Deliberate lo-fi sound

[posssu]

What I tend to do is like this:
-use EQ3 with the 48-filter to cut lots of high-ends, at least down to 9-10k, maybe more.
-use freeware iZotope Vinyl plugin: the best parameter is the "Wear" parameter, which smoothens the high ends even more. I often use it at 20%. You can also set the year to 80's if you want. You also get some vinyl noise from this plugin if you want, but it's better to have a copy of this plugin on a separate track and EQ the noise a bit to shape your purpose better.
-Erosion is an awesome effect! Add some shallow-band distortion to the lower frequencies where you think it sounds nice. Maybe somewhere around the bass frequencies?
-you can also use Live's vinyl distortion to distort broader frequencies the way you see fit.

These things work very nicely! Also, you can make take away a bit of the width and then make it wider again by mastering. This makes the instruments stick together a bit better and it doesn't sound so modern.

EDIT: EQ8 corrected to EQ3

[anybody human]

^ EQ 8 has a 48db filter???

[JRM]

OTO Machines Biscuit! Quality lo-fi!!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g7Bs9jDw ... r_embedded

[posssu]

^ EQ 8 has a 48db filter???

Well, you can set 4 LP at the same freq and res, and you get the equivalent of a 48db filter.

My bad, meant to write EQ3.

[grnr]

record yr vocals through a pair of crap headphones! instant lofi - i used to do this when i was 15 and had nothing better to use!

[The Carpet Cleaner]

my advice : go out of the computer, run your signal trough some cheap analog effects, come back in side.

[JRM]

also; Audioease Speakerphone!

[macmurphy]

two more software possibilities -

Sonitex - has everything you need for lo-fi goodness in one plug-in.

Magnetic - i love what this does to drums on the 7 1/2 ips setting

[crystalmsc]

I like using Alesis Bitrman for this, mainly because of the ability to chain other processors such as stereo phaser, compressor and mild distortion, arrange them in any order and tweak em in realtime. Also love the Bitrness fx section, like FM, Decimator, etc. For megaphone type of Lo-Fi the Ibanez LF-7 Lo-Fi is a nice addition.