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3 Music Tips and Tricks to Get the Most From Your Alexa Device


Voice recognition devices — especially Amazon Alexa— give you more control over your music than ever before. Whether you want to skip a track, stream music from a specific artist or control the music volume, voice commands make it a breeze to play what you want, when you want.

There's much more to Alexa than just basic commands, though. There are a ton of cool hidden features Alexa users may not even be aware of but can deliver hours of entertainment. So, take a look at these three tips and tricks.

1. Use lyrics to load songs

Have you ever had a song stuck in your head but couldn't quite remember the name of the band, much less the title of the track? It's a frustrating experience, but Alexa can help you out of that particular jam.

Maybe you want to listen to The Who's "Baba O'Riley," but you've always thought it was called "Teenage Wasteland" (a common misconception) and can only remember the opening lyrics? Just say, "Alexa, play the song that goes: 'Out here in the fields, I fight for my meals.'" Your Alexa device should spin up the 1971 classic without delay.

You can have a little fun with it too. Try saying "Alexa, more cowbell" or "Alexa, go to 11.” You’ll get what you ask for when you tap into the more comical sides of classic pop culture. Just be prepared to apologize to your neighbors with the latter when the volume hits max (This Is Spinal Tap, anyone?)

2. Play music trivia games

Another fun, buried feature in Alexa's arsenal is the wide variety of compatible music-based games. The best of the bunch is probably "Beat the Intro," where players listen to a famous pop song and guess which word was removed from the track. Better yet, it's updated with six fresh new songs every day, so you'll never encounter the same song twice.

There are plenty of other Alexa-supported games out there — don't be afraid to poke around to try out as many as you can.

3. Play songs for specific scenarios

If you've had a long day at work and just want to kick back and listen to some relaxing tunes, let Alexa take the wheel. All it takes is a simple voice command to queue up a playlist for whatever scenario you find yourself in. Want some pulse-setting beats while you run on the treadmill? Just say, "Alexa, play hip-hop for cardio workouts," and she'll have you covered.

You can even play music from different eras of an artist's catalog. David Bowie was famous for being a musical chameleon, jumping from one genre to another. Fans of his Ziggy Stardust-era work may have a hard time warming up to more experimental, electronic-inspired fare like "Station to Station" and "Low." By saying, "Alexa, play David Bowie from the early 1970s," you can enjoy all of his glam rock hits without interruption.

There are a lot of fun, hidden ways to use Alexa voice recognition devices, so try out different commands to see what kind of response you get. And be sure to check out HEOS devices that work with Alexa to find the right setup for your home.



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