The Decks Just Got Smarter

From Google’s second attempt at DJ-ready glasses to VirtualDJ’s glow-up and Serato’s surprise slab, plus a festive Crate Hackathon with Mike Walter and the 2026 social trends you’ll actually care about.

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VirtualDJ 2026 Is Doing the Absolute Most — And Somehow Pulling It Off

While some DJ software is still out here bragging about “dark mode,” VirtualDJ just showed up with a full buffet of new features like it’s trying to win back an ex.

What’s New:

  • Acapella FX Button – One click, instant acapella. No stems deck, no prep. Just straight into your blend like you’ve got magic fingers.

  • Auto Harmonic Mixing – Finally, your key clashes can’t hurt anyone. It’ll adjust pitch and key for you. Basically, musical seatbelts.

  • Serato-Style Pad Pages – For anyone scared to leave Serato, it now feels like home… with way more buttons.

  • CloudLists 2.0 – Curated playlists that sync across DJs worldwide. Crates for people with commitment issues.

  • Upgraded Video Engine – New transitions, effects, and camera tools. It’s giving “I’m a VJ now,” whether you asked for it or not.

Why It Matters for DJs & Creators:

  • This update is unapologetically extra—and that’s not a bad thing.

  • The acapella-on-command is perfect for mashups, transitions, or impressing the one person who gets your niche edits.

  • Auto harmonic mixing helps you fake music theory like a pro.

  • Video features got a glow-up for live streamers, TikTokers, and anyone still rocking a projector in the booth.

Extra Details & Good-to-Know Stuff:

  • Free update for license holders. (Rare, right?)

  • Yes, it still plays nice with your Pioneer, Denon, Rane, or that Frankenstein controller you duct-taped together in 2018.

  • Still crushing it in real-time stem separation—arguably better than Serato and Rekordbox. (We said it.)

If VirtualDJ was a person, it would be that one friend who shows up overdressed, overprepared, and somehow still fun to hang out with. Try it or ignore it—but don’t act like you’re not a little curious.

We Want Your Two Cents

Which of these new VirtualDJ 2026 features would actually get you to try it?

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In last weeks poll we asked “Do you actually care about knowing where your music samples came from?” 33% responded “Sometimes — if it’s a dope flip, I’ll look it up”

❝

Sometimes you know and other times it's an ah ha moment!

Art Of Sound

Mike Walter Builds a Christmas Crate That DJs Actually Use

Real tracks. Real picks. No Fluff. If you DJ Eventw, this crate cuts your prep time in half. You will see what stays, what gets cut, and what actually moves a room


🎥 Live on Twitch + cratehackathon.com

🗓️ Tuesday, 8PM ET / 5PM PT

Google Is Trying Smart Glasses… Again. But This Time, They Might Actually Be Useful

Ah yes, the ol’ Google Glass reboot—because nothing says “we’ve learned from our mistakes” like launching the same product 10 years later with a new name, no camera, and way better PR. But this time, it’s got AI… so maybe it’s different?

What’s New

  • AI Front and Center: Powered by Gemini, Google’s ChatGPT rival, the new glasses are less about looking like a tech bro in 2013 and more about actually helping you do stuff—like get real-time translations, contextual overlays, or reminders while you’re mixing live.

  • No Creeper Cam: Remember when everyone hated Google Glass because it looked like you were recording them at brunch? No camera this time. Just vibes.

  • Developer Preview Rolling Out: Which means integrations and third-party tools could turn this into a cheat code for DJs, livestreamers, or anyone juggling five things at once on stage.

Why It Matters for DJs & Creators

This isn’t about flexing new gear—it’s about functionality. You could have cue points, BPM reminders, or even your Crate Health score in your field of view. Imagine reading Twitch comments or running your stream overlays while you’re mid-set without needing to break eye contact with the dancefloor. Hands-free hustle.

And if you already rocked the Ray-Ban Meta glasses, now you’ve got options for your cyber-DJ loadout. Choose your fighter.

Things to Know

  • Launch is planned for 2026, assuming Google doesn’t get bored again and pivot to AI-powered toaster ovens.

  • The glasses are part of a larger wave of wearables—see: Meta’s Ray-Ban collab, Humane AI Pin, etc.—so you can bet competition (and potential DJ features) will heat up.

  • Pricing is still under wraps, but we’re guessing it won’t be in the “impulse buy” category unless you also live-stream your grocery runs.

Serato & AlphaTheta Just Dropped the Slab — And It’s Giving Maschine Vibes

It’s not every day Serato and AlphaTheta (aka Pioneer DJ) team up Voltron-style to drop something totally new. The Slabis a fresh beat-making controller that looks like it crash-landed from a Maschine timeline—with Serato’s DNA baked right in.

What’s New:

The Slab is Serato’s entry into the standalone beat-production space—a sleek, portable, pad-based performance tool. It’s built for beatmakers, producers, and DJs who want something tighter than a laptop-and-mouse setup.

