By far the most common question I get asked as a lofi producer is: “where can I find good-quality free lofi sample packs?”

If you're a producer looking to add some laid-back vibes to your tracks, you're in the right place. In this post, we'll explore some of the most-loved free lofi sample packs that can help you create authentic and atmospheric lofi hip hop beats.

 

Best Packs of Free Lofi Samples 

1. SnowFi pack

 

This enchanting winter-themed foley SnowFi Pack features some delicious crispy snow sounds, earthy percussive sounds and crunchy foliage.

Adding non-musical effects to your track is a big part of capturing the lofi essence. Ambient background sounds such as the chirping birds in this pack add a soothing immersive effect, creating a whole auditory scene surrounding the music. Similarly, using natural foley sounds in place of your usual percussion (or sprinkling in as extra ear candy) gives the whole track an organic touch.

Download this pack and get started with setting your cozy winter scene.

 

2. Organic Lofi Hip Hop Vol. 1

Now moving on to a more all-encompassing pack, Organic Lofi Hip Hop Vol 1. has an overall fresh and vibrant sound, and also comes as a smaller free version. It includes:

Ambiance and transitions - detailed textures, evolving effects and comforting background soundscapes. Perfect for intros, transitions and background ambiance.

Foley and textural loops - a variety of foley percussion loops, some dry and some with washed-out reverbs and other cool effects.

Hi-hats, brushes, shakers - satisfying soft and crunchy textures to liven up your tracks.

Kicks, snares, perks - all the essentials for crafting a warm and inviting lofi beat.

Vocals - lush, reverb-ed vocal ad-libs are perfect for creating a melancholic vibe.

Guitar loops - more lofi essentials! Moody guitar licks and soft chord progressions on both acoustic and electric guitar, ranging from clean to spacey to warbled lofi style.

Piano loops - as above with the guitar loops, a mixture of atmospheric piano progressions, some more on the ambient side and some more raw and rugged.

The melodic loops (guitar and piano) all include layered sounds for an extra full and detailed quality.

Keen to get stuck into this pack? These sounds and their stems are all included in the full version, while the free version is a lighter choice without separate stems.
 

3. Dreamy Lofi Vol. 2

Dreamy Lofi Vol. 2 is dedicated to the extra-soft and fluffy side of lofi. Think dreamy guitar licks, lush synth pads, sleepy rhythms and all that sort of goodness. It also comes as a smaller free version. It includes:

Guitar loops - A varied range of loops on electric, acoustic and nylon guitars, with moods ranging from cinematic to upbeat and jazzy. Each sample consists of multiple layered parts which blend together seamlessly.

Key and synth loops - luscious layers of keys including acoustic piano, electric piano and delicate synth sounds. These loops focus on creating a warm and intimate vibe, with some being dark and moody and others more cheerful.

Ambiance - Set the scene with various background soundscapes including coffee shop ambiance and nature sounds.

Drum loops - possibly the most important part, a good set of drums and percussion can make or break your track! The sounds include crunching, knocking, snapping, and thumping, as well as hats and brushes to add some sparkle and shakers for a more organic effect.

Drum one-shots - all the lofi essentials like shimmering hi-hats, dusty kicks, wood-y snares and crispy percs. This section also includes some unusual FX sounds which are perfect for dropping into transition sections to make them more interesting.

Vocals - finally, this pack also includes a few vocal textures which can liven up the background of your track and give it an extra “human” touch.

As with the ‘Organic’ pack above, these sounds are all included along with their stems in the full version, or you can check out the free version for a lighter option.

 

Tips for Using Lofi Hip Hop Samples

These free lofi samples all offer a treasure trove of inspiration, but feeling confident on how to integrate them into your projects can take your producing session to the next level. Here are some tips for using these samples in Ableton Live, Logic Pro, and FL Studio.

 

Ableton Live:

• Drag and drop the audio file straight onto an audio channel to use it as-is.
• Use Ableton’s powerful built-in sampler instrument "Sampler." Drag your lo-fi hip hop samples directly into Sampler to manipulate them (or to play one-shots like instruments).
• Use Ableton's "Slice to MIDI" feature to automatically chop your samples into individual slices, which can be triggered and rearranged on a MIDI track.

 

Logic Pro:

• Drag and drop your sample into an empty space in your tracks area to get started.
• Make use of Logic Pro’s native “Sampler” and “Quick Sampler” plugins to manipulate a sample. Create a new Software Instrument Track with either of these and drag in your chosen audio file. (Quick Sampler handles single audio files, while Sampler can handle multiple).

 

Fl Studio:

• As before, just drag and drop to use samples as they are!
• Use the “Fruity Sampler” plugin for basic sampling. This allows you to manipulate samples and trigger them with a MIDI keyboard.
• For more advanced sample manipulation, try FL Studio's "Slicex" plugin. Slicex allows you to slice and rearrange your samples on a per-note basis, offering amazing creative possibilities. In your browser, right-click your chosen file and “open in new Slicex channel”.

Lo-fi hip hop sample packs are invaluable resources for music producers looking to add some lofi character to their work. They are super easy to use and take all the guesswork out of sound design and composition.

To level up your sample pack collection and start creating lofi hip-hop that stands up to the quality of the artists you listen to, get your hands on some of the free lofi samples above!