What is looping in music?

Looping in music refers to the technique of continuously repeating a segment of music. This segment can be anything from a few measures to a complete passage, and it creates a rhythmic and melodic foundation that can drive a piece of music. Looping is particularly common in electronic music, hip-hop, and various modern genres where a repetitive motif can establish atmosphere or groove.

This repetition allows artists to build layers on top of the loop, such as adding vocals, harmonies, or additional instrumental parts. It can be very effective for creating a hypnotic effect or enhancing the overall structure of a song. The use of loops can also facilitate improvisation, as musicians can express themselves freely over a consistent background, but looping itself is fundamentally about the repetition of musical segments.