What happens if I don't set up a playout pattern for my station?

If you don't set up a playout pattern, PlayIt Live will automatically use the All Tracks track group as the default playout pattern. The system won't let you save an empty playout pattern, so it defaults to scheduling from your entire music library.

This means that when gaps need to be filled in your playout log (such as when clocks don't contain enough items to complete an hour or when no clocks are scheduled for specific time slots), PlayIt Live will randomly select tracks from your entire music collection. Whilst this ensures continuous content, it may not provide the structured programming you want for your station.

Without a configured playout pattern, you have no control over what type of content fills these gaps. Your station might play anything from songs to jingles to station IDs in random order, which could create an unprofessional sound. For example, you might get two jingles in a row or inappropriate content for certain dayparts.

Make automation play from specific track groups

To control which tracks automation selects instead of the entire database:

Method 1: Configure Playout Pattern

1. Create or verify your track groups at Manage > Track Groups and add tracks to the relevant groups
2. Go to Manage > Playout Pattern
3. Remove the default All Tracks item(s)
4. Add items from your desired track groups in the order you want them to rotate
5. Save the pattern

Method 2: Use Clocks

1. Go to Manage > Clocks
2. Add Track Group items for the exact groups you want per hour
3. Schedule those clocks at Manage > Schedule Clocks

Once configured, automation and Log Scheduler will select tracks from your specified track groups rather than the entire database, giving you precise control over your station's sound.