Some might argue that attempting to live out your musical dreams vicariously through your children might end up causing them long-lasting psychological damage, but we think it’s probably absolutely fine. So, in a bid to try and turn them into the kind of globetrotting superstars who’ll be able to earn enough money to pay for our retirement, we’ll be buying our kids the VTech Kidi DJ Mix, a veritable snip on Amazon at just £40, and one of the best Black Friday music deals a parent could wish for.
If you’ve got children, the VTech name will probably be familiar to you already. The company makes every kind of flashing, noisy electronic toy you can imagine, but the VTech Kidi DJ Mix is actually surprisingly well-equipped, even offering basic sampling functionality via its built-in mic.
There’s a built-in speaker, too; that said, if you need a bit more audio grunt, you can take a line out to something more powerful. There’s a line-in, too, so that you can jam along to your favourite tracks, or you can connect via Bluetooth. A crossfader enables you to mix between external audio and the unit’s built-in sounds.
The VTech Kidi DJ Mix works in three modes, starting with Party. This enables you to create custom mixes of any of the 15 built-in tracks (or those that you stream in), with the Launch Pads triggering different instruments. You can also fire off sound effects using the dedicated buttons (yes, there’s an airhorn) or record your own by pressing and holding. The turntable on the left can be used for adding scratch effects.
Next up, Studio mode, which enables you to record your mix. And finally, the Academy, a training area that tests the user’s ability to hit the right pads, use the crossfader and tweak the turntable at the right times. The built-in screen is your guide here.
Oh, and did we forget to mention the built-in disco ball that enables you to create an instant light show?
All told, the VTech Kidi DJ Mix looks like a blast. In fact, we’d be lying if we denied that at least part of the reason we want to buy one is so that we can give this thing a go ourselves. Watch and learn, kids, watch and learn…
“An enhanced application that is nonetheless reassuringly familiar and reasonably priced”: Native Instruments Traktor Pro 4 review
"The last 5 or 10 per cent drove me crazy - at one point I had about 130 mixdowns... I’ve come to realise that the perfect mix doesn’t exist": Ben Böhmer on overcoming perfectionism in production
