Many novice users trying to master music programs or DJing, as a rule, come across the concept of loops. What is a "loop", not everyone knows. However, an understanding of this term is mandatory.
What is loop: translation
Let's start with the simplest. In order to understand what a “loop” is, you just need to translate this English term. In the standard translation, you can find several values. But in most cases, this term translates as “loop”, “ring”, etc.
But in most cases this term is associated with music and cinema. By the way, for the first time such loops were used precisely in the cinema, and only later migrated to music.
What is a loop in music?
According to many interpretations, by loops in music it is customary to denote digitized musical fragments (loops), which are a repeating musical phrase or beat, from which you can type the whole work.
Initially, “loops” were created using tape recorders, on which fragments were reproduced in a looped sequence. A little later, when special computer programs appeared, such pieces began to be digitized and saved as sound files (at first it was a WAV format). In musical sequencers, “loops” have become much easier to use. The desired sequence was simply set in the playlist, due to which a complete track was obtained.
Standard Examples of Using Loops
So, what is a “loop” in terms of using loops in music sequencers and DJ programs?
At the dawn of multimedia, there were two interesting programs - Fruity Loops and Fruity Tracks. The first was originally intended specifically for creating “loops” and eventually transformed into a full-fledged studio FL Studio, and the second served as a tool for combining musical fragments among themselves to obtain a full-fledged composition, but it did not take root among users.
It is worth noting that you should not confuse the concept of "magnifier" and a sample. “Loop” is a full sequence or even an integral piece of a part of a musical instrument or rhythm, and a sample is most often associated with a single sound (one-shot). That is, for example, for drums it can be a single hit on a snare drum, barrel, viola, hat or cymbal. "Loop" consists of a sequence of beats, representing a complete piece of the rhythmic part.
What is a “loop” can be easier explained by the example of how a DJ works. On "live" performances, as a rule, full-fledged compositions are constructed in such a way that the sound of some fragment is initially set (for example, a looped drum part), on which the DJ superimposes effects and the main melody.
Sometimes ready-made "loops" created in special programs are also used in studios. Today, almost everything, even the simplest mixing consoles, has at their disposal a tool for replaying such fragments. This approach is also good because when you repeat it, you do not need to adjust the volume or set additional effects again (unless in the case of applying a changing effect in real time, which provides very wide possibilities in terms of musical experiments). This technique is very often used in dance music when processing the same drum part or any other sequence, say, a filter, phaser, chorus, etc.
Conclusion
In general, there is nothing complicated in understanding the term itself, denoted as loop. If someone has a desire to create or use “loops” in practice, there are many beatmaker programs or the same music sequencers like FL Studio, although you should not forget about such classic designs as VST-plugins like TR- 303.