Do you want a nearly unlimited supply of music for under $10 per month that you can DJ, mix and mashup with? Then, my friend, you want to DJ with Spotify.
Can you DJ with Spotify? Yes, it is possible to DJ with Spotify on either a laptop or a tablet using Algoriddim’s djay software to integrate with Spotify’s streaming. You will also need additional hardware to take full advantages of all of Spotify’s DJ capabilities.
MAJOR UPDATE 3/26/2020:
Algoriddim has announced that they are removing support for Spotify on 7/1/2020. They will continue to support Tidal and Soundcloud. From their website:
As of July 1, 2020 Spotify will no longer be playable through 3rd party DJ apps. You’ll still be able to use Spotify in djay until the end of June 2020. In the meantime, we’ve introduced new streaming services that will enable you to continue mixing all of the great music you love, plus give you extended access to new content and features. In addition, we’ve prepared steps for you to easily migrate your library to a new supported streaming service. We are committed to make this transition as easy as possible for you and we appreciate your understanding during this process. (source)
If you are using Spotify to DJ now, you need an alternative streaming service quickly. I’ve listed all of your options here.
Gotta Go Premium
First and foremost, you will need a Spotify Premium subscription. Most of the apps will require a premium subscription to work with Spotify. Plus, if you are planning to DJ with Spotify, you can’t have ads randomly popping in while you are playing. Talk about a party killer!
Spotify Premium starts at $9.99 per month, and it’s totally worthwhile. Their family plan is $14.99 per month and allows you to add up to 6 people in the same household. This is an easy way to get Spotify for the whole family and have your DJ business pay for it.
Recommended for Laptop: Algoriddim’s djay Pro ($50)
djay Pro integrates directly with Spotify, and allows you full control over all of Spotify’s 20+ million songs. You can use songs from Spotify just like any other songs in your collection.
An internet connection is required, but once you have one, your entire Spotify account is accessible. You choose a song and load into one of djay’s virtual decks. Once you can see the entire waveform, the song is loaded into your buffer and ready to mix.
djay Pro is fully featured DJ software with all of the bells and whistles you would expect. It has EQ, scratching, pitch control, sync, cue points, FXs, a sampler, and anything else you have on any other DJ software. It is compatible out of the box with dozens of DJ controllers, and has full MIDI mapping capabilities.
This software is an absolute game changer. I never have to worry about getting a request that I can’t handle as a mobile DJ. If I can get any sort of network connection, whether Wi-Fi or using my phone as a hotspot, I can get any song imaginable. I’ve even had guests who didn’t speak English write down an artist’s name I’d never heard of and then pick a song from the search results. It’s a very easy way to make someone’s night.
Recommended for Tablets: Algoriddim’s djay for iOS/Android (FREE!)
Yes, you read right! The mobile version of djay is currently free on both iOS and Android. It has almost all of the features of the Mac or PC versions, with the added bonus of touchscreen controls. You don’t even need a separate DJ controller.
You could even run it on your phone in a pinch, but that’s going to be difficult on such a small screen. Even on a tablet, you will need to practice a bit with the touchscreen controls to make your inputs smooth. You will also need to make sure you are not accidently hitting the wrong buttons with your hands as you use it. Just a bit of touchscreen practice will go a long way.
I can’t recommend the djay mobile app enough. If you are just getting started in DJing, this is a great way to learn basic skills and see how much you like DJing with no financial commitment at all.
How Does It Handle Network Issues?
Now, the downside to djay on both laptops and tablets is that it requires an internet connection to use Spotify. There is no offline option for Spotify on Djay. Users have been begging Algoriddim to support Offline Mode for years. According to them, it’s simply not possible given how app security works on MacOS and iOS. I think we as DJs should just accept that this is not going to happen.
So, what’s a DJ to do? Two or three years ago, I saw this as major problem. But now, almost everywhere I go has a Wi-Fi connection available. It’s typically only conventions and hotel ballrooms that don’t because they want to charge their guests for it.
As a backup, I will typically just use my phone as a mobile hotspot. The great news is that djay is very good at downloading quickly and caching songs. I’ve tested Spotify on djay extensively by turning my network off and on as I perform various tasks. Once you load a song into a deck, it gets loaded into the cache and you can see its entire waveform in the display. That song is now fully available even if your connection drops. If your connection drops halfway through a song loading, it will just resume loading after it reconnects.
I will usually load up a bunch of songs into the decks while I’m getting set up for an event. That way I’ve got something to play even if the internet goes out. I also never completely rely on Spotify for an event. At least half of my set list will be music from my hard drive. And I always have Offline Mode as my backup.
UPDATE: Now that Spotify support is going away, I’d recommend moving to SoundCloud GO+. djay also doesn’t support Offline Listening in SoundCloud GO+, but it caches songs once they’ve been loaded. This will keep the music playing if your WiFi dies.
Worst Case Scenario: Offline Mode
As an emergency backup, or if I know there is no way I will have Wi-Fi for an event, I will use the Offline Mode in the Spotify app on my iPad. You won’t have any control over the BPM, key or EQ. This won’t let you do very much mixing with the music, but there are two methods of mixing that you can use.
Crossfader Effect
In a pinch, you can turn on the crossfader effect in Spotify and just drag songs around in your playlists or queue to select the next song. This is less DJing than it is live playlist curating. You will be able to keep the party mood going, but seamless mixes are pretty much out of the question.
The crossfader effect in Spotify is buried deep in the Settings menu, so you will have to pick a duration that will work for most songs and stick with it. If I know I’ve got a song with a cold ending, I might pop into the settings and turn off the crossfader temporarily. This can get annoying really quickly.
Mixer Source
If you have an external mixer, you can just use your tablet as an external source to your DJ software on your laptop. Now you have some control over the music and transitions. You still won’t be able to modify the music playing in Spotify, but if you know how to beatmatch manually, you can beatmatch songs playing from your DJ software to whatever is playing from Spotify. Obviously not ideal, but it’s better than nothing.
Extra Gear
If you’re seriously considering adding Spotify and djay to your DJ setup, I’d recommend some extra gear to make your life easier.
Audio Cable for djay for iOS/Android
The easiest way to get two audio sources is to use the Split Output mode in djay and a very inexpensive splitter cable. There are several different cables on the market, but I prefer the one made by Traktor because it’s $9. You just need any cable that will split the stereo output into 2 mono outputs. djay will send the master output to the left channel and the cue output to the right channel.
The key is to have a stereo to mono cable that will send mono signal to both channels. Then, you just need a 3.5mm stereo to RCA cable, and you can plug your tablet into any professional mixer and speakers. Your output will be in mono, but that’s what many larger audio setups will use anyway.
UPDATE: With their latest release, Algoriddim is now charging a subscription to enable pre-cueing with headphones. It used to come with the app automatically. But, for $40 per year, it’s still one of the cheapest ways to own a DJ setup.
DJ Controller for djay Pro or djay for iOS/Android
If you want to go full on, you can purchase a DJ controller compatible with either the laptop or mobile version of djay. Algoriddim natively supports dozens of controllers. I wrote a quick rundown of features and price points so you can pick the best option for your needs. You can even get controllers that will plug directly into your iOS or Android device and let you DJ from a tablet on a physical controller. What used to be just a toy has become a fully-fledged mobile DJ platform.
In Summary…
There are a number of ways to use Spotify in your DJ setup. Your best bet is to use some version of Algoriddim’s djay software. It’s the only product on the market that integrates with Spotify directly. Download the free app here, and start DJing with your Spotify library today!
