In this guide, I’ll walk you through everything you need to know to create your own lo-fi music, even if you’re a complete beginner. I’ll cover three popular methods: hardware-based production, DAW-based production using a computer, and mobile app production using your smartphone or tablet.
I want to highlight here that there are hundreds of ways to produce a beat. What I will do is offer some ways for music production, focusing on free or budget-friendly options. I know, as a hobbyist producer myself, that spending thousands of dollars isn’t always feasible. However, I’ll also mention some pricier gadgets for those who are interested.
What is Lo-fi Music?
To begin with, the understanding of the genre is the most important. Lo-fi, short for “low fidelity,” is a genre of music characterized by its warm, nostalgic sound. It often incorporates elements of hip-hop, jazz, and chillwave, and features imperfections like vinyl crackle and tape hiss.
You can take your time reading about the genre, but I’ve also compiled some short articles for you:
These articles include links to Wikipedia and other resources. Feel free to read them and drop a comment below if you have any questions.
Returning to the original topic: lo-fi is low-fidelity music, which is the complete opposite of high-quality/fidelity (hi-fi) music. It offers analogue warmth and vinyl vibe compare to nowadays ultra sterile perfect songs. It is usually imperfect, many beats lacks quantisation but it is part of the genre.
3 Ways to Make Lo-fi Beats
- Hardware-Based Lo-Fi Production (DAWless)
Ideal for: Producers who want a hands-on, authentic lo-fi experience.
What you’ll need: A sampler like the SP404 by Roland or the PO-33 KO by Teenage Engineering.
- DAW-Based Lo-Fi Production
Ideal for: Producers who want more flexibility and control over their sound.
What you’ll need: A computer (laptop ideally) with a DAW (Digital Audio Workstation) like Ableton Live, a MIDI controller like the Novation Launchpad Mini MK2 or Launchkey 25, and free or paid lo-fi samples.
- Mobile App Lo-Fi Production
Ideal for: Producers who want a portable and affordable way to create lo-fi music.
What you’ll need: A decent smartphone or tablet with a big screen and a mobile app like Koala Sampler.
Additional Tips for Creating Lo-Fi Beats
Find your samples: There are many websites and online marketplaces that offer free and paid lo-fi samples. You can also use your own recordings or instruments.
Learn the basics of music production: This will help you create more complex and interesting beats. There are many free and paid online tutorials available.
Experiment and have fun! Lo-fi music is all about creativity and self-expression. Don’t be afraid to try new things and find your own unique sound.
Are you ready? Let’s deep-dive even further.
Hardware-based, DAWless lo-fi beat production
What does it mean? DAW stands for a digital audio workstation, meaning a PC or laptop software used by many. When we say DAWless, it means that we aim NOT to use a PC during the music production. Truth to be told it can be considered as the “true” lo-fi music production by many. But probably this is the most costly and most difficult way to create your songs.
One way to create beats DAWless is with the use of vinyl discs. It is practically DJing, so I do not wish to go too deep on this matter here. Especially as I am not producing lo-fi music this way.
On the other hand, there are tons of gadget that offers you a solution. The fanciest one would be SP404 by Roland.
With SP404 you can work on your lo-fi music almost 100% without a PC. It means that this tool is a sampler. It samples recorded vocal/music samples. It allows you to cut and layer them, this way producing a full song from chops. However, you need to populate your bank with samplers. You may use the previously mentioned vinyl as a perfect tool, but you can also you the internet to grab some beats.
Mind copyright
Now one thing to raise here already: copyright. There is a major difference between uploading your beats on YouTube and intending to show them to people. And actually monetizing out of it. The point is that copyright laws may differ in every country. I would suggest to try and look for royalty-free beats on the internet. This is the safest way to create lo-fi music but have no issues later on.
Let me share an example for grabbing samples.
I would personally suggest to build a bigger bank of samples before you start working on beats. Also to use 2-3 sets of beats (kicks, snares, and hi-hats) to have some consistency when you are working on an EP (so extended play, more than 2-3 songs). It will offer you a kind of more unified sound that is pretty much important when you use samples from different sources.
