MusicMaster Blog

Filter The Flow

By Chris Malone

At times, programmers will call MusicMaster Support and ask how to enforce a specific sound attribute at a specific position within the clock. For example, an Urban AC programmer may want to start the hour with a R&B sound attribute to establish a smooth R&B flow, right out of the gate. You can create a clock filter at any given position within your clock. Your filter ideas can go far deeper than sound code attributes. Commonly, you can create filters for energy, tempo, artist keywords and beyond.

In this example, we’re creating a clock filter on the 90’s position that follows our Legal ID to only include R&B songs within that category. First step, you want to double click on the 90’s fixed position on the clock and the Element Properties box appears. Click the Filters tab and begin defining the filter.

The setup translates as: only allow Sound that Contains Any Of – R, which is the sound attribute code for R&B in this database, to schedule in this position. Please pay close attention to the Clock Filter Level in your Element Properties because you’ll need to know that when you activate the Clock Filter in your Rule Tree. Once you’ve defined the filter you want, press OK.

The filter icon next to the 90’s position, indicates that the filter has been properly applied to the clock and to take it a step further, you can right click on the filter and Show Matching Songs to get an idea of which filtered songs qualify for this clock position.

Next, you simply want to activate the proper Clock Filter rule in your Rule Tree. In your Element Properties setup, you recall we are using Clock Filter 1. In the Available Rule Types under Format Clock Rules, we need Format Clock Filter 1. That available rule needs to be active. I put it under All Categories so I can adjust any clock adding a Clock Filter 1 and have it be Unbreakable. You can put the rule in a specific category if you’d like. Once you’ve turned on the rule, save your rule tree and you’re done!

With three Format Clock Filter options available, you have flexibility to mix and match Unbreakable and Breakable rules along with setting up different filters on different positions. Maybe you’d like a certain sound code coming out of a stopset. Set up the filter and make the rule breakable.

If you want to learn about Clock Filters or explore other ways to use Clock Filters, please reach out to your Music Scheduling Consultant for more assistance.