All the best free loops, music sample packs, breaks, one-shots and synth sounds

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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?

• READ MORE: Best free plugins and freeware of the month

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 from MusicTech and BandLab

Handclap Toolkit

Drum machine clap samples are a staple in myriad genres of music, but a unique, more human-sounding handclap can inject a sense of liveliness into your music.

This white-label sample brand produces an eclectic mix of sounds for all types of music-maker. The Handclap Toolkit pack contains loops and one-shot recordings of crisp human claps and finger snaps.

Check out Handclap Toolkit on BandLab Sounds.

Patch & Play Lab: Binaural Stress

Patch & Play Lab brings sounds inspired by the experimental side of music using innovative recording techniques. For this free sample pack, Binaural Stress, the brand used a binaural microphone to record immersive sounds that encompass the listener.

You’ll find unnerving, tension-inducing foley sounds that evoke dark atmospheres. Expect huge explosions, fireworks, smashing glass, and unnerving machinery sounds that swirl around your ears – perfect for creating immersive atmospheres.

Check out Patch & Play Lab: Binaural Stress on BandLab Sounds.

Shadow Child Presents Loops, Bleeps & Bass

A Shadow Child-created sample pack is a one-way ticket to bumping bassy house music. The UK producer has pulled out all the stops for this free sample pack, giving you 64 loops and 36 one-shots of snappy drums, huge synth arps, cool sound effects and weighty bass.

Check out Shadow Child Presents Loops, Bleeps & Bass on BandLab Sounds.

Sample This: Big Bad Bassline House

Loop label Sample This knows every corner of the underground dance music scene. They reflect on these edgy sub-genres by creating packs that deliver two sides of the sample story.

This free collection of samples does what it says on the tin, really – it’s big, it’s bad and it’s bassline. Coming in hot from bassline’s Sheffield roots, Sample This: Big Bad Bassline House, a sample pack capturing the essence of the UK’s bassline scene, features wobbling basslines, detuned screeches, glitching effects and warbling melodies across 90 loops and 10 one-shots.

Check out Sample This: Big Bad Bassline House on BandLab Sounds.

MusicTech’s Free samples

• MusicTech: Analogue Drones & Textures
• MusicTech: Vintage Drum Machines
• MusicTech: Vintage Polyphonic Ensemble
• MusicTech: Dreamy Analogue Pads
• MusicTech: Mellow Acid
• MusicTech: Berlin Sounds

Best free loops and sample packs online

• Blu Mar Ten Jungle Jungle
• Cymatics: Percussion Toolkit Vol. 1
• Cymatics: Vibes II Drum Loop Collection
• Splice: Sounds of KSHMR Vol. 3
• The Cookbook Vol. 2: Soul Food
• Free Vinyl Drums From Mars
• Grooves From Mars
• 101 Drums From Mars
• Free 808 From Mars
• Free MPC60 From Mars
• All The Breaks Vol.1, 2 & 3
• BBC Sound Effects
• LANDR: 50 Best Free Vocal Samples
• LANDR: 50 Best Free Kick Samples
• LANDR: 50 Best Free Synth Samples
• Black Octopus Stay Inspired Beats Vol. 2

Check out more buyer’s guides on MusicTech.

[Editor’s note: MusicTech and BandLab are both part of the Caldecott Music Group.]