List of Depeche Mode live sample sources by tour/1987-1988 Music For The Masses Tour

Glossary Terms used in this article

In audio production, sampling refers to the use of a portion (or sample) from a sound within another recording. As pioneers of the electronic music genre, Depeche Mode were among the most prolific acts to make use of sampling technology within a traditional pop music format. Among the many original samples recorded and utilized by Depeche Mode to enhance the atmosphere of their musical output are many that originated elsewhere, including brief passages of musical recordings by other artists, snippets of audio from television shows, radio broadcasts, films, environmental sounds, and more. Analysis of these sample sources and how they are manipulated is a popular topic of discussion amongst fans of the group.

Key
Official	The sample is confirmed to have been used in the specified song by a past/present member of Depeche Mode, an individual involved in its production, or band archivist Daniel "BRAT" Barassi.
Confirmed	The sample is independently confirmed to have been used in the specified song.
Likely	The sample is likely to have been used in the specified song but has not yet been confirmed.
Unconfirmed	The sample is not yet confirmed to have been used in the specified song.
Disproven	The sample is confirmed to not have been used in the specified song.
Unknown	It is unclear if the sample was used in the specified song.

Information

This page documents all verifiable sound sources for many of the musical parts used by Depeche Mode in the live concert tour arrangements of songs performed on the 1987-1988 Music For The Masses Tour.

Due to the manipulated nature of the samples described in this article, there is unavoidable potential for error or sample misattribution. To ensure accuracy, this article strives to use verified quotes from band members and recording personnel with citations wherever possible, audio examples, and independent research voluntarily contributed by Depeche Mode and Recoil fans worldwide. This article provides an interesting document on this topic in a tabular format that is organized, well-researched, and reasonably accurate. Please bear in mind that due to the limited number of relevant quotes for each sample from band members or associates involved in producing the music described on this page, audio samples that lack official confirmation are not guaranteed to be accurate.

This article differentiates samples by origin: Self-made samples, which describe any material initially recorded by Depeche Mode or Recoil, and Sourced samples, which describe samples not initially recorded by either group. In addition to confirmed samples, this article also covers samples commonly misreported as having been used but directly refuted by a member or associate of Depeche Mode or Recoil.

If you notice an error or wish to contribute or request the removal of information contained within this article, please feel free to contact us.

1987-1988 Music For The Masses Tour

1. Pimpf

"Pimpf" Depeche Mode 1987	Self-made samples
	Sample	Notes			Audio
	Exploding firework	An exploding firework sound originally recorded for use with "Stripped" is layered in with a large choir stab in the outro of "Pimpf". The sample is played in time with the choir several notes below its original key. Notably, this sample is also occasionally played on the final note during live performances of "Never Let Me Down Again".			✖
	Sample sources
	Sample	Source	Status	Notes	Audio
	Tubular bells	Emulator II factory library disk #67: Tubular Bells - Preset #1: "Tubular Bell"	Confirmed	The tubular bells utilised in the final moments of "Pimpf" are derived from Emulator II factory disk #67 "Tubular Bells".	Click to display/hide audio example
	Sitar pluck	Emulator II factory library disk #61: Sitar - Preset #3: "Sitar 2", SAMPLE 6	Confirmed	A plucked sitar sample derived from the "Sitar 2" preset of Emulator II factory library disk #61 "Sitar" is layered with other sounds to form the four note "Strangelove" riff played throughout "Interlude No. 1 - Mission Impossible", the instrumental interlude that follows "Pimpf". The full sample consists of a plucked sitar playing a G♯ with a slight pitch bend. The sample is looped with a tight loop lasting approximately four milliseconds starting just after the initial transient of the sample, producing a unique "buzzy" tone with the transient of a natural sitar pluck. The resulting sample is then played back with filtering and subtle vibrato. Notably, this sample is also used in "Behind The Wheel" and "Master And Servant" as it was performed on the Music For The Masses and World Violation tours.	✖

