{"id":7161,"date":"2022-05-13T09:55:02","date_gmt":"2022-05-13T09:55:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/synchedin.com\/blog\/?p=7161"},"modified":"2022-05-13T09:55:02","modified_gmt":"2022-05-13T09:55:02","slug":"what-is-lo-fi-music","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/licensing.routenote.com\/blog\/what-is-lo-fi-music\/","title":{"rendered":"What Is Lo-fi Music &#038; Where Did It Come From?"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p>This genre has become an internet phenomenon in recent years, going hand-in-hand with relaxing study. But, what is lo-fi music exactly?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>We&#8217;re confidently going to assume that you&#8217;re already familiar with those animations of anime characters studying quietly at their desks. This has become such a stalwart of the genre that <a href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Lofi_Girl\">Lofi Girl<\/a> even has its own Wikipedia page. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed-youtube wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<iframe title=\"Best of lofi hip hop 2021 \u2728 - beats to relax\/study to\" width=\"720\" height=\"405\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/n61ULEU7CO0?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>In terms of musical elements, lo-fi music can be characterised by its downtempo beats and warming vinyl crackle. You can also commonly hear tape hiss interjected with vocal samples, often taken from movies or self-help audiobooks. But, whilst this music seems contemporary and trendy, its origins can actually be traced back to the 1980s.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3>Origins of Lo-fi<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Let&#8217;s first look at what lo-fi, as a term, actually means. It is the opposite of hi-fi (hi-fidelity). Low-fi as a musical label has shifted as music technology has advanced. The expectation of listeners has changed over the decades, with the possibilities relating to hi-fi increasing. The term lo-fi can even be traced back as far as the 1950s (then spelled low-fi).<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>One definition given to lo-fi music was &#8220;an unfavourable signal-to-noise ratio&#8221;, as penned by music educator R.Murray Schafer in the 1970s.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>As for the popularisation of lo-fi music as we know it, it&#8217;s largely accepted that we have DJ William Berger to thank. Berger&#8217;s WFMU radio show took lo-fi from being hi-fi&#8217;s lexicographical counterpart, to having its own spirit. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Lo-fi music can be connected to cassette culture of the 1980s, punk and outsider culture, slacker\/Generation X, and the DIY ethos. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3>Not Just Beats<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Nowadays, lo-fi music is quickly associated with hip-hop, chill-hop, and relaxing beats. But, in its early stages, lo-fi was very punk rock.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Recording music in a bedroom or bathroom, rather than an expensive studio setting, resulted in lo-fi sounds. This was particularly common amongst rock and indie musicians. The idea of using whatever was available (often cheap equipment) became a movement in itself. The result of this was a kind of scruffy charm and rustic feel, that people eventually strived to recreate.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In the 90s, artists like Beck and Beat Happening became leaders in lo-fi rock music. In fact, Beck&#8217;s top 10 Billboard track, <em>Loser<\/em> served to show that giant record label handouts were unnecessary and unattainable. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed-youtube wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<iframe title=\"Beck - Loser (Official Music Video)\" width=\"720\" height=\"405\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/YgSPaXgAdzE?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>Speaking to the New York Times, he explained, \u201cRecord budgets are out of hand; they give people like $300,000 to make a record. This is sick. Mine cost nothing.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3>Today&#8217;s Lo-fi<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>With its relatively long history, you might be wondering, &#8220;what is lo-fi music <em>today?&#8221; <\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>These days, lo-fi is synonymous with relaxation and chill. This is because of the 2000s micro-genre &#8220;chillwave&#8221;. Taking its influences from 1980s pop, and centring its themes around nostalgia and memory, chillwave and lo-fo combined to create the comforting music we&#8217;re familiar with now.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The rise of <a href=\"https:\/\/licensing.routenote.com\/blog\/9-top-daws-for-professional-audio-content\/\">DAWs<\/a> and bedroom musicians meant more people aiming to emulate older artists, seeking out vintage sounds and equipment. Musical influences of jazz, hip-hop, and house can be picked out in modern lo-fi music.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3>Lo-fi for Videos<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>If you&#8217;re looking to add a lo-fi element to your video content, whether that <a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/\">YouTube<\/a> videos or even a <a href=\"https:\/\/licensing.routenote.com\/blog\/podcast-intros-how-to-find-royalty-free-music\/\">podcast intro<\/a> (yes, we know that isn&#8217;t a video), check out <a href=\"https:\/\/licensing.routenote.com\/\">RouteNote Licensing<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>We add tracks to our huge <a href=\"https:\/\/licensing.routenote.com\/discover-music\">library<\/a> of <a href=\"https:\/\/licensing.routenote.com\/blog\/royalty-free-music-ultimate-guide\/\">royalty free music<\/a> every single day. Discover independent artists from an array of genres and styles &#8211; but, if it&#8217;s lo-fi you&#8217;re looking for&#8230;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/licensing.routenote.com\/collection\/royalty-free-lofi-music\">Royalty Free Lofi Music <\/a>is the collection for you. Neatly packaged, you&#8217;ll find relaxing beats as well as deliciously fuzzy guitars. And the best part? All tracks have the <a href=\"https:\/\/licensing.routenote.com\/blog\/what-is-a-sync-license\/\">sync license<\/a> covered, meaning you can use them in your content without fear of copyright complaints.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator\"\/>\n\n\n\n<p>To access unlimited downloads of the entire RouteNote Licensing catalogue, simply <a href=\"https:\/\/licensing.routenote.com\/about-us\/pricing\">subscribe<\/a> today from just $4.99!<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>This genre has become an internet phenomenon in recent years, going hand-in-hand with relaxing study. But, what is lo-fi music exactly? We&#8217;re confidently going to assume that you&#8217;re already familiar with those animations of anime characters studying quietly at their desks. This has become such a stalwart of the genre that Lofi Girl even has its own Wikipedia page. In terms of musical elements, lo-fi music can be characterised by its downtempo beats and warming vinyl crackle. You can also commonly hear tape hiss interjected with vocal samples, often taken from movies or self-help audiobooks. But, whilst this music seems&#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":7167,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[279],"tags":[1707,3827,1437,3822,3825,3823,3826,805,89,3824],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v15.7 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<title>What Is Lo-fi Music &amp; Where Did It Come From? - RouteNote Licensing Blog<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"This genre has become an internet phenomenon in recent years, going hand-in-hand with relaxing study. 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