Everwanted to DJ, but don't have DJ equipment to do it?Well, you've come to the right video.In this lesson, I'll teach you how to DJ/mix music with just you level3. Headphones preview with external mixer. output 1 : player 1 stereo output. output 2 : player 2 stereo output. Download YouDJ for free! YouDJ is not only a website, it is a DJ software available on all platforms. Grab your copy for FREE and enjoy :) Whatdoes a DJ do? A DJ plays pre-recorded music from other musicians, usually drawing from a large collection of available songs that suit the theme of the event or venue he or she is working at. A disc jockey has several responsibilities depending on their workplace and position in the music industry. Beforewe talk about how to DJ, it is essential to know what type of DJ you'd want to become. In my article - What Does DJ Stand For? I talk about 5 Types of DJs. Radio; Mobile; Club/ Bar; Event; Touring; Each one is different. You do not need to be all of these. Try to focus on one area. And work on being very good at that area. Whenyou're learning to DJ, you're learning to match your own musical expressions with the desires of an audience. It isn't just matching beats, or scratching over songs. It's about being observant, empathic, and reactive. Contrary to popular belief, learning to DJ is not an easy route to overnight success. This takes work, and hustle, and time. TUiWS. For PremiumExperience your own personal DJ, a virtual assistant who recommends old favorites and allows you to discover new genres, playlists, and out our Tips+Tricks video about DJMobile and tabletTap Home .Select the Music tag at the top of the DJ, and start DJ playlist will be added to Your Library and to your Recently played To change the music, tap the DJ button in the Now Playing bar at the bottom of the app. We hope you love the products we recommend. We may collect a commission if you purchase through one of our links. This doesn't cost you anything extra. If you do, thank you! As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying actually do quite a lot on stage. They need to seamlessly beatmatch their music, transition with style, add effects to create their personal signature, read the crowd to adjust the vibe accordingly, and maintain some level of dance or performance at the same time. Do DJs Actually Do Anything?Many people think that all DJs pre-record their mixes and just press play on stage. Unless you have had the opportunity to be close to a DJ or have DJ friends, you may not have had the experience of realizing how difficult DJing really is and how much work goes into having to produce a good DJ set. I am incredibly grateful to have had the opportunity to learn a bit about what goes into DJing and realize the innate complexity of this art form. The fact that you are reading this blog means that you are interested, on some level, in mixing music and what that entails. I will go through each technique and the skills DJs need to put on a good set. So What Are DJs Doing On Stage? While on stage, DJs need to do all of the following Beatmatching, Transition expertly from track to track, and reading the crowd to understand what is working vs. what isn’t. In addition, DJs need to add in effects or samples and maintain some level of performance or interaction with the crowd, AKA dancing. What Is Beatmatching And Why Is It Important?Beatmatching is the first step and skill you need to know when DJing. Let me be the first to tell you, beat matching is HARD! If you can do it, that’s already impressive, but on stage, DJs have to be able to beatmatch and do it quickly. Beatmatching is the art of matching the tempos of at least two songs and then matching up the drum beats to make sure the two tracks are in sync. While on stage, DJs need to beatmatch the tracks they mix each time perfectly. It is easier said than done and requires a lot of focus, a trained ear, and a solid pair of DJ headphones. I recommend the Sennheiser HD25, as they are the industry standardThese days, most of the newer DJ equipment, for example, most Pioneer DJ CDJs, feature the sync button that will enable the automatic syncing of the tracks. This newer DJ gear can beatmatch for you. It is not generally respected in the DJ community to use the sync button because it takes away the artistry of beatmatching manually, but times are slowly changing! DJ controller tech is evolving, so why shouldn’t DJs use them to the fullest capacity. It is an ongoing debate for sure, but I think if a DJ wants to continue to increase their mixing skills and produce new music, it is somewhat inevitable that they will need to know how to manually beatmatch. Performing Seamless TransitionsOnce two tracks are beatmatched, DJs need to transition between the two tracks. To move from one track to the next, DJs isolate a few sounds from each track that work well together and make the transition. The more skillful a DJ is, the more smooth and fluid the transition will be. Transitions also need to be engaging and exciting. It is one thing to transition smoothly from one track to the next; it is another to do it while keeping the same vibe and energy level. It is SO much more challenging than you may think. DJs also need to keep it fresh. If you did the same transition repeatedly, the quality of the set would be pretty dull and track that plays gives DJs a window of a few minutes to figure out the plan for the next song. They need to figure out where in the track they will begin the mix, beatmatch quickly, and change the EQs equalizers to their desired positions to enact the plan and then start the transition. DJs