2. Behind The Wheel

"Behind The Wheel" Depeche Mode 1987	Self-made samples
	Sample	Notes			Audio
	Bassline	The bassline of "Behind The Wheel" is comprised of a series of sampled and synthesised parts which combine to form the driving bass rhythm audible throughout the song. These sounds include a sample of a hand striking the end of a hoover tube, a pitched-down sample of a guitar pluck, and a Minimoog bass for additional low end presence. The sampled elements are utilised throughout the song, whereas the Minimoog section begins at the end of the second verse. Notably, the hoover tube sample is re-used as a bass layer in the Recoil instrumental "The Sermon".			✖
	Car door shutting snare	In May 2020, fan "DMK" kindly provided DM Live Wiki with documentation for a series of Emulator II floppy disks that accompanied a collection of restored studio equipment used by Music For The Masses co-producer Dave Bascombe during the production of music albums for artists other than Depeche Mode in the mid to late eighties. One floppy disk, labeled "Driving Sound FX", features two presets comprised of various car-related sounds. The second of two presets, titled "DRIVING 12#", features the sound of a car door shutting, which is layered with other more traditional snare sounds throughout "Behind The Wheel". This sound is most clearly heard in the intro of the Devotional tour arrangement of "Behind The Wheel".			Click to display/hide audio example Note: In this example, the raw sample from the Emulator II disk is played back and compared to the equivalent sound in a selection from the center channel audio of the 2006 5.1 reissue of "Behind The Wheel", as well as the opening bars of the live arrangement of "Behind The Wheel" as it was performed on the Devotional tour.
	Wine glass arpeggio	In May 2020, fan "DMK" kindly provided DM Live Wiki with documentation for a series of Emulator II floppy disks that accompanied a collection of restored studio equipment used by Music For The Masses co-producer Dave Bascombe during the production of music albums for artists other than Depeche Mode in the mid to late eighties. One floppy disk, labeled "Wineglass (106)", features an untitled preset ("NULL PRESET"), which contains a bell-like sample, presumably the sound of a wine glass being tapped. This sample is used to produce the textured arpeggio that occurs throughout "Behind The Wheel", most clearly heard during the instrumental break immediately after the first verse. Notably, this sound is also used in "Never Let Me Down Again", "Strangelove", "Route 66", and the Recoil instrumental "Grain".			✖
	"Submarine" verse stabs	In May 2020, fan "DMK" kindly provided DM Live Wiki with documentation for a series of Emulator II floppy disks that accompanied a collection of restored studio equipment used by Music For The Masses co-producer Dave Bascombe during the production of music albums for artists other than Depeche Mode in the mid to late eighties. One floppy disk, labeled "Guns & Submarine (109)", features an untitled preset ("NULL PRESET"), which contains a series of relevant samples, the third of which is a submarine sonar navigation system sound. This sample is processed with reverb and played with a long decay to produce the "ghostly" monophonic melody performed during the verse sections of "Behind The Wheel".			Click to display/hide audio example Note: In this example, the raw sample from the Emulator II disk is played back once, then played back once with a long release, once with generic software reverb in stereo, once with generic software reverb in mono, and is subsequently compared to the equivalent sound as can be heard in the front stereo channel audio of "Behind The Wheel" from the 2006 5.1 reissue of Music For The Masses.
	Sample sources
	Sample	Source	Status	Notes	Audio
	Sitar pluck	Emulator II factory library disk #61: Sitar - Preset #3: "Sitar 2", SAMPLE 6	Confirmed	A plucked sitar sample derived from the "Sitar 2" preset of Emulator II factory library disk #61 "Sitar" is layered with a similar plucked sound to form the counter melody audible throughout "Behind The Wheel". The full sample consists of a plucked sitar playing a G♯ with a slight pitch bend. The sample is looped with a tight loop lasting approximately four milliseconds starting just after the initial transient of the sample, producing a unique "buzzy" tone with the transient of a natural sitar pluck. The resulting sample is then played back with filtering and subtle vibrato. Notably, this sample is also used in "Strangelove" and "Master And Servant" as it was performed on the Music For The Masses and World Violation tours.	Click to display/hide audio example Note: In this example, the relevant raw sample from the factory Emulator II disk #61 "Sitar" is played back in full, then played back with the in-built loop enabled, and is finally played back at a higher pitch and compared to the front stereo channel audio of "Behind The Wheel" derived from the 2006 5.1 reissue of Music For The Masses.
	Snare/tambourine	Talk Talk - "I Don't Believe In You" - 1986	Confirmed	A snare and tambourine hit derived from Talk Talk's "I Don't Believe In You" is used throughout "Behind The Wheel".	Click to display/hide audio example
	Verse marimba melody	Emulator II factory library disk #34: Vibraphones & Marimbas - Preset #7: "Marimbas"	Confirmed	A marimba sample derived from Emulator II factory library disk #34 "Vibraphones & Marimbas" is utilised during the verse sections of "Behind The Wheel" as it was performed on the 1987-1988 Music For The Masses tour.	✖

19. Just Can't Get Enough

"Just Can't Get Enough" Depeche Mode 1981	Self-made samples
	Sample	Notes			Audio
	Bell-like melody accent	In May 2020, fan "DMK" kindly provided DM Live Wiki with documentation for a series of Emulator II floppy disks that accompanied a collection of restored studio equipment used by Music For The Masses producer Dave Bascombe during the production of music albums for artists other than Depeche Mode in the mid to late eighties. One floppy disk, labeled "Glass (10)", features an untitled preset ("NULL PRESET"), which contains a bell-like sample. This bell element is used to play a melodic accent on the main melody best heard in the opening moments of the Music For The Masses tour arrangement of "Just Can't Get Enough". Notably, a variation of this sound is used during the middle eight section of "Master And Servant" as it was performed on the aforementioned tour as well as the World Violation tour.			Click to display/hide audio example Note: In this example, a sample from the Emax I sound bank containing the musical parts performed by Alan Wilder for use during the Music For The Masses tour arrangement of "Just Can't Get Enough" is compared to the equivalent sample in Bascombe's Emulator II disk "Glass (10)". The two parts are then played together, producing audible phasing artifacts when superimposed.
	Sample sources
	Sample	Source	Status	Notes	Audio
	Trumpet stabs	Emulator II factory library disk #21: Assorted Trombones - Preset #1: "7 TRUMPETS", SAMPLE 4	Confirmed	The Music For The Masses tour arrangement of "Just Can't Get Enough" employs a sample of a trumpet derived from the "7 TRUMPETS" preset of Emulator II factory library disk #21 "Assorted Trombones".	Click to display/hide audio example Note: In this example, a sample from the Emulator II factory library disk #21 "Assorted Trombones" is played back in full, and is then used to play an approximate ascending brass line similar to the equivalent part as it was performed in the Music For The Masses tour arrangement of "Just Can't Get Enough" (live audio snippet derived from the 101 live album).