dex is a sample library of mangled recordings of instruments, voices, and processes. the samples in the library are all recorded by commissioned artists improvising on instruments with interesting sound qualities. after recording, samples of varying lengths are culled and heavily post-processed, then sent for collection.

so far we’ve recorded:

electronics: electric guitar + pedals, ethan bailey-gould; amplified tv sets, sam pluta; cybernetic jazz scat, paul sternchen hermansen; amplified knives, tyler jordan; no input mixer, jared murphy*

strings: prepared hammered dulcimer + dsp, cameron church; cello, emmanuel losa; prepared gamba, sebastian suarez-solis;

winds: bassoon + electronics, maxwell coleman*

keyboards: organ, midori ataka; piano + DSP, cameron church and sebastian suarez-solis*; prepared harpsichord, sebastian suarez-solis;

percussion: zarb + DSP. sebastian suarez-solis*

voice and body: voice with everyday preparations, amplified knives, qiujiang levi lu

*these are recorded but yet to be released.

soon:

other: cinder blocks on asphalt, lyn goeringer + assistants

winds + brass: oboe, sky macklay; tenor saxophone, poetry, and pantomime, havalynn robertson

voice: underwater soprano, clara kelly; voice through metal plate, improvised manifesto/dramaturgy

keyboard: piano, andrew faulkenberry; harpsichord, clavichord, cameron kuzepski

strings: viol, john moran; bass viol + baroque cello played at once, katie kotar

percussion: lithophone “baltimore ruins,” sam carullo; wine glasses, ben giroux and friends

no, silly!! we do need you to sign up, however. we do this to keep track of who’s using the samples.

how to sign up in three steps:

1. if you’re not a library patron yet, click this link to create an account (if you are a patron, this will take you to the library) or click the button in the above section labeled “JOIN DEX”.
2. wait for our email notifications, then verify your email address by clicking the link in the email. additionally, accept our newsletter email by doing the same in our newsletter opt-in email (optional).
3. you’re all signed up! pat yourself on the back.

the audio-visual samples can be used in myriad ways: as a traditional sample, as a live sample-based production tool/instrument, as a video game soundpack, etc…dex is not so much focused on preserving the historical sound of a particular instrument, but transforming its acoustic capabilities into shocking possibilities for new music creation.

dex officially launched for public use on June 1st, 2023, with over 9 hours of footage, featuring artists around the world.

great question! each sample is licensed under Creative Commons CC-BY 4.0. As long as you give proper attribution, you are welcome to distribute (even commercially), edit, remix, and build on the samples. more info on CC-BY 4.0 here.

yes!! that’s great! we frequently hold calls for collaboration so that you can make your way into the dex library, either through proposals for recordings, calls for proposals post-production, or smaller calls where you can take part in decisions or send in samples of your own.