Stock up your samples folder and find new inspiration without opening your wallet.
There are millions of sample packs available online right now — from archives of old sample CDs from the 90s, right through to daily-updated sample pack platforms and artists releasing sounds on a Patreon page. This is awesome for creators wanting to manipulate royalty-free audio into a new track or just find inspiration for a new sound. But that’s a daunting number of samples to trawl through, right?
We’re gonna try and help you out.
Our list gives you a ton of sample pack recommendations, all of which are free to download and free to use. The only thing you’ll need is a bit of imagination and an internet connection. We reckon you have both of those. We’re obviously going to include the ones that we, MusicTech, have created for you, but we’re also throwing some more in so you have a strong variety.
This month’s best samples
Claps and Snares
Unless you’re hell-bent on only producing ambient tracks (which we fully condone), you’re probably going to want a clap and snare to complement the percussion in your track. But before you decide to clap into your MacBook’s built-in microphone, try out this free pack of 100 claps and snares. These one-shots will fit any style you’re after, from reverb-drenched synth-pop snares to tight EDM drums, and dark effected claps to disco-ready layers. Chop these up, throw them in your samplers, and just imagine the applause you’ll get for all that clap-work.
Dance Pianos
Channel your inner LP Giobbi and Calvin Harris with these dramatic and uplifting dance piano chords. These 60 loops all range from 2 to 4 bars and feature clean, anthemic piano progressions in a variety of key signatures. Each sample is set at 125bpm, too, so you can audition each one in your project to see which one best suits your track. Or, better yet, you could chop up the samples or convert them to MIDI and use the notes for your synth part, or modify the notes to make it more your style.
Odyssey Synth Vol. 1
Whether you’re looking for some sci-fi sounds or a deep analogue bass, the Odyssey Synth pack will be sure to expand your palette. Brimming with vintage synth-style samples, these 100 loops are ideal for adding an arpeggiated layer to a breakdown, beefing up your bass part, or giving you a fresh idea for a melody. They’re all 120bpm but are simple enough to warp to any tempo, and all have a little touch of delay or reverb for extra flavour.
MusicTech’s Free samples
- Machinedrum presents Micron Sounds
- Dub Siren FX
- Wavefolding
- Claps and Snares
- Effected Percussion
- Dance Pianos
- Textures
- Baritone Guitars
- Atmospheric Textures
- Swung Beats
- Found Sound Arps
- Analog Synth Loops
- 303 Loops
- Modular Samples
- Found Sound Hits Vol. 1
- Found Sound Hits Vol. 2
- Roland R8
- Subliminal Atmospheres
- Cinematic Guitars
- Field Recordings
- Moody Keys
- Tuned Subkicks
- Tribal Techno Percussion
- Vintage Synth Arps
- Vintage Synth Arp Vol. 2
- Vocoded Beats Vol. 1
- Vocoded Beats Vol. 2
- Odyssey Synth Vol. 1
- Odyssey Synth Vol. 2
- Deep House Stabs
- Deep House Stabs Vol. 2
- Synth Sequences
- Synth Sequences Expanded
- Soul Keys Vol. 1
- Soul Keys Vol. 2
- Soul Keys Vol. 3
- Super Jupiter
- Ober Pads
- DX Drums
- The Horror Synthesizer
- MONO&POLY
- Analogue Drones & Textures
- Vintage Drum Machines
- Vintage Polyphonic Ensemble
- Dreamy Analogue Pads
- Mellow Acid
- Berlin Sounds
Free sample packs by genre
- Berlin techno
- Hyperpop and electropop
- IDM and trip-hop
- Progressive and tech house
- Electro-funk and nu-disco
- Future Bass
- Detroit techno and house
- Future house
More free loops and sample packs online
- 100 Kick drums
- 101 Drums From Mars
- All The Breaks Vol.1, 2 & 3
- Alternative Reggaeton
- Anjanette Lanae: Press Play (Future Soul)
- BBC Sound Effects
- Bingoshakerz Presents World House
- Black Octopus Stay Inspired Beats Vol. 2
- Black Octopus Sounds: Golden Hip Hop
- Blu Mar Ten Jungle Jungle
- Brat Pop
- Broken Garage
- Charlie Curtis Bread Presents Holy Smokes
- Cymatics: Percussion Toolkit Vol. 1
- Cymatics: Vibes II Drum Loop Collection
- Deep House Vocals
- Digit Nairobi Rhythms
- Echo World Presents Coodysan
- Esoteric African Jazz Vol. 3
- Fo’Real Beatz Plastic Bubblegum Trap
- Free 808 From Mars
- Free MPC60 From Mars
- Free Vinyl Drums From Mars
- Gabba Acoustic Sample Pack
- Glitch Elements
- Goldbaby VinylOscillator Chords & FX
- Grooves From Mars
- Jagged Tones Studio: Art Pop Vol. 1
- Kameron Glasper Presents #pennedbykameron Vol. 2
- KELE Presents Cuzzi Kit
- LANDR: 50 Best Free Vocal Samples
- LANDR: 50 Best Free Kick Samples
- LANDR: 50 Best Free Synth Samples
- Liquid Funk
- Mind Flux Tech House Taster
- Mook Beatz: Lo-flight
- Nickolas Wheeler Glockenspiel and Toy Piano
- Nightclub Speed Garage
- Patch & Play Lab: 2000’s Breakcore
- Patch & Play Lab: Ambient Taped Piano Melodies V1
- Real & Ruthless Phat Fresh Vol 2
- Sample Again: UK underground sounds
- Silky Neo Soul
- Smokey DnB Vocals
- Source Sounds Vol. 2
- Spitfire Audio Micah’s Choir
- Spitfire Audio’s hyperpop synths
- Spitfire Audio Expressive Strings
- Strongroom Presents TATYANA
- Strongroom Presents Alex O’Donovan: Of Texture
- Strongroom Presents Indie Disco Drums
- Strongroom Presents: Boom Bap Beats
- Stutter House Vocals
- Thomas Gold presents Club Sounds
- Tim Very Present Mallet Drums Vol. 1
- Tim Very Presents Dystopia Vol.
Check out more buyer’s guides on MusicTech.
[Editor’s note: MusicTech and BandLab are both part of the Caldecott Music Group.]
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