Loops and you The first thing I’ll say about loops is that they can take up a lot of space. I have over 8 GB in my collection and its limited. By limited I mean not very large. I have perhaps two dozen loop libraries on the computer right now. This may seem like a lot but; in the world of loops, it most certainly is not.
If you don’t have the space to store them in the hard drive on your computer, try to get a good external hard drive. If you don’t have the money to spend on a hard drive be aware you will be only able to use one loop library at a time.
This is because you will have to use them by disk. This is fine if you are merely making a one genre recording or using loops to accompany recordings of your own.
If you do have room to store them on your hard drive; or hard drives, put them in easy to remember folders.
The best way is to have a loops folder, then subfolders for a style of music or for each loop library.
Arrange them the best way for you to keep track.
Just remember that loop 00005.wav tells you absolutely nothing on its own, keep them organized!
Lastly once you’ve used the file; if you move it, the program will complain and want to know where it is the next time you open a project. To save yourself a good deal of hassle be as organized as you possibly can with your loops.
If you plan on mainly using loops; to begin with at least, this is a must do task. However this also applies if you will be using your own instruments or doing any recording of your own material.
Save them as names you’ll remember, and keep them organized in easy to use folders. This will save you a great deal of headache with searching.
Acid music studios loop selection window, which you will be using for all track selection uses a simple folder, subfolder, subfolder etc. file selection method. Just dumping all of your loop files into one folder will be a massive headache when trying to find anything; one last time, keep it organized .
Back it up, back it up, back it up, back it up, back it up!!!!!!
On DVD, CD, external hard drive, internal hard drives, anything you can. Hard drives can fail. Removable media like discs can be damaged. So in case you didn’t get it the first time
Back up your work or risk losing it!
Next is acidized loops.
An acidized loop has beats per minute and pitch information right in the file. This allows you to use the loops at any beats per minute or pitch acid can handle, which is a lot.
This turns even a small collection of loops into a massive library of potential.
For example altering the beats per minute by roughly 20 is enough to give it a significantly different sound. With Acid MS thats roughly 7 steps you can change any one loop. You can also change the pitch of any of those seven steps within a loop giving you a great deal of flexibility.
By using a special audio FX, you can easily turn even a very small number of loops into a coherent track simply by using the same ones over and over again just changing them in small ways.
Now creating your own loops may seem like a hard thing to do, trust me it isn’t.
If you have a microphone and something to make noise with you can make loops.
I have used my keyboard and a neck chain to create a nice little spooky chain dragging effect, also been a rather versatile vocalist I can use my voice to make lots of interesting noises also.
These are very simple examples of how you can make your own loops easily. At first it may seem like there would be no reason to do this with all the loops available, but the simple fact is that even with the millions upon millions of loops out there, probably none have never been used.
The better the loop sounds the more likely it has been used a great deal. I have listened to commercials and briefly thought they ripped me off, because they were using loops in a way similar to something I made.
You can also use existing loops and cut them up to create your own.
You can use drum sequencers to craft your own drum loops.
Tons of synthetic programs are available, many for free.
You can also use your mic to record anything. In addition to the samples already given, you can record the guitar that you play with now and then, you can record dripping water, stomping feet, claps, outdoor noises, anything can be recorded into a loop.
Sampling is the act of taking an existing sound or piece of music and using it in your own tracks.
All loops technically are samples.
I personally draw a line and say that using loops is not actually sampling however.
To me; and this is purely my opinion, sampling is taking bits and pieces from a song somebody else recorded and using them in your own.
Rap was born from doing this. Early rappers could not afford actual instruments, recording time or to put a band together. What they did have was early tape recorders and record players.
By sampling other peoples music, mixing it to create beats, they were able to create a new genre of music. This was originally called hip-hop. It was originally used for dancing.
It was not until the 90s it became associated with criminal activity or what is commonly known as gangsta rap.
The problem with sampling, is by sampling someone’s song you are breaking copyright law.
That’s it; no arguing, nothing will save you if you get caught and they want to sue.
The only way; and reason, you would sample song is if you intend to change the sample. This allows you to continue using the already recorded ambiance of the track, while not ripping off the artist who did originally record it.
However the changes must be significant. For you to be able to say that you have truly taken that piece of recorded material, sampled it, and made it your own, you must truly change the original recording.
Your best bet is that if you do not feel comfortable with taking the chance with using samples, don’t do it. I don’t use sampling because I don’t feel comfortable with it.
In a related matter when you buy a CD or DVD with loops you do not own the rights to those loops.
The copyright of those loops remains with the original maker.
What you do have is a user license. Basically a contract allowing you to use the loops for the creation of your own material.
You should always make sure you are buying royalty-free loops. Royalty-free means you do not owe the company anything for using them as long as you are the one that rightfully bought them.
Any loops that do have royalties will require you to pay the company anytime you sell any song with one of them on it. Be it by CD or download.
You can buy loops, or you can get them for free, some sources for free loops are sample downloads and magazines.
Once you have your royalty-free loops be they free; or bought, you have made a contract with the owner to be the only user of those loops.
You cannot give them away, or sell them, nor can you buy used loop libraries. Doing any of these things voids the contract and your right to use them. So don’t do it.
You cannot buy used loop libraries because you are not the original licensee of the loops.
You can use your loops on other people’s work if you are a credited creative name on the product.
This means that you are part of the creative process in making the work. By doing this the work becomes partially yours, and therefore you can use your loops. You would normally do this if you are a producer working with a group. This is why a good deal of rappers have similar sounding beats.
Those are the most important things to know about loops, in and of themselves. I will go into using them with videos and further articles.
This intel first appeared on: http://acidhedz.com/wordpress/?p=8
