Collect Songs in a YouTube Playlist

YouTube.com has been in the public eye for a couple of years now. Initially, when I began to use it a couple of years ago, it seemed to be little more than a repository of viral videos. However, I have recently come to realize that YouTube also sports a nice musical library that rivals even an iPod for convenience. If you're searching for music, you don't have to search far in YouTube's free music-rich environment.

The key to YouTube's value in this respect is that it is a free internet database; it is available wherever you use the internet, and you do not have to pay for any special hardware to access the software it offers.

Next to YouTube's videos is a simple "playlist" feature. If you put this feature to use, you can easily produce collections of music from the content available on the site. These music collections can be of a traditional length, or if you prefer, they can span out to 20, 30, or 40-plus tracks. Furthermore, you can also put together more than one music collection, based on tags that you decide on.

So, if you want to use popular songs to create your own concept album about how you're feeling today, you're free to do so.

How exactly do you use the playlist feature? Simple.

First, you sign up for a free YouTube account if you do not have one. This registration process is similar to setting up an email account, nothing fancy.

Next, browse through available videos to find songs that you enjoy. (YouTube boasts a large selection of songs that may not always be found in stores, such as live versions.) Once you find one, you need only to press on a button below the video: "Add to Favorites." The first time you do this, you will need to fill out a little form. Basically, the form assists you in creating the new playlist. It just requires you to enter 3 simple pieces of information:

1.) The playlist's name (which can be a single word)

2.) A description (which can also be a single word)

3.) Whether the video is "private" or "public" (which only requires
you to push a button)

After you've established a playlist, then it's easy to add new videos to it. For example, if you invest a minute of your time to create 3 playlists -- Rock, Classical, and Jazz -- you can catalog videos thereafter simply by clicking "Add to Favorites" and designating one of these 3 playlists as a destination for each video you choose.

What I like to do when I am working on the internet is to take a break now and then to browse through YouTube videos. When I find something I like, I place it in a playlist. Thus, later, when I want to have music to listen to as I work, I have several sizable playlists to choose from.

For this reason, I am able to take my music collection along with me wherever I log in, whether it's at home on a P.C., using a laptop, or accessing a library computer. With a playlist, I can also keep my friends up-to-date about the videos that have captured my interest (check out this free Widget feature).