Shortcuts save time, everybody is aware of that. However on this article, we’re going to point out you how one can rework your artistic workflow with Remaining Lower Professional shortcuts. We’ll spotlight particular person shortcuts. We’ll begin with the fundamentals and progress to ones that you could be not know. However extra importantly, you’ll learn to chain them collectively into highly effective sequences. Grasp these strikes to edit extra fluidly, and allow your thoughts to suppose extra creatively.
Shortcuts to the shortcuts
They are saying {that a} state of flow is a “full absorption in what one does, and a ensuing loss in a single’s sense of house and time.” I feel that fairly effectively describes the sensation once you’ve mastered the shortcuts in your favourite NLE. As an alternative of eager about the instruments, your thoughts can focus totally on the artistic decisions.
We’re going to focus on Remaining Lower Professional X on this article, however actually these ideas can apply to any skilled NLE. It’s essential to grasp shortcuts so that you simply attain for the mouse much less typically.
FCP X is already quick, however it’s nonetheless an essential self-discipline to establish repetitive duties and create your personal shortcuts. That’s one mark of an editor who has separated themselves from the gang.
High Remaining Lower Professional shortcuts for FCPX Rookies
It may be overwhelming to attempt to keep in mind the handfuls of shortcuts obtainable to you, so begin with just some at a time. Take them, play with them, and learn the way they will pace up your enhancing. Ultimately, they may develop into muscle reminiscence, after which you may add a couple of extra. Fairly quickly, your fingers shall be flying over the keyboard.
In case you are simply getting began with FCP X listed below are a few of the prime shortcuts you must find out about.
The primary 4 allow you to vary the “focus” space of your instructions.
- CMD-1: go to Library Browser
- CMD-2: go to Timeline
- CMD-3: go to Viewer
- CMD-4: present/conceal Inspector
If you have to discover a sure clip in your timeline, this sequence will open the timeline index and spotlight the search field:
- Shift-CMD-2: go to Timeline and open Index
- CMD-F: Discover
And if you have to discover a clip within the browser, as an alternative of clicking on the search field, strive these two in fast succession:
- CMD-1: go to Browser
- CMD-F: discover
A very good instance
A very good instance of keyboard shortcuts for manipulating the viewer is altering zoom degree—a little bit crimson field seems within the viewer to point your zoom degree. Within the viewer it can zoom in on the image, however in case you do it whereas within the timeline, it can zoom in on the playhead. After which “Zoom to Match” to see the complete timeline or image within the viewer.
- CMD-3: go to Viewer
- CMD-+/-: zoom in/zoom out (maintain to have an effect on the zoom degree)
- Shift-Z: zoom to suit
Final however not least, I might be remiss to not point out the keyboard shortcuts for the cursor/choice instrument.
- A: the common choice instrument
- P: the place instrument (means that you can transfer clips with out the magnetic snapping impact)
- T: trimming instrument
- R: vary selector
- B: blade instrument
- Z: magnifier
- H: hand instrument
Instructions menu
Each NLE comes with a set of key instructions already set. Many are normal throughout not solely NLEs (e.g. JKL), however throughout every kind of applications (CMD-N to create one thing new; CMD-X and CMD-V to chop and paste respectively).
However each nice editor can have their personal set of key instructions they like to make use of that helps them work quicker and extra effectively. Most NLEs can have a technique to customise these instructions. In FCP X, it’s within the “Instructions” menu (Remaining Lower Professional > Instructions > Customise)
The Instructions menu means that you can customise instructions to fine-tune the app to your liking. It can save you a number of command units, and import/export them once you transfer between computer systems.
Muscle reminiscence
Many editors spend years fine-tuning their muscle reminiscence. Your fingers would possibly know all of the shortcuts for FCP 7 or Premiere Professional higher than your mind! So a typical method for customers switching between apps is to regulate the keyboard shortcuts to be a bit extra acquainted.
Shortcuts for Premiere
Shortcuts for Final Cut Pro 7
A very good instance of that is setting your default transition. In case you’re a Premiere person, you’ll know that Premiere’s default transition shortcut is Command-D, whereas FCP X’s is Command-T.
