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Free Music Samples and Loops

The following links will open doors to a wealth of loops, drum hits, acoustic, electric and just plain weird audio samples. Most are available in WAV format, but many are made available as MP3s and other formats. We only include sites that contain drum shots, kits or instruments, whether or not they contain loops. With so many loop sites already in existence, we choose to emphasize playable instruments and drums. MusicBootCamp.com is not affiliated with these sites and accepts no liability for use of their content whatsoever. We have done our best to recommend sites that, to our knowledge, offer original content, but we can’t be certain about it. Have fun!

To report a broken link or suggest a new page, click here. Suggested sites MUST contain either free one-shot drums or full keyboard instruments. Loop-only sites are not included in this list.

Enjoy. Most or all of these sites offer free samples or entire libraries for free download.

A note about Kontakt and EXS24 Instruments:

The samples in Kontakt and EXS24 kits can be imported into most other software-based samplers. Some PC users may lack the software to edit AIF and SD2 file types, but Audacity (a free audio editor) should be able to deal with these. Many of these kits use only WAV samples and are therefore easy to use with most PC applications. Mac users will have no problem regardless of the format.

Soundfonts:

Soundfonts can be converted into useable kits for most modern software-based samplers. Soundfont drum kits convert pretty easily, but pitched instruments with modulation data may not translate as well. It really depends on what tool you use to convert soundfonts, some are better and maintaining modulation and filter data than others, while other tools do an excellent job of annihilating the intended sound (but in a good way).

Mac Soundfont Plugin Synths | PC Soundfont Plugin Synths

sfArk Soundfont decompression utilities for files compressed in the type 1 and type 2 formats. You’ll need this for some downloads. Mac users may need VirtualPC to run the type 1 converter or install exe files from companies like Sonic Implants.

Convolution Reverb Impulse Responses:

Convolution reverb is a technology that uses acoustic properties from rooms and environments that exist in the real world. Impulse responses are generated using sophisticated mic and processing techniques, which make the echo from that space available in your plugin host to any source you choose. There are several low-cost and free convolution reverb plugins available, our favorite being Liquid Sonic’s Reverberate. While not free, it’s a blisteringly fast and powerful impulse response (IR) host. Many convolution plugins are sluggish in their ability to switch from one preset to the next, but Reverberate switches instantly and easily. This alone is worth the price, but the plugin can host two impulse responses at once, facilitate true stereo in and out, and allow EQ and extensive nondestructive editing of each IR. One clever byproduct of this technology is that it can be used to emulate the effects of audio hardware such as guitar rigs, compressors and more (for example, you can place your audio into the body of a cello and inherit is spacial and resonate characteristics). Most of the hardware emulations (like guitar heads and cabinet plugins) available today use convolution technology. The following is a list of free impulse response libraries that can be downloaded and used in the convolution reverb plugin of your choosing:

Suggest another resource! We’ll review it and include it if we feel it adds value.

 

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