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User profile for user: jpjd
jpjd Author
User level: Level 1
23 points

Turning off the magnetic timeline?

Where the **** is the off switch?!?!?! I hope there's an option to turn it off occasionally. I don't always want things sliding around on their own, especially when I'm trying to time something to music!!!! I've been a FCP editor since day one and a professional editor for 15 years, I see how the magnetic timeline can be useful, but if I have to have it constantly engaged I have a feeling I'll be jumping off a bridge very soon!

Final Cut Pro X-OTHER, Mac OS X (10.5.2), mac pro 2 x 2.66 Dual-Core Intel Xeon - Memory: 4 GB 667 MHz

Posted on Jun 21, 2011 8:50 AM

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User profile for user: axis360
axis360
User level: Level 1
139 points

Posted on Jun 21, 2011 9:17 AM

Final Cut Pro defaults to having the snapping feature turned on. In the upper right corner of the timeline window you will find the snapping icon.

User uploaded file

The magnetic property of the timeline is called snapping. Without it, you would more than likely have small gaps between edits where you attempted to match clips together.

Snapping can be turned on and off by clicking on the snapping icon, or by pressing the N key on the keyboard. You may find it may be easier to press the N key instead of trying to navigate to the small snap icon in the upper right corner of the timeline window.


Hope that helps John

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User profile for user: axis360
axis360
User level: Level 1
139 points

Jun 21, 2011 9:17 AM in response to jpjd

Final Cut Pro defaults to having the snapping feature turned on. In the upper right corner of the timeline window you will find the snapping icon.

User uploaded file

The magnetic property of the timeline is called snapping. Without it, you would more than likely have small gaps between edits where you attempted to match clips together.

Snapping can be turned on and off by clicking on the snapping icon, or by pressing the N key on the keyboard. You may find it may be easier to press the N key instead of trying to navigate to the small snap icon in the upper right corner of the timeline window.


Hope that helps John

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User profile for user: jpjd
jpjd Author
User level: Level 1
23 points

Jun 21, 2011 9:31 AM in response to axis360

Thanks for the response John! I think you're getting confused. SNAPPING butts clips together when they are close so there is no gap...like you mentioned (magnetic properties, but not the new magnetic timeline). The new MAGNETIC TIMELINE feature in FCP X is something very different and new. As far as I can tell you can't turn it off. But it appears Apple has incorporated a tool called POSITION which lets you move clips around without fear of bumping everything out of sync. I guess that's the solution?


Something else I've noticed about this Magnetic Timeline that I find problematic is if you add a dissolve between two clips, the back end of the edit seems to slide forward to compensate! This will get annoying fast for music video editors who have clips further down the timeline they don't want to have slip and slide around!

Anyone have a work around?


Thanks!

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User profile for user: jpjd
jpjd Author
User level: Level 1
23 points

Jun 23, 2011 12:42 PM in response to danielfrommilton

Hey Daniel. That link doesn't work.


If it says to use the "P" key to move things or to just avoid cutting on the main STORYLINE track (use above tracks) than that's cool because that's what I figured out. I think Apple should bring back the track labels!!! V1 V2 V3. I don't mind if the tracks are created on their own but I would love if I could say that clip is on track V6 or whatever. Like before. This new way is problematic.


Also why can't I create a dissolve on upper tracks?? It appears that I have to have my clips on the STORYLINE track to create a dissolve...and than when I create the dissolve it absorbs part of the clips and shifts the clips after the dissolve!!! ***?

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User profile for user: Jonah Lee Walker
Jonah Lee Walker
User level: Level 3
613 points

Jun 23, 2011 1:16 PM in response to jpjd

jpjd wrote:


Hey Daniel. That link doesn't work.


If it says to use the "P" key to move things or to just avoid cutting on the main STORYLINE track (use above tracks) than that's cool because that's what I figured out. I think Apple should bring back the track labels!!! V1 V2 V3. I don't mind if the tracks are created on their own but I would love if I could say that clip is on track V6 or whatever. Like before. This new way is problematic.


Also why can't I create a dissolve on upper tracks?? It appears that I have to have my clips on the STORYLINE track to create a dissolve...and than when I create the dissolve it absorbs part of the clips and shifts the clips after the dissolve!!! ***?

You have to right click on the upper track and turn it into a Storyline then you can dissolved (a useless step as far as I can see, but it is necessary now).

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User profile for user: jpjd
jpjd Author
User level: Level 1
23 points

Jun 23, 2011 7:58 PM in response to syntax_r

Hey Syntax,


AVOID editing on that middle layer (STORYLINE LAYER...the cursed magnetic layer). Create a gap on that layer and stretch the heck out of it so you have lots of space to work with ...than just work above that track. I find working on the upper video layers makes life a lot easier. Starts feeling more like it should. Just grab and drag clips around without fear of other clips slipping out of sync with the lower audio track! Hope that helps you.


User uploaded file


I really love that you can expand the clips when they have audio and independently grab and lengthen audio independently from the video and visa versa. Also I like the tracks come and go as necessary. And clips get out of the way when they need to as well by bumping above to a higher or lower layer. That's VERY cool IMO!


User uploaded file


We need Apple to get rid of that middle STORYLINE layer..IT'S ANNOYING!!!!!!!!!!!

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User profile for user: daniel fiori editor
daniel fiori editor
User level: Level 1
20 points

Jun 23, 2011 8:05 PM in response to jpjd

I used to hate Avid JPJD. I've spent hours talking (fighting) to people how Final Cut was better than Avid. But now we got to come back to AVID and that 80's software design.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JT8Wc8g9tH0 This guy is very happy with the new Final Cut Vista, I think he was the The Bourne Ultimatum editor.... No? Maybe I'm confused....

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Turning off the magnetic timeline?

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