Mix character
A warm, soft and intimate sound: jazz samples or performances (Rhodes, piano, upright bass, jazz guitar, horns) over a relaxed swing drum groove, at 70–90 BPM. Vinyl noise, tape saturation, wow and flutter, and low-pass filters are part of the aesthetic. Studio or playlist lo-fi is designed for extended background listening: no harshness, no aggressive peaks, soft dynamics.
Typical balance
| Element | Level relative to the mix |
|---|
| Melodic element (Rhodes, piano, guitar) | −4/−6 LU |
| Snare/rim | −8/−10 LU |
| Kick | −8/−10 LU |
| Bass | −8/−10 LU |
| Hi-hat and shaker | −12/−15 LU |
| Vocal or vocal samples (if present) | −5/−8 LU |
| Vinyl noise and textures | −20/−26 LU |
EQ
- Melody: HP 80–120 Hz, LP 8–12 kHz, warmth at 200–500 Hz kept under control (no mud).
- Drums: soft kick 60–90 Hz, snare with body at 200 Hz and a tamed crack; hats with an LP at 8–10 kHz.
- Bass: warm, 80–200 Hz, no extreme sub; LP 2–3 kHz.
- Mix: highs attenuated but not absent; the 2–5 kHz band kept soft.
Dynamics
- Soft compression on the buses (opto or vari-mu, 2–3 dB).
- Drums compressed and saturated, but with the swing preserved.
- Tape saturation on the mix bus.
- No aggressive limiting.
Space
- Rhodes and piano slightly wide (light chorus, stereo tremolo), drums nearly mono, bass in the center.
- Short plate or room reverbs, tape delay on melodic elements.
- The vinyl noise can be stereo and at a very low level.
Layering
- Melody + a copy with pitch wobble (slow modulation of a few cents) for the tape effect.
- Drums: soft one-shots with a layer of noise or texture.
Reference loudness
Master −14/−10 LUFS, true peak −1 dBTP, crest factor 10–14 dB.
Reference tracks
Nujabes "Aruarian Dance", Nujabes "Feather", J Dilla "Time: The Donut of the Heart", Nujabes ft. Shing02 "Luv(sic) Part 3", and the lo-fi study compilations from dedicated streaming channels.
Common mistakes
- LP set too low on everything: a muffled mix with no definition.
- Vinyl noise too loud: it covers the music and causes fatigue.
- Rigid quantization: the swing is lost.
- Heavy limiting: the soft aesthetic disappears.
Starting settings
| Parameter | Value | Why |
|---|
| Tape saturation | On buses and mix bus | Warmth and cohesion. |
| Low-pass | 8–12 kHz on melodic elements | Lo-fi color. |
| Swing | 54–62% on sixteenth notes | Relaxed groove. |
| Vinyl noise | −20/−26 LU from the mix | Texture without masking. |
| Master loudness | −14/−10 LUFS | Softness and dynamics. |
Frequencies to watch
| Range | What to do |
|---|
| 80–200 Hz | Warm bass and soft kick, no extreme sub. |
| 200–500 Hz | Melody warmth: mud control. |
| 2–5 kHz | Zone to keep soft: no harshness. |
| 8–12 kHz | LP on melodic elements and hats for vintage color. |
Example chain
| Step | Tool | Settings | Why |
|---|
| Melody | Sample/Rhodes → EQ → wobble → tape | LP 8–12 kHz | Warmth. |
| Drums | One-shots → EQ → bus → soft compression → saturation | 2–4 dB | Groove. |
| Bass | EQ → compression | 2–4 dB | Consistent notes. |
| Texture | Vinyl, noise | Very low level | Atmosphere. |
| Master | Tape → glue → light limiter | −14/−10 LUFS | Softness. |
How to check the result
- Master crest factor 10–14 dB.
- Air band (8–16 kHz) 3–6 dB below pop references, but present.
- High-mid band without narrow peaks: extended listening without fatigue.
- Sub band at least 4 dB lower than the Bass band.
- Correlation +0.4/+0.9.