Comprehensive Guide To Free Female Vocal Samples For Music Production

Free female vocal samples have become essential assets for music producers across various genres. These ready-to-use vocal elements can add depth, emotion, and commercial appeal to tracks without requiring access to professional recording equipment or session singers. This article explores the landscape of free female vocal samples available to producers, detailing where to find them, what types are available, and how they can be incorporated into music projects.

Sources of Free Female Vocal Samples

Several platforms offer free female vocal samples to music producers, each with unique collections and licensing terms. Understanding these sources helps producers find the right samples for their specific needs.

Slooply

Slooply provides a comprehensive collection of royalty-free female vocal samples and loops suitable for various digital audio workstations including FL Studio, Ableton, Logic Pro X, and more. The platform's female vocal samples are designed for genres such as Hip-Hop, Trap, R&B, EDM, House, and Pop. These samples are described as high-quality sounds used by top producers worldwide and can help boost creativity in music production.

Slooply operates on a subscription model with access to over 2 million sounds, including sample packs, loops, one-shots, vocals, FX, and instruments. The pricing structure is approximately $0.021 per sound with flexible plans to suit different budgets. Subscribers benefit from a satisfaction guarantee and money-back guarantee. All sounds provided on the platform come with royalty-free usage rights for both personal and commercial projects.

The platform continuously updates its library, adding over 1,000 new sounds daily. Subscribers enjoy unlimited access to all new content with their membership. Notably, users retain access to all downloaded samples even if they cancel their subscription, and they can switch between plans or cancel at any time without penalties.

Noiiz

Noiiz offers a free collection of 50 female acapella vocal loops and samples extracted from premium sample packs across their catalog. These samples are delivered in pristine 24-bit quality and contain catchy hooks, lush harmonies, and rich adlibs suitable for a wide range of genres including Pop, EDM, Soul, Hip Hop, Trap, Electronic, and Jazz.

The collection features vocals from renowned female vocalists including Natalie Major, BAER, Adjua, Leo Wood, Casey Lipka, Angie Brown, Sara Garvey, and Sulene Fleming. These professionally recorded vocals provide producers with high-quality elements that can enhance their productions.

The term "acapella" is explained as meaning "in chapel style" in Italian, traditionally written as two words "a cappella." This expression originated in the late 18th century for religious music performed in chapels. The article notes how vocal samples have evolved in music production, from early recordings to modern experimentation with chopping, pitch-shifting, and creatively manipulating vocal recordings. Many contemporary producers search for vocal samples online to find the perfect lyrics, vocal styles, or ad-libs to incorporate into their tracks.

Plugin-Nation

Plugin-Nation provides an extensive collection of 1,338 free female vocal samples. These samples are designed to give tracks personality and flexibility, with each line supplied in soft, medium, and hard variations, plus two harmony parts. The samples are organized into six stylistically themed folders, allowing producers to easily explore different vocal textures and approaches.

All samples from Plugin-Nation are supplied as 24-bit WAV files, making them compatible with most digital audio workstations (DAWs) and samplers. The royalty-free licensing permits producers to use these samples in their music in any way they like, with the only restriction being that redistribution of the samples is not allowed.

Looperman

Looperman hosts a community-driven collection of free female vocal loops, samples, and sounds uploaded by users for both commercial and non-commercial use on a royalty-free basis. The platform features a diverse range of female vocal samples with different characteristics, including variations in BPM, reverb, and musical style.

One example highlighted is a "Free Dark Wicked Trap Female Vocal Sample Loop" by Purple Six Beats, available at 152 BPM. The platform also includes samples like "Female Choir," "Cinematic I Ethnic I Epic I Female Vocal," and "Trippy Psychedelic Female Vocal Sample Loop," demonstrating the variety of vocal styles available.

Looperman operates under specific terms and conditions regarding sample usage. The platform allows users to contact the original uploaders with questions about specific files and encourages leaving comments if samples are used. The site also provides mechanisms for reporting content that may be in breach of copyright or upload guidelines.

Ghosthack

Ghosthack offers a free pack of 75 royalty-free female vocal samples totaling 100MB. These samples are designed to bring a nice vibe into productions, with the company noting that using vocals in electronic music is common practice among popular artists.

The pack includes whole phrases, one-words, and melodic chants, each available in three versions: dry, wet, and FX. The wet versions include reverb, while the FX versions run through a special effect rack featuring reverb, pitch, delay, dynamics, equalizer, and vintage tape effects from companies like Native Instruments, Izotope, and u-He.

