FOH Music Player User Guide

FOH Music Player User Guide

Welcome to the User Guide for the Biltmore Church FOH Music Player
This user guide was designed for 7.13.0 or 2026.3 and up. Features and descriptions may vary for older versions.




Important Policy Considerations

We want to keep Biltmore Church above reproach in every area of our operations. This includes how we handle the music played on our campuses. Personal streaming accounts like Spotify, Apple Music, and YouTube Music, etc are strictly licensed for individual, private use only. Using these platforms in a public or professional space violates federal copyright law and the terms of service we agree to when we sign up. As our reach and public profile continue to grow, it is vital that we lead with integrity and avoid the legal risks that come with unauthorized public performances.
To protect the church and respect the artists who create this work, these personal services are not to be used within the property lines of any Biltmore Church campus. We provide specific, legally cleared playback systems for every space to ensure we are doing things the right way. All staff and volunteers should stick to church-approved audio sources for any music heard on site. If you have any questions regarding these standards or need assistance with approved playback options, please reach out to your Executive Pastor or a member of the Central Production Staff.



Getting Started

Welcome to the Biltmore Church FOH Music Player User Guide!
This guide is your friendly companion for understanding and operating the music player used at Biltmore Church and its ministries. We've created it to be clear and concise, walking you through everything from basic playback to troubleshooting tips.
The FOH Music Player exists in two forms: the Web Player and the Native App Store Version. Whenever possible, we recommend using the Native App Store Version of the player; this ensures seamless playback every time.

The Native App Store Version (iPad OS, iOS, macOS, tvOS)

The App Store version is the most robust way to run music. Unlike the web player, this version supports downloading for offline listening, meaning your music won't stop even if the building's internet does.
  • Offline Use: Once a playlist is loaded, the app caches the data. This is the gold standard for seamless playback.
  • macOS Bulk Download: On macOS only, you can go to the Menu Bar, select “Tools,” and then click “Download All Tracks.” This downloads every track across all ministries. Please note this will take several minutes to complete depending on your internet connection.

The Web Player (Kiosk Devices)

The Web Player is typically found on the built-in Kiosk devices. It streams data directly from the server.
  • Network Dependent: This version requires a constant, active network connection to buffer the tracks.



Approaching The Player / Starting Playback

When you first approach the player—whether on an iPad or on one of the built-in Kiosk devices—you will be greeted with the Ministry Selection Screen.
  • Select Ministry: Simply select the button for the ministry you are listening in on.
  • Select Playlist: This will take you to your ministry's specific playlist screen. From here, select the playlist that is appropriate for the time.
  • Main Player Screen: Once you have selected your playlist, you’ll be taken to the main player page. This is where the music playback originates. Click play to start the playlist.

The player is designed to loop endlessly, so there is no need to restart the playlist each time the track ends. You can skip to a specific part of the track by clicking on any region on the timeline or by clicking and dragging to get to a specific part. You can return to the selected ministry's playlist screen by clicking “Switch Playlist.” You can select a different ministry altogether by clicking the “Switch Ministry” button at the top of the screen.



Updating Content (Clear & Refresh)

Specific to the App Store Version: Because the App Store Version downloads and caches tracks for stability, it won't always see new music immediately. When new tracks are published to the player by Central Production, you must use the “Clear & Refresh” button. This clears the local playlist cache and forces the app to download the latest versions of the files.
Web Player Version: To pull the latest content, users can either click the "Reload Player" button on the main player screen or, if on the Select Ministry home page, touch the Biltmore Church logo to reload the player.



Troubleshooting

Quick Troubleshooting

Web Player displays “1:34” as the track time or fails to load

This is usually caused by a failed network connection, during this time the player is unable to reach the server where the track is stored, thus failing to start.
  • Check the ethernet cable on the back of the device, make sure that it is fully plugged in and that the activity lights are blinking.
Once resolved, click the “Reload Player” button at the top of the screen. Then click play.
If the player does not reload after restoring network connection, proceed to Advanced Troubleshooting; Reboot Player Device.

Web Player stops in the middle of playback

This is usually caused by a drop in network connection. During this time the player is unable to download the next part of the track thus stopping playback.
  • Check the ethernet cable on the back of the device, make sure that it is fully plugged in and that the activity lights are blinking.
Once resolved, click the “Reload Player” button at the top of the screen. Then click play.
If the player does not reload after restoring network connection, proceed to Advanced Troubleshooting; Reboot Player Device.

I cannot find the playlist I’m looking for

This is extremely uncommon. Please report this immediately to Central Production Staff to resolve, first ensure you're on either the Playlist Selection screen or the Ministry Selection screen. Try tapping the Biltmore Church logo. This will refresh the player's connection to the server and pull the latest player code. If the playlist is still missing after this, please contact Central Production Staff for assistance.



Advanced Troubleshooting

Reboot Kiosk Player Device.

These steps are specific to Kiosk FOH Device’s and does not apply to iPad app versions.
This process will take about 5 uninterrupted minutes to complete.
    On the back left of the Kiosk Device locate the USB-C cable and unplug it.
    While the cable is unplugged press the power button on the back left of the device about 3 times to drain any stored power.
    Plug the USB-C cable back in, wait 3 seconds and then press the power button for about 1 second.
    Wait for the device to boot. You’ll know that this is working correctly if you see the “FOH Music” user logging in.
    Once completed you will be greeted back at the Ministry Selection screen.

Spotify Web Player Backup

In the extreme case that a catastrophic failure happens to the loaded tracks, the FOH Music Player is built with a special way to launch a Spotify Web player so that your ministry is never left without music. This option is only available on the Web Player Kiosk Devices.
Proceeding with these steps will require Central Production Staff to reset the device in order to return to the normal FOH Music Player. Use this ONLY as a last resort.
From the Playlist selection screen, ensure that a track is not currently playing then touch on the highlighted portion of the screen.
Spotify will always default to a logged out state. You will need to locate the correct campus login credentials to sign in, Central Production Staff can provide this information in an emergency.