A life saver for me was the trick with a gap of the duration of 1 frame in the beginning when using music. The problem was when you add music over your item and you would shift edit points, the music would shift as wel. But if you make a gap (option W) in the beginning of your item, change the duration to 1 frame, the music will connect to that gap and stays in place when you are shifting your edit points, And I love your tips! Learned a lot more
In addition to heavy use of compound clips, I synch all my audio and video clips at first, then work with the synched clips instead. Something else a bit off topic - I prefer to let FCPX manage my files in a library so I don't accidentally delete needed media. I have terabytes of media logically organized in folders on my SSD such as Sony Cam1, B-Roll, Zoom audio, etc and I use Apple's file tags to further structure them. Then I import not just the media but the entire folder so that all that organization gets imported with it. Setting up multiocam is a snap with a little preplanning.
A tip. Connecting clips with Command+Option+Click does not work with CAPS LOCK on. Make sure Caps lock is off for it to work. Really great Videos, Thank you Matthew!
Like you, I'm a devotee of Final Cut Pro X. I've been a cameraman and video editor on a freelance basis for the major networks for many years (see DonSmith.TV) and there I had to use Avid. Privately, I used Premiere for a while and was a beta tester for it. When Final Cut came along, I switched and never looked back. Now, if I may, with Final Cut Pro X, I can edit rings around anyone using any other NLE just because of it's the Magnetic Timeline. About Gap clips; an important thing to convey when you talk about Gap clips (slugs, as you say), is that they are TRANSPARENT. That means you can split open your edit with a gap clip to easily make room for a video below the Primary Storyline to be seen. Remember that you can also put Gap clips in Secondary storylines too. Putting the gap clip between clips in a secondary storyline is an easy to make a viewport between those secondary clips so that the Primary storyline can be seen.
Thanks for sharing your background, Don! Love hearing subscribers’ stories and backgrounds in show business. You make GREAT points about Gap Clips (not sure why I called it a slug when Apple clearly identifies them as a Gap Clip 🤦🏻♂️ ). You know your stuff! Thanks so much for watching and commenting - keep that great info coming in the comments as I roll out more vids!
Why did no other video ever mention holding z and ~. Those two shortcuts are insane. I would have saved sooooo many hours. Thank you for making this video, I'm going through the others too and it's the best fcpx content I've found yet, I truly mean it.
Great question, Jay! I had the same questions myself after scouring RU-vid for good FCP tutorials. So I saw that there was a huge void in the FCP tutorial world and decided I needed to make my own that would be a bit different and, hopefully, have more value to all the FCP users out there. The gamble paid off! Thanks for watching and commenting!
These tips answer so many of my recent frustrations that I didn’t even know of! This video will certainly be amongst my most watched videos for a while that I’ll come back many times... Thanks man!
So great to hear that! And glad the tips are going to help you get past some frustrations. It’s never fun to try to make stuff when you’re dealing with so much friction. Thanks for watching!
I really like your delivery style. So many editing tutorials go so fast and I like how you show your face then show your screen. Your pace is really good. Thank you for your help...subscribed!
Yes! I occasionally forget about the tilde key when moving clips (without wanting to bring the connected clips with it), so even making this video is a great reminder and helps form a strong habit. Thanks for tuning in AND subscribing! 🙌🏻👌🏻👏🏻👍🏻
INCREDIBLY important to know all of these tricks as you unlearn track-based editing and embrace the Magnetic Timeline. Another one to know is Shift + Delete. It allows you to delete a clip in the timeline but replace it with a gap clip so the timeline doesn't shift/move like it does when you select a clip and just hit delete. Very important when trying to keep complex audio in sync while doing revisions. Thanks for watching!
I'm certainly hoping that as the channel grows Apple hears our voices in the community and strongly considers upgrading FCP to include some of the ideas we all have. We shall see....
Another brilliant video. Understanding the magnetic Timeline has helped me to be able to edit a project in half the time it used to take. I volunteer for a film school and nothing is more frustrating than to have a student ask for my help on a project just to find it's a convoluted Frankenstein trying to work around the Magnetic Timeline.
