Lo-fi chord progressions

Lo-fi borrows its chords from jazz: seventh chords, ii-V-I turnarounds and gentle loops that never quite resolve. These are in C, with the sevenths on.

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The lo-fi turnaround

C major
Dm7ii7G7V7Cmaj7Imaj7Am7vi7

Dm7, G7, Cmaj7, Am7. ii-V-I with a minor chord to loop back.

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Warm loop

C major
Cmaj7Imaj7Am7vi7Dm7ii7G7V7

Cmaj7, Am7, Dm7, G7. The same chords, starting at home.

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Stepping down

C major
Fmaj7IVmaj7Em7iii7Dm7ii7Cmaj7Imaj7

Fmaj7, Em7, Dm7, Cmaj7. Walks down the scale, relaxed and nostalgic.

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Minor and mellow

C dorian
Cm7i7F7IV7

Cm7 to F7 in Dorian. Two chords for a late-night beat.

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Making them sound like lo-fi

  • Turn on the sevenths. Lo-fi almost never uses plain triads.
  • Play the chords slightly behind the beat and with some swing, and keep the velocity soft.
  • Low-pass the chords and add a little noise or tape wobble on the sound, not on the pitch of the notes.

Every progression on the site, in every key, as MIDI in one zip: free MIDI chord progressions.

More chord progressions

Chord progressions by key

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Questions

What chords are used in lo-fi?

Seventh chords, mostly major sevenths and minor sevenths, and jazz moves like ii-V-I. They sound warm and unfinished, which suits looping beats.

What is a ii-V-I?

A progression from the second chord of the key to the fifth and then home: Dm7, G7, Cmaj7 in C. It is the most common move in jazz, and lo-fi uses it constantly.

What key should a lo-fi beat be in?

Any key works. Lower keys such as C, D or F sit well under samples and vocals; transpose the MIDI to taste.

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