Breaking news today: not one but TWO major DJ software manufacturers have implemented OpenAI’s new visual tools, enabling DJ software to “crowd read”, saving busy DJs having to figure out what song the dancefloor wants to hear next.
VirtualDJ’s “VibeCheck” and Djay Pro’s “Neural Crowd” both use a simple webcam attached to the DJ’s laptop and pointed at the crowd, feeding back using Open AI’s APR1 architecture as to what songs are likely to work next, based upon how people are reacting to what’s currently being played.
New columns in the software, which update in real-time, suggest a shortlist of songs that the AI believes would work well next, based upon either what’s in the DJ’s collection, or – in the case of VirtualDJ’s implementation – from songs available on a linked streaming service.
Further help for DJs
VirtualDJ’s “VibeCheck” can recognise the type of gig the DJ is playing. So for instance, in a bar or a wedding event where people are not dancing yet, it will automatically look for any signs of appreciation at all, like people looking at the DJ and smiling, tapping their feet, or head nodding. In completely empty venues, it can even see if the bar staff are enjoying the DJ’s music.
Meanwhile, Djay Pro’s “Neural Crowd” additionally taps into OpenAI’s existing Whisper architecture to real-time translate hard-to-understand requests – from drunk people, for instance. And, in a development that will surely be welcomed by DJs worldwide, it can even subtly suggest some DJ phrases for you to explain that their songs will not be played, calculated to meet with the least resistance from that particular requester!
Read this next: How To Handle Requests When DJing
Our thoughts
Wow. Just wow. I guess that with AI now able to react to real-time camera feeds using Open AI’s new APR1 architecture, it was only a matter of time before the more innovative DJ companies figured out how to use it. While we haven’t had time to test these innovations yet, both companies have a track record of being first with big features that everyone eventually adopts.
Innovation often meets with resistance among certain DJs, but the truth is that AI is everywhere nowadays. We don’t think that DJs will be replaced with AI, we just think that DJs who figure out how to use AI will replace those who haven’t – DJs ignore these kinds of developments at their own peril.
But what do you think of all of this? Let us know in the comments!
Phil Morse
