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.
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 TH-cam 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!
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!
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!
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!
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!
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! 🙌🏻👌🏻👏🏻👍🏻
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!
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!
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 TH-cam content - connecting with viewers all over the world! And seeing what eveyone’s doing with their filmmaking and storytelling. 🙌🏻👌🏻🤘🏻✌🏻
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!).
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!
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!
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. 🤔👌🏻
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.
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!
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!
Agreed! Working on implementing those. TH-cam 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!
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....
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!
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!
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. th-cam.com/video/f0C3zfcdldA/w-d-xo.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.
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 TH-cam channel for a ton of awesome tips for FCP that demonstrate how awesome it is. Thanks for watching my vid!
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!!! 🙌🏻
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!
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!
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: th-cam.com/video/iaeux3cGtQo/w-d-xo.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
Great video! The magnetic timeline is so powerful. Bums me out a bit when I see people trying to avoid it. Once you really embrace it, you WILL be a faster and dare I say a better editor. It really truly allows you to focus on the edit instead of doing tons of extra button pushes to achieve the same effect. Again great work!
"Better editor"??? I won 6 Emmys using Avid Newscutter and Media Composer systems, everything from half-hour shows to daily news stories. I think it's a bit of a stretch to suggest any piece of software makes you "better" at your craft, just as it would be as ridiculous to say a $10,000 camera makes you a better photographer than a $500 one. They're all just tools. It's the brain above the keyboard that makes the award-winning decisions! IMHO.
@@3DJunkieDude In a world where deadlines keep getting tighter and tighter, I believe we need better TOOLS to meet those demands. If the tools didn’t matter then we would all still be working on a Moviola…. So while the software doesn’t make you a better editor per se, a good editor might be able to achieve a better product with better tools… Again under tighter time constraints. In my opinion, better faster tools give me more time to play, to experiment with a project, sometimes though not always, allowing me to find something that works better because the tools allows me to do it while under the pressure of a condensed timeline for delivery. When I’ve had slower tools that make changes more difficult I may not be able to try out different things. I mean who knows maybe more time to play will make the edits worse. But I doubt it.
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!
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!
😇 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." 🤣
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. 👌🏻
@@matthewTobrien Yeesss! Nice. Can't wait. I do all of my editing in FCPX as well. Including my 360/VR work, which is 8K, 3D stereoscopic 360 video - which has some amazing tools in FCPX.
What tips do you have to help us all get cuddly and cozy with the Magnetic Timeline?
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
Jaap van Willigen Yup, that’s a good trick. Thanks for sharing. Glad some of my tips have been helpful, too! 👌🏻🤘🏻
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.
Good job Bro ,Love From India 🇮🇳
@@austinevplab7167 Can’t believe I didn’t reply to this! But it sounds like you‘ve got a solid workflow and some great organization. Love it!
Thanks!
You’re welcome!
01:19 - Clip Connections
03:02 - Tilde Key
04:26 - Slugs
04:49 - CMD + OPT + Arrow (Lifting Clips)
05:42 - Compound Clips
08:11 - Secondary Story Lines
09:48 - Position Tool
If I had seen this video 10 years ago, man 🤣🔥 would’ve saved me so many hours. Thanks man!
Haha - good to know! Wish i would have thought to make TH-cam videos for FCPX ten years ago! 🤷🏻♂️ Thanks for watching!
Wonderful delivery. Being a bit of a philistine, your explanations are great. Thank you
Haha - love it. My Dad used to call me and my brother “Philistines” when we’d plague him endlessly. 🤣 Appreciate you watching my vid!
My favorite FCP channel on YT. Thanks a million
Whoa! High praise! Thanks so much!!! More FCPX content coming soon! 🙌🏻
OMG Command + Option + Click 😭
I was locking for this for such a long time... THAAANNNKKK YOOOUUU
Ohhhhh that's a good one. Get ready to go "next level" with your Magnetic Timeline skills!
Thats how I felt about the P
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 TH-cam 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!
@@matthewTobrien Awesome, keep up the good work :D
First hour into using Final Cut (always been Avid, Premiere) and you answered my question about clip connections ALMOST IMMEDIATELY. Thank you sir
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!
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!
Great tip!
Best FCPX channel if you really want to become efficient with FC. Awesome. Very happy to have found this channel.
So appreciate that, Houston! Thanks so much for watching and supporting the channel. 🙌🏻🤘🏻
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!
Yes yes...command option click.....thank you.
You're welcome! Thanks for watching!
This helped me out BIG TIME! I was working outside of the primary storyline and couldn’t figure out why it wasn’t “magnetic”. Good stuff.
So great to hear! Keep mastering the Magnetic Timeline! 🧲🎞
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!
you are doing great brother...
Thanks!!!
These tips have really helped tame my frustration level. A gold mine of answers that I have been looking for. Thanks.
