Loop a section of a song and nail the hard bar
Short answer: set an A point and a B point around the phrase and let the player repeat it. A DAW’s cycle region or Transcribe! does this precisely on desktop; YouTube needs a browser extension to loop part of a video. StemConsole does it free in the browser with an account, and lets you loop one soloed instrument instead of the whole mix.
You can set an A point and a B point on any song, loop just that bar or phrase, and play it over and over while the rest of the track stays out of the way. StemConsole does it in the browser with no install, on the full mix or on a single soloed instrument.
A basic A/B loop is free with an account. Named loops you can save and come back to, plus a count-in, are Pro tools you can try on the demo.
How to loop a section of a song
- 1
Upload a song
Drop an MP3, WAV, FLAC or M4A (up to 200MB) at stemconsole.ai. The first split needs no account.
- 2
Split it
Basic Split (free) gives vocals, drums, bass and other. Full Separation (Pro) adds guitar and piano so you can solo exactly the part you are learning.
- 3
Set the loop
Press Loop, then set A and B on the waveform around the phrase. Drag the handles until the loop starts on the downbeat you want.
- 4
Drill it
Solo the stem to listen, then unmute the band and play. With Pro, slow the loop with Speed and turn on count-in so you never scramble for the first note.
- 5
Name and save
Pro lets you name loops and keep several per song. Saved sessions bring them back on any device.
- 6
Export
Bounce mix exports just the loop with your balance to MP3 free; WAV, or a bounce at a changed speed, is Pro.
Looping technique that actually works
Loop short. One or two bars is ideal; a whole solo is not a loop, it is a song. The narrower the loop, the more repetitions per minute and the faster the phrase settles into your hands.
Start the loop a beat early. Most phrases have a pickup, and if the A point lands exactly on the bar line you will miss it every time. Set A half a bar before the phrase and B a beat after it ends, so you hear how it resolves.
Chain the loops: bar 1, then bar 2, then bars 1 to 2, then 2 to 3. Overlapping loops fix the joins. Use your fail rate as the guide: missing more than one attempt in three, slow the loop down (Pro, on your stems); nailing it ten times running, widen it or speed it up. To build up a fast run away from the record, find the song’s tempo on the free metronome with tap BPM, start 20 BPM under it and climb back up.
What to expect
Loops follow the audio, not bar numbers. For a count-in in time, split the song from the free Key & BPM Finder with Practise this song with stems: Song BPM is filled in when the stems load. Tap tempo sets it by hand. A loop set mid-note will click at the join, so land A and B on a drum hit or a rest.
What is free and what is Pro
| Free | Pro | |
|---|---|---|
| Looping | One A/B loop (free account) | Named loops, count-in, tap tempo |
| Slow down | The whole song, 50% to 150%, pitch kept (free player) | Separate stems too |
| Change key | The whole song, 12 semitones either way (free player) | Separate stems too |
| Stems | Vocal Remover and 4-stem Basic Split | 6-stem Full Separation (adds guitar and piano) |
| Downloads | MP3 stems and MP3 mix bounces | WAV stems and bounces, including at a changed speed or key |
| Splits | 5 a month; first needs no account | 100 a month |
Pro is US$6.99 a month or US$49 a year. A US$1.99 credit buys one Full Separation, no practice tools, never expires. See plans.
Frequently asked questions
How precisely can I set the loop points?
As precisely as you can drag. Place A and B on a transient such as a snare hit for a seamless join.
Can I save more than one loop per song?
With Pro, yes: name each loop and keep as many as the song needs. Free accounts keep one A/B loop with the saved session.
Can I slow the loop down as well?
Yes. The free speed and key player loops and slows a whole song with the pitch kept. In the practice room, Pro slows the loop on your stems, so you can drill bar 12 at 60% in the original key.
Does looping work on MP3 files?
Yes. MP3, WAV, FLAC, M4A, OGG and AAC up to 200MB. Higher bitrates separate more cleanly.
Is it free?
Splitting is free and a basic A/B loop is free with an account. Named loops, count-in and Song BPM are Pro, US$6.99 a month or US$49 a year.
Does it work on a phone?
Yes, in the mobile browser with nothing to install. The loop handles are drag-friendly on a touch screen.
Compared with YouTube, Transcribe! and a DAW
| YouTube | Transcribe! | DAW | StemConsole | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Loop a section | Whole video only, or an extension | Yes, precise | Yes, cycle region | Yes; named loops with Pro |
| Loop one instrument | No | No | Only with stems | Yes, solo any stem |
| Count-in | No | No | Yes | Yes (Pro) |
| Runs in the browser | Yes | No | No | Yes, no install |
| Cost | Free | One-off licence | Free to hundreds of dollars | Free split; Pro US$6.99 a month |
More tools compared, with prices and platforms: the best ways to loop part of a song.
Related guides and tools
Slow down a song without changing pitch
Learn fast passages at a comfortable speed without changing the key, free in your browser.
Change the key of a song
Move a song into your range without changing the speed, free in your browser.
Create a backing track
Set each stem’s level, then bounce the mix: MP3 free, WAV with Pro.
Drumless tracks for drum practice
Mute the drums and play along with the real band.
Isolate drums
Solo the drums from any song: practise, sample, transcribe.
How to make drumless practice tracks
From the blog. AI removes the drums, you play along with the real band.
Key & BPM Finder
Find a song’s key and tempo free, right in your browser.
Online metronome
Accents, subdivisions, tap BPM and a speed trainer, free in your browser.
Written by Dan Murtagh, mixing engineer and audio educator. Updated 3 October 2026.