Within the FCP X command editor, go to the “Predominant Menu Instructions” group and choose “Add Default Transition” press (CMD-D). FCP X lets you already know that CMD-D is already assigned to a perform, on this case “duplicate”. Affirm the change. Now you’ve gotten re-assigned the identical perform to a extra acquainted shortcut in case you’ve come from Premiere.
So discover your most used shortcuts and map them in FCP X to present your self an edge when making the transition. One of many good features of this characteristic is that you could save customized units of instructions. That means if totally different folks use FCP X on that laptop, every can use a personalized set of short-cuts that fits their model. These saved units can be moved to different laptop techniques.
Remaining Lower Professional X launched some new strategies to enhancing. So it has some shortcuts that don’t immediately correspond to different NLEs. So I need to share with you a few of my favourite ttime savers.
Making edits from the browser
FCP X makes use of the standard keys to assessment clips within the browser or to set In and Out factors. I typically use the “append” command (E) to shortly add a clip to the top of your timeline with out touching the mouse (consider “E” for “finish”). Or in case you navigate the playhead within the timeline to a spot you should use (Q) to attach some b-roll above the principle storyline (consider the little curly tail on the letter “Q” being the connection to the storyline).
- J,Ok,L: navigate playback within the browser
- I: set an in-point
- O: set an out-point
- E: append to finish of major storyline
One other variation on this “3-point edit” is to make use of the Vary instrument to attract a “vary” in your timeline.
Then navigate within the browser to the start of the portion that you simply need to join and hit (Q). The clip will solely cowl the part that’s chosen. The vary instrument could be very attention-grabbing as a result of it means that you can make choices in your timeline that transcend clip boundaries. You’ll discover that it unlocks all kinds of attention-grabbing enhancing strategies. You possibly can carry out conventional overwrite edits (D). Or strive utilizing the Shift key and experiment with a back-timed edit.
- R: choose the Vary Device
- Q: add a related clip
- D: overwrite edit
- W: insert edit (suppose “W” for “wedging in a clip”)
- Shift-Q, D, W: back-timed edit
Choosing, enabling, and disabling clips
Typically you’ll need to flip a clip “off,” and you are able to do that by disabling it. Hover over a clip together with your cursor or the skimmer (allow or disable your skimmer with “S”) and press “C” to pick the clip. Then press “V” to disable the clip. This system permits you to shortly see how a scene performs with or with no explicit shot of b-roll. In case your skimmer is turned off, urgent “V” disables the clip under the playhead, a little bit circle on the playhead lets you already know which clip your key instructions shall be utilized to. Enabling or disabling clips can be an effective way to check out totally different bits of music or sound results.
After getting chosen a clip, your shortcuts will apply on to that clip. As an illustration, press Management-V and open the video animation properties of the clip. Click on on the arrow within the field below “Compositing: Opacity” and modify the fade in of the clip with out the necessity to apply a transition.
- C: choose a clip
- V: allow or disable a clip
- S: toggle Skimmer on/off
- CTRL-V: video animation pane
Adjusting pace with shortcuts
FCP X options superb retiming options. Choose a clip and hit CTRL-OPT-R to see the customized retime menu. Now you may simply enter a brand new share worth, or enter a period worth, so as to hurry up or decelerate a clip. With this window activated, a seize deal with seems on the finish of the clip and you’ll drag that deal with to effective tune the period. After all, if the clip is positioned in the principle storyline, the FCP X magnetic timeline ripples the complete timeline’s period to match the your clip’s new pace. 
It is very important observe that you’re setting the pace of the clip, reasonably than the size of the clip. So 200% means the clip is now twice as quick, leading to a clip half as lengthy in period. CTRL-OPT-R returns your clip to its unique pace.
If you find yourself doing transitions, it may be enjoyable to ramp a clip’s pace from quick to regular. Shift-B blades the pace of a clip with out splitting it into two separate clips. Now you are able to do a easy adjustment to the pace of the primary or second half of the clip. FCP X routinely offers a variety that does the “easing” for you, and you’ll modify its period as effectively.
