Buzz
While I may not become the next Deadmau5, the Library of Congress' new 'Citizen DJ' web app is incredibly fun to explore—even if you don’t plan to use any of the impressive beats it generates.
It’s rare to combine 'Library of Congress' and 'sick beats' in one sentence, but here we are. Here’s how it functions: Begin by choosing one of six collections to explore:
Inventing Entertainment
Variety Stage Sound Recordings and Motion Pictures
The Joe Smith Collection
Free Music Archive
American English Dialect Recordings
The National Screening Room
If you’re unsure what to look for or what these collections include, your best option is to click the 'explore' link to dive in. This will take you to a screen that appears as follows:
This screen’s utility can be inconsistent, but it lets you preview very brief sound snippets from the collection. For a longer sample, click on a sound segment and select the 'Play in context' button. You’ll hear a slightly extended clip, though these are not complete recordings—just brief excerpts. The reason for this becomes clear when you click the 'Remix this' button, which opens the following screen:
Yes, it’s a full sequencer. Here’s the process: The sound snippet you selected will appear in the 'Choose an item' section, which you can modify as desired. It will be divided on the sequencer alongside a preloaded beat pattern that you can swap for various presets. Stick with the default drum machine or select from one of eight (!) alternatives, and then listen to your custom 'remix.'
If the results don’t meet your expectations, you can mute specific instruments or sections of your sample. Additionally, you can rearrange your beat by clicking on the various squares. Adjust the loop’s speed using the BPM slider, or embrace randomness by using the 'shuffle' buttons to let chance shape your loop.
The most surprising aspect—beyond the app’s unique concept—is that the loops automatically generated by the Library of Congress’ tool are surprisingly decent. In my experience, I only came across a few lackluster ones among the many randomized loops I tested. That’s impressive. While I might not use these as the centerpiece of my next hit track, the Library of Congress’ random beats are an excellent way to spark creativity. Or, why not host a quarantine dance party? The possibilities, much like the remixes, are limitless.
And the best part? Everything is completely free. Download your beats. Download your samples. Mix them in ways the Library of Congress could never have imagined.
