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Berlin 17 - 20 July 2025

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we celebrate 10th Anniversary

Ten years ago, we launched this intergalactic platform for creative beings mastering innovative instruments like DJ and MIDI controllers. Today, Sample Music Festival has evolved into a global phenomenon with pop-up events worldwide. Let’s celebrate this incredible journey with expanded content and new opportunities to create music together!

this year`s Landing point

Over four days, the SMF spaceship lands at various locations, with its main program anchored at the House of Music—Berlin's premier creative hub in the vibrant RAW area.

Immerse yourself in Berlin's vibrant day and nightlife at some of the city's most iconic urban music hotspots in districts like Kreuzberg and Friedrichshain.

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House of Music

The House of Music is Berlin's creative hub for musicians, companies, and organizations from the music industry. It is located at the RAW area in Friedrichshain/Kreuzberg, at Revaler Strasse 99, 10245 in Berlin.

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HHV Store

Hip Hop Vinyl Store, Berlin's renowned shop for vinyl, shoes, and streetwear, is located in Friedrichshain at Grünberger Strasse 54, 10245 near the RAW area. They frequently host in-store concerts and events featuring artists from all around the world.

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Cafe Wendel

Cafe Wendel is a well-known spot in Berlin where monthly beat-making and DJ sessions take place. Located in the heart of Kreuzberg, it serves as a central meeting point for the entire community.

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breaking new ground

Our main event is hosted at The House of Music, home to the Noisy Rooms, Berlin's premier rehearsal spaces for musicians, producers, and DJs. During the festival, several rooms will be transformed into fully equipped creative hubs, thanks to support from our industry partners.
Here, participants can train, experiment, and collaborate with artists from diverse musical backgrounds they might not otherwise meet.

Noisy Rooms
Showcases Competition Jam Sessions Workshops Networking Symposium Exhibition Showcases Competition Jam Sessions Workshops Symposium

Join us for four exciting days featuring an out-of-this-world lineup of competitions, jam sessions, and music exhibitions. Discover the event highlights below!

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SOMA Showcase

In collaboration with SOMA Synth, we're introducing a new live competition format tailored for finger drummers and modular artists. Show off your skills in a 2-minute performance using a SOMA synth and win gear. On Saturday, you can join the training session while the setup is still under construction. This format is a creative fusion of finger drumming and analog modular culture.

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Finger Drum Championship

On July 19, Berlin welcomes the world’s top finger drummers for an electrifying competition powered by Yamaha. Expect jaw-dropping performances and next-level rhythm. Since 2017, we’ve been proud to host this one-of-a-kind international championship.

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Yamaha
fgdp battle

The FGDP Controller is Yamaha’s dedicated finger drum instrument. At the Sample Music Festival, we’re hosting the first-ever competition focused purely on rhythmic skill — using only kick, snare, and hi-hat segments, with no loops allowed. Register now and be part of this groundbreaking event.

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Team battle

After the success of last year’s team battle, we’re bringing it back this Sunday! To prepare, you can book one of our jam boxes for a rehearsal or a jam session—whether with new faces or familiar friends. Excite us with a 2–3 minute routine and show us what you’ve got!

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Beat unit
beat battle

Beat Unit is a community for music production and networking—genre-independent, with regular events and in-studio workshops. With over 190 members, it's the largest network for music producers and beatmakers in Europe. During the SMF event, we’re hosting a beat unit battle inviting beat makers to come together and create.

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Portablism Battle

This year, we’re once again kicking things off on Friday with the Portablism Battle, presented in collaboration with the one and only PortablismGear team. Join us for a BBQ and wild outdoor scratch sessions at the House of Music — the perfect start to Sample Music Festival, reuniting with old friends and making new ones.

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outdoor stage

Every weekend, the RAW area draws thousands of visitors, many of whom pass by the House of Music without stopping. With our Outdoor Stage and captivating finger drumming and turntablism showcases, we aim to change that. A specially designed short-visit ticket invites attendees to explore the venue and immerse themselves in the experience. Feel free to reach out if you want to perform.