- CTRL-OPT-R: customized pace panel
- SHIFT-N: regular pace
- CMD-OPT-R: reset pace
- SHIFT-B: blade pace
Fast Remaining Lower Professional shortcuts from the timeline
Quite than clicking round menus, you should use shortcuts to shortly reveal information about your clip within the timeline. Regulate the colour, test your scopes, swap multicam angles or reveal your clip within the browser with a keystroke.
- SHIFT-F: reveal clip in Browser
- CMD-4: open Inspector window
- CMD-5: toggle Results window on/off
- CMD-6: open coloration Inspector window
- CMD-7: present scopes
- CMD-SHIFT-7: open multicam viewer
Create a set of Remaining Lower Professional shortcuts for audio fades
A extremely helpful set of shortcut instructions to create in FCP X is for audio fades. The instructions for including fades to 1 or each ends of a clip is below the Modify > Regulate Quantity menu. Nonetheless, you may go into Remaining Lower Professional > Instructions > Customise menu to create your personal set of shortcuts. On the prime of the window you may choose the keys for Management and Choice and seek for the phrase “fade”. Now you may see which keys are unassigned. I arrange three customized instructions.
(Notice: Within the image on the prime the place the chosen keys are displayed, you will note Command and Shift highlighted. It’s because they wanted to be pressed to create this screenshot).
- CTRL-OPT-X: apply audio fades (customized)
- CTRL-OPT-Z: toggle audio fade in (customized)
- CTRL-OPT-C: toggle audio fade out
Now your customized shortcuts will even present up within the menus.
You then simply choose your audio clip and use your new set of shortcuts to use your audio fades.
Paste/take away attributes and results
Pasting attributes and results between two clips is mainly two methods of doing the identical factor. Choose a clip and press “Command-C” to repeat it. In case you select to stick “attributes,” you’ll get a menu asking you which ones attributes to stick. In case you paste “results” then all these settings get instantly utilized with out the dialogue field that asks for affirmation.
- CMD-C: copy clip
- CMD-OPT-V: paste all results
- CMD-SHIFT-V: paste attributes (so you may choose which attributes to use)
- CMD-OPT-X: take away results (all results)
- CMD-SHIFT-X: take away attributes (means that you can choose which of them to take away)
If you wish to take away clip attributes you get an analogous dialogue field. You possibly can even do that to a bunch of clips by choosing all of them.
Overriding clip connections
The Tilde key (~) sits subsequent to the number one in your keyboard. That key allows you to override clip connections in you timeline. With this key you may transfer a clip round your timeline with the Place instrument (P) or the Trim Device (T). You will notice a little bit orange icon letting you already know that the override is energetic.
- Tilde: override clip connections
- P: place instrument (a preferred instrument to make use of once you need to “flip off” the magnetic timeline properties and transfer a clip round with the magnetic snapping).
- T: trim instrument
Inserting hole clips
An indispensable shortcut is inserting a spot clip (Choice-W). Different NLE’s discuss with this as a slug. I typically insert a spot clip proper at first of a timeline to function a spot to connect the opening music and supply a beat for a fade in. A niche clip can be created once you push a clip within the major timeline as much as develop into a related clip (CMD-OPT-Up Arrow).
- OPT-W: insert hole
- CMD-OPT-Up Arrow: life clip from Storyline
- CMD-OPT-Down Arrow: overwrite clip down into Storyline
You possibly can push a related clip down into the first storyline utilizing CMD-OPT-Down Arrow. This is helpful when you find yourself cleansing up your timeline. If there may be any audio hooked up to clips in your major storyline, that audio shall be routinely pushed under the first storyline.
Managing your workspace
One other nice use for shortcuts is the administration of your workspace. FCP X was created to work very well on single display screen techniques like laptops. So as an alternative of floating home windows, it depends totally on panes that slide out and in—and lately they’ve launched totally different workspaces for organizing clips or working in coloration.
I can’t stress sufficient how a lot time will be saved, and the way a lot expedient and environment friendly your enhancing shall be in case you memorize simply these twelve instructions. Spend half-hour to an hour customizing and memorizing them. It’ll be the most effective time you spend studying your NLE.
