Sub Frame Audio Editing in Final Cut Pro 7

As has been reported, blogged and discussed ad infinitum, FCP X was revealed last week at the Supermeet during NAB in Las Vegas.

One of the many new features being touted is sample-accurate editing. That's great, except that it's not new.

From the FCP7 Help file:

"While the smallest unit of video is a single frame, the smallest adjustable unit of audio in Final Cut Pro is 1/100 of a frame. Audio level and pan keyframes, as well as the sync between the video and audio tracks of a clip, can be set with an accuracy of 1/100 of a frame."

Here's how to do it: Load an audio clip into the viewer. Take a second to relish that act. The viewer is going away in the next version. Next, set the playhead at approximately the spot you'd like to set your in point. Zoom in as far as you can. Notice how the playhead highlights a small section of the wave form? That is the length of a frame. The in point is currently set at the top of the frame. See all that juicy waveform goodness in that section? Wanna get more accurate with your in point? Of course you do. Hold down the shift key as you click and drag. The highlighted area moves along the waveform at 1/100 of a frame increments instead of a frame at a time. When you've got the playhead at a more precise point Set your new in point. The waveform kinda readjusts itself and you've just selected a subframe in point for your audio. Now edit your clip as normal.

Unfortunately, this only works in the viewer, not in the timeline. I'm guessing that's really what's new in FCP X, timeline sample accurate editing.

Hope you find this quick and dirty tutorial useful.
Tim
Wilsbach Entertainmnet
www.wilsbach.tv

Category:

Howto & Style

Tags:

• FCP7
• Final Cut Pro
• FCP X
• Sub Frame
• sample
• editing
• tutorial