Are Also CountingDJs need to keep count of the beats to begin the mix at the beginning or end of a loop. For example, one track could change every 4, 8, 16, or 32 beats. An expert DJ will be able to follow along and mix in the new track at the beginning or end of one of these loops. This counting is happening the entire set. I’ll let you in on a secret DJs dance because they are having fun with their music but mostly because they are counting. The easiest way to count the beats is to tap your foot or dance. Think about how many times a DJ will need to do this in one set. It requires a lot of brainpower and focus. Adding EffectsBeat FX is becoming more popular in DJ sets as well. Old-school vinyl setups only allowed for scratching effects on a turntable, but there is usually an entire Beat FX channel on modern DJ hardware. Some FX include echo, spiral, reverb, trans, roll, and flanger. FX is a great way to add your own flair and signature to a mix. Many DJs will use these effects to heighten the impact of a significant drop in their set or just add a new sound they may use throughout their mix. Reading The Crowd People don’t realize how difficult of a job it is to understand and adjust to the vibe of a crowd. DJs need to understand what music a particular crowd may respond best to and adapt their sound accordingly. Oh, and they need to be able to do this consistently while also beatmatching perfectly, transitioning, and adding effects. The vibe of a party or event is almost this fragile and beautiful unspoken communication or frequency between a crowd and the DJs. A DJ has to create the stirrings of the vibe with the music, and the crowd may or may not respond to that vibe. Have you ever thought about how DJs structure their mixes? Since a mix extends songs to be almost like one large track, DJs need to structure them accordingly. It would be exhausting for the people on the dancefloor to dance non-stop to really fast techno without any breaks. As a result, you will often see DJs playing around 3 tracks in a row before creating a drop. They will isolate one or two sounds, allow the crowd to have a quick little breather before building it back up to dance level. On the flip side, if a DJ only plays slow music without any sort of build-up, it could be seen as boring. It is a nerve-racking experience to control the music for a huge about how difficult it is to be on the aux cord at a house party. Making sure everyone is having a good time is a huge responsibility. You never want to be the person in charge of music when people complain about it. Now imagine that feeling in front of a crowd of thousands of people. Scary, right? Having A Stage PresenceIn addition to the technical skills DJs possess on stage, some level of performance during their set is also required. There are different ways to accomplish this performance aspect. Some DJs naturally have a great stage presence. Superstar DJ Carl Cox is a wonderful example. He is always so into the music he is playing, whipping up a storm, and interacting with the people on the dance floor. But this performance aspect can manifest in other ways too. For example, I have seen DJs who never dance or even look up from their setup once during their sets. Initially, I thought that was lame, but I quickly realized that these DJs were so focused on creating the most intricate, perfectly mixed drops and transitions. This quality of music was the performance value. The music was speaking for itself without any need for the DJ to hype up the crowd with their dancing. I think what makes a good DJ to a professional DJ level is the ability to create engaging, complex mixes that keep everyone engaged and interact with the crowd. Performing Songs LIVETo me, what defines an expert DJ is one who can play well live, not just in the confines of their studio setup. Of course, that is totally subjective, and everyone has their own idols. If a DJ can play an incredible and exciting set live, I’m ready to bow down. In my opinion, a dance music live performance is the coolest of the cool. It is kind of wild how the music industry is changing. You see some live DJs using mixing tech and instruments in their sets. Monolink, for example, will often use DJ software and analog instruments such as a guitar to create interesting downtempo mixes. What kind of lifestyle does a DJ have?It depends on how often they are playing. Professional DJs will have gigs worldwide and constantly traveling, sometimes to multiple cities in one weekend. It is not an easy lifestyle, but it’s definitely worth the chaos if it is your passion. What do DJs do when they turn knobs?When you see a DJ turning knobs on the DJ mixer, they are adjusting the equalizers or throwing on a filter. The equalizers represent any given track’s Hi, Mid, and Low sound frequencies. For example, the low frequency is the kick or sub-bassline, so if a DJ turns off the low, it means they get rid of the bassline or drum beats. How do DJs know what song to play next?Knowing what to play next is the eternal skill lesson that DJs will constantly need to practice. The intuitive understanding comes with lots of practice playing in front of people and receiving feedback. Usually, though, a good rule of thumb is to play a track that is similar in tempo to the one currently playing and either the same key or a complementary one. How long does it take to be good at DJing?DJing skill is directly proportional to how much time is spent practicing. Of course, some are more talented than others and have a natural musical ability. If you dedicate a lot of your time to practicing, you