# A Poke in the Ear with a Sharp Stick

> Music sample library published on CD-ROM

**Wikidata**: [Q135494376](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q135494376)  
**Source**: https://4ort.xyz/entity/a-poke-in-the-ear-with-a-sharp-stick

## Summary
A Poke in the Ear with a Sharp Stick is a music sample library published on CD-ROM in 1991 by software development company OSC. This digital content collection was distributed in the standard CD-ROM format and required the Samplecell Editor software to function properly.

## Key Facts
- Published in 1991 by OSC, a software development company founded in 1990
- Distributed as a CD-ROM containing computer data for music sampling
- Requires Samplecell Editor software to operate
- Located at the Irving S. Gilmore Music Library
- Classified as digital content, born-digital software, and CD-ROM media
- Publication date matches inception year of 1991
- Represents early digital music sample library technology

## FAQs
### Q: What type of software is A Poke in the Ear with a Sharp Stick?
A: A Poke in the Ear with a Sharp Stick is a music sample library distributed as CD-ROM software. It contains digital audio samples for musical composition and requires the Samplecell Editor software to function.

### Q: Who published A Poke in the Ear with a Sharp Stick?
A: The music sample library was published by OSC, a software development company that was established in 1990.

### Q: Where can A Poke in the Ear with a Sharp Stick be found?
A: The CD-ROM is located at the Irving S. Gilmore Music Library, making it accessible for research and educational purposes.

## Why It Matters
A Poke in the Ear with a Sharp Stick represents an important milestone in the evolution of digital music production during the early 1990s. As one of the early music sample libraries distributed on CD-ROM format, it helped establish the foundation for modern digital audio workstations and sampling technology. The release demonstrated how traditional music libraries could be digitized and made accessible through emerging computer technologies, bridging the gap between analog and digital music production methods. Its requirement for specialized software like Samplecell Editor illustrates the complex ecosystem that was developing around digital audio production tools. The library's presence at the Irving S. Gilmore Music Library ensures its preservation for future study of early digital music technology, providing researchers and musicians insight into the transition period when music production was moving from purely analog to digital formats. This work contributed to the democratization of music production by making high-quality samples more accessible to composers and producers.

## Notable For
- Early adoption of CD-ROM technology for music sample distribution in 1991
- Required specialized Samplecell Editor software, demonstrating complex digital audio ecosystems
- Preserved at the prestigious Irving S. Gilmore Music Library for academic research
- Represents transition period from analog to digital music production methods
- Published by OSC, a software company established just one year prior in 1990

## Body
### Publication and Distribution
A Poke in the Ear with a Sharp Stick was released as a music sample library on CD-ROM format in 1991. The distribution medium represented cutting-edge technology for delivering large amounts of digital audio data to musicians and producers. The CD-ROM format allowed for significantly more storage capacity compared to floppy disks, enabling comprehensive sample collections.

### Technical Requirements
The software library required the Samplecell Editor application to function properly. This dependency relationship demonstrates the interconnected nature of early digital audio software ecosystems, where multiple applications needed to work together to provide complete functionality for users.

### Publisher Information
OSC, the publishing company behind the sample library, was founded in 1990, making A Poke in the Ear with a Sharp Stick one of their early products. The company's focus on software development positioned them to take advantage of the growing digital music market in the early 1990s.

### Preservation and Access
The location of the CD-ROM at the Irving S. Gilmore Music Library ensures long-term preservation and accessibility for researchers studying the history of digital music technology and early computer-based audio production methods.