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{Solved} Playlist Builder - add from category?

Started by ignitenz, November 19, 2023, 03:54:42 AM

ignitenz

Hi all,

I ultimately want to be able to build a short playlist consisting of a music bed with a selection of voiceovers for RDJ to choose from to overlap the bed.

I can build a playlist that works with a bed and and a pre-selected single VO track, which works as expected.

However, since there appears to be no way currently to add a category to a playlist (which should then recognise the VO overlay command),
  • I find I need to make an event that includes both items,
  • or, run the two items together as part of a larger event (choosing the VO to come from a category),

The problem with the first option is there is a dead-air gap between the last song and the playlist kicking in. The second works fine, but adds more than should be required to an event.

The natural solution to this would be to have an add from category option within Playlist Builder, as is the case with adding events, whereby removing extra steps and at the same time respect the overlay command.

All our VO files are marked as overlay.

Any creative ideas for a better workaround would be very welcome!

Cheers,
Baldrick

RadioDJ 2.0.4.3 | MariaDB 11.2 | StereoTool 9.92 | MBRecaster 5.0.1.2.
StereoTool preset: EXCIT.D for Web.

JMac

Hi Baldrick!

Hot off the digital grill...a solution to your problem! Here's the overview:
1. Create a manual event that loads a track from a category (your voicetracks)
2. Import a "dummy file"...1/2 sec silent wav file. Settings: Track Type: Other, Overlay File. Here's where the "magic" kicks in. On the Others tab in Track Edit, set Start Event to the event you just created. Name this file and save.
3. In Playlist Builder, build a playlist with music bed and this file. It will load your VO tracks to play over the beds.

I just tested and it works! It may be the subject of a future vid on my YouTube channel, RadioDJ Dude. Thanks for the idea!

In case you'd like a detailed "how-to" with the dummy file technique, check out this one: https://youtu.be/KPppsB6vv7I?si=vWHj7h5DlHJ1nega
XXX80s.com-XXXtreme 80s fun!
YouTube Channel: RadioDJ Dude

Music Box

Hi JMac, thanks for your advice, I hope you make a video very soon.
Greetings from Sardinia.
Bye

ignitenz

#3
Quote from: JMac on November 20, 2023, 03:25:15 AMHi Baldrick!

Hot off the digital grill...a solution to your problem! Here's the overview:
1. Create a manual event that loads a track from a category (your voicetracks)
2. Import a "dummy file"...1/2 sec silent wav file. Settings: Track Type: Other, Overlay File. Here's where the "magic" kicks in. On the Others tab in Track Edit, set Start Event to the event you just created. Name this file and save.
3. In Playlist Builder, build a playlist with music bed and this file. It will load your VO tracks to play over the beds.

I just tested and it works! It may be the subject of a future vid on my YouTube channel, RadioDJ Dude. Thanks for the idea!

In case you'd like a detailed "how-to" with the dummy file technique, check out this one: https://youtu.be/KPppsB6vv7I?si=vWHj7h5DlHJ1nega

Thanks Jeff for your input, as always!

So, watching your video, Even when you insert the silent file I can still hear #4 & #5 coming through once your next file kicked in after #3. This is the problem I'm having now.

I have two overlay events playing back to back as part of a larger event. One is the weather VO over the weather bed, and the other is a VO (start of hour) over a music bed. The first one plays as expected, that is the bed cuts out immediately when the VO ends, however when the next VO ends, the next track starts playing, BUT the VO bed continues on to the end over top of the track - in the same way #4 & #5 play over the top in your situation.

The only way I can seem to make it work is to insert an ID (or similar) between the two VO events, which works but doesn't sound that great.

Both VO files are marked as overlay.

Please see pic attached...
Blue indicates the second VO sequence, the one in question.
Brown indicates the ID to workaround the issue. Remove this (as I want to) and the problem described above happens.
Black indicates the first VO sequence, which works well. 

Cheers,
Baldrick

I hope that makes sense.
RadioDJ 2.0.4.3 | MariaDB 11.2 | StereoTool 9.92 | MBRecaster 5.0.1.2.
StereoTool preset: EXCIT.D for Web.

JMac

Ok, fresh out of the test kitchen. :)

Here's what I loaded into the playlist:
1. Bed 1
2. VO 1 (overlay)
3. Bed 2
4. VO 2 (overlay)
5. Jingle

After VO 2 fires the Jingle, Bed 2 keeps playing. No bueno.

Take two..
1. Bed 1
2. VO 1 (overlay)
3. Bed 2
4. VO 2 (overlay)
5. Silent Track (super short...1/8 sec) *See attached for cue points. For reference, this is a one second file.
6. Jingle

This works for me! The silent track acts as your Promo, that you want to ditch. It stops Bed 2 and it's short enough to not be noticeable. Give it a whirl and let me know!
XXX80s.com-XXXtreme 80s fun!
YouTube Channel: RadioDJ Dude

ignitenz

Thanks Jeff, I'll give it a crack and let you know!
RadioDJ 2.0.4.3 | MariaDB 11.2 | StereoTool 9.92 | MBRecaster 5.0.1.2.
StereoTool preset: EXCIT.D for Web.

ignitenz

#6
Quote from: JMac on November 20, 2023, 11:01:46 PMOk, fresh out of the test kitchen. :)

Here's what I loaded into the playlist:
1. Bed 1
2. VO 1 (overlay)
3. Bed 2
4. VO 2 (overlay)
5. Jingle

After VO 2 fires the Jingle, Bed 2 keeps playing. No bueno.

