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MusicMaster Blog
Is it time for a “Reality Check”? Review Your Library! posted on September 26th, 2011
By Marianne Burkett
When was the last time you took a critical look at your database or databases? You may be so busy at work, that the thought of a review seems like the last thing you’d like to do. With MusicMaster there are some easy steps you can take to keep your data “honest”. The truth has no agenda, but it certainly is revealing!
If it’s been a while since you’ve reviewed your data, here’s a short checklist for you to consider:
- Bring your entire library (music, then non-music) up on the screen in spreadsheet view. Right click on your automation number field and select Library Analysis. Be sure your numbers are unique (sort by the Count column). In the event you have some duplicates – review the audio in the automation system.
- Sort your library by Title. If you have duplicates with different automation numbers, decide what you’re going to do with the duplicates. You can move any duplicates into a hold category, then delete them when you are certain the title is not in the schedule. What I mean there is that if you’ve scheduled music and you delete songs in the scheduled day, you’ll have a nice empty spot in your schedule editor. Or, you can set Title Keywords on your duplicate titles to keep them apart in the schedule by using the Title Keyword time separation rule in the Rule Tree.
- Sort your library by Artist Keyword. Are there any missing keywords? Are your keywords correct? Even a slight misspelling of a keyword will result in scheduling problems such as having the same artist playing back-to-back.
- Check your coding. Make sure your Sound, Tempo, Gender (etc…) coding… is all filled in. Songs without codes are like free radicals and impossible to control via the automatic scheduler.
- Check Turnover Analysis. It’s a very simple way to review what categories are rotating in the active assignment grid. So if you see some activity in a strange category in Turnover analysis, it’s very easy to identify which clock you should repair.
- Are you getting several unscheduled positions? It may be a good time to review the Recap Report after a scheduling session. Take a look at the Rules that are failing…then run the Rule Wizard in the Rule Tree. See what recommendations the Wizard comes up with and make any needed changes.
If you have any questions about other things you can do to review or “self-police” your database, contact your Music Scheduling Consultant!