Forgotten Sounds No. 002
TIN TOMS
Free Kitchen Percussion Samples

Thank you for downloading Tin Toms, the second release in the Forgotten Sounds series by Kevin Hartnell.

Forgotten Sounds is an ongoing project dedicated to preserving the voices of antique, overlooked, and repurposed objects through professionally recorded sample libraries that are free to use in music production.

ABOUT TIN TOMS

Most percussion instruments are designed to make music. These were designed to hold flour.

This library was created from five Oggi stainless steel kitchen storage tins that originally held flour, sugar, brown sugar, and baking soda. Purchased sometime between 2005 and 2010, the containers spent years in everyday use before their stretched rubber O-rings and changing resonance inspired a second career as percussion instruments.

Each tin was individually recorded and sampled, producing an unusual collection of metallic strikes, hand percussion, finger snaps, and surprisingly musical resonances.

Following the recording sessions, the tins were permanently retired.

LIBRARY SPECIFICATIONS

• 70 mono WAV files
• 44.1 kHz / 24-bit
• Five stainless steel sound sources
• Seven distinct playing techniques
• Two performance variations per technique
• Suitable for hardware and software samplers
• Excellent for pitch shifting, layering, and sound design

PLAYING TECHNIQUES

• Steel Bottom Rim Stick Shoulder Strike
• Steel Bottom Center Stick Strike
• Plastic Top Center Mallet Strike
• Steel Bottom Hand Slap
• Plastic Top Hand Slap
• Steel Bottom Staccato Finger Snap
• Steel Bottom Sustained Finger Snap

RECORDING NOTES

The tins were suspended from a cymbal boom stand using a Velcro strap to maximize resonance.

Recordings were made with an Audio-Technica AT4033a microphone in a treated recording space and captured into Pro Tools.

Stick articulations were performed using Vic Firth Buddy Rich drumsticks. Plastic lid articulations were recorded with a homemade soft mallet constructed from shelf liner secured with blue painter's tape. Hand slaps were performed conga-style, while finger snaps were adapted from traditional darbuka (doumbek) playing techniques.

LICENSE

These samples are free for both personal and commercial music production.

You may:
• Use the samples in commercial or non-commercial musical works.
• Process, edit, layer, or pitch-shift the recordings.

You may not:
• Sell or repackage the sample library as your own.

Attribution is appreciated, but not required.

MORE FORGOTTEN SOUNDS

This is Forgotten Sounds No. 002.

Additional releases are planned featuring overlooked instruments, household objects, mechanical devices, and other unusual sound sources.

https://www.kevinhartnell.com

If you create something using Tin Toms, I'd genuinely enjoy hearing it.

Support Future Releases

Forgotten Sounds is a personal project created one object at a time.

If you'd like to help fund future recordings, additional sound libraries, and the preservation of more unusual instruments, you can support the project here:

https://www.kevinhartnell.com/support

Every contribution—large or small—helps keep the series growing.

Enjoy!

Kevin Hartnell