The Lo-Fi Effect

The quantum leap in studio technology through the years has made it relatively easy to achieve pristine audio without ever leaving home. But as the unlikely survival of vinyl records and cassette tapes has shown, there's still a healthy appetite for those old analog methods and machinery that were once marked for extinction. That's because we tend to respond positively when a recording has a slight bit of imperfection-and in a world gone fully digital, that human touch can be a valuable commodity.

That's where "lo-fi" comes in. Whether it's deliberately distorting your voice using a tube distortion pedal or fooling with EQ to get that "telephone voice" effect, a little bit of lo-fi can add just the right sonic seasoning to your work. But you don't necessarily need low-fidelity sounds to achieve the lo-fi effect-a muffed guitar chord, a singer clearing their throat, even a microphone accidentally pointed the wrong way are the kinds of miscues that sometimes give a record that inexplicable bit of magic.

Go for sonic contrasts. One of the more familiar tricks of the pop era involves processing a song's intro through a heavily manipulated equalizer, so that everything sounds as if it's coming out of a cheap radio speaker. Under the right circumstances this can be a highly effective technique, as the sudden jump in volume and dynamics as the song begins in earnest immediately draws the listener's attention.

There are other ways of achieving this kind of audio juxtaposition. Ever notice that it's sometimes hard to recapture the vibe of an early rough demo that you recorded on your phone, a cassette multitracker or other portable device? If that's the case, you could try using some of the demo as a foundation for the master, allowing you to preserve (and subsequently overdub upon) that initial burst of inspiration.

Don't cut the click. Many of us use some kind of automated timekeeping device as a click track to anchor a song's tempo. While we might normally drop the track once real percussion has been added, leaving parts or all of the click in place can help support the foundation, while providing an interesting lo-fi contrast. Sheryl Crow's "Everyday is a Winding Road," for example, kicks off with a looped set of bongos that stay embedded throughout, in the process becoming one of the hookiest parts of the song. And of course, there have been truckloads of hip-hop, techno and rock cuts through the years that feature a pulsating synth bass supporting an organic rhythm section.

Lo-fi DIY. Some cool things can also happen when you're spontaneously experimenting with random effects. If you're going for an edgier tone, you might try running a vocal mic through a fuzz box, analog echo, or other guitar pedal and into a guitar amplifier (or your recorder). You could also experiment with different types of mics - if you normally use a studio-quality condenser, try switching to a cheaper handheld dynamic for a more tonally agnostic vocal. And don't forget to use EQ to further mold the sound to fit the mood.

Mix drums in mono. Remember, lo-fi is all about simplicity, and it doesn't get more basic than mono-mixing a meticulously multi-miked drum kit. Though it may seem counterintuitive (and may not suit all tastes), you may find that putting the drums right in the center anchors the rhythm section better than a wide-open stereo spread. In addition to the immediacy of mono, by confining the kit to the middle you have that much more space to place the other instruments and voices.

Leave the "mistakes." Back when records were made a little faster and on a tighter budget, things like between-take chatter or even a few coughs would occasionally make it onto the master, and if anything, those accidental sounds only added to the appeal of the songs. So, if there are a few seconds of snare-drum rattle during your song's intro, some unintentional guitar feedback following the solo, or similar spontaneous eruptions, try leaving a few of these stray bits in place-they may be bringing invaluable character to your track without you even knowing it.