What is a Music Loop?

(Tutorial from Partners In Rhyme .com)

Royalty free music, Sound effects, Midi files, Audio software and Sound advice

http://www.partnersinrhyme.com/contact/tutorials.php

Many people are still a bit confused about what exactly a music loop is and how they can be used for royalty free purposes in their multimedia projects such as Flash animations, background music for websites and on hold message systems to video games and alarm clocks.

Here are some answers I sent to a recent inquiry:

Could you please explain to me what a loop is?

A music loop is a short piece of music, anywhere from 7 to 30 seconds or longer. What makes the music file a loop is that it is edited to loop seamlessly from the end back the beginning.

And why would people want to create loops?

Music loops are preferable in many situations:

·    You have flexibility in editing with music loops. You can lay the loop in any audio editing software end to end many times for as long as you need the music to play. For example if you were trying to match the length of the music exactly to a scene in a video then a music loop might be a good way to go.

·    If you are using the loop in a web page you can set your embed parameters to loop = true and the music will play seamlessly in the background until the visitor leaves your page (just make sure they are not leaving your page because you haven’t given them  a way to turn off the music that is playing forever in the background)

·    The applications that may most benefit from a music loop though are Flash applications and Video Games. These are two areas where size of the files used is extremely important. With music loops you can provide a wide variety of music in these applications with a minimum in file size.

·    Powerpoint presentations are also a good application for the use of music loops because of file size.

Do music loops have bridges like a real song ?

Ah, good question. If the loop is a long one then it can have a bridge, but then you are starting to lose the advantage of having a loop in the first place.

What we do at Partners In Rhyme is edit the bridge out as a separate music loop and put together music loop packs with which you can use the loops to create your own custom edits. Play the verse 4 times then the chorus twice, or play alternate the verse and chorus, then repeat the chorus and fade it out.

This type of thing is perfect for Flash applications where you can designate which music loops you want to play when. You can get the sound of a full length track with only a fraction of the space.

Link to www.aussie-accent/audioloopsfree/

Click on the Sample Farm link below for

free Loops and Samples

You can also download free music loops on the royalty free music loops and sound effects from. Partners In Rhyme.

You can also visit musicloops.com to download higher resolution royalty free music loops and full length music tracks to be used in multimedia projects on a royalty free basis.

At Sound-effect.com you can find really cool sound effects loops to use as quick loading background sounds for your website. These are nice for background sounds on websites as they can be a little less annoying than a short music loop that plays forever.

Partners In Rhyme .com

Download the music and sound effects you need for your multimedia project today at Partners In Rhyme.

Transfer LP’s to Audio CD

Created by Serle Wells for Aussie Accent Music

Technical Requirements

I have supplied a link to a free version of Audacity, (Freeware) which is a little more sophisticated than Microsoft Sound Recorder in that we can use the recording levels and pause button to our benefit.

You can download a free copy from: Download Audacity 1.2.6

* Check out System Requirements if you have an older PC and be sure you have enough Hard drive memory. WAV files are fairly large.

Connecting Stereo amplifier to PC rear panel

At the rear of your home stereo amplifier or Music system, is a panel for all in and out connections for linking to CD, Turntable, Tape Player, Tuner, TV, PC etc.

You will need to connect a pair of RCA Plugs to the Audio Line Out from the rear of the amplifier and link to the rear of the PC Soundcard Audio Input, which usually connects with a Stereo 3.5 Plug.

You will need to purchase a Cable from your IT Dealer; a Stereo 3.5 to 2 mono RCA connectors (to carry the 2 stereo signals from the amplifier end to the 3.5 Stereo input at the PC end.)

Here is a view of the PC rear panel.

(See Screen shots in Free PDF Download)

The sound card input is arrowed as Audio Jacks.

Select the Microphone-in Jack.

(See Screen shots in Free PDF Download)

A collection of connector Plugs.

We will be using the RCA and 3.5mm Audio plugs. (Jacks)

(See Screen shots in Free PDF Download)

The PC end, preparation

Start up your PC and click on the Start Button (in XP) and select the Control Panel, then select Sounds and Audio Devices.

A panel appears> Select Volume from the Tabs at the top of the Panel and adjust, if necessary, the volume slider to high.

Next select the Audio Tab, you will see in Sound Playback, a display panel showing default devices, the type of Sound Card Device your PC is currently using.

This is where you can select which sound device you wish to use if your PC is installed with more than one, by clicking on the drop down panel arrow to the right of the Default Device display panel.

Under Sound Playback, click on Volume and adjust all sliders to full (top), on the panel that appears and un-mute if any mute boxes are ticked and check the balance is middle.

In the Sound Recording section, click on Volume and adjust all sliders to full. CD Player, Line in, Microphone, un-mute any ticked boxes and check the balance is middle.

Next check the Performance levels by clicking on the Advanced Tab under Sound Playback and select the Performance Tab and adjust the sliders to full.