can become a good DJ within a couple of years. It all depends on how much time and effort you put into learning and practicing. Can you still be a DJ today without being a producer?Definitely! You can absolutely be a good DJ without ever producing any music. However, music production is the next natural avenue for many DJs since it is the next step of music mastery. Otherwise, you will always be playing other people’s music. Many DJs I have spoken to comment that they got into DJing because of the ability to create and control the vibe of the music. Producing is the next step of creating and managing your vibe. Closing Time I hope this clarifies the mystery of what DJs do on stage. They need to beatmatch as their life depends on it, transition smoothly, and add effects to create their own flavor. On top of this, a great DJ needs to read the crowd like it’s their favorite book and have a stage presence to rival the best. Prime Sound is reader-supported. We may earn a commission through products purchased using links on this page. Learn more about our process hereDJs make their work look so graceful, and it’s all thanks to their equipment, namely the controllers. However, if you’ve ever seen one of these controllers, then you know it’s a fairly intimidating device. It comes with multiple buttons, knobs, and controllers, which is enough to put people off from using the machine. However, for the determined few, the only thing stopping them is they don’t know how to use a DJ controller on their PCs. Otherwise, they would get one as soon as possible and put it to good use. If you’re one of these determined few, this write-up should give you insight into what the machine is capable of and how to use it to your advantage. What is a DJ controller? To understand a DJ controller and what it does, you must first understand DJ software. Examples of DJ software include Ableton Live, Serato DJ pro, Atomix VirtualDJ Pro, and more. Notably, this kind of software allows you to combine different tracks to make remixed alternatives using your keyboard and mouse pad as your controls. Since that isn’t the main function of the keyboard and mouse, it makes controlling the software more difficult, which is where the DJ controller comes in. DJ controllers have dedicated controls that can sometimes be mapped out according to your preferences to make the DJ software easier to use. They technically do not mix audio. This is the job of your computer and the DJ software. However, they do give directions to the computer on how to go about it. Also, a common feature in modern DJ controllers is that they come with built-in soundcards. This is further supplemented by outputs making it easy to preview audio and remixed tracks before routing it to the main output for the audience. The Traditional “deejaying” setup involved having a mixing console sandwiched between two decks. However, with the modern DJ controller, you typically get the same things built into one machine. Additionally, traditional machines took up the duty of processing the sounds mixed. In the modern era, the software takes up that responsibility, therefore, allowing the controllers to be smaller than ever. Benefits of DJ controllers As improvements for the old Deejaying setups, DJ controllers have some benefits, as highlighted below. Fairly affordable If you were to try and use an older/more traditional setup, you’d have to buy at least two decks and a mixer. Also, given how we access music files in the modern age, you would still need a computer as a repository for the tunes and sounds that you mix on the daily. This is in addition to several USB sticks that you use to load the songs onto your decks. Contrast that with only having to buy a controller and a laptop, and you find that the DJ controller setup is much cheaper. Today it’s even possible to get a DJ controller for under $300. The Numark Party Mix II is, according to reviews, an excellent example of how affordable DJ controllers can be. Not only is the hardware inexpensive, but buyers also get Serato DJ lite software included with the purchase. Portable Another notable factor when learning how to use a DJ controller with Traktor or FL studio is that the sound production and processing are done by the computer. Modern PCs have enough computational power to get the job done and still manage to be compact. A side effect is that the controller doesn’t need many inbuilt electrical components to do its job. Consequently, new DJ controllers are also getting smaller and smaller, making the whole setup more portable. Adaptability to modern needs This is another side effect of the integration with DJ software. Notably, the software seems easier to develop compared to hardware with no raw materials being used. As such, new and improved versions of DJ apps are pushed out regularly, and of course, they’ll have new capabilities, features, and functions as well. The users, in return, update their old apps allowing them to use the new features with the old hardware that they have. If you were to use older tech, CDJ, this adaptability is stifled because they require firmware updates that are infrequent at best. Ease of use Another benefit is the ease of use which is evident in several ways once you start using a DJ controller. One example is easy access to your music library. Every track you use will likely be stored on your PC’s hard disk. Consequently, searching for specific tracks becomes a cakewalk. Remember you have the search feature in your computer where you can put in keywords and get results. The “sort” feature is another extension of this, not to