatski – "Pulse"
  • Hrvatski – "Rhetoric"
  • Hrvatski – "Routine Exercise"
  • Hrvatski – "Sucka"
  • Hrvatski – "You Didn't Look High Enough"

Music I-L[]

  • Icu – "Chotto Matte A Moment!"
  • Jackal Queenston - "Bus Rida"
  • Jackal Queenston - "Humanoid"
  • The JB – "Back To Life (The Dedication)"
  • J Majik – "Your Sound"
  • J Majik – "Arabian Nights"
  • JMJ & Richie - "Beyond Therapy"
  • John B – "Green"
  • John Rolodex – "Rinse It (Amen Mix)"
  • Josh Wink - "Higher State of Consciousness"
  • Kitsune^2 - "Everybody Rush"
  • KLF – (as The One World Orchestra) – "The Magnificent"
  • Krome & Time – "Ganja Man"
  • Krome & Time – "The Licence"
  • Lemon D – "Get Dirty"
  • Lemon D – "Static"
  • Lemon D – "This is Los Angeles"
  • Lenny De Ice - "We are I.E."
  • Lesser – "Mensa Dunce Squad (Leg Up Program)"
  • Lesser – "This Is What We've Become"
  • Lifer's Group – "Jack U. Back (So You Wanna Be a Gangsta)"
  • Linkin Park - Faint
  • Lords of Acid – "Crablouse"
  • LTJ Bukem – "Demon's Theme"

Music M-P[]

  • MA 3 – "Those DJ's"
  • Mad Capsule Markets - "Pulse"
  • Maestro Fresh Wes – "Bring it On"
  • Mampi Swift – "Rock It"
  • Mampi Swift – "Tripped"
  • Mantronix – "King of the Beats"
  • Mask – "Mad Professor"
  • Mask – "Square Off"
  • Mask & Gang Related feat Swabe – "Dictation (Remix)"
  • Mayhem - "120 Red"
  • Mayhem - "Spinback"
  • Mental Power – "Red"
  • Moby - "Feeling So Real"
  • Movement Ex – "KK Punani"
  • Moving Fusion – "Thunderball"
  • N.W.A. – "Straight Outta Compton"
  • Nas - "Hip Hop is Dead"
  • Nasenbluten – "Big Gonads"
  • Nasenbluten – "Hurricane 2000"
  • Nasty Habits – "Shadow Boxing (Remix)"
  • Nice & Smooth – "Dope Not Hype"
  • Nicki Minaj - "Save Me"
  • Noisia - "The Tide"
  • Oasis – D'you Know What I mean?'
  • Orbital – "Satan"
  • Paradox – "Hologram"
  • Pascal – "Turn It Over"
  • Paul Oakenfold "James Bond Theme (Bonus Beats)
  • Perry Farrell - "Whole Lotta Love" (a cover of the Led Zeppelin song)
  • Pitchshifter - "Genius"
  • Pitchshifter – "Hidden Agenda"
  • Prisoners Of Technology – "The Trick Of Technology"
  • The Prodigy – "Mindfields"
  • The Prodigy - "Poison"

Music Q-T[]