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Clash of the Titans

As part of SMF, we’re hosting the legendary **Clash of the Titans**—an international scratch battle established in 2020. Each participant has one minute to showcase their skills on the ones and twos. Don’t miss this epic showdown in Berlin!

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Scientific Symposium

This year, our annual symposium focuses on the world premiere of an innovative composition that merges turntablism and finger drumming. The event will feature an in-depth presentation of the notation models used and a detailed exploration of the composition's development process.






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Do you want to participate?

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Mad Zach

Mad Zach, the legendary beatmaker and sound designer, will join us as a judge for the Finger Drumming World Championship 2025. Known for his groundbreaking live sets and iconic sound packs, he brings deep expertise to the panel. Hardly anyone has shaped the art of finger drumming the way Mad Zach has. We can't wait to have him on board and also playing a showcase!

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Guvi Bosch

Guvi Bosch, Berlin-based producer and multi-instrumentalist, is known for his fully improvised live performances and deep mastery of rhythm. He made history as the first-ever Finger Drumming World Champion in 2027 and returned as a judge in 2024. With acclaimed releases like PAD NET and REEFL, he continues to push creative boundaries. We're excited to announce him as a judge for the Finger Drumming World Championship 2025!

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TRUST JUICE

We’re excited to announce that **Trust Juice** will host a **Deconstructed Session** as part of our collaboration with **BEAT UNIT**. As the producer behind tracks for IamOGT, Undacover, Xatar, and many others, he brings unmatched skill and creative energy. He’ll take the stage to build a full beat from scratch in just 5 minutes—live and unfiltered. Don’t miss this rare behind-the-scenes look at his process!

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DJ ChedeRac

DJ Chederac is one of the most promising turntablists in Europe, holding multiple championship titles. He is a DJ, turntablist, producer, composer, sound engineer, and multi-instrumentalist. A proud member of the world champion Needlework Scratch Crew (NSC), he will present a special showcase at SMF 2025 in Berlin.

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Hawt Coco

Hawt Coco claimed third place at the Finger Drumming World Championship 2024. He is a sound designer, Ableton drummer, and head of the School of Creative Human Development. Returning to compete again this year, visitors can look forward to witnessing his incredible skills live at the competition.

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Tim Kroker

Tim Kroker is head of education at SMF and a professional finger drummer, working as a product specialist for companies such as Yamaha and SOMA. At Sample Music Festival, he will lead workshops on using the SOMA synth and the Yamaha FGDP – the first controller designed specifically for finger drumming.

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DINGSTAR

dingStar is the creative alias of Malte Bender a.k.a. ding$ a.k.a. Bum Bum Nappy, serving as a platform for improvised and experimental performances with electronic instruments and controllers. His style blends rhythm-driven finger drumming with dub mixing techniques to create a unique, organic sound. Under the motto "dings IN Dub," each session becomes an audiovisual journey offering a break from everyday routines.

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Sample Music Festival

ENTEK

Entek is a French musician and performer based in North London. His productions blend rhythms and elements from a variety of musical styles, creating a distinctive hybrid sound. He earned second place at the Finger Drumming World Championship 2024 and will return to compete again this year.

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Jey

Jey has a long-standing career as a musician, DJ, producer, vocalist, and label owner, with international performances dating back to the ’90s—from Loveparade and Mayday to tours with The Prodigy, Moby, and XPQ-21. Twelve years ago, he co-founded the EMS – Electronic Music School in Cologne. At this year’s SMF, he will lead several workshops focused on music production.

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DJ IRON

dingStar is the creative alias of Malte Bender a.k.a. ding$ a.k.a. Bum Bum Nappy, serving as a platform for improvised and experimental performances with electronic instruments and controllers. His style blends rhythm-driven finger drumming with dub mixing techniques to create a unique, organic sound. Under the motto "dings IN Dub," each session becomes an audiovisual journey offering a break from everyday routines.

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Sample Music Festival

NULAR

NULAR is a one-man progressive metal act from Budapest, delivering raw, improvised performances without backing tracks or a metronome. Armed with a custom MIDI vest and finger drumming skills, NULAR creates every sound live on stage. He will represent at the Finger Drumming World Championship.