mention the big screen you have as well as the mouse. Additionally, you need to preview tracks to mix or remix them properly. This has also been made easier compared to traditional setups. There is no need to even load the tracks onto one of your decks which was necessary when using a CDJ or DDJ system. Instead, you use your mouse to play bits and pieces of the songs before loading them onto your decks. Next, recording your Deejaying sessions is not as difficult as it used to be. The computer is enough, and the deejaying apps have a built-in recording feature. You just hit the “record” button before starting your set. The last piece of evidence showing that DJ controllers are easy to use is the plug-and-play functionality. This is partly due to the integration with the deejaying software available. A USB cable connecting your PC and controller is basically all you need for the two machines to work together. Basics of how a DJ controller works The term “specialized keyboard” is an apt description for a DJ controller. All it does is give a set of instructions to the DJ software running on the computer. For instance, hitting the play/pause button on the DJ controller hardware works the same as hovering over the same button in the software and clicking on it with your mouse. However, the former is much easier, faster, and more intuitive. Older turntables were self-reliant where they had electrical circuitry to adjust the audio. They featured pedals and controls that would create effects. Additionally, they also helped adjust frequency response and the playback of the song. Modern controllers, on the other hand, use binary signals to communicate with your PC. Your computer and the DJ software create the effects and adjust the playback of the song according to instructions. Most DJ controllers need to be connected to your PC via USB to work, although there are exceptions. Furthermore, the DJ is required to map the tool’s buttons in addition to the various faders and knobs to make the device more intuitive. That said, most new controllers come with predetermined controls that have been tried, tested, and proven to be fairly intuitive. Also, the larger your DJ controller, the more controls and buttons you’re likely to have. Additionally, many modern DJ controllers come with built-in soundcards. This allows the audio to be fed back into the controller from the computer via the USB cable. Consequently, the user gets more control over audio levels going out to the various outputs, including your PA system. DJ controller setup Setting up a DJ controller is a fairly easy task. First, you have to plug your PC and the controller into working sockets. After all, the devices need to be powered up before you can use them. Additionally, you connect the PC and the controller via the provided USB cord. Next, you open the DJ software on your computer. Most of these are designed to automatically detect the connection with the controller. Some may require additional manual input and selection of the device you’re using once the program is open. You can then map some of your controls if it’s your first time. Where you don’t have this option, you can read the manual on what certain buttons are for and how to use them. We’ve also covered some of that in the section below. You’ll likely have to connect the controller’s outputs to your PA system or speakers. Sometimes you may even have to route that connection via an external mixer, depending on the setup at your deejaying booth. Other DJs connect their headphones to one of the outputs of the controller for previews. Your DJ controller is now set up and ready for use. Controls Whether you’re learning how to use a DJ controller with Serato, Traktor, or FL studio, the button layout and their functions on the device will likely be the same. Here are the controls that you should expect Play/Pause Just as the name suggests, this button will either play or pause the track that you’ve selected. Cue The cue button is often used to mark a start point in a song or track. Most DJs use this button on a track they’re not playing to control where the song starts when they make a transition. After that, if you press the cue button a second time, it will start the song at the cue mark. Additionally, the song will only keep going as long as your finger remains on the button, although you can also press the play button for continuous play. Lastly, you’re discouraged from pressing the cue button while playing a track because it will pause the song. Hot Cue The hot cue button is similar to the cue button in that it marks certain sections of the song, so you can easily jump to them at any time. Notably, you can mark multiple hot cue points on a song, and the machine and software will remember them for you. Sync One of the basics of deejaying is that you transition better from one track to another when they have a similar BPM or song tempo. By pressing the sync button, you sync the BPM of the song in the secondary channel to match the one currently playing, therefore making the transition more seamless. Auto loop This is yet another button whose function is self-explanatory. You use it to create a loop area where a section of the song will keep repeating until you turn it off. It’s best used to make quick loops. Manual loop The manual loop button is almost the same as the auto loop, but it needs extra input from you. Typically, you use the available pads to determine where the loop starts and ends. You can also tweak it if the result is not up to your standards. Sampler This button is used to play short sound effects loaded onto your