Lo-Fi Chord Progressions: 7 Jazzy Loops (With Free MIDI)

You have a slow drum loop, some vinyl crackle and a warm Rhodes sound loaded up, but it still does not feel lo-fi? Most of the time the missing piece is the chords. Lo-fi hip hop leans on jazzy, slightly unresolved chords that feel cozy and a little nostalgic. The good news: you only need a handful of them.

Below are 7 lo-fi chord progressions you can play right away. They are all written in C major or A minor (almost all white keys), with Roman numerals so you can move them to any key. At the end you will find tips to make them actually sound lo-fi, plus a free way to get chords as MIDI.

What makes chords sound lo-fi?

A basic chord (a triad) has three notes: the root, the third and the fifth. Lo-fi producers almost always add more:

• Seventh chords. Add the seventh note and a plain chord turns soft and jazzy. Cmaj7 (C, E, G, B) sounds dreamy, Am7 (A, C, E, G) sounds mellow.
• Ninth chords. One more note on top. Am9 (A, C, E, G, B) is lush and a bit melancholic.
• Shared notes. Many lo-fi loops use chords that share two or three notes. The change between them is soft, so the loop feels like it is floating instead of jumping.
• A loop that does not fully resolve. Lo-fi often avoids the big "home" moment. That keeps a short loop interesting for minutes.

How to read the numbers: lowercase (ii, iii, vi) means minor, uppercase (I, IV, V) means major. "maj7" is a major seventh, a plain "7" is a dominant seventh and "ø7" is half diminished. In C major, Imaj7 is Cmaj7, vi7 is Am7 and V7 is G7.

7 lo-fi chord progressions to try

1. Imaj7, vi7 (Cmaj7, Am7)

The easiest lo-fi loop there is. Cmaj7 and Am7 share three notes (C, E and G), so only one note really moves. Give each chord one or two bars and it sounds like a rainy window straight away. Perfect if you are just starting out.

2. IVmaj7, iii7, vi7 (Fmaj7, Em7, Am7)

A soft step down that lands on a minor chord. It sounds a bit wistful without getting dark. Play Am7 for two bars to make it a four bar loop.

3. ii7, V7, iii7, vi7 (Dm7, G7, Em7, Am7)

This starts like the classic jazz "two five one", but instead of landing on Cmaj7 it slips to Em7. Em7 shares three notes with Cmaj7 (E, G and B), so it sounds close to home without fully getting there. That little dodge is very lo-fi. Am7 then leads nicely back to Dm7.

4. IVmaj7, iv7, Imaj7 (Fmaj7, Fm7, Cmaj7)

The bittersweet one. Fm7 (F, Ab, C, Eb) is borrowed from C minor. Going from Fmaj7 to Fm7, only two notes drop a half step (A to Ab and E to Eb), but the mood shifts from warm to wistful. Resolve to Cmaj7 and give it two bars.

5. iiø7, V7, i7 (Bm7b5, E7, Am7)

The minor version of the two five one, straight from jazz. Bm7b5 (B, D, F, A) sounds unstable, E7 (E, G#, B, D) pulls hard toward A, and Am7 lets it all settle. Great for late night, slightly darker lo-fi.

6. Imaj7, I7, IVmaj7, iv7 (Cmaj7, C7, Fmaj7, Fm7)

A small chromatic trick. C7 (C, E, G, Bb) changes just one note of Cmaj7 (B drops to Bb), and that Bb pulls the ear toward F. Then Fmaj7 turns into Fm7 for that bittersweet ending. Lots of movement while your hand barely moves.

7. i9, VImaj7 (Am9, Fmaj7)

A two chord minor vamp. Am9 and Fmaj7 share A, C and E, so the switch is smooth, and the full ninth chord gives you that lush, melancholic color. Leave space and let the drums and a simple melody do the rest.

Cheat sheet: notes in every chord

• Cmaj7: C, E, G, B
• C7: C, E, G, Bb
• Dm7: D, F, A, C
• Em7: E, G, B, D
• E7: E, G#, B, D
• Fmaj7: F, A, C, E
• Fm7: F, Ab, C, Eb
• G7: G, B, D, F
• Am7: A, C, E, G
• Am9: A, C, E, G, B
• Bm7b5: B, D, F, A

How to make these chords sound lo-fi

The same chords can sound like a jazz lesson or like a lo-fi beat. The difference is in how you play and process them.

1. Pick a warm sound. Electric piano (Rhodes style), a soft upright piano, a mellow guitar or a dusty pad. Avoid bright, hard pianos.
2. Use inversions. Move the notes so each chord sits close to the one before it. Your loop instantly sounds smoother and more played.
3. Leave the root to the bass. Play the root in a soft bass and keep it out of (or quiet in) the chord. Your low end stays clean and the chords stay open.
4. Humanize everything. Vary the velocity and push chords slightly before or after the beat. A perfectly quantized loop sounds stiff, and stiff is the opposite of lo-fi.
5. Roll off the highs. A low-pass filter on the chords takes the edge off. Do not overdo it, or the loop turns muddy.
6. Keep the tempo slow. Lo-fi lives in a relaxed tempo range. Check BPM by genre to see where it sits compared to boom bap and trap.

Get lo-fi chords as free MIDI

Do not feel like clicking every note into the piano roll? Try our free Chord Progression Generator. Pick the Chill mood (it uses seventh chords for a warmer sound), choose major or minor, set your key and tempo, and click a chord to hear it right in your browser. Keep generating until something feels right. Then download the MIDI: you get a chords track plus a bass line on the root notes, ready for FL Studio, Logic Pro, Ableton or any other DAW. You can use the MIDI freely in your own tracks.

Writing chords over a loop or beat you already have? Find its key and BPM first with Beat Lab, so your progression actually fits. Ready to build the full track? Follow how to make a lo-fi beat in FL Studio, and for even more seventh chord loops, see our R&B chord progressions.

A quick word on samples

A lot of classic lo-fi is built on a chopped piece of an old jazz or soul record. If you sample an existing recording, you need permission from the rights holders before you release or sell the track. Otherwise you can run into problems like a Content ID claim. Playing your own chords, like the ones above, is the safe route.

Just want to write and record over a finished beat instead of making one? Browse the beats by NameOnTheBeat.

FAQ

What chords are used in lo-fi?

Mostly seventh and ninth chords, like maj7, m7, 7 and m9. They sound softer and jazzier than plain triads. Borrowed chords like a minor iv (Fm7 in C major) add that bittersweet color.

Is lo-fi usually in a major or minor key?

Both. Major keys with major seventh chords sound cozy and warm, minor keys with minor ninths sound more melancholic. The generator lets you choose either.

How many chords does a lo-fi loop need?

Often two to four. Lo-fi is built on repetition, so a short loop with a nice sound and good drums goes a long way.

Can I use these progressions in a song I release?

Yes. Chord progressions are common building blocks in music, and the MIDI from our generator is free to use in your own tracks, also commercially. Just do not copy someone else's actual recording or melody.

Want more free tools for your beats, like a BPM finder, master checker and audio converter? Check out all our free music tools.