Writing and Producing Jazzy Lo-Fi Hip-Hop Beats

This video tutorial describes step-by-step how to compose and produce an original lo-fi beat from scratch (the hard way!). There's a lot going on in the video that can't be converted to text, so I'll have to just ask you to watch through.

The Secret: Composing in 33/32 Time

Composing lo-fi requires some "slop." I achieved that by composing in an absurd time signature: 33/32. Most ears will hear this groove as 4/4 though.

Listen closely — it almost is 4/4, but the last beat is slightly longer than the others (by a value of one 32nd note). This creates a consistent dragging effect that aims to subconsciously disorient the listener.

Harmony and Ambience

The harmony is all diatonic, and hovers ambiguously between the relative minor and major keys. Ambience is added through original field recordings of city sounds on the Las Vegas strip.

Once the song was complete, it was slowed/pitched down and a vinyl crackle filter was added to complete the lo-fi aesthetic.

Listen to the Final Track

Check out the finished song: Seventeen Days — available to stream and download for free.