Deejaying software. Some examples include your DJ name or your contact information. Shift Notably, some buttons on the machine have two functions. However, if you press them, you only activate the first function leaving out the secondary one. This is where the shift button comes in. You press both the shift button and the button with two functionalities, and the secondary function will be activated. For instance, the cue button may also have a rewind function. If you only press this button, it will cue a song just as described above. However, if you press the shift + cue button, then the secondary function, in this case, rewind, will be activated. Motorized platter Another control that some DJs like on their controllers is the motorized platter. It’s similar to the old-school vinyl turntables in the way it spins while a track is playing and even gives you similar functionality. As such, options with these platters make the best DJ controllers for scratching. You can pause, slow down the song, and more using this part of the hardware. Screen Higher-end DJ controllers are also likely to come with a screen that may have multiple functions depending on whether or not it has touch functionality. According to reviewers, the Pioneer DJ DJ System has one of the best screens in the market. It’s large and offers lots of visual feedback while you’re mixing. Also, the machine features lots of professional-grade DJ features. Music mixing tips Lastly, here are some tips to guide you as you start mixing. Always load the songs you’re playing in decks one and two. This affords you better control of the track, especially if you have a motorized platter. For scratches, loops and other peripheral sounds, you can load them into other decks in your software. Start simple, especially when adding effects and scratches, then gradually build up the mixing complexity. Lastly, be frugal with your sound effects. Hearing them every two minutes may lower the quality of the mix and the music. Final thoughts Hacking how to use a DJ controller is not a day-long endeavor. It takes a while not only to familiarize yourself with the controls but also to use them effectively. You need to build up your mixing skills over time, and that can only happen through practice. For reference, you can check out your favorite DJs and note down how they make transitions, the FX frequency, and other aspects of their mixes that you like. After that, you try to mimic them while also trying to build your identity as a DJ. Last Updated on September 29, is becoming more and more popular lately, and in order to have a chance to make it you need to improve your course, if you ever want to reach the highest level you can, the best way to achieve this is by practicing the right is why I wrote this 15-step guide on how to practice as a DJ and not waste time on things that won’t make you any get straight into it. 15 Steps to Practice DJing! 1. Practice Makes Perfect2. Record Yourself3. Streaming4. Playing for/with friends5. Set a Timer6. Use Simple DJ Equipment7. Learn to Count8. Be approachable9. Don’t Drink and Play10. Ask for Help11. Join Djing Groups12. Choose a Name13. Teach Others14. Read Books about DJing15. Enroll in Online CoursesBest 4 DJ Controllers for Beginners1. Practice Makes PerfectHow do you get better at anything?… Practice, Practice, Practice!Whether you are trying to learn a new language, driving, or a sport, it always comes down to practice. Therefore, practice makes perfect, or so the saying practicing the right way makes perfect, but let’s keep practice will help you identify consistent mistakes and help you correct can do this in your bedroom or download DJ apps and practice while in a car or whenever you have some free time. The more you practice, the more natural your movements and skills Record YourselfRecording yourself during practice sessions is a great way to improve your get to listen to your mixes and judge yourself. It is a great way to improve your technical the recording sessions you may even feel embarrassed when you make a helps you deal with mistakes when Djing because let’s face it, you will make mistakes whenever you are playing to a live recording yourself will help you to understand and manage the pressure of errors while StreamingAnother useful tool to improve your Djing skills is to stream to a live is like number two above, but this time, there is the added pressure of a live this digital age, there are various streaming services at your disposal, such as Facebook live, among careful not to pay too much attention to the likes or viewer count since this may be most significant benefit is that you can get feedback from your audience that can be quite helpful in improving your Best Free DJ Mixing Software you can stream with them.4. Playing for/with friendsFriends can be a motivating tool, especially if you are a general, most friends seem have the same interests and tastes in music, at least in my inviting friends over and having them listen to a Djing session can help you get constructive criticism and praise that can be quite a morale can also help you get used to playing for a live isn’t it a lot less intimidating to play for people you know, who you are certain will give you honest feedback?5. Set a TimerThis is an excellent way to apply extra external pressure on you set a timer, you must ensure to play your gig within the time limits will help you focus more on beat matching and music selection without wasting time deciding on what to play you’ve never done this, then you’ll notice that you will be much more focused on the task at hand, instead of worrying