Ghosthack provides an opportunity for producers to preview the sound by listening to samples from their "Ultimate Vocal Library," helping users make informed decisions about which samples to download for their projects.

Cymatics

Cymatics provides two notable free vocal sample packs: "Infinity" and "Euphoria." The company emphasizes that all their samples, including vocal samples, are 100% royalty-free. "Infinity" is described as their most ambitious vocal project to date, created to address the difficulty producers face in finding high-quality vocal recordings.

The "Infinity" pack contains: - 2 Full Acapella Tracks with Stems - 61 Various Vocals

The "Euphoria" Vocal Sample Pack includes: - 2 acappellas - 48 ad libs - 26 chants - 12 pre-drop vocals - 44 sung phrases - 29 tonal one shots - 27 vocal chops - 12 vocal FX - 33 vocal phrases

Most samples in the "Euphoria" pack come in both dry and wet versions. Cymatics positions these samples as tools that can help artists and producers set themselves apart, making tracks more memorable with professionally recorded and processed vocal elements.

Types and Formats of Free Female Vocal Samples

Free female vocal samples come in various forms, each serving different purposes in music production. Understanding these types helps producers select the most appropriate samples for their projects.

Acapellas and Full Vocal Tracks

Acapellas, or vocal recordings without instrumental accompaniment, are among the most sought-after samples for remixes and reworkings. Cymatics offers complete acapella tracks with stems in their "Infinity" pack, while Noiiz provides 50 female acapella vocal loops in 24-bit quality. These full vocal tracks typically include multiple elements such as lead vocals, harmonies, and backing vocals, providing comprehensive material for producers to work with.

Vocal Phrases and Hooks

Vocal phrases and hooks represent melodic or lyrical segments that can serve as focal points in a track. Ghosthack's free pack includes whole phrases and melodic chants, while Cymatics' "Euphoria" pack contains 44 sung phrases and 33 vocal phrases. These elements often contain complete melodic ideas that can be used as they are or manipulated to fit different musical contexts.

Ad-libs and One-Shots

Ad-libs are spontaneous vocal expressions that add personality and energy to tracks. Cymatics' "Euphoria" pack includes 48 ad-libs, which can be strategically placed to accentuate specific moments in a song. One-shot vocal samples, such as the 29 tonal one-shots in the "Euphoria" pack, are individual vocal sounds or words triggered as single events, useful for adding rhythmic or textural elements to productions.

Vocal Chops and FX

Vocal chops involve slicing and manipulating vocal samples to create rhythmic or melodic elements. Cymatics' "Euphoria" pack contains 27 vocal chops, which can be used to build intricate patterns and textures. Vocal FX, like the 12 included in the "Euphoria" pack, are processed vocal sounds designed for transitional effects, risers, impacts, and other sound design applications.

Quality and Format Considerations

Most platforms provide samples in 24-bit WAV format, ensuring high audio quality suitable for professional productions. Plugin-Nation explicitly states that all their samples are supplied as 24-bit WAV files compatible with various DAWs and samplers. Ghosthack's samples also come in high quality, with wet versions that include reverb and FX versions processed through professional effect racks.

Usage Rights and Licensing Information

Understanding the licensing terms of free female vocal samples is crucial to avoid legal issues in commercial productions. Most platforms offering free samples provide clear guidelines on how their samples can be used.

Royalty-Free Usage

All the platforms highlighted in this article offer royalty-free samples, meaning producers can use them in their music without paying ongoing royalties or licensing fees. Slooply explicitly states that all sounds and samples provided come with the right to use them royalty-free for personal or commercial projects. Plugin-Nation similarly notes that their samples are royalty-free for personal use, though redistribution is not permitted.

Commercial vs. Non-Commercial Use

While most platforms allow both commercial and non-commercial use of their samples, producers should carefully review specific terms. Looperman, for example, states that their free female vocal loops are available for both commercial and non-commercial use on a royalty-free basis. However, some platforms may have restrictions on certain types of commercial use, so it's important to check the specific terms for each sample pack.

Attribution Requirements

None of the platforms mentioned in this article require attribution for the use of their free female vocal samples. This means producers can incorporate these samples into their tracks without needing to credit the original source or sample provider in their music or liner notes.

