ON-AIR PLAYLIST MANAGEMENT

Creating A Playlist

The Playlist allows all the music items in a programme to be kept in the order in which they will be played in a single window. This

leaves the cartridge players free for playing commercial breaks, jingles and other material which we can be incorporated in a

programme.

Any type of audio item can be loaded into the Playlist window, however it is mainly used for music content.

Adding Items to the Playlist

The easiest way to create a Playlist is to open the LIBRARY, where all content is stored, and to “drag and drop‟ wanted items into

the Playlist area, where they can be re-arranged into the required order.

It is also possible to add music by “double clicking” on an item in the library and by clicking the Add to Playlist button, located to the

left

Add to Playlist Button

A more sophisticated method of creating playlists is to use the SCHEDULING MODULE. Playlists created this way can be loaded by

clicking on the icon below, selecting the required playlist and clicking on it.

Playlist Items

When a music item is dragged from the Library to the Playlist the Library category icon, Title, Year, Artist, Genre and running time of

the item are displayed. The figure in yellow is the Voice Over time which tells the presenter how many seconds there are from the

beginning of the track to the start of the vocals.

Codes may indicate how the track starts ends. This information will only be present if it has been saved with the track during the

import and production process.

On the left there is an icon representing the Library Category and below this an expected broadcast time. Each time an item is

played-out, these times will update for every item in the playlist, helping the presenter to keep track of when items coming up are

likely to begin. This can aid the presenter wanting to keep the show to time.

Playlist Information

Time to Stop (Above)

This timer counts down to the end of the current Playlist or to the next event which will stop the Playlist.

Primary Window (Above)

The Primary Window displays information about the most recently started item. The channel to which the item is allocated is shown

on the left of the window as A or B.

The library category icon indicates the type of item being played. For music items the title and artist is displayed. At the right hand

side of the Primary Window is a digital countdown to the end of the item.

This information is also shown in a visual format as a green progress bar which progressively fills and moves to the right.

Progress Bar

The progress bar sits at the bottom of the primary window to the left of the digital countdown timer. It provides a visual

representation of the progress of the item.

The bar fills from left to right as the track plays The progress bar is also capable of providing INTRO and OUTRO information if this

has been added when the item was imported into Synergy.

Intro (Voiceover Countdown)

The Intro countdown timer counts down from the start of the track to the beginning of the vocal. Experienced presenters often speak

over this section of the music hence the term voiceover.

If the Intro information has been added to the track when it was added to the Library the word INTRO will appear in a yellow

rectangle beside a yellow digital countdown timer.

A visual representation of the countdown is given in the form of the yellow progress bar which decreases from to the left over the

duration of the intro.

Outro

The Outro indicates that the item has reached a point where the presenter may wish to start delivering the next link.

The Outro point has no effect on the countdown timer or progress bar. If the Outro information has been added to the track the word

OUTRO appears in a red rectangle above the digital countdown timer.

End OF Music (EOM)

When the Playlist is in Manual Mode the End Of Music warning is automatically activated 20 seconds before the end of each item.

The digital countdown turns to red and the letters EOM appear in a red rectangle.

The progress bar also turns red and the time span of the bar changes from the duration of the item to 20 seconds. The progress bar

fills to the right as the remaining time reduces. In Automatic Mode the EOMmessage appears 20 seconds before the Playlist will

stop.

Secondary Window

If the outgoing item is still playing when the next item starts the outgoing item moves into the Secondary Window where its

countdown continues.

When the item ends or its fader is closed the details for that item are removed from the Secondary window and appear in the History

window.

Information in the Secondary Window is displayed in blue.

History Window

The History window lists the most recently played items. It is possible to drag an item from the History back into the Playlist.

By default, only items from the music library are displayed in the History Window. This can be changed to include items played from

other Library categories.

Playlist Modes

Manual Mode (Live - Assist)

Manual mode is also known as Live Assist. When in manual mode the mode button is a dark blue and control of the Playlist is

passed to the presenter through the use of the faders on channels PL A and PL B.

In Manual mode the presenter is required to start and stop EVERY item from the playlist, one by one - having fully control over when

items are played.

Automatic Mode (Auto-Pilot)

Automatic mode is also known as Auto-pilot. When in Automatic mode the mode button is illuminated in purple.

In this mode opening either of the Playlist faders will start the first item in the Playlist, all subsequent items will automatically segue

and play through that fader until the end of the Playlist or a Stop Event is reached.

Play will also stop if the fader is closed.

DTX Mode

DTX or Direct to Transmission is also known as the Overnight mode. When DTX mode is active the faders are bypassed and the

playlist is diverted straight to the output of the desk.

DTX mode can be password protected to prevent unauthorised activation or deactivation.

DTX mode is designed to be used when Synergy is broadcasting unattended

For a full rundown of DTX please see this page

Playlist Controls

The Playlist control Icons are located on the far left of the On-Air screen

START/ADVANCE moves the playlist on by one item. This replaces the item which is currently playing by performing a segue

between the item playing the and the next item in the playlist.

(Note the Playlist A or B faders on the mixing desk MUST BE OPEN to hear the playlist once it has started on S-Radio systems)

GO TO TOP of Playlist move to the top of the playlist

PAGE UP moves up through a long list of playlist items, a screen at a time.

PAGE DOWN moves down through a long list of playlist items a screen at a time.

DELETE SELECTED ITEM deletes a highlighted track from the playlist

INSERT STOP EVENT places a stop event before an item highlighted in the playlist. This will force the playlist to stop when it

reaches this point, even in AUTOMATIC mode.

INFORMATION brings up a popup window which displays any background information that has been added from a highlighted item

in the playlist.

LOAD A PLAYLIST loads a pre-selected playlist, created in the Scheduling Module.

AUTO SELECT MUSIC (ROSS - Random Overnight Selection System) creates a randomly selected 60 minute playlist observing

any scheduling rules which may have been added to a track in the Production module.