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In electronic music, a loop is a sample which is repeated. Loops may be repeated through the use of tape loops, delay effects, cutting between two record players, sampling, a sampler or with the aid of Computer Based Looping Software.

"Loops are short sections of tracks (probably between one and four bars in length), which you believe might work being repeated." A loop is not "any sample, but...specifically a small section of sound that's repeated continuously." Contrast with a one-shot sample. (Duffell 2005, p.14)

"A loop is a sample of a performance that has been edited to repeat seamlessly when the audio file is played end to end." (Hawkins 2004, p. 10)

While repetition is used in the musics of all cultures the first musicians to use loops were electronic pioneers Pierre Henry, Edgard Varèse and Karlheinz Stockhausen. Stockhausen's music in turn influenced the Beatles to experiment with tape loops, and their use of loops in early psychedelic works (most notably 1966's "Tomorrow Never Knows" and 1968's avant-garde "Revolution 9") brought the technique into the mainstream. Later, inspired by Terry Riley's use of one tape on two tape machines, Brian Eno and Robert Fripp created the technical basis for their No Pussyfooting album - this technological concept was later dubbed Frippertronics.

Another approach was the use of pre-recorded loops, first exemplified by Grandmaster Flash and his turntablism.

Use of pre-recorded loops made its way into many styles of popular music, including hip hop, trip hop, techno, drum and bass, and contemporary dub, as well as into mood music on soundtracks.

Today followers including Stefan Keller, David Torn, Andre LaFosse, Matthias Grob, Bernhard Wagner, Per Boysen, Rick Walker, Florian Antoine, Andy Butler and Steve Lawson use digital hardware and software devices to create and modify loops, often in conjunction with various electronic musical effects.

In 1992-1993 dedicated digital devices were invented specifically for the use in live looping, or loops that are recorded in front of a live audience. Looping has made its way to the singer/songwriter genre as well, achieving new popularity in the employ of artists such as Keller Williams, Andrew Bird, Howie Day, Seth Horan, Ani DiFranco, and KT Tunstall.

Computer programs to create music using loops range in features, user friendliness, and price. Some of the most widely used are, Digidesign's Sound Tools, Sony's ACID, Cakewalk Sonar, ReCycle, GarageBand, FL Studio (formerly Fruity Loops), Ableton Live, Augustus Loop, Multi Loop, and Ambi Loop.

A famous festival for loop based music is Loopstock in the San Luis Obispo, California region, established 2002, and the Y2K? series, established in 2000 in Santa Cruz, California. The Y2K4 International Live Looping Festival in October 2004 drew 50 loopers from 5 different countries and all over the United States in four days in two cities (San Francisco and the main festival in Santa Cruz). There were 20 live looping festivals in 12 countries in 2004 in this burgeoning international movement.

The musical loop is one of the most important features of video game music. It is also the guiding principle behind devices like the Buddha machine, an ambient-music generating device.

• Break (music), break beats are drum loops
• Phasing

• Duffell, Daniel (2005). Making Music with Samples : Tips, Techniques, and 600+ Ready-to-Use Samples. ISBN 0-87930-839-7.
• Hawkins, Erik (2004). The Complete Guide to Remixing: Produce Professional Dance-Floor Hits on Your Home Computer. ISBN 0-87639-044-0.

• Free-Loops.com- Thousands of Free Loops and Examples
• playingmusic.com - FAQ: Answers to common questions about loops
• Looper's Delight A resource for musicians creating with audio loops of every sort.
• iBeat - Open Music loop and sample archive
• Creating and manipulating drum loops