My choice for DAWless lo-fi music production
Lastly, for this first way of lo-fi music creation, I would mention the gadget I am using. It is the PO-33 KO by Teenage Engineering. The biggest pro of this tool is price. It is roughly 99 USD, whereas most samplers are well above 500 USD.
As I mentioned in the first paragraphs, I am aiming to offer you a budget solution for music production. PO-33 KO is definitely one. It has its limitations but it is perfect to put together your first lo-fi beats if you have a simple jack cable to hook it up to your phone. You can record samples off your phone to your Pocket Operator, you can cut and chop them. You can create a beat with 4 different lines (like drums, chords, sample, and bass – or anything you like). And finally, you can record them back on your phone.
Listen to an album that was produced using PO-33 KO only (no samples)
The best to add, it fits your pocket so you can take it anywhere.
(Much) more about PO-33 KO including beat making and recording here.
The best price for PO-33 KO is here.
As you see, we can produce music without a PC easily with a “calculator” sized instrument. On the other hand as a final note I wish to add that the use of DAW for mastering is more than recommended. In order to achieve that analogue warmth vibe recording beats on DAWless instruments might not be completely satisfying. Scroll for more, I will explain the basic rack for mastering below.
Let’s use DAW this time
The second way of creating lo-fi music is using a DAW. It comes with a minimum asset to own before you can start. Generally, you need a PC or laptop to work on. That is around 8GB RAM and min. Intel i5 in case your choice is Ableton Live.
Ableton Live is one of the most well-know DAWs on the market also offering 90 days trial. Before you ask yourself why, no, I did not get a cent from Ableton choosing them for the article. Simply, I have used it for years and you may have the chance to grab it for a reasonable price.
What does it mean?
Ableton has several versions including Lite, Intro, Suite, etc. Now Lite is usually free if you buy MIDI instruments (in the case of e.g. Novation and Arturia products). Clearly, you need to check them in-depth before buying. But it is much easier to work on beats if you have a MIDI controller.
MIDI controllers
I have yet to have time to offer you an article on the MIDI controllers I use but I am a fan of Novation gadgets. They are pretty cheap, I get Ableton Live Lite along with them and also they are optimized for music production with Ableton. That means that the buttons and pads are logically located how they are in the DAW as well. It took me a couple of months to understand their roles but worth the time.
One is Launchpad Mini mark 2, which is a couple of years old now, but as you see, I can use it both for music production (that song was produced with the pad) as well as to create a visually appealing performance.
You can read more about it and grab starting at 80 USD now.
Another (in fact my first) MIDI controller was the Novation Launchkey 25. Here you have a wider range, but the mini version starts at 110 USD and given its size you can put it in your backpack along with your laptop. It offers a bit more than pads to my point of view but again, it is a matter of taste. That is clear there it is good if you can play the piano a bit to create more unique beats.
More info about Novation Launchkey 25 mini mark 3 with best prices here.
Back to Ableton and lo-fi music
Either you buy an instrument or simply you are lucky, as many of us were back then in 2020, when Splice offered Ableton Live Lite free for a limited time. The point is that you need a DAW to work effectively on music via PC or laptop.
I do not have my own video on using Ableton Live to create some beats but the video above offers a great overview of how to add samples, chop beats, and overall create a song at the end. Again, here there are tons of way you may decide to choose if you are working on a lo-fi music. Like the amount of samples used, or whether you use the drums of Ableton Live or choose to sample those either.
What matters is how you finish it.
Mixing, mastering
Let us not use this article to deep-dive into the differences in mixing and mastering. There are tons of other articles and videos YouTube-wide to do so. What matters on the other hand is what you are putting on the master track on the bottom. Any effects you are using there will be affecting the whole beat. And this is what matters to us.
When you are working on lo-fi, you should use lo-fi samples, it is good if you chop the beats and play them unquantised, but also what you put on the master track.
Well, my fave are the following three in this order.