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EL.S

El S. is a music producer and rapper from Puerto Rico. He started out with bands in the hardcore punk and metal scene, and since 2009, under his project eL S. he has released 20 albums featuring hip-hop and other influences. He has collaborated with various independent artists and musical groups. In 2020, he founded Guiñapo El Studio, where he continues to work, creating music for documentaries and artists, and recording audiovisuals.

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Zero one one

EZero One One delivers live, raw, and fully improvised techno—no backing tracks, just pure moment-driven sound. With Esroh Shift on keys and synths shaping deep, evolving textures, Andrew Matter driving modular percussion with pulse and precision, and Klaudia Magierowska layering raw guitar tones and haunting vocals, the trio creates a powerful, spontaneous experience. Catch them live on Saturday and Sunday at our outdoor area.

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B.Eye

B.EYE is a finger drummer and beat maker from the Czech Republic, known for his explosive precision and creative flair. In 2024, he took first place in the Team Battle at Sample Music Festival, pushing the boundaries of live beat performance with groove, grit, and surgical timing.

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Sanes Medicine

Joe Beats from Sanes Medicine (Berlin) will perform at the Finger Drumming World Championship, bringing his raw skill and live energy to the stage. You can also catch them live at our pop-up event at HHV Store on Friday.

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BEAT UNIT

We’re excited to partner with BeatUnit – Germany’s leading network for music producers. For two days of the festival, they’ll host a dedicated platform for beatmakers, including the BeatUnit Beat Battle. To register, follow the link in our program or visit their website.

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HitYAWitthat

Sample Music Festival began in 2015 with the support of HitYaWithThat – Berlin’s leading community session for turntablism and DJing. That’s why we’re especially excited to have them on board for our 10th anniversary. Don’t miss the sessions on July 16 and 17 at cafe wendel in Berlin Kreuzberg.

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Ben Ebelt

Since day one, BenEbelt has been a part of the ever-growing finger drumming community at Sample Music Festival. We’re excited to welcome him back this year as he returns to compete in the battle. Get ready for his jazzy, musical approach to pad performance.

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Cafe Wendel Thursday 17 July, 2025

HHV Store & House of Music Friday 18 July, 2025

HHV Store Berlin

House of Music

House of Music Saturday 19 July, 2025

Event Hall

Noisy Rooms

  • Revaler Strasse 99, 10245 BerlinIcon Right

    Welcome Aliens

    14:00

  • Room 1Icon Right

    DJ ChedeRac & DJ Iron Experience Room by JICO

    14:00

  • Room2Icon Right

    Music Production Workshops by EMS Berlin

    14:00

  • Room 3Icon Right

    FGDP Controller – Yamaha Room Music Experienc

    14:00

  • room 4Icon Right

    Rehearsal & Jam Space

    14:00

  • room 5Icon Right

    SOMA Synth Experience Room

    14:00

  • room 6Icon Right

    Rehearsal & Jam Space

    14:00

  • room 7Icon Right

    Rehearsal & Jam Space

    14:00

  • room 8Icon Right

    Beat Lab and Battle room by Beat Unit

    14:00

Outdoor

House of Music Sunday 20 July, 2025

Event Hall

Noisy Rooms

  • Revaler Strasse 99, 10245 BerlinIcon Right

    Welcome Aliens

    14:00

  • Room 1Icon Right

    DJ ChedeRac & DJ Iron Experience Room by JICO

    14:00

  • Room2Icon Right

    Music Production Workshops by EMS Berlin

    14:00

  • Room 3Icon Right

    FGDP Controller – Yamaha Room Music Experienc

    14:00

  • room 4Icon Right

    Rehearsal & Jam Space

    14:00

  • room 5Icon Right

    SOMA Synth Experience Room

    14:00

  • room 6Icon Right

    Rehearsal & Jam Space

    14:00

  • room 7Icon Right

    Rehearsal & Jam Space

    14:00

  • room 8Icon Right

    Beat Lab and Battle room by Beat Unit

    14:00

Outdoor