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How to make lo-fi beats for free, in your browser
To make a lo-fi beat, slow the tempo to about 70 to 90 BPM, program a lazy boom bap drum loop with plenty of swing, play jazzy 7th or 9th chords, add a soft round bass, then roughen everything with a bit crusher and a low-pass filter. EASY RAVE has every one of these tools free in your browser.
Lo-fi means "low fidelity": music that keeps the rough edges a polished production would remove. Dull highs, a bit of grit, drums that drag slightly behind the beat. The good news is that roughing up a sound is easier than polishing it.
What makes a beat sound lo-fi?
- A slow tempo. Usually around 70 to 90 BPM.
- Swung drums. The hats and snares lean late, like a drummer who is in no hurry.
- Jazzy chords. 7ths and 9ths, often in a gentle loop of 4 chords.
- Missing top end. The highs are filtered away, as if the music came off an old tape.
- Grit. A bit crusher or saturation that makes clean digital sounds feel worn.
How do you make a lo-fi beat step by step?
- Slow it down. Drag the TEMPO display down to around 80 BPM.
- Play the chords on POLY-6. Open PRESETS and pick Lo-fi I-vi-ii-V. Set CHORD SETS to Lush or Dreamy for richer voicings with 7ths and 9ths.
- Soften the chords. Turn CUTOFF down until the chords sound warm, raise ATTACK a little so they fade in, and add a touch of LFO for a slow filter movement.
- Program the drums. Open DEEP 808 or LinnBeats (click a machine's name to unfold it), press CLEAR and copy the beat below. Or pick Hip-hop from PRESETS.
- Add swing. Turn the SWING knob next to the tempo up until the hats lag lazily, then back it off a little. Lo-fi wants more swing than house.
- Rough it up. Turn up BIT CRUSHER on the drums and on the chords. A small amount is enough to take the shine off.
- Add a soft bass. On AC 303, click the wave screen until it reads SIN (sine), keep the cutoff low and play long notes on the chord roots.
- Muffle the whole mix. Right-click the LO PASS pad in the LIVE FX bar to keep it on, and the mix sinks under water. Right-click it again to bring it back.
Lazy lo-fi beat (DEEP 808 or LinnBeats)
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| KICK | ||||||||||||||||
| SNARE | ||||||||||||||||
| HAT |
The kick on step 8 lands just before beat 3, which gives the loop its nod. Try moving one kick a step earlier or later; small shifts change the whole feel.
Which drum machine is best for lo-fi?
Both of the non-909 kits work:
- DEEP 808 has a soft, round kick. Lengthen KICK DECAY for a boomier low end and turn HAT TONE darker.
- LinnBeats plays real drum samples. Turn KIT TUNE below 1.00x: every sample slows down and drops in pitch, an old trick that makes a kit sound dusty and heavy.
808 vs 909 vs 303 compares the kits, and LinnBeats explains KIT TUNE.
Which chords sound lo-fi?
Lo-fi leans on 7th and 9th chords moving in a loop. Some POLY-6 presets that fit:
| Preset | Feel |
|---|---|
| Lo-fi I-vi-ii-V | The classic jazzy loop |
| Neo-soul IV-iii-vi-I | Warm, a little bittersweet |
| Dream I-iii-vi-IV | Floating, hazy |
| Sad vi-IV-I-V | Melancholy |
Because every chord on POLY-6 follows the key at the top of the screen, you can switch presets and chord sets freely without anything clashing. Chord progressions that always work explains the numbers.
How do you add your own sounds?
Lo-fi loves found sounds: rain, a vinyl crackle, a voice, a guitar note. Drag an audio file from your computer onto a row of SAMPLE KING, or press its record button and capture something with your microphone. Pitch the slot down a few semitones for a heavier, slower sound, and use the sampler's BIT CRUSHER and CUTOFF to make it sit with the rest.
Frequently asked questions
What BPM is lo-fi hip-hop?
Most lo-fi hip-hop sits between about 70 and 90 BPM. Slower tempos feel more relaxed, and around 85 to 90 the beat starts to nod more. In EASY RAVE you set the tempo by dragging the TEMPO display, from 60 to 180 BPM.
How do I make my beat sound old?
Remove top end with a low-pass filter, add a little bit crushing or drive, use swing so the drums are not perfectly on the grid, and slow down samples. In EASY RAVE the LO PASS pad, BIT CRUSHER, SWING and KIT TUNE do all four.
Can I make lo-fi beats without a sample pack?
Yes. EASY RAVE's drum machines and chord synth make every sound you need for a lo-fi loop, and you can record your own sounds with a microphone into SAMPLE KING. Nothing needs to be downloaded or bought.