Lo-Fi music - Stupid/Not Stupid

[goraiders]

I'm having this argument with my friend. I think its idiotic, people are purposely making their music sound worse. In a lot of these cases I imagine they're using better equipment and then using computer effects to make it sound like they aren't using real equipment.

He says its a style, like oil painting vs computer generated 3d real looking images. You don't want it to sound "real"

What do you think?

[Guest errolwest]

I think if you are actually interested in experimenting with different sounds, effects, and recording methods, it's absolutely acceptable. But being lo-fi for the sake of being lo-fi isn't. It's a fine line I guess. I record a lot of lo fi music, buts because it's my only means of recording.

[jimmythescumbag]

It makes no difference to me. I enjoy lo-fi recordings, intentional or not.

[blanketbyday]

LoFi suffers a completely different aesthetic than music that is Overproduced and/or Professionally recorded. I love both sides of the spectrum.

Blue Snowball + Laptop = Recording Studio.

[jimmythescumbag]

LoFi suffers a completely different aesthetic than music that is Overproduced and/or Professionally recorded. I love both sides of the spectrum.

Blue Snowball + Laptop = Recording Studio.

Exactly. I just picked up a Zoom H2 so I can record shows/rehearsals/concrete stuff, and I am digging it. It's no reel to reel, but it sure is fun to be able to record wavs (16 or 24 bit) or mp3s at the touch of a button with nothing more than two AA batteries.

[AlexH.]

Too many newer bands use it as a crutch to hide their lack of talent/interesting ideas (see Wavves), but overall I don't mind it.

[Guest errolwest]

Too many newer bands use it as a crutch to hide their lack of talent/interesting ideas (see Wavves), but overall I don't mind it.

This, 100%. Fuck wavves.

[dynamitekid]

Too many newer bands use it as a crutch to hide their lack of talent/interesting ideas (see Wavves), but overall I don't mind it.

[tooclosetosee]

I think it depends with the music. Any time that I feel a band is trying to wow me with their technical talent then I want it to sound clean as can be. If the band is being innovative then I don't mind it being lo-fi.

I'm not a big fan of anything else.

[googlemyass]

Lol

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[stoiker]

I like lo-fi music.

[lonesomexloveus]

depends on if a band/person is good or not (i.e. has some musical talent), or is just making noise under the guise of being 'artsy' or some crap. i feel the same way about some modern minimalist/abstract painters.

[kittenmittons]

i prefer low fi for certain genres. i like to feel like i found the album in a dusty old house on a beat ass Victrola.

[goraiders]

All of this said I do like how Lucero - Attic Tapes sounds.

[thisisahiijack]

its a case by case thing. i prefer the lowest quality four-track recordings from superdrag and guided by voices over any of their cleaner stuff, so there's that. but i don't listen to too many (newer) bands who only play with a lo-fi sound, except maybe vivian girls.

[000000]

by lo-fi does this mean like, early Iron And Wine that sounds like it was recorded on a really crappy tape recorder? or am i missing something? 'cause i kinda love that style, haha.

[dynamitekid]

the only lo fi stuff I really like is guitar wolf

[jblahmaster]

I love wavves. Also king of the beach is pretty awesome,

[saxamaphone]

If the music is good, why care?

[steventangent]

what a silly debate...

[flicker]

^this.

each band is to be judged purely on its own merits. im not going to write off any genre completely. when its good its good.

[controlthebleeding]

^this.

each band is to be judged purely on its own merits. im not going to write off any genre completely. when its good its good.

[melikecheese]

This is not an argument about music, it is an artificial debate about a description. This is why genres suck. You have already judged a band before you heard them.

Plus "lo-fi" bands can sound very different. White Stripes vs. Times New Vikings vs. Neutral Milk Hotel vs. Jerusalem and the Starbaskets Vs. Psychedelic Horseshit vs...you get the idea

With that said I think you dislike shit-gaze, not lo-fi....

[elementary]

If you're going out of your to make lower quality music and to be superindiehipsterthriftstore dude, then yeah, fuck you that's stupid. It's totally acceptable when you're not aiming for something some fuck with horn-rimmed glasses and a vintage ironic t-shirt to buy at your favorite coffee shop...on purpose.