What Are The Differences Between MIDI Loops And MIDI Chords

MIDI loops and MIDI chords are both types of MIDI data used in music production, but they serve different purposes and have different characteristics. MIDI files are usually recognized by the .mid extension. A first advantage of this format is that compared to WAV loops, MIDI files take up very little space, a few kilobytes per file.

In this article, we quickly explain what a MIDI loop means and what a MIDI chord means. Besides that, you will see how a progression looks visually and you can download our examples (free midi files) to use them further in your projects, or just to test inside your DAW.

MIDI Loops

MIDI loops are pre-recorded MIDI sequences that can be used as building blocks in music production. These sequences can be melodies, basslines, drum patterns, or any other musical element. MIDI loops can be imported into a DAW and edited to fit the needs of a particular song or production. They can be manipulated, transposed, and rearranged to create unique compositions. MIDI loops are typically used as a starting point for music production and can save time by providing ready-made musical material.

In the image above you can see how I arranged a MIDI loop for a bass line in FL Studio. You can easily download these MIDI loops and create something new. I used 3xOSC subtractive synthesizer plugin inside my FL Studio DAW, but you can use any other virtual instrument or sample player in your favorite DAW, whether we’re talking about Ableton Live, Logic Pro, Reason, Reaper, Bitwig, MIDI loops can be used in music production no matter what music software do you own.

Download: Bass MIDI Loop File (125bpm)

MIDI Chords

MIDI chords, on the other hand, are a group of notes played simultaneously to create a harmonic sound. Chords can be used to create the foundation for a song and provide a structure for other musical elements such as a melody or bassline. Chords can be played in different inversions and progressions to create different emotions and moods. MIDI chords can be played manually on a keyboard controller or programmed in a DAW’s piano roll editor or generated using modern MIDI generator plugins such as Audiomodern Chordjam.

Also read: How To Create MIDI Chords With Audiomodern Chordjam

Also for the sake of the example, you can see above what a MIDI Chord looks like for a piano line in FL Studio. Below you can download this MIDI Chord and create something new for your project. I used a virtual piano but this MIDI chord can be used for a pad line, a string, or some strings. That’s the great thing about the MIDI format, it gives you unlimited editing possibilities and inspiration to create new sounds.

Download: Piano MIDI Chord (125bpm)

In summary, MIDI loops are pre-recorded MIDI sequences used as building blocks in music production, while MIDI chords are a group of notes played simultaneously to create a harmonic sound. Both MIDI loops and MIDI chords can be used in music production to create unique and original compositions.