# Free loops by genre and tempo

> Free loops for music production: drum loops, melody loops, guitar and piano loops by genre, with BPM and key where known and a licence verdict on each.

A loop repeats seamlessly at a tempo, so it can carry a whole section of a track or seed a new idea. These collections group free loops by instrument and genre, from lo-fi drum grooves to piano chords, and show the BPM and key so you can match them to your project. Many loops on free sites are licensed for non-commercial use only: each card says which.

Updated 2026-10-23.

## Collections

- [Free drum loops](https://sound.shep.bot/samples/free-drum-loops.md): 28 samples from 4 sources. Free drum loops for hip hop, house, trap, rock and lo-fi, with tempo where known and a licence verdict on each, ready to drop into a project at the right BPM.
- [Free guitar loops](https://sound.shep.bot/samples/free-guitar-loops.md): 16 samples from 2 sources. Free guitar loops: clean electric riffs, acoustic strums, funk licks and ambient textures with BPM and key where known, each with a commercial-use verdict.
- [Free lo-fi loops](https://sound.shep.bot/samples/free-lofi-loops.md): 36 samples from 4 sources. Free lo-fi hip hop loops: dusty keys, jazzy guitar, mellow drums and tape-warped textures with BPM and key where known, and a licence verdict on every loop.

## Matching tempo and key

A loop is recorded at one tempo, so set your project to its BPM or time-stretch it, and check that it ends exactly on a bar line. If it ends halfway, the real tempo is half or double the label. Pitched loops also have a key: play them over your bassline, and stay within two or three semitones when you transpose them.

## Making a loop your own

Slice a loop at its transients and replay the slices in a new order, filter or re-pitch it, or layer it under your own drums. The more you transform it, the less it sounds like a stock sample, which also makes it less likely to collide with someone else's track in fingerprinting systems.

## Licences on loop sites

Free loop communities often let uploaders choose a licence without checking that they own the material, and many loops are for non-commercial use only. Sound Server reads the licence for each loop and never rates an unverified uploader's claim better than check the terms. Use the Commercial-safe switch if the track may be released.

## Questions

**What is the difference between a loop and a one-shot?**

A loop is a repeating pattern recorded at a fixed tempo; a one-shot is a single hit or note you arrange yourself. Loops give you feel, one-shots give you control.

**How do I find loops at my tempo?**

Add the BPM to your search (for example drum loop 90 bpm) or use the BPM filter, which also matches half and double tempo.

**Can I sell beats made with free loops?**

Only with loops whose licence allows commercial use. Many free loops are non-commercial, so check the verdict on each one before you lease or sell a beat.

## Guides

- [What counts as commercial use of a sample?](https://sound.shep.bot/guides/what-counts-as-commercial-use.md): Selling, streaming for royalties, monetised videos, beat leases, sync and client work are commercial. How non-commercial (NC) licences apply to music.
- [One-shots vs loops: which samples should you use?](https://sound.shep.bot/guides/one-shots-vs-loops.md): One-shots are single hits you program yourself; loops are recorded patterns that repeat at a tempo. When to use each, how to match them, and how to search.
- [How to find samples by BPM and key](https://sound.shep.bot/guides/find-samples-by-bpm-and-key.md): Search loops, 808s and melodic samples by tempo and key, why half-time and relative keys match, and how to check a sample's real BPM and root note.

## Other kinds

- [Free drum samples: kicks, snares, hats and breaks](https://sound.shep.bot/samples/drums.md)
- [Free 808 and bass samples](https://sound.shep.bot/samples/bass-808s.md)
- [Free vocal samples: chops, a cappellas and shouts](https://sound.shep.bot/samples/vocals.md)
- [Free sound effects for music: risers, impacts, sweeps](https://sound.shep.bot/samples/fx.md)
- [Free foley sounds and ambience recordings](https://sound.shep.bot/samples/foley-ambience.md)
- [Free instrument samples: piano, guitar, synth, strings](https://sound.shep.bot/samples/instruments.md)

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Source: https://sound.shep.bot/samples/loops