So great to hear this! The Magnetic Timeline is tough to grasp when you just dive in - there are a lot of features and tricks you need to know to work with it (and several that I've learned since making this video that I wish I could add in). Keep teaching FCP! Glad I could help a little.
@@matthewTobrien I had forgotten the tilde tip, so I learned some new stuff and refreshed on others. This is an extremely well made tutorial. I just got smart about it and took the course at Lynda for $25 and went step by step. It’s like taking time to organize your files in advance that saves hours later. I even take the time to load all the scene information into my Blackmagic Cinema camera so it transfers in. I’m working on a project now that has three years of evidence in an experiment consisting of 135,000+ audio clips and 5,000+ video clips on 8 terabytes of external drives. To find that one sound bite, that needle in a haystack would be impossible without good organization. And I just thought of one other strategy that I don’t know if you mentioned. There are several different ways to do the same things so it’s important to pick one way and just stick to it. For example you can have FCPX rename files on the desk to the name that you changed it to in the project or you can rename them in the project but leave the original in place, but it’s critical to do it the same way every time. The filenames in my project are made up of the camera or digital audio device name, date, & timestamp. Super important info so I leave them as is. I’ve just subscribed!
Excellent points, and it sounds like you're well on your way in the area I try to get so many editors I know to understand: you gotta be organized. As painful as it is to take the time to do it before you start the fun part of editing ... you have have HAVE to organize everything first. Thanks for subscribing!
Thnks for your'e tut. I use it in my Dutch FB group to explain the use of FCPx. Some people in The Netherlands do not understand technical engels so this helps with a explanation from me...
So glad it’s helping guy and your fellow creatives in the Netherlands! This is what I love about making RU-vid content - connecting with viewers all over the world! And seeing what eveyone’s doing with their filmmaking and storytelling. 🙌🏻👌🏻🤘🏻✌🏻
Agreed! Working on implementing those. RU-vid rolled out that feature after I made all these, and it's been quite some work going back through and marking the chapters for the more recent videos. Appreciate the input!
Well thank you! I've been a consumer of editing channels for years and definitely have my favorites - glad mine is on your list! Thanks so much for watching!
SO HELPFUL! Thanks Matthew, been eating up your videos like skittles! I love having someone with your level of expertise and business model doing great videos like this. Keep ‘em coming!
Super helpful! I've been trying out FCPX for the first time with their 90-day free trial, and the magnetic timeline was frustrating me. This is the first video I came across (after some brief youtube research) about working WITH it/embracing it. You've convinced me to try to see it as an asset. Thanks!
That’s great hear, Paul! And your experience is a universal one for EVERYONE who tried FCPX having come from PP, Avid, etc. It can take a few weeks to re-wire your brain for it and then several more to learn all the features and key commands that really help you LOVE it. Feel free to reach out if you run into any frustrations - I can help!
@@matthewTobrien Looking around today for tips on how to set up a project-how to think through Libraries, Events, etc. Would love to hear your approach-might make for another great video!
Paul Keew Appreciate the recommendation! I’ve got a few intermediate to expert-level videos planned but should definitely take a look at some 101 topics. 🤔👌🏻
all your tips and tricks are great for working in this program and I thank you for sharing that information but it still does not come close to beating all the other traditional editing programs without all these nuances, but thank you so much for this video
I don’t see them as headaches. I see dealing with tracks - especially when doing revisions - as headaches. I see the 2, 3, 4 extra clicks needed to do something in track-based NLEs vs 1 or 2 clicks in FCP as a headache. Check out Thomas Grove Carter’s RU-vid channel for a ton of awesome tips for FCP that demonstrate how awesome it is. Thanks for watching my vid!
Clip connection! OMG!!! What a fantastic tip!! You read my mind. Soooooooo frustrating to try to move a clip without leaving the connected clip in place. Brilliant tip. This one got you a subscriber! Also, I totally agree re: magnetic timeline. So many other great tips, too.
The reason many editors edit 'above the storyline' is because, in a production environment where you have to be fast-fast-FAST, it's the quickest way to slip & slide clips to make changes. It's also the best way to have on deck options for shots when you're dealing with a client who isn't sure what works best. I've had as many as eight tracks, each with a different shot, and had to cycle through those for the client version after version. So this technique isn't so much a rejection of the magnetic timeline but a method of working (usually on fiber) with clients. That being said, the fact that this method isn't an easy option is one of many reasons that keeps FCPX from being adopted in a professional environment with a whole lotta seats and clients on fiber review.
