Smooth track transition

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JWvanGulik
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Smooth track transition

Post by JWvanGulik »

In automated playlists it is important to have smooth track transitions. Other software providers have included a intro tempo, general tempo and outro tempo for the individual tracks. In the general format planner it is then possible to assign the allowed tempo's that may be combined. E.g. a slow intro tempo may only be started after a slow or medium outro tempo, but not after a fast outro tempo. Some pictures included how this could be arranged.

Best regards, JW.
Attachments
Format settings to create smooth transitions between tracks (e.g. track-jingle-track)
Format settings to create smooth transitions between tracks (e.g. track-jingle-track)
Format.jpg (18.14 KiB) Viewed 13284 times
Settings for each individual track
Settings for each individual track
Track.jpg (12.36 KiB) Viewed 13285 times
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radio42
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Re: Smooth track transition

Post by radio42 »

All understood. As said I look into it adding it in a next version ;-)
JWvanGulik
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Re: Smooth track transition

Post by JWvanGulik »

Hi Bernd, thanks for your answer. Yes you are right that the "general" tempo is not used in the transition itself, but it can be used to define what kind of track you would like in your playlist. E.g. a dance playlist contains only uptempo tracks, but still it can have a slow intro thus requires a jingle with a slow or medium outro.
Of course one can have a library with only fast tracks, but this does not solve the issue. Think of a song like Donna Summer, Last dance. This song begins slow but is an uptempo song in general. If you would put this song in an uptempo library, the previous track could have an uptempo outro, while the Donna Summer song requires a slow or medium outro of the previous track. I hope this clarifies my request. If you need additional information I would be more that glad to clarify in more detail. By the way, I can imagine that in your code the track transition is not a "must" criteria, so as long as it is possible within the amount of tracks available it needs to be planned accordingly, but if not available another track may also be used. Something like that, but then in software code. :-) Best regards, JW.
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radio42
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Re: Smooth track transition

Post by radio42 »

I fully understand our request in general, still I have a few questions.
From your text I can see, how the previous track's outro tempo will be used with the next track's intro tempo to decide what transitions are valid. Therefore it seems to me, that the general track tempo is not really used.

Within ProppFrexx you can already achieve something quite similar. Note, that within a ProppFrexx 'script' you define multiple script-lines. Each script-line typically represents exactly one track to be picked. Beside the option to organize your tracks in multiple different media libs, you can also assign certain TAG (meta data) values to a track, e.g. Mood, Grouping, Rating, Comments etc.
Further you can now define so called Filters on your script-line to fine-tune your picks from these media-libs. See here from details:
viewtopic.php?f=9&t=9

All this of course depends/relies heavily on properly tagged audio files, but the same is true in your above scenario.
E.g. you could already tag your audio file accordingly by using either/or the above mentioned tag field Mood, Grouping or Comments etc.
And then simply define according script-line filters.

Still, I will look into the above as an additional option.
JWvanGulik
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Re: Smooth track transition

Post by JWvanGulik »

Hi Bernd,

Any news here? When can we expect to find this functionality included? It would be great to listen to smooth transitions using ProppFrexx.

BRJW
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radio42
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Re: Smooth track transition

Post by radio42 »

It is still on the WishList for a future release, but this is quite some effort and enhancements, which so far no other user requested - but if you need it urgently, we can arrange some priority development, where you would have to sponsor the feature.
JWvanGulik
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Re: Smooth track transition

Post by JWvanGulik »

Hi Bernd, thanks for your answer. I think most users (with all due respect) don't understand the big advantage of such a smooth transition, especially for fully automated stations. It is not without reason that all the big radio automation systems have this functionality included.

I will just await your wise choice to include this feature in the next (big) release. :-)

BRJW
moogwill
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Re: Smooth track transition

Post by moogwill »

Hi BRJW & of course Bernd,

As I just requested it a few days ago, the use of the track end indicator as a condition combined to the ad of a track start indicator could almost do the trick.

I have exactely the same need of more accurate transition rules. tempo is not such an issue, and I think you can use the bpm of the track.
What is more important is that we need to be able to define some specific rules for particular cases. most common is brutal cut end mixed with a long fade in track, or a fade out or brutal cuts tracks with a soft intro just next to it.

an automatic jingle insertion in specific cases would be at least part of the solution.
something like" if track end is "\" and next track is "music" insert "jingle" next.... and if you create a track tart condition if track start is "/" and previous track is "music" insert jingle "above".

that would add a lot to transitions quality.

Thanks,
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radio42
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Re: Smooth track transition

Post by radio42 »

I’ll see what can be done when I am back from vacation in August ;-)
JWvanGulik
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Re: Smooth track transition

Post by JWvanGulik »

Hi both,

Good to hear that I'm not the only one in need of better transition definition in ProppFrexx. Some comments though.
The solution for a long fade-in of a track is, to my opinion, not a jingle insertion but rather a negative cue point definition (another wish-list topic of mine) so that the next track starts earlier and has a longer overlap.
For a smooth transition between tracks (music track and/or jingle track) outro and into BPM could be used, but this has the downside that the automated BPM counter is not that accurate on slower tracks. Besides that, how could we define what difference in BPM is allowed to be combined. I still believe that my proposed solution (see above) is the best for fully automated radio stations and will help ProppFrexx to become an even bigger competitor to other radio automation solutions.

But more important, enjoy your holiday Bernd and let's pick up this topic when you are back.

Best regards, JW.

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