When setting up playbacks for a show, it is important to think about how they will be used and how they will interact with each other. Only then will you know which playbacks require special attention. As always, rehearsing your playback structure is important. It will help identify which playbacks will get automatically released/offed. Many console on-screen GUI’s and front panel LED’s will indicate in some manner when a cuelist/sequence is no longer contributing to the output. In most cases, an LED will flash or an on-screen button will change color. This is an indication that the playback is on, but not doing anything live at the moment. Alternately, there may be visual indicators if a playback is in the process of releasing/offing. It is important for programmers to know the signals from the console.
—Brad Schiller, from “Feeding the Machines,” PLSN, Aug. 2016, page 57
