MusicMaster Blog

Which Library Field Type is Right for You?

By Jesus Rodriguez

In PRO 7, we introduced a way for you the user to be able to create more fields for your library by going to Dataset, Library, Fields on your Menu Bar.

Here is where you can add a field by clicking on the Add Field Button:

You can give your field a name, abbreviation, tag, length, rules or no rules and Field Type under Data Type.

However, the big question I usually get from a client is “Which field type do I select and what do each of these do?” Well, we have a field type for every occasion. The purpose of this blog is to give you a brief example of each of your Field Type options.

1. Attribute Combo – Great for coding for items like tempo beginning, middle, and end of a song where the song starts Fast but the middle of the song is slow then picks up to a medium or up-tempo guitar rift of energy at the end.
2. Attribute In/Out – While like the previous description this can be used for the opening and ending of a song. For example, if a song opens up-tempo but ends slow or sad with an A cappella.
3. Attribute Multiple – This version is great for sound coding because you can select multiple attributes for any one song. For example, a song may be pop but it’s also rock, and rap because of a featured artist. This allows you to have one song to have a very detailed list of codes so that MusicMaster knows it’s a R- Rock, P-Pop because it crossed over to the pop world and am R-Rap because there may be a hip hop artist doing a verse as a featured on the track. This field type will then allow you to control this track with your rules from playing too close to other rock, pop, or rap songs.
4. Attribute Overall – Unlike my previous examples this field gets straight to the point and only allows you to assign one code to the song when using this field. For example, this song is Slow, that’s if there is no concern by you about how it is in the middle or end only one overall description for its tempo.
5. Date – Exactly what you think. This field for placing a date on the song. This might be a release date or something similar about the song.
6. Keyword Multiple – This version of this field allows you to place more than one artist name into the artist keyword field but can also be used for other things like when using special sets and you need a keyword field. There are more blogs on special sets on our site.
7. Keyword Single – If you only plan to use one artist name as your separation then this one is for you but if you deal with many artists in your format featured on other songs at the very least may I suggest the previous keyword multiple field type.
8. Length – Great any duration needs. Keep in mind we have a built-in Runtime field.
9. Memo – A good one for any type of internal notes for yourself about the song or item. Pronunciations, birthdays, internal reminders, song lyrics, etc.
10. Numeric Currency – If you need to assign a dollar amount to your item this field is for that purpose possibly for items like promos. You can then include this dollar amount with your affidavit for this item. Feel free to search our site for how to create affidavits.
11. Numeric Fixed – Year is a good example for this field or any set of whole numbers.
12. Numeric Float – This field is great for items like music test scores that may not be a whole number like 88.7 or this song received a call out of 7.8
13. Text – One of our most used fields for meta data entry like cart numbers, artist name, title, album, record label, ISRC codes, etc.
14. Yes/No – This is highly used for items that can only be one of two things. For Example, Core or Non-Core, English or Spanish, Pass or Failed music test.

You might have noticed the fields in my screen capture above that had a Type of Internal. These are fields specifically created to manage the MusicMaster database. As such, you cannot create any new Internal fields.

For the fields you can create, there are certainly more possibilities for what you can do with these fields other than the examples I’ve shared. Be creative and think about what you’d like to control and then pick the best field for that purpose. If you can dream it I am sure one of these field types can do it.

Please feel free to contact your MusicMaster support representative with the result you have in mind so we may suggest the proper field to use should an example in this blog not completely answer your needs.