We would like the tempo (medium/slow/fast) of our music mix to change throughout the day. How do we achieve this? For our main rotation music, do I just create 3 categories – medium/slow/fast – and schedule this at the different times that I want the specific mood to appear?
YES that is the most efficient way to do it.
Another way would be to limit the number of songs of various tempos in the clocks used at different times of the day. For example, for a more Uptempo mix in the daytime hours, on a clock that has 14 songs an hour scheduled, you might set the Clock rule to allow no more than 5 Slow songs (by putting the number 5 in the “hour” box on the clock rules screen. And in the evening hours, for a more mellow mix, you might click the rule on the clock(s) used there to allow no more than 5 Fast songs.
Now, I also have to coach you NOT to do it with clock rules because it is often less efficient in the long run because, the tempo restrictions may be out of sync with the content of the category. Like, if you have a Gold category that is, say 60% Uptempo, then when M1 comes to schedule the evening hours and your clock rule is set to allow no more than 35% Fast (5 of the 14 songs to be scheduled in the hour), then you’re likely to get a whole bunch of scheduling “stops” for tempo rule violations.
Making Tempo-specific categories is the best solution. I’d make two “Gold” categories; Gold/Up and Gold/Down. Then when I want a clock with a more uptempo mix, I’d add maybe 5 Gold/Up and 2 Gold/Down categories to the hour, etc.