Next, check the Speaker Tab and click on the Speaker Setup drop down arrow to see the options and select the most suited to your setup; this may already be set correctly.

You are now done with the settings so close all windows and open Sound Recorder or any Audio Recording Software you prefer.

I have supplied a copy of Audacity, (Freeware) which is a little more sophisticated than Microsoft Sound Recorder in that we can use the recording levels and pause button to our benefit.

You can download a free copy from: http://audacity.sourceforge.net/

Select: Download Audacity 1.2.6

* Check out System Requirements if you have an older PC.

You should make a folder on your C Drive and name it My Recordings or whatever suits you, so you have a place to store them.

At this point the PC and the Audio Amplifier should be plugged together using the cable described earlier.

We will describe the recording process using the Audacity Software for ease of access for the new comer’s.

Opening Audacity

Go to the folder that you downloaded the Audacity.exe file and open by double left click on the Audacity .exe file or right click and select open.

The Editing Workspace appears.

The Audacity Editing workspace with labelling of the various components

(See Screen shots in Free PDF Download)

We will record the entire side of the LP and cut it up later so it can be burnt to CD as separate tracks in whatever order you want.

Flat recording level

First we need a Flat recording level so the signal volume is not boosted or reduced, this is done using the Input Volume Adjustment displayed with a microphone image above the Track Display region.

The Input Volume Display shows the input signal level from the Stereo Amplifier. The RCA line out signal from the Amplifier is a Flat signal and not affected by the listening Volume control.

Meanwhile, back at the Turntable, now is a good time to get your LP rotating with the needle set up ready to play above what you think is the loudest section of this side of the LP.

When the needle is placed on the LP you will be checking for the Input Level display to ensure it does not rise above 0 dB or peak to far below, ideally we are seeking the loudest point to be 0 dB.

The signal level is adjusted with the Input Volume Adjustment as shown in the Audacity Workspace diagram.

If the adjustment cannot go low enough, go back to: Start Menu >Control Panel > select Sounds and Audio Devices > Audio > Sound Recording > Volume > and adjust the Line In level down a notch or two, you call it.

>Now on the turntable, lower the needle onto the LP

> In the Editing Space press pause again and check the Input Volume Display as the track is recording a dummy test track.

>Do the adjustments spoken of previously in the Flat recording level section while the track is recording.

>Stop Record when your signal levels are adjusted to requirements.

>Left click on Edit at the very top left of the editing page and select undo to clear the track we just recorded.

Recording

Now we are ready to record.

> Set the needle at the start of your LP

> Press record on the editing space

> Lower the needle to the LP.

> After monitoring that all is ok for a few minutes, go make a coffee while the whole side of the LP records.

> Once the Last Track is completed, stop recording. You should have a very large WAV file to save to the hard drive. (Hope you allowed for enough hard drive space)

Create a Folder and Store the Recording

>Left click on file, top left of page, and select Save Project As

> Click ok after reading the panel info

> An explorer Window appears to choose where to store the recording

> Click on the drop down arrow and select “C” Drive

> Click on create New Folder Icon if you haven’t already.

(Hover the mouse over the image of a folder with a sparkle on the top right corner)

> Name the new folder that appears

> Now, name the file we have just recorded, in the space at the bottom of the explorer window, with the name of the LP….1 (and the same when you have recorded side 2 – LP….2) E.G. The Band 1

> Click save.

You now must repeat this process for the second side of your LP and then you can use the Editing Tutorial for the Acid Audio Editor to cut the two large WAV files into separate tracks (WAV files) in preparation for burning to Audio CD.

I hope this tutorial was helpful to you, I have tried to explain some things in more detail than necessary for people who may not be so computer literate and so, I wish you many hours of fun listening to your favourite recordings on CD

For more FREE Audio Loops you can also download  Audio loops and Sound FX from my Sample Farm by clicking on the Banner below or by following the links in the Links Panel to more free Audio providers.

(Sorry, not quite finished)

Look for the PDF Tutorials in the Tutorials Links Panel:

• How to record LP’s to Digital CD using a PC

• Editing LP Recordings with Acid Software in preparation for Burning to CD .
• Free PC recording software Download Audacity 1.2.6

Check out my link sites for some interesting goodies,be amazed by the Cop Circle Images, free and easy to view,do they mean something.

6 / 4 / 09

Check this great interview site.

http://www.jemsite.com/blog/43-general/797-the-guitar-hero-series-tony-hogan-.html

Interviews with experienced Guitarists and Teachers. Tony hogan is the leading feature, a guitarist from Australia with 38 years experience under his belt and currently on the way to being the World’s Greatest Guitar Blogger. A genuine and sincere musician, read his take on stuff.

I hope this site will be of help to all who share this passion, I look forward to building a variety of information tutorials and expanding the Loops/Samples areas offering a genuine support site in the IT community, thanks.

24 / 3  / 2009

I will have server space very soon and will be able to place

my Free Audio Samples for availability

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