loop
A repeating section of audio or MIDI that cycles continuously to form the foundation of a track.
In Depth
Loops are fundamental to electronic music, hip-hop, and modern pop production. A drum loop provides the rhythmic foundation, while bass and melodic loops layer on top. Loops can be pre-recorded samples, live recordings, or programmed patterns. Hardware loopers allow performers to build layered arrangements in real time. The loop-based workflow in DAWs like Ableton Live has made loops the primary building block of contemporary music production.
The Amen break, a six-second drum loop from a 1969 funk record, became the most sampled loop in history and is the rhythmic foundation of jungle, drum and bass, and breakbeat.