Lo-fi guitar
Lo-fi is calm music for studying and relaxing: soft jazzy chords, a lazy beat and a warm tone, as if recorded on an old cassette. Below are the chords, scale, techniques, a pattern and a melody you can hear and slow down.
2010s70–90 BPMAm7–Dm7–Em7–Cmaj7swing
What is lo-fi
Lo-fi as a musical style took shape in the 2010s: producers built calm beats from jazzy chords, vinyl crackle and lazy drums, and listeners played them in the background for hours. The guitar in it sounds quiet, soft and a little "careless".
A lo-fi guitarist plays seventh and major-seventh chords, often fingerstyle, and breaks them up in a lazy swing, slightly behind the beat. Melodies are short and simple, with slides and light vibrato. Everything is played quietly: the style rests on mood, not volume.
Signature chords
Am7, Dm7, Em7, Cmaj7 (vi7, ii7, iii7, Imaj7 in C major) is a chain of soft seventh chords with no sharp turns. The chords are played on the four middle strings for a warm, compact sound.
Scale for soloing
A minor pentatonic, the same as C major pentatonic, suits the melodies. The melody on this page is played in the 5th position, ending on the major seventh B over Cmaj7.
Techniques
Jazzy chords
Seventh chords instead of plain triads: Am7 adds G to A, C and E. The chord sounds soft and a little dreamy. Tap Am7 to hear it.
Lazy swing
A chord on one, then its notes one at a time on swung eighths, slightly later than expected. The pattern seems to laze about, and that is lo-fi. Listen to the pattern below.
Soft touch
Play with your fingers or very gently with a pick, quietly, with almost no attack. On the amp roll off the highs and add a little chorus or reverb for a warm sound.
Lo-fi fingerpicking
A soft chord on one and three of its notes one at a time on swung eighths. The bass walks calmly through the roots, the drums play a lazy beat with kick and snare. Play quietly and take your time.
Lo-fi melody
Short phrases in the 5th position with rests: A with vibrato, C and B over Am7, F and G over Dm7, down to E over Em7, a slide to G and finally a long B, the major seventh over Cmaj7.
Bass part
A long chord root lands on one, and at the end of the bar the bass eases toward the next chord. In the last bar it climbs a half step up to A and the loop closes. Play quietly and slightly behind the beat.
The guitar plays the genre’s chords quietly underneath: switch it off with the "Guitar" button to hear the bass alone. Bass guitar exercises in the trainer →
The riff opens as a draft: change notes, tempo and tracks however you like.
Open in RiffonicWhat to listen to
Listen to these songs and pay attention to what is described next to each one.
- Mac DeMarco - “My Kind of Woman”. A lazy chorus-drenched guitar, jazzy chords and a warm "bedroom" recording sound.
- Men I Trust - “Show Me How”. A soft, almost whispering guitar, a slow groove and a calm melody.
- Tom Misch - “South of the River”. Jazzy chords and a light guitar part over a relaxed beat.
Every riff and solo on this page is an original exercise in the style of the genre, not the notes of someone else’s song.
FAQ
What is lo-fi?
Literally "low fidelity" recording: a warm, slightly crackly sound. Today it names calm music with jazzy chords and a lazy beat that people play in the background.
What chords do I need for lo-fi?
Seventh chords: m7, maj7, 7, and later ninth chords. Start with Am7, Dm7, Em7, Cmaj7 from this page: together they sound very soft.
How do I get a lo-fi sound?
Play quietly and gently, roll off the highs, add chorus and reverb. Recordings often add vinyl noise and a slightly "wobbly" pitch, like a cassette.