Why not use the Override Connections modifier (grave key) to slip and slide without moving attached clips? Why not use Auditions instead of stacking alternates? Not challenging you - just genuinely asking why not use those tools?
@@matthewTobrien Using Override is still too much thought & time and trimming. The reason *lots* of editors utilize multi-track editing is because it's sloppy. You really don't have to think much about trimming and cutting, just slap a shot on a track, grab it with your mouse, and drag it under or above another clip until the cut works, and then MOVE ON. You might go back and flatten out your timeline later (or you might not). In my experience the Auditions feature tends to bog down the CPU the more you add to it. It's also not as quick to jump between choices/shots as simply clicking the solo button on each track. What seems like a small amount of extra time can add up during a session. And in my experience *anything* that makes the client impatient is, unfortunately, endangering your job. Now, do I cut this way when I have the time and no one breathing down my neck? Sometimes. It depends on my mood. But that's not with a client on the line who's getting screamed at by his boss and this|close to screaming at me (Sh*t rolls downhill, baby!).
Great video. Very informative. There's nothing on earth that makes me think that the magnetic timeline is progress (for what I do at least). I'm doing music videos and music tutorials and it's a headache to use. Everytime I think I've got to grips with it something unexpected happens. Totally unintuative and clunky. The Pricks at Apple should at least give us the option on when to use the magnetic timeline. I regret paying for it and trying to get to grips with it over the last 7 months. I used Final Cut 7 for years beforehand. It worked fine and I didn't have to spend hours going over tutorial video and learning thousands of key commands just to do basic things. Most of the editors I know have switched to Da Vinci Resolve and I'm only one more torrent of swear words away from joining them. I'd jump ship now, but I can't be arsed learning yet another load of software. Apple did the same with Logic X. Their moto seems to be 'if it works, we'll break it'! However I will endevor after watching this wee vid. I think if Apple decide to 'improve' Final Cut they should ask you how it should work (and please make the magnetic bollox optional!)!
I hear you, brother. I know this stuff can be painful. I edit a ton of music-based projects, and I know how frustrating it is to have your timing messed up when you’ve put in a ton of hours. I was FCP7 and made the move to X. I edit concert video content for Gwen Stefani, J Lo, Trans-Siberian Orchestra and when I do I edit with the music track in the Primary Storyline and put my footage above it. I often use Secondary Storylines to give clips magnetic properties but sometimes I just leave them as-is. Editing music-based video this way might solve your problem and keep you from getting pissed and jumping ship for Resolve. Try, though, to commit to understanding the tips in my video. Practice will turn them into habits and you’ll slowly begin to unlock the awesomeness that is the Magnetic Timeline. For me, it’s saved me countless hours and headaches, and it allows me to stay in the creative flow waaaaay longer than FCP7 or Avid ever did.
@@matthewTobrien Aye, your videos will help me. Trouble is I don't really have the time to relearn another bit of software (again) and I wish Apple would just leave the stuff that works alone. They've done the same with Logic. I'm a full time musician, so I still have to practise around 4-6 hours a day even though we have no gigs or tours in the UK. I'm sure I'll get the hang of it. Thanks for your help and encouragement. If you see any of the Fina cut developers before I do, give them a hard kick in the bollox from me! Cheers
@@nickjitsu another resource is this video by Thomas Grove Carter demonstrating how he cuts music videos in FCP, was really helpful for me: ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-iaeux3cGtQo.html
At least Logic stayed somewhat the same under the hood. It just looks way different. But FCPX is just iMovie Pro. It’s awful. I love how performant it is but the workflow is horrendous. Literally the only reason I’m building a PC is for Premiere. Doing 4 whole music videos was a nightmare and I already knew every trick in this video. Hours of googling and finding every trick about FCPX just made me resent it even more and realize that it’s just not for me
I just switched from Premiere to FCPX and I thought I was getting the hang of it. There were a few things that were bothering me though and I thought they were just flaws that final cut had. Your video pretty much solved all of those problems. This was so helpful.
