Introducing JockMaster

[Charlie]

JockMaster is the current working-title of my broadcast playout application. It is designed for automated and live-assist playout of songs, adverts, jingles and voicetracks with as much (or as little) human input as you like.



Features

Interchangeable GUI Skin
Using MSStyles, you can customize JockMaster's GUI by choosing from the 1000's of available skins.

Simple 24/7 Automation
Load hourly or daily playlists which can be played non-stop

Drop Songs from Portable Storages
Specialist DJs often bring their own music - subject to user account settings, songs can be drag 'n' dropped from Windows' Explorer into the JockMaster playlist view and played-out in the usual way. Automatic audio cue-in/out ensures hassle-free overlaps.

Segue Editor
Adjust overlapping items with precision - create unique segues for your show.

M3U Playlist Load/Save
Industry-standard M3U playlists can be loaded/saved - enabling you to build your schedule by hand or import from Music1, Natural Music, Powergold or StationPlaylist Creator.

Data File Support - for non-database users or for backup
Using JMD files, each audio item's properties can be saved/recalled: Intro, Segue, Year, Tempo etc

JM Admin [free utility]
All configuration and user settings are managed via the JM Admin utility - no critical changes can be made within JockMaster.

The following features are offered as additional modules and can be added at any time - They turn the basic JockMaster application into a powerful automation/live-assist solution for professional broadcasters.

Database Driven [optional module]
Items are given a unique "cart" number whilst preserving the original filenames.

HotKey Module [optional module]
Instant access to audio cuts such as jingles, sound fx and talk-beds

Script Module [optional module]
Permits easy viewing of HTML, RTF and TXT file prompts

VoiceTracker [optional module]
Not just a voicetrack recorder, but enhanced segue editing and sweeper placement with level-ducking. Recording voicetracks into your playlist is both quick and simple. Add dry/sweeper production elements between songs and duck each song's volume on a "per segue" basis.

Now Playing [optional module]
Whilst the basic licence outputs a text file showing the artist and title of each track - this additional module allows you to be a bit more picky about what's sent and you can even define templates to create a webpage of recent tracks (excluding boring details like adverts/jingles). When playing a PACKAGE item (such as a pre-recorded show), you can time-stamp each song played which allows JockMaster to output that track's details at the time it is played. When recording your show using JockMaster, this is done automatically.

USB Hardware I/O [optional module]
Permits control of external switching equipment (such as satellite feeds, studios etc). Also allows JockMaster to be controlled (Start, Stop, Next etc). Using the DigiBee USB board, up to 16 inputs and 16 outputs may be defined.

Basic Features
...includes a variety of DJ-friendly features and is more than enough to run an Internet, Community or RSL station - not to mention enough outputs and buttons to keep a bedroom DJ up way past his bedtime... Much of JockMaster's layout is designed to be touch-screen friendly, ideal for fast-paced shows.

A variety of features will be available such as: multi-channel outputs, mixdown of playlists, real-time effects and plugins (such as processing/streaming). Although designed to operate with multiple output soundcards - JockMaster will be able to utilize the surround outputs of a domestic audio card: So a 7.1 card would allow up to 3 stereo outputs.

The basic JockMaster package allows you to drag 'n' drop MP3/WAV files from the FileBrowser into the Player or HotKey modules ready for playout. The Player module is a live-assist/automated playback tool which can intelligently sequence a playlist of audio until a) a pre-set time, b) a command tells it to stop, or c) the playlist runs out.

Importing audio files into JockMaster is simply a matter of pointing it to a folder, telling it how to read the extra information and clicking "Import Files". A variety of data formats are supported: BCX3, JMD, mAirList MMD and StationPlaylist APE tags. If you do not have any special data to read, you can simply import the files based upon the popular Artist - Title.ext naming convention.

Various "modules" make up the JockMaster package and they may be ordered during your initial purchase or later on should you decide to upgrade. Upgrade is simply a matter of paying some money and I send you a new code - no re-install, just type the new code and the extra features become available for use. This allows you to licence various copies for full-blown on-air use, production, news booth or office desk use where you wouldn't want to waste un-used features (or your money)!

One of the problems (or is it a bonus?) of RSL and Community stations is the frequent deviation from a pre-scheduled playlist and playing songs that the presenter wants to hear (or the listener). JockMaster will feed back to Meridian the details of played items allowing the next schedule run to take into account latest song playback history.

Database Support
If you need advanced features such as an audio database and/or voicetracking - these are optional modules and can be bolted on at a later date - or you can buy the whole lot... It's up to you! Even without a central database, audio cuts can still hold data such as cue in, intro and segue points using data files which sit along-side your existing audio.



The optional Database Module allows for quick and easy searching of your JockMaster library - you can filter by Item Type (Commands, Adverts, Jingles, Packages, Promos, Songs or VoiceTracks), find a particular genre/style and even list all songs with the word "love" in the artist/title... Subject to user privileges, audio items can be opened in the Editor window and their properties (cue points etc) can be modified.

The Databass allows for several types of audio item to be viewed. These are ADVERT, JINGLE, PRE-REC, PROMO, SONG, VOICETRACK and AUTOMATION COMMAND.

These types determine how JockMaster handles them during automation: Voicetracks will cause a Song to play at a lower volume. A Song with a fade-ending can be trimmed to keep a playlist running to time. Adverts can be back-timed to hit news feeds. The Automation Command type allows you to define non-audio events such as presenter text notes, playlist actions (start, wait, external command etc).

VoiceTracking/Level Ducking
Whilst the basic JockMaster licence allows for the simple adjustment of segue transitions, the optional segue/voicetracking feature will allow you to finely-tune each item overlap as well place sweepers and voice-tracks over song transitions. This includes level-ducking of the music tracks so that your sweeper/voice-track is heard clearly.

For simplicity, I have decided not to re-produce waveform views as part of this feature (yet) - instead I will be using coloured bars to indicate portions of the file see image below.

Because every playlist segue is unique - not only do presenters want to ensure that the overlaps are correct, but in a live situation you'd adjust the fade-level of the song to match it's level wouldn't you ? Of course you would - so why should this not work in automation as well ? JockMaster's global "sweeper/voicetrack ducking level" can be overridden for every segue if you so desire.

A good example of this would be love songs - a global ducking level of, say, -12dB would all but completely mute most soft intros so you will have the option of increasing/decreasing the level accordingly. This setting can also be applied on a per-song-basis so that louder intros are always ducked more than softer ones.

Overlap Example in JockMaster: A voice-track element has been added to the overlap and the incoming song has been brought forward to match the duration. The yellow portion of the bar shows the intro duration - This will turn red if the sweeper/voice-track crosses the intro. It is also possible to 'trim' the finish point of the outgoing track by dragging the white bar at the track's end. The small black line indicates the track's Segue point. The "Hit The Vocal" button will align the middle and incoming tracks so that they overlap and meet the intro as per the example below. A scroll-bar allows you to view up to 40s of the incoming song's intro.

Some other images






_________________
Charlie
It's not a bug, it's a feature...