Google is constantly innovating and testing new features to enhance user experience on its platforms. One of the latest experiments involves YouTube, where Google is testing a feature that allows users to search for songs by humming or recording a few seconds of the song.
According to a support page shared by Google, if you are part of this YouTube experiment, you can hum or record at least three seconds of a song. Google’s algorithm will then attempt to identify the song based on the input. Once the song is identified, YouTube will display relevant content related to that song. Essentially, this feature is Google’s version of Shazam, the popular music recognition app that is owned by Apple.
However, it’s important to note that not everyone will have immediate access to this experimental feature. Google is rolling it out to a small percentage of people around the world who watch YouTube on Android devices.
This new feature has multiple potential benefits. It can be an excellent tool for users who have a song stuck in their head but can’t remember the title or artist. Instead of struggling to recall the lyrics or searching through endless song titles, users can simply hum the melody or record a snippet and let Google do the rest. This makes the process of finding a song much more seamless and convenient.
Additionally, this feature can be helpful for discovering new music. Imagine hearing a catchy tune in a movie, TV show, or even a cafe, and wanting to know more about it. Instead of relying on limited information such as lyrics or a small portion of the melody, users can hum or record the song and get instant results with detailed information about the artist, album, and related content.
The integration of this feature within YouTube is strategic. YouTube is already a platform where users go to listen to music, watch music videos, and discover new artists. By incorporating song recognition technology, Google is further enhancing the music discovery experience on YouTube. Users can seamlessly transition from hearing a song on YouTube to quickly finding more information about it without leaving the platform.
In addition to the humming and song recognition feature, Google is also testing another YouTube feature called the “channel shelf.” This feature aims to simplify the browsing experience for users by bundling multiple uploads from a single creator into a dedicated section within the subscriptions feed.
This means that instead of individual uploads from a creator cluttering the subscriptions feed, they will be neatly organized into a channel shelf. The channel shelf will allow users to easily find the content they are looking for from a specific creator without the need to scroll through numerous uploads. It also reduces the pressure on creators to upload multiple times a day to ensure their content is visible to their subscribers.
The channel shelf feature offers a streamlined way for viewers to engage with the content and navigate to other videos while scrolling through their feed. It simplifies the browsing experience by curating and presenting content from a single creator in a condensed and easily accessible format.
Similar to the humming and song recognition feature, the channel shelf feature is being rolled out to a small percentage of users as part of the ongoing testing phase. Google aims to gather feedback and assess the impact and user response before deciding on its wider implementation.
These new features demonstrate Google’s commitment to continuously improving its platforms and providing users with innovative tools and features. Whether it’s enhancing the music discovery process or simplifying content browsing, Google is dedicated to ensuring that users have a seamless and enjoyable experience on YouTube.
As the testing phase progresses and user feedback is gathered, it will be interesting to see how these features evolve and whether they become permanent additions to YouTube. In the meantime, users who have access to these experiments can enjoy the benefits of humming or recording songs to discover music and navigating their subscriptions feed more efficiently.