Take two..
1. Bed 1
2. VO 1 (overlay)
3. Bed 2
4. VO 2 (overlay)
5. Silent Track (super short...1/8 sec) *See attached for cue points. For reference, this is a one second file.
6. Jingle

This works for me! The silent track acts as your Promo, that you want to ditch. It stops Bed 2 and it's short enough to not be noticeable. Give it a whirl and let me know!

Forgive me Jeff, I'm a bit confused...

Should I just follow this post without reference to your previous post? Or should I do both?

Actually, if you're up to do a youtube  tutorial, that would be way better still if you could thanks!
RadioDJ 2.0.4.3 | MariaDB 11.2 | StereoTool 9.92 | MBRecaster 5.0.1.2.
StereoTool preset: EXCIT.D for Web.

JMac

First, test the workflow from my last post. Just load your elements in the playlist and hit play. If it works for you, create an event to match the workflow. THEN, you can use the idea from my first post (silent dummy file) and program it to fire this event.

I'll definitely consider this for a topic of a future video! BUT, first, let's make sure it works for you.
XXX80s.com-XXXtreme 80s fun!
YouTube Channel: RadioDJ Dude

ignitenz

Thanks again bro. I followed both examples to the letter and sadly, both failed.

For your first example, the bed played entirely before the VO (not over the top of) Overlay set on both the silent file and VO.

For the second example, the rotation just hung when the silent file played, with the overlay deactivated. With the overlay activated the rotation still hung, but it looked as if RDJ was trying to move away from the silent file. In both scenarios the only way to get the rotation moving again was to delete the silent file from the playlist window.

That said, I'm one of those people who find it difficult for follow written instructions but have no problem when someone is there showing me or by watching video tutorials. Youtube has become my go to because of this.

Maybe this is why many stations leave their first voice break until after the first song of the hour. Lol.

Thanks again Jeff. I really appreciate your help.
RadioDJ 2.0.4.3 | MariaDB 11.2 | StereoTool 9.92 | MBRecaster 5.0.1.2.
StereoTool preset: EXCIT.D for Web.

JMac

Sorry you're still having issues! I just ran the following test and it worked...

1. Create Event (see attached)-Same as my "Take Two" test from a previous post. Take One was the failed example.
2. Link Event to Dummy Silent File
3. Add Dummy File to Rotation

This works for me, BUT it didn't on the first try. Here's what I discovered...
-The second VO track needs to be a Voiceover. One of my tracks was a VO, but was set to Variable Duration File.
-The silent file is track type Other and not an overlay. Start, Next and End cue points are assigned, but spaced out a little. BUT, my test file is one second, so I had to shorten. If you import a silent file that's 1/8 second, no need.
XXX80s.com-XXXtreme 80s fun!
YouTube Channel: RadioDJ Dude

JMac

Hang on! This has been bothering me, so I ran a couple more tests. I have four music beds in a category that I was using for the test. They rotate based on least recently played. Every fourth test, the bed wouldn't stop after the VO. SO, after more digging and tweaking...the culprit is the BED (at least for me)! The one bed that always jammed things up was the one with a Next Start cue point set to zero (see pic). Granted, it wasn't at the start point, but the Next Start point (which triggers your VO) needs to be set to a minimum of one second. After making this change and testing the "bad" bed a couple more times, it performed flawlessly.

This seems to be the missing link with overlay files not stopping background audio when they stop playing. It's not the overlay files, it's the bed settings. This has tripped me up, too, but I never investigated the bed being the problem. Inspect all your Next Start cues and keep me posted!
XXX80s.com-XXXtreme 80s fun!
YouTube Channel: RadioDJ Dude

ignitenz

WooHoo!! You are da man Jeff!! Thank you!

Almost beaten by one second. Sheesh.

After changing the cue point of the bed, which was less than one second to just over a second it worked. I've tried the event again and it works flawlessly.

So no need for a track of silence either or a jingle after the first VO sequence. Just one following on from the other. Nice!

I'm just running both as part of a larger event atm. I might have a play over the weekend to make them into playlists.

One second. Sheesh. Lol.

You've made my day. Thanks again.
RadioDJ 2.0.4.3 | MariaDB 11.2 | StereoTool 9.92 | MBRecaster 5.0.1.2.
StereoTool preset: EXCIT.D for Web.

JMac

Yeeeee-haw!! SO happy to hear. We both learned something new. :)
XXX80s.com-XXXtreme 80s fun!
YouTube Channel: RadioDJ Dude

JMac

From forum to YouTube...thanks for the inspiration, IgniteNZ!

In case you'd prefer to watch the step-by-step, here's a vid from my YouTube channel, RadioDJ Dude:
https://youtu.be/Vj25kpjdvbc?si=J5erqVgHm29keL0S
XXX80s.com-XXXtreme 80s fun!
YouTube Channel: RadioDJ Dude