61. Lo-fi study music personal preferences

01 Aug, 2023

This post was inspired by a video by Answer in Progress, "the science behind lofi music"

Lo-fi, also known as low fidelity, are audio recordings characterized by a lack of professional or flawless sound quality.

It originally was referred to a substandard recording exhibiting audible imperfections, such as background noise or performance errors, which were captured using inexpensive equipment, in contrast to the high fidelity (hi-fi) production approach.

Lo-fi comprises a subgenre within the realm of electronic music that shares common attributes with downtempo music, the chillwave scene, and lo-fi hip-hop. By amalgamating elements of house, jazz, easy listening, and hip-hop beats and samples, lo-fi music embodies a do-it-yourself (DIY) aesthetic that accentuates the unpolished, homemade nature of analog recordings. Consequently, it evokes a dreamy audio experience accompanied by a relaxed, retro ambiance, making it an ideal choice for background music, particularly during studying sessions.

The most notable lo-fi music channel on YouTube came from one YouTube channel, ChilledCow (later known as Lofi Girl), became a lo-fi hip-hop radio station by broadcasting a continuous live stream.

Here is a list of my favorite "study music" videos that I like to use for my background focus music when I'm working on something (especially for writing!). I usually prefer a mix of either classical music, bossa nova, jazz, video game OST (Original Soundtrack), or scores from films. Below I'll separate them into the different categories.