  • Ram Trilogy – "Huggy Bear"
  • Ram Trilogy – "Titan"
  • Ray Keith – "Chopper (Original Mix)"
  • Ray Keith – "Dark Soldier"
  • Ray Keith – "Dirty Chopper"
  • Ray Keith – "Dread Colony
  • Ray Keith – "Dread Jungle Techno"
  • Ray Keith – "Eastern Promise"
  • Ray Keith – "Jah Dread"
  • Ray Keith – "Nina's Rinse"
  • Ray Keith – "Plasma"
  • Ray Keith – "Sinister (Bad Boy)"
  • Ray Keith – "Tear Out"
  • Remarc – "Bad Bwoy"
  • Remarc – "Bad No Bloodclart"
  • Remarc – "R.I.P"
  • Remarc – "Ricky"
  • Renegade featuring Ray Keith – "Terrorist"
  • Rennat & inZtance - "Serenity"
  • Salt-N-Pepa – "I Desire"
  • Scarface – "Born Killer"
  • Schoolly D – "How a Black Man Feels"
  • Seba - "Car Crash"
  • Seba - "Forever"
  • Secret Chiefs 3 – "Jãbalqã"
  • Shitmat – "Amen Babylon"
  • Shitmat – "More Fire('93 Ting Mix)"
  • Shy FX and UK Apache – "Original Nuttah"
  • Shy FX – "This Style"
  • Skeptic – "Tear"
  • SL 2 – "S.L. Electro"
  • Slipknot – "Eyeless"
  • Special K – "Twist (Ray Keith Remix)"
  • Special K & The Dream Team – "Switch (Remix)"
  • Splash – "Babylon"
  • Splash Collective Vol.3 – "Rebels"
  • Squarepusher – "A Journey to Reedham "
  • Squarepusher – "Anstromm-Feck 4"
  • Squarepusher – "The Barn "
  • Squarepusher – "Bonneville Occident"
  • Squarepusher – "Central Line"
  • Squarepusher – "Come On My Selector"
  • Squarepusher - "Cooper's World"
  • Squarepusher – "Eviscerate"
  • Squarepusher – "Go! Spastic"
  • Squarepusher – "Hello Meow"
  • Squarepusher – "I Wish You Could Talk"
  • Squarepusher – "Male Pill Part 5"
  • Squarepusher – "Mind Rubbers"
  • Squarepusher – "The Modern Bass Guitar"
  • Squarepusher – "My Red Hot Car"
  • Squarepusher – "North Circular"
  • Squarepusher – "Planetarium"
  • Squarepusher – "Plotinus"
  • Squarepusher – "Port Rhombus"
  • Squarepusher – "Problem Child"
  • Squarepusher – "Steinbolt"
  • Squarepusher – "Tomorrow World"
  • Squarepusher – "Tundra"
  • Squarepusher – two untitled tracks on "Burningn'n Tree"
  • Squarepusher – "Vic Acid"
  • Squarepusher – "Welcome To Europe"
  • Technical Itch – "The Rukus"
  • The Third Eye Foundation – "Semtex"
  • Third Rail – "The Apprentice" trilogy
  • Theory – "Conquering Lion"
  • TNT – "2 Degrees"
  • Total Science – "Squash"
  • Total Science – "Squash VIP"
  • Trinity – "Amen Bleeps"
  • Twisted Anger – "Dread Come To Conquer"
  • Twisted Anger – "Dread Come To Conquer (Remix)"
  • Twisted Anger – "Mothership"

Music U-Z[]

  • Urban Shakedown – "Some Justice '95"
  • Undercover Agent – "Oh Gosh"
  • Unreal Tournament – Michiel van den Bos – "BOTMCA#10"
  • Unreal Tournament – Michiel van den Bos – "BOTPACK#9"
  • Unreal Tournament – Alexander Brandon – "Go Down"
  • Unreal Tournament – "Lock"
  • Unreal Tournament – Andrew Sega – "Mechanism Eight"
  • Unreal Tournament – Alexander Brandon – "Organic"
  • Unreal Tournament – Michiel van den Bos – "Run"
  • Unreal Tournament – Alexander Brandon – "Three Wheels Turning"
  • Unwritten Law – Introduction track on "Here's to the Mourning"
  • Venetian Snares – "Dance Like You're Selling Nails"
  • Venetian Snares - Hand Throw
  • Venetian Snares – "Herbie Goes Ballistic"
  • Venetian Snares – "Második Galamb"
  • Venetian Snares – "Kétsarkú Mozgalom"
  • Venetian Snares – "Szamár Madár"
  • Venetian Snares – "Szerencsétlen"
  • Wots My Code – "Dubplate"

Video Games[]

  • Bomberman Hero makes use of the sample in a few of its tracks
  • Multiple tracks from SimCity 4.
  • Phony from Tetrisphere
  • ! from In The Groove 2
  • Many day stages in Sonic Unleashed. If there isn't one, boosting will fix that, as every time you boost, the song gains lots of reverb and an Amen Break track.
    • Not just Unleashed, a few tracks throughout the series since 2004 use the Amen Break. You can find almost two tracks that use the beat in nearly every game in the series since then. This is largely down to Tomoya Ohtani. When questioned about it on his Facebook profile, he attributed it to being his favorite beats sample. But yeah, Unleashed pretty much features it the most prominently.
  • San Francisco Rush series: Headthumpin' and Tinkletoon from Rush 2; Noon and the break of Wingey from Rush 2049(Dreamcast version).
  • Mega Man ZX Advent: Twisted Vine uses a sped-up version during the last part before looping.
Cquote1

Hoo boy, it'd be easier to list songs that don't have this break in some form.

Cquote2


  1. ↑ some people use the two terms interchangeably; others insist the latter is a subgenre of the former
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