Izotope Vinyl
This effect is completely free and you can offer your beats some great vinyl warmth. Use it with care, and test the different options not to make your beats overweary and dusty, but a hint of some to offer your great lo-fi aura. Another pro for this tool is that it has a dedicated “lo-fi” button which really does the job unless your beats has high-pitched notes like piano on top quarter or crash. Using lo-fi in Izotope Vinyl might make them sound weird to me. Again it is really a question of taste.
Add some reverb
No videos needed, my second master rack VST (Virtual Studio Technology – aka virtual instrument or effect) is reverb. I like to add between 10-15% to offer more space to my beats. Especially if I am recording the beats DAWless but after touching it in Ableton
Izotope Ozone Elements
Finally Ozone Elements. It is really a tool you have to play with. A great mastering aid that offers a large variety of sound designs and therefore offering a unique output for you. Open it up and test, test, and test. Once you find your taste, I would suggest to save that setup and use it on the same EP again to offer a unified sound.
And how to get this one? Kind of easily. Literally, free 2-3 times a year if you are cautious. I got it from this place for example. Registration is required, but you can learn a lot about music production here.
Closing this paragraph, let me share another album of mine, Stay Home that has been produced this way (incl. Ableton Live Lite, Ozone, and the use of Novation Launchkey and free samples)
Now you hear quite some differences between the PO-33 KO-produced Wabi-Sabi and Stay Home. Both lo-fi music albums were produced by me and well, there has been less than 6 months between the production of the two releases. Still sounds pretty different right? Which one do you prefer? Are you ready to learn about a third way to create lo-fi beats?
Lo-fi music with smartphone…only?
Yes, it is possible fairly easy. It has its cost… 5 USD. Yes. Probably the cheapest to start with if you are into producing lo-fi music, especially if your budget is tight. The app I am talking about is Koala Sampler. It is available for iOS and Android users either. To add some more, Ableton Live Lite is currently free for iPhone users for 5 USD but read more about it here. Make sure to update your info about the free Ableton Live Lite if you are to buy a Koala Sampler just for the DAW.
Though I have it as an Android user (so without Ableton Live Lite) and no hard feelings on my side. On the contrary, much of the beat production such as this song.
Haha, don’t get shocked by my little hedgehog’s photo. In fact the point is that you can add your own effect and background image as well to boost your gear.
Now Koala Sampler is working pretty similar to how SP404 is working, only you are to do the whole thing on screen which comes with some limitations. Definitely pro the price as well as the fact that it is in your pocket. If you are getting the taste of producing lo-fi music with Koala Sampler, I would also suggest checking Samurai mode. It offers some additional extras that will make your beat production easier. Also, learn more about the possibilities here.
Going hybrid with Koala Sampler
Once you get accustomed to Koala Sampler, you might realize that you can mix things. For example, due to recent updates, Koala Sampler does support MIDI controllers as well with a simple USB cable. You might need an extra cable to attach your gear to your phone but as the example video shows, literally nothing is impossible. I tested it with some of my gears and it works well with Akai LPD8 for instance.
You may have guessed: I am taking this article seriously and trying to offer you examples of the different methods. Even though I hope you will head to YouTube after reading my article and see other artists making probably better lo-fi beats than I do. I still hope to broaden your perspective through the examples brought. One of my first EPs with Koala Sampler was Turtle Island. It is a nature chill-out EP inspired by the sea and some travels in Greece. This EP uses free samples only, making its sound quite different from Stay Home and Wabi-Sabi albums.
Final thoughts
I hope you enjoyed the journey. Producing lo-fi music I guess is pretty easy. You have tons of apps and gears starting from 5 USD at your choice. A 4-5-year-old iPhone with proper screen size and stable internet is more than fine to start up your hobby and conquer the world.
On the other hand, finding your flavor, what will make you a different lo-fi artist from the rest takes time. Learn, check videos, listen to other artists, and gain from them.
Once you have the beats you wish to share on Spotify and other channels, consider using Distrokid. It is my referral link there: it offers a few USD if you register through the link. But it also gives you 7% off first year prices.
Thanks for reading, have any questions, let me know below. Also, follow me everywhere and hope to offer some new lo-fi music articles soon.