That’s the mission! Help creators learn the tools so they spend less time frustrated and more time in the creative flow. Glad my vid helped! 🙌🏻🤘🏻
This is a great refresher for anyone, being a beginner or longtime user. I seem to forget using the ~key until I'm reminded. Cheers
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! 🙌🏻👌🏻👏🏻👍🏻
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!
You’re welcome and thanks for the kind words. I try to be thorough! So glad you got value from the video! Happy editing! 🤘🏻✌🏻
Matthew - every tutorial is golden.. thank you so much..
Thank you! Appreciate the kind word and thanks 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!
Mmmmm Skittles. 🤤 Thanks for watching! 👌🏻
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 TH-cam content - connecting with viewers all over the world! And seeing what eveyone’s doing with their filmmaking and storytelling. 🙌🏻👌🏻🤘🏻✌🏻
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!).
You're an absolute star, thank you so much for this!
You’re welcome, Waleed! Thanks for watching!
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!
I am watching a lot of editing channels and this is one of my favourite ones. Thank you so much!
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!
Great video!, thank you!
My pleasure! Thanks for watching, Will!
I always find myself coming to your chan nel every time i have questions myself. Good stuff! 👍
Great to hear, Edwin! Thanks for watching and coming back to the channel when you need it!
Thank you so so much. And your flow, tone and clear instructions make it very pleasant to watch and learn tricks.
You're welcome! And thanks for the compliment! Keep leveling up your editing!
Matthew, you tutorials are utter salvation! Thanks beyond much! Thrilled new subscriber here. 💛🙏🏼
So glad to hear that Glen! And thanks for subscribing! Welcome to the channel! 🙌🏻🤘🏻
Changing the clip connections is key!! Looking forward to watching more of your FCPX videos!
Agreed! And thanks for checking out the other vids on the channel, Matt. Welcome!
Being able to change clip connections is such a game changer! Great video!
Isn't it, though!? I was 🤯 when I learned that one a few years back. Thanks for watching!
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 Wow, very generous! Thank you!
@@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. 🤔👌🏻
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.
So good, right? Thanks for subscribing!!! 🙌🏻
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!
@@matthewTobrien 🔥🔥
Dude, you are blowing my mind with your videos. The information value is super high! Keep up the good work!
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!
@@matthewTobrien subbed with the speed of light, and will share!
Awesome!!!!
very helpful. good pace. good to see you and to see the screenshots where relevant. would be helpful to have shortcuts in the video description.
Agreed! Working on implementing those. TH-cam 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!
there is a TON of valued tips and short cuts, amazing ! thanks again...
You're welcome, Dénes! Thanks for watching!
Absolutely awesome. Well done putting all clear and nice.
Appreciate that, Justas! And thanks for watching! 🙌🏻
These tips are golden 👌🏼 Thank you!
You’re welcome! Thanks for watching!
Bravo! It's a wonder why some of your ideas aren't already the default setting in FCPX. Thank you.
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....
Unreal video mate, so so useful and so very well explained. New sub.
Welcome to the channel! So glad this video was helpful.
Can we please appreciate how awesome this video and your whole channel is? I learned so much, wow. Thank you very much!!!
Appreciate that! Welcome to the channel! 🙌🏻🤘🏻
Superb video. "I'm the click commander."
Haha - thanks so much! And thanks for watching. Very much appreciated.
Excellent tutorial! I so needed to know how to change those clip connections ;) That has plagued me for sometime.... Thank you Mathew!
An absolute must-know tip! Glad it will help your editing! 🎬⌨️
superb. big time savers. nicely presented. thanks!
Thanks, Frank! And thanks for watching. 🙌🏻👌🏻
Thank for the tips!
You’re welcome!
This is gold. Thank you.
You're welcome! Thanks for watching!
Fabulous tutorial - thanks so much
You're welcome, Angelo! Thanks for watching!
Very useful information. Thank you .
It will more helpful if you explain in importing tap about Create Optimized Media & Create proxy
I love FCPX and magnetic timeline!
Me too, Sanja!
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!
thank you for theses excellent pointers!!
Glad they helped!
Great info, as usual. Thank you so much.
You're welcome, Sean! Hope your Magnetic Timeline skills have leveled up!
Excellent instructions.
Thanks and thanks for watching!
Thanks! Love the recap at the end too!
You're welcome, Andrea! Thanks for watching!
This is so helpful. Thanks a lot. I still feel the title should be “7 FCP X timeline bugs and how to fix them”
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!
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.
th-cam.com/video/f0C3zfcdldA/w-d-xo.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.
Great job explaining the magnetic timeline. I am new to FCP and learned a lot. WELL DONE - just subscribed to your channel
Thanks for subscribing, Allen! And welcome to the channel!
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 TH-cam channel for a ton of awesome tips for FCP that demonstrate how awesome it is. Thanks for watching my vid!
@@matthewTobrien I appreciate your replies and information. Thank you so much!
OMG! This is super helpful! Thanks!
Great to hear that! Thanks for watching!
Really useful tutorial, best I've seen on the Magnetic Storyline
Welllllll that sure is nice to hear! Thanks for watching!
