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[MusicHawk]

In MC12, Matt kindly change the behavior of option Playback > Audio > Track Change > "Cross-fade (aggressive)" to actually behave like a radio station segue -- no cross-fade at all, just a time-controlled overlap.

Eliminating the forced cross-fade and allowing songs to start and end naturally and fully has been a WONDERFUL IMPROVEMENT. I've used it for many months, many hours a day, randomly (shuffle mode) playing tens of thousands of tracks of all types (ever hear a segue from rock to classical?). Everyone who hears this playback mode (we have lots of parties) comments on how cool it sounds, "just like a radio station". Actually, they usually first ask what radio station is on that plays my particular mix of music, and they are amazed to learn that its my library played "radio style" by MC, since nothing else, including the ubiquitous iPod, can playback with this effect.

Since it's been working so well for quite a while now, I suggest two changes in MC so it can be more evident and useful to others.

1. Change the option to something like "Radio-style Segue" or "Segue (time-controlled)" or "Time-controlled Segue" or "Non-fade Segue" or anything that doesn't say "cross-fade" since it doesn't.

2. Change the default overlap of this option, which seems to be 4 seconds, to 1 second. 4 seconds is way to long -- the effect is horrible and makes this option sound like a train-wreck. After playing my eclectic library for more than a thousand hours, I think 1 second is the best overlap. 2 seconds is a tad too long, and there's no 1.5 seconds to try. (The actual overlap is rarely exactly 1 second, presumably since MC is also looking at leading/trailing silence and other track characteristics.)

If given a suitable name and default so it is easier to discover and works right "out of the box", I bet users who like shuffle/random music will find this the optimum playback mode.

[Mr ChriZ]

I'd think most people wouldn't have a clue what a segue is, my first guess would be one of those contraptions which you stand on with two wheels, however the term cross fade is quite self explanatory, even if it doesn't match an industry standard naming convention.  It does still fade one song in and one song out across two track boundaries does it not?

[marko]

segue's are those metal things some people like to stick in the heels of their shoes/boots to stop them wearing down. aren't they?

they make that much noise you hear them before you see them!!

[smOOzz]

Thanks MusicHawk for pointing out that feature.   I've been happy to use the Crossfade Smooth for many years but now prefer your segue (or whatever it's called).     

How do you set the time gap.   Is there a set gap?     Seems to be the same time choices as crossfades, ie, .1 - some seconds?

Thanks for any advice.

Peter

[MusicHawk]

I'd think most people wouldn't have a clue what a segue is, my first guess would be one of those contraptions which you stand on with two wheels

That's the power of marketing. Segue is in the dictionary, and as a verb means:
1.    to continue at once with the next musical section or composition (often used as a musical direction).
2.    to perform in the manner of the preceding section (used as a musical direction).
3.    to make a transition from one thing to another smoothly and without interruption.

It is THE term in broadcasting and many other fields for "smooth transition" aka movement, so I assume that's why Dean Kamen named his two-wheel scooter the same.

It does still fade one song in and one song out across two track boundaries does it not?

No -- this is what Matt changed in MC12. "Cross-fade (aggressive)" does NOT cross-fade at all, not the ending or starting song. It leaves them at whatever volume they are, and starts the new song slightly before the playing song ends, as specified in the "seconds" setting of this option (one more click to the right). Radio stations don't do a cross-fade, that's a disco-DJ technique to keep the dance beat going. I suggested and Matt agree that MC also needs a radio-segue-style playback option that doesn't mess with the songs. The only questions now are, what to call it, and what's the default overlap (I recommend 1 second).

(There's one major difference between MC and radio/TV stations, and that's live in-line compression of the audio level, so the segue effect in MC is a bit different than a radio station. I haven't yet found an MC plug-in that can do radio-style compression.)

[hit_ny]

If given a suitable name and default so it is easier to discover and works right "out of the box", I bet users who like shuffle/random music will find this the optimum playback mode.

+1 and for those curious to know, here is how it all started