- CMD-0: default workspace
- CMD-SHIFT-1: manage workspace
- CMD-2: coloration and results workspace
- CMD-~: present/conceal sidebar
- CTRL-CMD-1: present/conceal browser
- CTRL-CMD-3: present/conceal occasion viewer
- CMD-4: present/conceal inspector
- CTRL-CMD-2: present/conceal timeline
- CMD-SHIFT-2: present/conceal timeline index
- CMD-SHIFT-8: present/conceal audio meters
- CMD-5: present/conceal results
- CMD-SHIFT-5: present/conceal transitions
Markers and shortcuts
A fast faucet of “M” units a marker, however I favor OPT-M. That shortcut not solely units a marker in your clip, but additionally opens the dialogue field that allows you to title it. That means you may seek for the marker later. It’s price mentioning that in case you kind “M” whereas the playhead is on a marker that already exists, that may deliver up the marker dialog field too. So double-tapping “M” when creating a brand new marker will do the identical factor as typing OPT-M.
- M: add a marker
- OPT-M (or double tapping M): add marker and open modify window
Within the browser, you may set a variety utilizing the “I” and “O” keys. Then faucet “F” to favourite that part of a clip or “Delete” to reject that part. Now you may type by favorites CTRL-F or conceal all rejects sections (CTRL-H). Consider this as an enormous enchancment over making “sub-clips” in conventional NLEs.
- I: set in-point vary
- O: set out-point vary
- F: favourite a clip or choice
- Delete: reject chosen part
- CTRL-F: present all favorites
- CTRL-H: conceal rejected clips
- CTRL-C: present all clips
For a fast methodology of navigating your timeline, hop from marker to marker with (Management-‘) and go backwards with (Management-;) You possibly can even use this methodology for navigating between markers on clips in your browser.
- CTRL-’: subsequent marker
- CTRL-; : earlier marker
Inserting solely audio or video
Typically you’ve gotten a clip in your browser that has each audio and video, however you solely need to join one or the opposite. SHIFT-2 will make it in order that including a clip from the browser will drop solely the video portion into your timeline. SHIFT-3 selects solely the audio for insertion. And once you need to return to regular hit SHIFT-1. I take advantage of this system on a regular basis for inserting b-roll as related clips. It helps hold all the pieces tidy.
- SHIFT-1: video and audio paste setting
- SHIFT-2: video solely
- SHIFT-3: audio solely
Use Remaining Lower Professional shortcuts to make little edits quicker
Typically it’s all in regards to the little effective factors of enhancing.
- Click on on an edit and use “,” and “.” to nudge the edit level over a single body.
- Click on on an edit level and press CTRL-E to enter the Precision Editor. This seldom-used characteristic is helpful when you find yourself attempting to see what you must work with on each side of the edit level concurrently. Then use the down and up arrows to leap to the subsequent level. (The Precision Editor can solely be activated on clips in your Main Storyline.)
- When you’ve gotten made a range within the browser, that choice will stay highlighted. In case you OPT-double-click or OPT-X, you may clear the choice.
- Choose an audio clip and use OPT-, or OPT-. to maneuver the audio clip left or proper by one subframe. That’s excellent for syncing audio.
- Press “N” to toggle snapping on and off. I really like the sensation of snapping, however generally you have to make exact edits very shut to a different edit level with out the playhead snapping away.
- And once you want a fast cross fade simply hit (Command-T) and FCP X will drop it proper in.
- ,: nudge left
- .: nudge proper
- CTRL-E: precision editor
- OPT-double-click (or OPT-X): clear vary
- OPT-,: nudge left by subframe
- OPT-.: nudge proper by subframe
- N: toggle snapping on/off
The ultimate phrase
I hope you’ve been capable of finding a few of these Remaining Lower Professional shortcuts useful. My recommendation is the subsequent time your mouse reaches for an often-used menu merchandise, take a look at the shortcut subsequent to it. Return your mouse to the place it was and power your self to do the shortcut. After just some occasions you should have memorized it and also you’ll be enhancing as quick as you may suppose.
