ShowPrepper

ShowPrepper is your AI-powered show prep assistant, built right into VoiceTracker. It gives you instant, broadcast-ready talking points about the artists and songs in your program log — automatically, with no typing required.

How It Works

When you click an hour in the program log, VoiceTracker automatically sends that hour's song list to Google's Gemini AI. About 10 to 15 seconds later, formatted show notes appear in the ShowPrepper panel below the recording deck. Each song gets a bold heading followed by concise, broadcast-friendly facts — chart history, studio stories, behind-the-lyrics trivia, and more.

The notes cover every song in the hour, not just the first one. As you work through your voicetracks, scroll down in the ShowPrepper panel to find the notes for whichever song you're about to introduce. By the time you've listened to the first transition and are ready to record, your show notes are already there waiting for you.

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Click any song in the program log and the ShowPrepper panel scrolls directly to that song's notes with a brief highlight. Great for finding your talking points quickly while recording.

Custom Questions

Need to ask Gemini something specific? Click the ▶ arrow on the left edge of the ShowPrepper panel to reveal the custom prompt box. Type any question and press Enter. Custom questions go directly to Gemini without the show notes prompt — you can ask about anything, not just music.

The prompt box automatically collapses after you submit, keeping the interface clean.

Customizing the Prompt

The real power of ShowPrepper is that you can completely customize what kind of show notes you get. Open Settings (the gear icon) and scroll down to the ShowPrepper Prompt section. The text area shows the prompt that gets sent to Gemini along with your song list every time you click an hour.

Edit it however you like. The only requirement is that it should make sense when followed by a list of "Artist - Title" lines. When you save Settings, your custom prompt is remembered for all future sessions. Click Restore Original Prompt any time to go back to the default.

Prompt Ideas

Here are some ideas for custom prompts. You can use any of these word-for-word, combine elements from several, or use them as starting points for your own style. The possibilities are virtually endless.

The Time Machine

For each song below, tell me what was happening in the world when it was on the charts. What were the big news stories? What movies were in theaters? What was the #1 song that week? Give me two or three things I can use to transport my listeners back to that moment in time. Keep it broadcast-ready and conversational.

Great for classic hits, oldies, and retro formats. Gives your listeners that "I remember exactly where I was" feeling.

Behind the Glass

For each song below, focus on the recording studio story. Who produced it? Where was it recorded? Were there any famous session musicians or guest artists who played on it? Any interesting technical details — unusual instruments, recording techniques, happy accidents? Keep it concise and broadcast-friendly.

Perfect for music-savvy audiences. Reveals the hidden contributors and stories behind familiar recordings.

Liner Notes

For each song below, tell me about well-known artists who contributed to the recording — backup vocals, instrumental solos, songwriting credits, or production. If a famous guitarist played the solo, or a well-known singer did backup vocals, or the song was written by a celebrated songwriter, I want to know. Focus on surprising connections and collaborations.

Audiences love learning that their favorite guitarist played on a completely different artist's hit, or that a legendary songwriter penned a song they never knew about.

Chart Champ

For each song below, give me the chart performance facts. What was its peak position? How many weeks was it on the chart? Did it go gold, platinum, or diamond? Did the artist have other big hits around the same time? Any awards — Grammys, AMAs, or other recognition? Keep it punchy and easy to read on the air.

Hard numbers impress listeners and make you sound authoritative. Works especially well for countdown-style shows.

The Album

For each song below, tell me about the album it came from. What was the album's concept or theme? How did it perform commercially? Was it a departure from the artist's earlier work? Are there other well-known tracks on the same album? Any interesting cover art stories? Keep it brief and broadcast-ready.

Gives depth beyond the single. Listeners who own the album will feel a connection; listeners who don't might go looking for it.

Storyteller

For each song below, tell me the story behind the lyrics. What inspired the songwriter? Is it about a real person or event? Are there common misconceptions about what the song means? Give me the kind of backstory that makes a listener say "I never knew that!" Keep it conversational and concise.

The most universally engaging angle. Everyone wants to know what a song is really about.

Local Angle

For each song below, give me two concise broadcast-ready facts. Focus on any connections to [YOUR CITY/STATE]: did the artist grow up here, play a memorable concert here, or record here? If there's no local connection, give me a great general fact instead. Keep it warm and community-oriented.

Replace [YOUR CITY/STATE] with your market. Incredible for building local identity and loyalty.

Mix and Match

For each song below, give me two broadcast-ready facts. Alternate between different types of information: for some songs focus on chart history, for others tell the backstory of the lyrics, for others mention famous musicians who played on it, and for others share what was happening in the world when it was popular. Variety keeps the listener engaged. Keep it concise and conversational.

This is a great "everyday" prompt that keeps your show notes from feeling repetitive hour after hour.

Keep It Light

For each song below, give me one fun, surprising, or funny fact that would make a listener smile. Avoid chart positions and awards — focus on quirky stories, amusing coincidences, or little-known trivia. Keep the tone light and conversational, like I'm sharing gossip with a friend.

Perfect for morning shows and upbeat formats where the vibe matters more than the data.

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Experiment freely. You can change your prompt between hours, between shows, or any time you feel like trying a different angle. The Restore Original Prompt button in Settings is always there if you want to go back to the default.

Getting a Gemini API Key

ShowPrepper uses Google's Gemini AI. Each announcer needs their own API key — it's free and takes about a minute to set up:

Usage Limits

The free Gemini tier limits how many requests you can make in a short period. In practice, the free tier provides around 20 show preps per day — more than enough for most announcers. If you hit the limit, ShowPrepper displays a friendly message letting you know. Wait a minute or two and try again — the limit resets quickly.

For stations with multiple announcers or heavy usage, each announcer should get their own API key. For truly unlimited use, upgrading to a paid Gemini plan removes the limit entirely.

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ShowPrepper is completely optional. If you don't enter an API key, the rest of VoiceTracker works exactly the same. ShowPrepper just sits quietly in the lower left.