Redistribution Restrictions

While most platforms allow free use of their samples in productions, they typically prohibit redistribution of the raw sample files themselves. Plugin-Nation explicitly states that users should not redistribute their samples, even though they can be used freely in music projects. This restriction helps protect the intellectual property of the sample creators while still allowing creative use of the material.

Genre Applications and Creative Uses

Free female vocal samples can be applied across a wide range of musical genres, each requiring different approaches to integration and processing.

Electronic Music Production

In electronic music genres such as EDM, House, and Trap, female vocal samples are commonly used to add human elements to synthetic productions. Ghosthack specifically notes that using vocals in electronic music is common practice among popular artists. In these genres, vocal samples might be chopped, stretched, or heavily processed to fit the electronic texture of the track.

Hip-Hop and R&B

For Hip-Hop and R&B productions, female vocal samples can provide melodic hooks, ad-libs, or background harmonies that complement the rhythmic elements of the genre. Slooply's female vocal samples are specifically mentioned as suitable for Hip-Hop and R&B, with many platforms offering samples that feature the soulful and emotive qualities characteristic of these genres.

Pop Music

In Pop music, female vocal samples often serve as the centerpiece of a track, with full acapellas or memorable hooks forming the foundation of the song. Noiiz's collection of female acapellas is particularly suited for Pop productions, with samples described as containing catchy hooks and lush harmonies that can elevate a pop track.

Experimental and Cinematic Applications

Some female vocal samples are designed more for textural or atmospheric use rather than traditional melodic content. Looperman's "Cinematic I Ethnic I Epic I Female Vocal" sample and Ghosthack's FX versions demonstrate how vocals can be processed to create ethereal, atmospheric, or otherworldly sounds suitable for experimental or cinematic productions.

Practical Tips for Working with Free Female Vocal Samples

Producers can maximize the effectiveness of free female vocal samples by following several best practices in selection, processing, and integration.

Quality Assessment

When selecting free vocal samples, producers should prioritize high-quality recordings that match the sonic character of their project. Most platforms offer 24-bit samples, which provide greater dynamic range and clarity than lower resolution formats. Listening to previews, such as those available through Ghosthack's "Ultimate Vocal Library," can help producers assess the quality and suitability of samples before downloading.

Creative Processing

While many samples come with wet and FX versions, producers can further customize vocal samples through additional processing. This might include pitch correction using tools like Celemony Melodyne (as noted in some Looperman samples), time-stretching to fit different tempos, or applying effects like delay, reverb, and distortion to achieve unique textures.

Integration with Original Material

For original productions, vocal samples can be combined with live or recorded vocals to create hybrid textures. Alternatively, samples can serve as temporary placeholders during the production process, with the intention of replacing them with original recordings later. In either case, producers should ensure that samples blend seamlessly with other elements in the mix.

Legal Compliance

Before releasing any commercial production featuring samples, producers should verify the specific usage rights for each sample used. While most free samples are royalty-free, some may have restrictions on certain types of commercial use or require specific attribution. Keeping records of sample sources and their licensing terms can help avoid potential legal issues.

Conclusion

Free female vocal samples represent valuable resources for music producers across various genres and production styles. From Slooply's extensive collection of royalty-free samples to Noiiz's 24-bit acapellas, Plugin-Nation's 1,338 varied vocal samples, Looperman's community-driven uploads, Ghosthack's processed vocal elements, and Cymatics' comprehensive vocal packs, producers have access to a wealth of high-quality vocal material at no cost.

These samples come in various formats including acapellas, vocal phrases, ad-libs, one-shots, vocal chops, and FX, each serving different creative purposes. Most are provided in 24-bit WAV format for optimal quality and are royalty-free for both personal and commercial use, though redistribution of the raw samples is typically prohibited.

By understanding the different sources, types, and licensing terms of free female vocal samples, producers can effectively incorporate these elements into their productions while maintaining legal compliance. With careful selection, creative processing, and thoughtful integration, these samples can add depth, emotion, and commercial appeal to music projects across all genres.

Sources

  1. Slooply Female Vocals Samples & Loops
  2. Noiiz Free Female Vocal Sample Pack
  3. Plugin-Nation Free Female Vocal Samples
  4. Looperman Free Female Vocal Loops
  5. Ghosthack Free Female Vocals
  6. Cymatics Ultimate List of Free Vocal Samples