about details that don’t matter as Use Simple DJ Equipment As a beginner, use simple Djing equipment that is not too complicated to will help you perfect the basics before moving on to the complicated can quickly get excited by loops, hot cues, and filters, which may give you a false sense of excellent skill sets, whereas the basics of listening and hearing of beats are still in need of an expensive and over-complicated system may confuse you and even give you a sense of panic due to the extra knobs and dials on the just as a bonus, beginner and not so fully-featured equipment is usually the end of the post I will add a table with the best DJ controllers for beginners, in case you need that info!7. Learn to CountThis mainly involves what was traditionally known as kicks and snares on the drum songs you play will be in counts of beat matching will involve the matching of kicks on two songs and having them run parallel to each at the end of the eighth kick, you can transition to the second involves excellent hearing skills and is one of the necessary Djing skills that one should learn from the Be approachableDJs work in high-pressure environments that involve pleasing crowds that are probably drinking and partying the night skills are essential as various people will walk up to you with song requests, while others may criticize your outfit and mixing Dj must keep his cool and focus on the task at hand. Reacting to every comment or banter will only enrage you or spoil the entire approachable and genuinely nice and ensure to always be in good imagine what people will think of you if every time someone comes up to talk to you, even if it’s for criticism, you react defensively… not Don’t Drink and PlayFollowing the previous recommendation, is this should be on your A-Game while performing live, and drinking will only lower the chances of a great you might think that it helps because it can calm the nerves, but I would avoid it at all Ask for HelpSometimes being a beginner can be may feel that some of the questions you have may be considered obvious or stupid. Sometimes even finding decks to practice on can be a daunting not be afraid to ask any questions or seek help on any matter when learning how to remember that even the experts such as Laidback Luke and Dj Khaleed probably started where you are, and many are willing to help in any way that they Join Djing GroupsThere is a ton of groups out there for DJs, and Facebook is a great place to joining Djing groups, you get to ask questions and get prompt answers from various experts with experience in the also get to meet beginners such as yourself who may also be struggling just like the support provided in these groups, you will gain confidence and improve your Djing Choose a NameChoosing a stage name can be quite morale-boosting and a message to the industry that you mean can go by your official name or choose a nickname/stage this gives you an identity and brand to protect. It also gives you a badge of honor and an unofficial stamp that you are now a a brand name, you can go ahead to open social media accounts and upload various gigs can also start building a name for yourself and become a force to be reckon with in the Teach OthersBy teaching others how to Dj, you get to improve and add to your skills way more than you will require you to research, gather learning materials, and answer questions from upcoming DJs and, in turn, push you to be better and improve your others is not just noble but enhances your reputation in the industry as always found that teaching is by far the best way of you’ll need to have a foundation of skills and knowledge, but explaining something to someone else requires you to have a deep understanding of what you’re trying to teach, which in turn helps Read Books about DJing Believe it or not, there are hundreds of excellent books about DJing that can teach you a great deal; not just about how to become better, but also the history about DJing, and know this might not seem as appealing to some of you, but I promise you it you’re interested in finding out more about the best books about DJing, then read my article on that Enroll in Online CoursesLearning to DJ by yourself might seem appealing, and in all honesty might also work, but if you want to fast-track your progress and learn from people who have spent decades perfecting their craft, then online courses are probably the best way to go about wrote a post about the best online DJ courses available that you should absolutely check ones I recommend the most are the courses from DJ Courses Online since they offer something for every of their best courses are;How to DJ; MasterclassAdvanced DJ Techniques and Tips Divided into 3 levelsDJing BasicsDJ Career TipsBest 4 DJ Controllers for BeginnersNameDescriptionPricePioneer DDJSB3Allows for quick progress; Great for learning Mixtrack Pro 3Simple and easy to use, without too many DJ MC4000Overall Best Controller for Instruments S2 MK3Good for beginners but also very professional these 15 steps and your practice sessions will improve drastically!Like I just mentioned, enrolling in an online DJing course might be one of the fastest ways to learn, but if you only follow the previous 12 steps, you should be good to hope this information was a wonderful day! Home Features Audio Visual Image credit Future The Spotify AI DJ is the latest bit of artificial intelligence to be pushed into the music streaming service we've had algorithms choosing recommendations and playlists for us for years now, but this AI DJ takes it another step DJ itself has a name, DJ X, after Spotify's