One that I didn't include in this vid (but plan to when I make the 2nd edition of it) is Shift + Delete. If there's a clip in your Primary Storyline that you want to delete but you don't want the whole timeline to shift down to fill the space - use Shift + Delete. It'll replace the clip with a gap clip and preserve your timing until you find something else to add to that part of the vid. Thanks for watching and so glad this helped you level up in FCP!
I have a suggestion that builds on your advice about using Compound Clips with audio. I do a lot of music edits to conform the music to the video. I usually need to give my clients a chance to hear different clips against the same video. So, I may edit three tracks of different music. That takes a bit of time. When I download a music track from a site that's watermarked with a voice (before purchasing) I immediately make that clip a Compound clip. Then, I edit the Compound clip, removing sections, looping sections, whatever, to make it work with the video.The advantage is when I purchase the track I can drag it inside the unedited Compound clip and replace the watermarked clip with the full-quality version and all the music edits still work! I don't have to re-edit the music. A real time-saver.
Such a great suggestion. When I used to use PremiumBeat and MusicBed for my music, I did exactly what you described. Now that I have a subscription to Soundstripe I just download the licensed version and use that, even if it doesn't make the final cut. I've had, on occasion, where post takes a few months and I've downloaded a watermarked version from PremiumBeat and even Soundstripe and when I go to license it the song is no longer in rotation on the site. THAT was scary. Luckily support helped me get a license for the song, but I was freaking out for a minute last time it happened. Thanks for watching!
Hi there. I watched a few of your videos. Love the content. very nice stuff on your channel. Your intricate studio setup reminds me of the things I like to setup in my own space. Stuff that only I can comprehend haha. I just had to also let you know that when I Command+Option+Click I was not able to create a new clip connection. So I caved and went back to Premier. The reason I was trying to migrate to fcp was because I got a new system and was trying to move from Premiere because I like the preset transition in FCP. It may be user error like maybe I don't have something in the preferences turned on. However, the tv station that I'm producing this documentary for has a tight deadline and I don't have any more time to experiment. Thanks for all your tips and videos. I will give FCP another try sometime in the future. I'm a fan of your channel now. Take care!
Sorry you're not able to get it to work. If you're trying to change the clip connections for clips that are in a Secondary Storyline (gray box around them), you need to be sure you've selected the gray box and not the clip(s). If that's not what's happening, I'm not sure what else might be going wrong, but - as you said - it very well could be user error. Especially if you're new to FCP. It can take a while to transition from Premiere, but good on you for learning a new NLE. Certainly let me know if you run into any other snags, and good luck with your current documentary!
Haha - that's great to hear! Seems that quite a few others agree - can't believe how many views these FCPX tutorials have been getting. But I'll take it! Thanks again for watching (and hopefully subscribing) - keeps spreading the good word about FCPX and don't hesitate to share my vids with others who need help!
Your videos are so good! I’ve learned so much from watching you, at the beginning I starting with fcpx seemed like a hard learning curv. Bu you make it so clear and easy to learn! Thank you so much and keep it up!
It’s true - on complex large edits I have stayed away from the magnetic T/l purely as I was self taught and I needed to make videos fast as I left my company job. 4 years in professional filmmaking I’m now at a point where i wish to master the magnetic and not be shy of it. Thanks for the awesome - too the point - no ego / Bull shit video. New subscriber! Greetings from Melbounre Australia
Well I appreciate your honesty, Cameron. I see it time and time again in the forums and on reddit where there's a gray gap clip in the Primary Storyline and all the editing takes place above it. I see frustration when FCPX puts the "gray box" around your clips above the Primary Storyline when you want to add a transition.... I hope this video can be a resource to inspire those who are doing this to take a deeper look at the Magnetic Timeline and all the features, menu options, and keyboard shortcuts that make using it so magical. Thanks for subscribing! Love growing this channel!
