Tip: if it fails, just hit Generate again — sources vary.
— hit Generate Again to try a different source.
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Click Generate Sample to pull a random clip from the Internet Archive's public-domain audio collection
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No favorites yet — save a sample to see it here.
No recent samples — generate one to get started.
Getting Started
- Hit Generate Sample — the app picks a random public-domain recording from the Internet Archive, cuts a clip at a random point, and plays it instantly.
- Use the search bar to narrow results by keyword, genre, instrument, mood, or decade (e.g. "1940s jazz trumpet" or "ambient rain").
- Adjust the Sample Length slider to set the minimum and maximum clip duration (0.5 s – 20 s).
- Download WAV saves a lossless 16-bit PCM file you can drop straight into any DAW or sampler.
- Save to Favorites bookmarks the clip's metadata so you can re-listen or re-download it later — even after a page reload.
- Recent automatically logs the last 20 clips you generated for quick reference.
Tips
- If generation fails, hit Generate Again — the Archive contains millions of files and occasional CORS or decode errors are normal.
- Specific searches work best: try "delta blues slide guitar" rather than just "blues".
- Field recordings, old radio broadcasts, and classical orchestras are especially well-represented in the Archive.
- The WAV file encodes the exact clip you heard — what you preview is exactly what you download.
Browser Compatibility
- Works in any modern browser (Chrome, Firefox, Safari, Edge). No plug-ins or server required.
- All audio processing runs locally in your browser via the Web Audio API.