Welcome to 2023, RCS Live is back and we have a ton of tips and tricks ready to roll out. Kicking off the year, we thought we would bring it back to basics and review how to add a song in Zetta. More specifically, we discussed how to customize your audio format settings, the benefits of Marks Analysis, locked cue points, GSelector metadata integration fields and more.
Let’s start off by outlining the four ways users can add audio into Zetta. Users can import audio via a CD, navigate to the file via Windows Explorer (both found under Metadata | Extra), setup an Auto Load or simply drag and drop the asset into the Metadata module. We strongly encourage users to work smarter, not harder, and with many users splitting time between the office and home, why not create an auto load workflow to let Zetta do the heavy lifting for you? Auto Loads can be asset type or file specific, based on UNC paths or FTP locations. Regardless of your import method, Zetta is a modern piece of radio automation software that can be used by team members of all knowledge and skills levels.
Even a left click drag and drop will add audio and perform a Marks Analysis, keeping tasks simple for the average user. Marks Analysis is an optional Zetta feature that will define the Trim In, Trim Out, Segue point and potential Intro marks. Engineers can adjust these setting under Configuration | System | Audio Processing. It’s important to note that if you’re utilizing Auto Loads, many users prefer to isolate elements so that they can enable or disable Marks Analysis on specific types of audio (Configuration | System | Auto Load | Advanced | Uncheck Perform Marks Analysis).
While we’re discussing the Configuration | System settings, administrators can adjust their audio format settings from the Audio Format tab. Each asset type can be saved in the same or different format, typically a wav file for broadcast quality. Although advanced audiophiles can use the Custom format to save their audio as Flac or Opus. Regardless of the format, Zetta will save a copy of the original wav file and all marks done to the file are non-destructive. Which means that users can freely adjust the Trim In, up the pitch/speed, and more without compromising the original file. In addition, Zetta features station specific normalization, so that no matter the file type or volume level, Zetta offers stations a sense of uniformity.
Working within the Metadata module, the lefthand side will display if the asset is active or inactive for a specific station. If the element is inactive, there is no way Zetta can play the asset in any corresponding module, like the Hot Keys or Z-Player. Note how there’s a box around the Artist value and that’s because Zetta will save the full artist’s name to avoid any human error. Right click on the value to open the Manage Names to fix or adjust any saved artists. And if you ever wanted to change your artist’s display from either ALL CAPITALS or Camel Back, where the first letter is capitalized, RCS Support does have scripts to fix your entire library.
As we continue, the Audio marks are displayed on the lefthand side of the Metadata module and can be either defined by clicking on the desired icon, moving the timing mark up or down, or right click and editing the field. For a full list of each icon and its corresponding function, don’t forget to review Zetta’s F1 dynamic help guide. The additional row of subtabs on the right also features the embed non-audio cue points, which are extremely beneficial. These are non-audio triggers than can be locked so that despite the audio file constantly being updated, like an hourly news break, Zetta will respect the locked time stamp of the embedded cue point.
GSelector users have the added benefit of Zetta live integration, maximizing their work with instant log changes, reconciliation and if you’re adding audio, any new song and it’s metadata are instantly reflected in GSelector. The Extra subtab includes basic shared metadata, including custom fields, whereas the Station Specific tab includes scheduling fields like Category, Mood, Energy, Tempo, Sound Code, Theme and more. Note Zetta’s Hour Restriction at the bottom; red represents that the element cannot play during those times. The Participants tab allows the user to adjust the Artist fields, whereas History will display the element’s spin history and finally the Script subtab can include any desired text, like a band’s biography or a live read copy.
Not only are we back virtually every Thursday at 11am ET, but we’re also headed back on the road for 2023! We’ll be at all the major radio conferences and setting aside one-on-one time for you to present your questions or review specific types of workflows across all RCS products. If you’re going to be attending any of these shows and want to schedule a time to sit down with our experts, reach out on social media or marketing@rcsworks.com.
Speaking of marketing@rcsworks.com, don’t forget to share your photos for our weekly #StudioSpotlight. We’re also hiring music schedulers for a unique opportunity. Find out more about by visiting our career page. Otherwise, don’t forget to check out past videos on our RCS Live Archive and we’ll be back next week for another RCS Live!