Loops

Free Reactor Samples and Instruments

Reactor is a band you may have experienced thanks to Axe body spray. They describe themselves as, "A highly-evolved hybrid band from London. We play radical rock, ballistic ballads and eerie electronica - all with a hypnotic Indian edge. We don't have or want a record deal. We sell our own music online." In conjunction with their debut release, the band is offering a collection of free ESX24 instruments and samples, which are as they...

Filterbank

Free filters are popping up all over the Web lately. Wok is delivering a free filterbank with eight bands of volume and frequency control. Bandwidth control for all bands and an included frequency analyzer help get the right sound for your mix. A bypass switch makes it easy to compare sounds with and without filtering. This VST number is Windows only, which leaves Mac OS X users in the lurch, but should make a welcome addition to the collection of anyone using Sonar, Adobe Audition, or even the free Audacity. [Windows XP $0.00]

Devine Machine Minion

If you're looking for filter effects to create just the right sound, take a look at Minion from Devine Machine. The app handles four filters modulated by 12 LFOs, supporting a built-in effects module to create filter/distortion combinations perfect for creating interesting tones from recorded parts or loops. A great selection of presets gives you an overview of Minion's potential. Plug it in to any VST capable audio editor for either Windows or Mac OS X. You'll be pleasantly surprised how well this capable little noise maker will serve you. [Windows XP/Mac OS X $0.00]

Practice pads aren't just for practicing anymore. Nathaniel Andrew decided he wanted a full fledged electronic drum kit without the price tag normally associated with such an investment. A little electronics knowledge, a Remo practice kit and some parts from the local Radio Shack resulted in a complete electronic kit for a fraction of the cost of buying a real electronic kit. Step-by-step instructions and photos show the process from start to finish, with an alternate suggestion for creating a kit if you don't have the money to invest in a Remo practice kit. He did round out the kit with some triggered cymbals and a Roland brain to control the whole thing, but the idea that you can build an electronic drum kit for a few hundred dollars is absolutely fascinating.

Julie's Scats Collection

There's something about well placed female vocal riffing in electronic music that just gets me. Jazz scats like the new collection of sounds featuring Canadian chanteuse, Julie Hamelin, work quite well for building on top of a solid dance beat or dropping in neatly into a hip-hop riff. With some careful arranging, you might even be able to piece together a backing vocal for a pop melody. 341 voice samples weighing in at 27.8MB deliver a solid dose of vocal goodness perfect for adding to tracks that need a little something extra to make them work. Sample the tracks with a massive rar file containing free sounds from the collection or take a listen to the audio tracks constructed on the site. The demo sounds give you a very accurate impression of the potential value of the entire vocal collection. For $19.99, this is an excellent collection of vocal stabs compatible with any app capable of supporting soundfont, NUSofting DK+ and FXpansion DR-008, Vsampler 3 or Wusikstation.

M-Audio Drum and Bass Rig

Get big drum and bass guitar sounds in one combined virtual rack. M-Audio makes the Drum and Bass Rig compatible with most of the recording environments on both Windows and Mac OS X platforms, with four separate modules for creating the perfect digital rhythm section. RD-5 Real Drums, EB-6 Electric Bass, LC-7 Loop Creator and BL-8 Bassline all work to create the rhythms you need to compose backing tracks or build a solid dance track from the beats up. While the app is optimized for use with the M-Audio keyboard line, it should work with any MIDI instrument configuration. Individual modules have their own effects racks in addition to a master effects rack for the entire application. Compatible with virtually any VST 2.0 interface. [Windows XP/Mac OS X 10.3 MSRP$129.95]

Jamstix

Jamstix is a virtual drummer with a pretty suite feature set. Dumping the drummer in favor of a computer generated alternative has a long tradition, but this one takes it a step further and attempts to play along with other instruments. The big advantage is no dropped sticks during gigs and one less body to consume the food buyout.