head of cultural partnerships Xavier Jernigan. It's his voice you'll hear while the music is playing, and the little snippets of commentary that you get between songs are AI-generated from Jernigan's well worth giving the Spotify AI DJ a try at least, even if it doesn't become a regular part of your listening habits – and we've got everything you need to know about is Spotify AI DJ?Your own personalized DJ, on your phone Image credit SpotifySpotify describes its AI DJ as "a brand-new way to listen on Spotify and connect even more deeply with the artists you love", as well as a "personalized AI guide that knows you and your music taste so well that it can choose what to play for you".You can think of it as a more personal version of a recommended playlist, almost as if you've got your own private DJ picking tunes for you – though of course it's a software-generated voice doing all the talking. The music you hear is picked through a combination of algorithms and hundreds of music experts that Spotify has than just hearing one song after another, you'll get occasional DJ-style voice breaks, where you'll get context about why you're hearing a particular group of tracks, or some background information about an artist that's new to you. Spotify is clearly trying to mimic the style of real radio, but focused specifically on more about Spotify AI DJ, check out the behind-the-scenes video that Spotify has put together, which we've embedded belowNote that as we're writing this guide, the Spotify AI DJ is still labeled as a beta product. That means you can expect a few bugs and some inconsistency as Spotify works on polishing it to be the very best it can be, but it's already very AI DJ where is it available and why isn't it showing up?Find the DJ in the Music section of the mobile app Image credit FutureSpotify AI DJ is out and available now to users in the US, Canada, the UK, and Ireland. Note that to be able to use the feature, you need to have signed up for a Spotify Premium account – at the moment, the DJ isn't available to those who are on a free not available in the desktop or web apps either, so you're going to need to load up Spotify for Android or iOS to get to it. From the Home tab, tap on Music at the top, and you should see the DJ interface appear if you scroll down – it shows a pulsing green circle against a blue the AI DJ isn't in the Music section, then make sure that you're signed in with a Spotify Premium account, and that you're running the latest version of the Spotify app. On Android, open the Play Store, tap your profile picture top right, and then choose Manage apps and device to look for updates. On iOS, open the App Store, tap your profile picture top right, and pick Update next to any pending updates or just Update All.If you still don't see the AI DJ, then either the feature hasn't arrived in your country yet, or Spotify hasn't rolled it out to your specific user account. In either case, you're just going to have to be do you use Spotify AI DJ?Spotify AI DJ in use on Android Image credit FutureIn the Spotify app, open the Home tab, then tap Music. Scroll down to find the AI DJ, which will be greeting you with a "good evening" message or some variation thereof, depending on the time of day. Tap on the + plus button to add the DJ to your Spotify library to make it easier to find the play button in the lower right corner of the AI DJ tile, and it'll get started with a spoken introduction. You'll then get a few tracks picked from your recent listening history, followed by some new picks – as usual, you get controls for pausing and restarting playback, and skipping forwards and backwards between also a heart button so you can like a track, making it easier to find that song again in your Spotify library. Every few songs, the DJ voice returns to segue into a different mix of music, typically giving you a bit of background information about what's coming up just like a real DJ would do. To skip between sections, tap the blue and green AI DJ button in the lower right Spotify AI DJ can dive into the distant past to bring back tunes you'd forgotten all about, and introduce you to songs you would otherwise never have discovered, and help you explore your favorite genres more deeply. Once you've added it to your Spotify library, you can find it again by heading to the Your Library tab in the mobile we mentioned, the AI DJ doesn't show up in the web and desktop apps. However, if you've got it playing on your phone, and Spotify is open on a computer connected to the same Wi-Fi network and linked to the same Spotify account, you can use the magic of Spotify Connect to transfer playback to the web or desktop fact, as long as you start off the Spotify AI DJ on your phone, you can beam the audio across to other devices – from wireless speakers to car stereos – just as you normally would when listening to a playlist, by tapping on the devices button lower left. Sign up to receive daily breaking news, reviews, opinion, analysis, deals and more from the world of tech. Dave is a freelance tech journalist who has been writing about gadgets, apps and the web for more than two decades. Based out of Stockport, England, on TechRadar you'll find him covering news, features and reviews, particularly for phones, tablets and wearables. Working to ensure our breaking news coverage is the best in the business over weekends, David also has bylines at Gizmodo, T3, PopSci and a few other places besides, as well as being many years editing the likes of PC Explorer and The Hardware Handbook. Most Popular

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