Certain aspects of the present disclosure provide techniques for generating and using channel state information reference signals (CSI-RS). In some aspects, a method for generating a Channel State Information-Reference Signal may include: generating a pseudo-random base sequence based on at least a time parameter of the CSI-RS; modifying the pseudo-random base sequence based on at least a frequency parameter of the CSI-RS to form a modified pseudo-random sequence; generating the CSI-RS based on the modified pseudo-random sequence; and transmitting the CSI-RS to a user equipment.