Posted by kadasht on July 12, 2023July 12, 2023

How to Create Lo-Fi Beats with Native Instruments’ Lo-Fi Glow

Lo-fi music is a popular genre that combines the warmth and nostalgia of vintage sounds with modern production techniques. Lo-fi music often features elements such as tape hiss, vinyl crackle, pitch fluctuations, and low-fidelity samples, creating a contrast between the old and the new.

If you are looking for a way to create lo-fi beats with ease and versatility, you might want to check out Native Instruments’ Lo-Fi Glow, a Kontakt instrument that brings the magic of lo-fi to your tracks.

What is Native Instruments’ Lo-Fi Glow?

Native Instruments’ Lo-Fi Glow is part of the Play Series, a collection of instruments that offer great-sounding presets and real-time control in an intuitive interface. Lo-Fi Glow features keys, synths, guitars, and bass recorded and processed for lo-fi warmth, as well as custom effects chains, macro editing, and a flexible sequencer.

With over 150 tweakable presets, you can easily find the perfect sound for your genre, whether it’s hip hop, house, electronica, or beyond. You can also sculpt your own tones with powerful sound design tools, such as filters, envelopes, distortion, reverb, and more.

How to Use Native Instruments’ Lo-Fi Glow?

To use Native Instruments’ Lo-Fi Glow, you need to have Kontakt or Kontakt Player installed on your computer. You can download them for free from the Native Instruments website. Once you have them installed, you can open Lo-Fi Glow as a plug-in in your DAW or as a stand-alone application.

The main page of Lo-Fi Glow gives you a simple interface designed to help you focus on playing. You can quickly tweak sounds using the six assignable macro knobs, which control parameters such as filter cutoff, resonance, drive, space, modulation, and noise. You can also switch between two sound sources (A/B) and blend them together with the mix knob.

The sound editor page lets you modify the individual sound sources (A/B), giving you access to tuning, filters, panning, and envelopes. You can also customize the effects chain of any preset with the effects editor page. You can swap out effects using the dropdown menu or change the order via drag-and-drop.

If you want to add some movement and variation to your sounds, you can use the sequencer page. It allows you to create a flexible 16-step sequence for each sound source (A/B), as well as modulate up to six assignable macros. You can also edit the assigned macro controls, control parameter ranges, change macro mappings and create your own custom controls from the macro editor page.

Finally, you can customize the instrument your way from the settings page. You can edit key ranges, adjust velocity curves, change tuning scales, and more.

How to Make Lo-Fi Music with Native Instruments’ Lo-Fi Glow?

If you want to make lo-fi music with Native Instruments’ Lo-Fi Glow, you need to follow some basic principles and tips that can help you achieve that chill, vintage sound. Here are some key elements of a lo-fi beat:

Start with a slow tempo and a simple beat. Lo-fi beats tend to lean towards gentler tempos, somewhere in the range of 60 – 90 BPM. You can use a simple acoustic drum kit or a drum machine, and add some swing or groove to make it more human. You can also use some vinyl crackle or tape hiss to add some texture and noise to your beat.
Add “vintage” sounds and “jazzy” chords. Lo-fi music often features elements such as keys, synths, guitars, and bass that have a warm and nostalgic tone. You can use Lo-Fi Glow to find the perfect sound for your genre, whether it’s hip hop, house, electronica, or beyond. You can also use some jazzy chords, such as minor 7ths or add9s, to create some harmonic interest and complexity.
Create imperfections everywhere in the music. Lo-fi music is not about perfection, but about embracing the flaws and quirks of older recording and playback systems. You can use effects such as distortion, bitcrushing, pitch shifting, or modulation to create some wobble, crunch, or glitch in your sounds. You can also use automation or randomization to introduce some variation and movement in your sounds.
Adjust EQ, tone, and saturation. Lo-fi music often has a reduced audio quality, meaning that some frequencies are rolled off or boosted. You can use an EQ to cut some highs or lows, or boost some mids, to create a more lo-fi sound. You can also use some saturation or tape emulation to add some warmth and color to your sounds.
Create space and atmosphere with samples. Lo-fi music often uses samples from various sources, such as movies, TV shows, radio broadcasts, or vinyl records, to create a sense of immersion and nostalgia. You can use samples to add some ambience, dialogue, melody, or texture to your tracks. You can also use effects such as reverb or delay to create some space and depth in your mix.

With these tips and tricks, you can make lo-fi music with Native Instruments’ Lo-Fi Glow that sounds authentic and captivating.

Examples of Lo-Fi Music with Native Instruments’ Lo-Fi Glow

Now that you know how to make lo-fi music with Native Instruments’ Lo-Fi Glow, you might want to check out some examples of lo-fi music that use this instrument or similar sounds. Here are some lo-fi artists and tracks that you can listen to for inspiration:

Native Instruments – LO FI GLOW – Kontakt Library – Play Series: This is a video by Udi Audio that showcases the sounds and features of Lo-Fi Glow. You can hear how the instrument can create different lo-fi vibes, from chill to funky, with various presets and effects.
Jinsang – Solitude: This is a classic lo-fi hip-hop album by Jinsang, a producer from California. The album features smooth beats, jazzy chords, and nostalgic samples, creating a relaxing and soothing atmosphere.
DJ Seinfeld – Time Spent Away From U: This is a track by DJ Seinfeld, a Swedish producer who is part of the lo-fi house movement. The track features a catchy house groove, distorted vocals, and vinyl crackle, creating a contrast between the old and the new.
Panda Bear – Comfy in Nautica: This is a track by Panda Bear, a member of the experimental pop band Animal Collective. The track features a simple drum loop, layered vocals, and tape hiss, creating a lo-fi psychedelic sound.
Knxwledge – kometostai.aintreallynootherwaytoputitro: This is a track by Knxwledge, a prolific producer from Los Angeles. The track features a chopped-up soul sample, heavy drums, and bitcrushing, creating a lo-fi boom bap sound.

These are just some examples of lo-fi music that you can explore with Native Instruments’ Lo-Fi Glow. There are many more artists and genres that use lo-fi aesthetics in their music, so feel free to discover them on your own.

Conclusion: Why You Should Try Native Instruments’ Lo-Fi Glow

Lo-fi music is a genre that has a lot of appeal and potential for music producers and listeners alike. It offers a unique sound that combines the warmth and nostalgia of vintage sounds with modern production techniques. It also allows you to express your creativity and personality with imperfections and quirks.

If you want to make lo-fi music with ease and versatility, you should try Native Instruments’ Lo-Fi Glow, a Kontakt instrument that brings the magic of lo-fi to your tracks. With over 150 tweakable presets, powerful sound design tools, custom effects chains, and a flexible sequencer, you can create lo-fi beats that sound authentic and captivating.

Native Instruments’ Lo-Fi Glow is part of the Play Series, a collection of instruments that offer great-sounding presets and real-time control in an intuitive interface. You can download it from the Native Instruments website and use it with Kontakt or Kontakt Player. You can also try it for free with Komplete Start, a free collection of instruments and effects from Native Instruments.

Whether you want to make lo-fi music for relaxation, study, or work, or you want to explore the genre and its influences, Native Instruments’ Lo-Fi Glow is a great instrument to start with. It will help you create lo-fi music that sounds amazing and makes you feel good.

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Native Instruments Lo-Fi Glow (KONTAKT)