Best Apps For Kids To Learn To DJ Online

So many of the top tracks your kids will be bopping along to have been produced by the world's best DJs, who have been bringing the party vibe to social media with live-streamed sets.

If your kids have enjoyed this fantastic access to live DJ sets and music concerts – why not have your child learn how to DJ online from home?

In this digital age, far more DJ lessons and courses are accessible online. It means kids who might not have DJ equipment at home or have no DJing experience, or are shy, can develop their skills and grow their confidence without an audience.

The London Sound Academy, which teaches kids of all ages and levels, says kids' DJ lessons are a "cool and fun way to inspire your kids to get into music" and is the "perfect way to combine technical and creative skills". DJing is an inclusive activity so it suits children with different learning styles and children with special educational needs. Teaching a child to trust their own creativity feeds into life skills so there's definitely more to DJing than meets the eye (or ears).

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Algoriddim's mission is to make professional-level DJ software accessible to budding DJs at home, whatever their skill level so they can bring music to life. DJ Arch Jnr from South Africa was reported to be the world's youngest DJ when he started at just two years old, and then became Algoriddim's youngest ambassador.

Algoriddim's free or paid for 'djay 2' app can be downloaded from App Store or Google Play straight to a phone or computer. The interface looks very technical but there are so many young Algoriddim ambassadors, we think the app is suitable for children from about three upwards to play around on at least. Their DJ School page on the website is packed with free DJ lessons from how to scratch, mix, music sources and industry knowledge about being a DJ. Plus, there are so many videos to watch on Algoriddim's YouTube.

Serato celebrated its 20th anniversary earlier this year so has been in the DJ game a long time. Serato DJ Lite is described as a "stripped back version of Serato DJ Pro with all the features you need to start DJing". It's free to use without any hardware or special DJ equipment. Download the app directly from the Serato website, use music from streaming sites Soundcloud or Tidal, or your child can start their DJ lessons with the six demo tracks available to practice mixing.  Head to the 'Free Stuff' section of the website to see what's being offered and also 'Tutorials' which has plenty of lessons to help your child while in practice mode. The DJ lessons continue on YouTube as well as exclusive DJ mixes and interviews to make your child fall in love with music.

You.DJ turns your laptop or computer screen into a DJ mixer – complete with two turntables – and your pick of songs from YouTube and Soundcloud. Admittedly, when you get onto the You.DJ website, it does looks a little intimidating so the 'How to mix with YouDJ (tutorial)' will be the best place for your child to start. For a free app, You.DJ is pretty amazing and gives children a chance to experiment with their musicality and develop DJ skills at their own pace. The sound and visual effects and being able to access decks so easily will heighten the experience. Your child will feel like Annie Mac or Jax Jones in no time.

DJ School UK is a not-for-profit organisation, based in Leeds, which runs DJ lessons for young people via its DJ Club and runs free projects all year round. Face-to-face DJ tuition has taken a break for now, but there are still lots of valuable tutorials on their YouTube and Facebook pages to help kids understand how to work a CD mixer, teach them about music and sound quality, and explains how to use different pieces of DJ equipment, for example. They won't be able to physically DJ without downloading software or having equipment, but we think these videos will inspire kids and help teach them the craft of being a DJ with simple instructions. Have a read of their 'DJing during Lockdown 2020' post – it's packed full of free music resources for kids to learn to DJ and more.

Music production involves combining lots of different elements and instruments, which is a huge part of being a DJ too. Melodics is a finger-drumming tutorial app that offers music lessons in the MIDI keyboard, electronic drums and pad controller. There are 60 free lessons to get your child started once they download the desktop app from the website. The only downside is, you will need to have the instruments at home to follow along with the tutors. The app focuses on motivating the learner by tracking their skills progress in a fun way and lessons are in bite-sized chunks. If you don't have any instruments at home, research virtual instruments like virtualpiano.net. Older children and teenagers could use the online piano in conjunction with Melodics, whereas younger children might just want to click away on the piano/keyboard keys.

Kids' DJ lessons are becoming increasingly popular. To get started, contact local music schools and if they don't offer DJ lessons, ask if they can recommend a tutor. Whichever music school or DJ tutor you choose, you'll want to establish if:

- The school or tutor is reputable?

- Is the tutor DBS checked and what qualifications and skills do they have?

- Can your child have a  free practice lesson to try before you book?

- Is this tutor the best fit for your child? It's vital your child likes who's teaching them and the tutor has experience with different types of children.

- What have their students gone on to do in the industry? What industry contacts does the school/ tutor have? This is more important if your child is showing a real talent in DJing or music production and wants to progress.  Sharing the names of their past students might not be possible due to tutors having to sometimes sign a non-disclosure agreement (NDA) but they should be able to give some details.

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Once the DJ'ing skills are mastered, why not have a rave at home or a disco party to show off these new skills?!