Brilliant! Thank you!
You're so welcome! Thanks for watching!
Great video, thanks! As a recent (within the last year) FCPX user I have found your tips very helpful.
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!!! 🙌🏻
awesome thanks
You're welcome! Thanks for watching.
always great to learn new stuff! thanks for your video
You’re welcome!
Super helpful, Matthew. Thank you for breaking down the Magnetic Timeline!
My pleasure! Thanks for watching!
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!
These are some great tips! Thank you
SUBBBED
Thanks, Michael! Thanks for watching!
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!
Greatly appreciate that, Marcus! So glad the video helped you on your FCP journey. Thanks for watching!
Aaaahh. Clip Connection is what it’s called, I love this! Definitely learned a lot from you tonight. 👍🏼 Thanks a lot 🤙🏼💙😍🙌🏼
You're welcome! Thanks for watching!
Thank you very much, that is very helpful video. Keep it up!
So glad it helped! Thanks for watching and happy editing! 🎬⌨️
Can't live without it.
Agreed!
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: th-cam.com/video/iaeux3cGtQo/w-d-xo.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
very very helpful. CMD OPT Click. Wish i knew that years ago
I said the same thing when I learned it... 😝
this is what i was looking for...thanks man
You’re welcome! Thanks for watching! 🙌🏻🤘🏻
Hi, it was informative and useful, Thank You!
You’re welcome! Thanks for watching! 🙌🏻👌🏻
Great video! The magnetic timeline is so powerful. Bums me out a bit when I see people trying to avoid it. Once you really embrace it, you WILL be a faster and dare I say a better editor. It really truly allows you to focus on the edit instead of doing tons of extra button pushes to achieve the same effect. Again great work!
Thanks, buddy! And I couldn’t agree more about the 🧲 timeline!
"Better editor"??? I won 6 Emmys using Avid Newscutter and Media Composer systems, everything from half-hour shows to daily news stories. I think it's a bit of a stretch to suggest any piece of software makes you "better" at your craft, just as it would be as ridiculous to say a $10,000 camera makes you a better photographer than a $500 one. They're all just tools. It's the brain above the keyboard that makes the award-winning decisions!
IMHO.
@@3DJunkieDude In a world where deadlines keep getting tighter and tighter, I believe we need better TOOLS to meet those demands. If the tools didn’t matter then we would all still be working on a Moviola…. So while the software doesn’t make you a better editor per se, a good editor might be able to achieve a better product with better tools… Again under tighter time constraints. In my opinion, better faster tools give me more time to play, to experiment with a project, sometimes though not always, allowing me to find something that works better because the tools allows me to do it while under the pressure of a condensed timeline for delivery. When I’ve had slower tools that make changes more difficult I may not be able to try out different things. I mean who knows maybe more time to play will make the edits worse. But I doubt it.
Hi! How do you change the clip connection of audios?
Same as video clips. Select the audio clip, press Command + Option + Click on the spot on the audio clip where you want the connection to be. 🤘🏻
Solved so much of my frustrations. Thank you!
Great to hear that! 🙌🏻
Thank you so much for this video. Very Helpful!
So glad to hear it! Thanks for watching. 🤘🏻✌🏻
Great Video Matt! Really informative! There need to be more final cut tutorials like this cause a lot of them aren't great!
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!
Thank you so much. Very useful tips, I really appreciate, esp I am new to FCPX. Subscribed 👍😄
Glad they'll help you with FCP, Henny!
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!
You're a god. Thank you!
😇 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." 🤣
Thank you thank you thank you!
You're very welcome! Thanks for watching!
new subscriber. great and easy to follow tutorial.thank you.
Love it. Welcome to the channel, Vincent!
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. 👌🏻
@@matthewTobrien amazing Sir! Will do. Really appreciate you!
This is awesome, thanks.
You're welcome!
MAN! Im so happy saw this video!!! SUBSCRIBED!!!
Glad you found it too! Spread the word! And thanks for watching. 🙌🏻🤘🏻
Thank you! I could NOT figure out how to detach the clip connection! New Sub! Blessings
Glad it helped! More FCPX videos coming.... 👌🏻
Very good tips, thanks
Thanks for watching!
Mind is Blown!!
🤯🤯🤯
lifesaver vid
Thanks and thanks for watching!
thank you this is what im looking for
Glad you found it!
awesome ! thanks for the tips!
You’re welcome! Thanks for watching! 🙌🏻👌🏻
This video is amazing. This will take my editing to the next level. Thanks 👏🏼🙏🏼
So glad to hear that! More tutorials coming....
@@matthewTobrien Yeesss! Nice. Can't wait. I do all of my editing in FCPX as well. Including my 360/VR work, which is 8K, 3D stereoscopic 360 video - which has some amazing tools in FCPX.
another great tutorial!
Thank you! 🙌🏻
THANK YOU !
You’re welcome! Thank YOU for watching!
Great tutorial! Some really awesome tips in there.
Yeah, buddy! 🙌🏻