Key features:

  • 16 velocity-sensitive RGB pads

  • Step sequencing, sample chopping, and pattern building

  • Integration with Serato Studio

  • Standalone-capable with onboard audio interface

  • Tight integration with AlphaTheta ecosystem (duh)

Why It Matters (Especially for DJs & Creators):

Let’s be real: Maschine’s been out here since the early 2010s, and it’s still a staple in many producers’ setups. But Native Instruments never really leaned into DJ-friendly workflows or built a bridge to Serato-style performance. This is where Slab slides in.

If you’re already playing sets in Serato and want to flip a beat mid-set, cue up an edit, or prep live remixes—this thing fits that vision without needing a degree in Ableton.

Also: it’s not just for studio heads. DJs looking to blur the lines between performance and production now have a tool that speaks both languages without being overwhelming.

Things to Know:

  • No price or ship date (yet), but you can bet it’ll drop in early 2026.

  • Slab works beautifully with Serato Studio, Serato’s answer to Ableton Lite with a cleaner, DJ-first interface.

  • It may finally give Pioneer’s Toraiz line some actual competition.

  • If Maschine and Serato had a baby that wanted to freestyle at brunch gigs… this is probably it.

👀 Watch this space—especially if you’ve ever made a drum loop in a hotel room before soundcheck. Slab might just become your new sidekick.

If you’re still just hitting “shuffle” and hoping for the best, it’s time to level up

In this video, Aaron breaks down how DJs can actually use Spotify—not just for inspiration, but as a powerful tool for curating dancefloor-tested sets. From finding hidden hits to cleaning up your metadata, you’ll learn how to build smarter playlists, dodge skip magnets, and organize your crates for max impact.

Highlights include:

  • 💡 How to use Spotify’s recommendation engine to build seamless flow

  • 🚫 Spotting and replacing “skip magnets” that kill crowd energy

  • 🧠 Artist clustering, BPM sorting & playlist linking to sharpen your set design

  • ⚙️ Behind-the-scenes look at algRTHM and how the Crate Health Score works

  • 🧼 Metadata cleanup hacks for DJs who want their music library tight and searchable

Whether you’re deep into open-format chaos or building genre-specific bangers, this video walks through how to make Spotify a true part of your prep process—and not just your gym playlist.

📊 Less scrolling. More strategy. Crates that actually slap.

with Aaron Traylor

Let’s be honest—most Christmas music crates are a disaster. Either they’re packed with boring originals that kill the vibe, or cheesy remixes that no one asked for. But a well-built Christmas crate? That’s a secret weapon. Whether you’re doing corporate events, bougie cocktail hours, or full-on holiday ragers, these Cheat Codes will help you build a Christmas crate that actually slaps.

Cheat Code #1: Mariah Carey Needs an Opener—Not a Repeat

  • Playing All I Want for Christmas Is You too early—or more than once—instantly cheapens your set. Instead, build into it. Tracks like Santa Tell Me (Ariana Grande) or Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays (NSYNC) create the momentum without stealing the finale.

🎯 Action Step: Build a “Mariah Warm-Up” subcrate with 5–7 high-energy, modern Christmas pop songs that set upyour Mariah moment, not compete with it.

Cheat Code #2: Funky & Jazzy Christmas Edits Own Cocktail Hour

  • DJs playing raw Christmas songs during dinner are missing out. Funked-out remixes of The Christmas Song, Let It Snow, or Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas add vibe without sounding like the mall.

🎯 Action Step: Curate a “Cocktail Christmas” crate: 95–115 BPM jazzy/funky edits. Go crate digging on Bandcamp or SoundCloud for tasteful flips that say “classy,” not “cafeteria.”

• Cheat Code #3: Trapmas and Clubmas Flips Keep the Floor Alive

  • Holiday classics flipped into trap, Jersey club, afrobeat, or tech house are crushing it at Gen Z-heavy events. Think Jingle Bells (Jersey Flip), Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree (Trap Bootleg), or Feliz Navidad (House Edit).

🎯 Action Step: Build a “Turnt Christmas” folder with 8–10 bootlegs you’d actually play late night. Use them as surprise drops—not back-to-back—so they land hard and don’t feel gimmicky.

Cheat Code #4: The “Singalong Switch” Is a Crowd Control Superpower

  • Holiday singalongs like Frosty the Snowman, Rudolph, or 12 Days of Christmas can absolutely work—if you use them mid-set as a curveball, then immediately drop back into a banger.

  • It’s not about the song—it’s about the shock, smile, and drop.

🎯 Action Step: Build a “Singalong Switch” crate with 3–5 recognizable Christmas hooks you can loop for 8 bars, then drop into a high-energy track. (Ex: Frosty loop → In Da Club clean)

Cheat Code #5: Structure Your Crate by Function, Not Just Style

  • Don’t just dump all your Christmas tracks into one crate. Pro DJs build based on use case, so they can pivot fast:

    • 🎤 Singalongs & Crowd Participation

    • 🎶 Cocktail & Dinner Vibes

    • 🎉 Party Starters & Remixes

    • 🔊 Curveballs & Comedy Moments

    • 🧊 Cool Downs / Exit Tracks

🎯 Action Step: Break your Christmas crate into 4–5 folders by moment—not genre. You’ll be able to navigate any vibe without killing momentum or playing “Jingle Bell Rock” for the 12th time.

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