@@matthewTobrien that’s awesome dude. Yes I was under the false illusion that I had more control over the edit not using the magnetic TL. But I am wrong clearly
@@camcamwatt Well, let me know if you run into any serious friction and need some pointers to stay vigilant with learning to use that Magnetic Timeline. 👌🏻
So glad to hear that, Tom! Hoping that my other vids (and future ones) will help you to continue leveling up in FCPX. I’ve been using the software for ten years and am still learning new things! Especially as viewers send in their tips and tricks. Thanks for watching!!! 🙌🏻
Thank you for this and for trying to make us love the magnetic timeline. As a beginner (Trial Version) I am more confused than before, and lot of new questions arose while watching. I am not a technical guy, so I got lost a view times. ...maybe it just takes time. I will keep watching.
Hang in there, David! And remember, my video assumes there’s an existing understanding of how the Magnetic Timeline works. Try watching this video from Unauthorized FCPX. It’s a crash course on the Magnetic Timeline for editors used to working with Avid or other track-based NLEs. If you are completely new to editing, check out Ripple Training’s channel and start from the beginning with their tutorials on FCPX. ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-f0C3zfcdldA.html
@@matthewTobrien Thank you Mathew. I appreciate your response. I really got used to the workarounds tcontrol it would be so great if they would just give us an "on and off switch" :) But maybe it is just about understanding the magic timeline better - not sure yet.
Thanks for saying so, Jonathan! I certainly want to produce more tutorial videos, especially ones that focus on the Intermediate to Expert level features FCPX has that a lot of editors don't know about. Thanks for watching!
Basically a 309-to-1 ratio of thumbs up vs thumbs down. That's remarkable! Thanks for this. Subscribed! I was having mag timeline issues, most of which you cleared up, but... Please help. This scenario has me stumped: I've got a music clip directly below a video clip in my primary timeline, but the audio is a couple seconds longer. Thus, the connect point is at the start of both clips. I want to 50% the speed of the video clip (doubling it's duration), but leave the END of the audio clip where it already resides below a certain spot in the primary timeline. However, when I 50% the video clip, the audio magnetically stays at the beginning of the now 2x longer video clip. What I'm trying to do is connect the END of the audio clip to the video above it, rather than at the beginning of the clip. Said another way, I want to make that audio clip independent from the time-altered video clip. Does that question make sense? Thanks if you or anyone else can help!
Heck of a good ratio! I'll take it! And your question does make sense! I would probably select the video clip BEFORE I retime it and hit Command + Option + Up Arrow to lift it out of the Primary Storyline. Then I'd do my re-timing, extend the gap clip that was created after lifting the video clip out of the Primary Storyline, and then once that gap clip matches the duration of the video clip whose speed you just altered, I'd select the video clip and hit Command + Option + Down Arrow to drop it back into the Primary Storyline. Doing that will keep the clip connection between your audio and your retimed video preserved. That's what I've got off the top of my head ... I might come up with something else if I tried to replicate your situation, but I'd have to mess around to see if there's a faster way to get to the same result. Happy editing!
Magnetic timeline is really good for editing dialogue because I don't have to keep moving them or fill in the empty gaps over and over again everytime I cut a part of the dialogue 😃
😇 So glad this helped, Lucian! Thanks for watching! And that reminds me of a favorite movie quote - Phil Connors (Bill Murray) in Groundhog Day - "I'm not A god, I'm THE god." 🤣
And I do the same when I see track-based editors dealing with clip collisions, overwriting clips in other tracks, etc. when doing revisions. Again, FCP is not for everyone but for some it’s the best tool for the job.
Broooo, THANK YOU! You literally made my day and made my future brighter. I had a sinking feeling in my gut when thinking about editing my next video because the magnetic timeline just made me crazy. Now I'm ready to rock. Liked, subbed and have an awesome day! 😍
So great to hear this, Jamie! The Magnetic Timeline is a lot of work to master, but once you do you will be amazed at how magical it is. Thanks so much for subscribing - glad to have you as part of the channel!
I disagree! Definitely not bugs - they're just all the tools and features that you need to know to work with that Magnetic Timeline. Just like track-based NLEs have a bunch of tricks and features you need to know - everything from locking tracks, using the correct key commands to avoid overwriting audio clips when moving shots around, etc. Final Cut just gets beat up on because the Magnetic Timeline is such a huge paradigm shift. Anyway.... Thanks for watching!
