Tool: YouTube DJ

You read that correctly - there is a FREE DJ interface (Called YouTube DJ) that allows you to select two YouTube videos and mix the audio together in a software DJ-style interface. Best part? It’s FREE. While the site is not affiliated with YouTube itself, the YouTube API makes it possible to build a tool that pulls content directly from the vast online video library. Students can find radio-clean versions of their favorite songs and start DJing right now. Here’s how it works.

Step One

Find two YouTube videos from the official YouTube channels of your favorite musical artists or bands. For this example, I am going to use music from the official YouTube channels for Drake and The Weeknd. Once you find the two videos you’d like to try remixing, you’ll need to either copy each video’s URL and paste it OR search for the song using the YouTube DJ interface. I used Drake’s song Search & Rescue for the left turntable.

Next find the second song you’d like to remix with. In this case I chose The Weeknd’s Reminder.

Step Two

Now that you have both the songs that you’d like to try remixing, it’s time to have some fun! There are several very cool functions in the YouTube DJ interface. First, they use “hot keys” that allow you to DJ using your QWERTY keyboard. In my mix my hot keys are as follows: LEFT SIDE: Q = Loop In, S = Loop Out, D = Rewind 5 seconds, F = Play; RIGHT SIDE: J = Play, K = Rewind 5 seconds, L = Loop In, and M is Loop Out. These keyboard shortcuts make it VERY easy to use. There is also a whole list of other keyboard shortcuts that cover lots of other functionality.

You can do things like Adjust the Speed, Adjust the volume of each deck, use the Cross Fader, Skip ahead in the song using the timeline feature, and even Cue Up a song on the fly. There is also a Merge video function that layers the two YouTube videos on top of each other. Super cool stuff.

Step Three

Now it’s time to throw a house party and start DJ-ing! This program is so cool because you can literally bring a Chromebook or laptop to a party without bringing tons of milk crates of vinyl and start creating remixes and mashups of your own.

The only downside that I can see is that there is no way to download any of the mixes you create. That makes sense because it is copyright infringement to do so, and I am guessing that YouTube DJ wants to stay online without being sued. There is a Sign Up function, and I did that, but I can’t see any benefit of doing so. If you’d prefer to remain anonymous on the site, it’s probably best. I signed up thinking that I would get other features, but alas, I did not.

If you’re already a MusicFirst Classroom customer, this tool is PERFECT for use alongside the You’re The DJ course in the MusicFirst General Music Content Library - written by the wonderful Meaghan O’Connor-Vince. If you’re not a MusicFirst Classroom customer, you can access this course, along with LOTS of other great software and content by signing up for a FREE 30-day trial.

Check out YouTube DJ today and have fun playing around. The interface is really well designed and I think that students will love creating their own remixes. Did my remix of Drake and The Weeknd work out? You’ll have to try it for yourself! I think it was pretty cool.