Cross Dissolve question

I am being dense, I'm sorry. So how DO you cross dissolve at a shot change?

I want two scenes to blend into each other over the space of a few seconds rather than an abrupt change. If splitting and cross dissolving is not the way to accomplish this, I must be misunderstanding the tutorials. Please point me in the right direction and I think I can work it out. Thanks.

Man. The vids I've seen and FCP instructions just say to put the playhead at the spot the two clips touch, or select the edge of the first clip, then select CMD-T and drag the edges of the transition to adjust duration. As if that's all there is to it, slick and easy. Well, I have too much invested in this app to be discouraged by putting in the work into figuring things out. So I will keep plugging.

Thank you for all your help. I figured it out, no thanks to the FCP help system. A vital step is missing from the instructions: After inserting the cross dissolve between clips, it is necessary to pull the handle in the upper left of the transition to the center point (where the two clips meet). It is helpful to position the playhead there so you see the spot even after starting to drag. Then the dissolve takes effect (and the audio crossfade, as well). I'm not sure why this is not done automatically, to be adjusted by the advanced user if desired.

Such a simple action to make it work, but not in the instructions and perhaps second nature to veteran users.

I'm cutting one clip in two with the blade tool, at the point where one session ends and another one begins. What I just described works, and applies the dissolve whereas just adding the transition alone does nothing. (Fade to black works OK by just adding it, but not cross dissolve.)

I just watched a couple more videos on cross dissolving. Yep, all they do is select the edge of the first clip, right-click and add cross dissolve, and it works. No further steps required unless they want to change duration or position. I don't know how the !@#$% they do that. When I do the same thing ... I see nothing for the reason you posted in your first answer. I must drag the corner of the transition to the center, which appears to shorten each clip and blends them.

I wonder if cutting one clip in half is different than adding two separate clips to the storyline?

I realize my descriptions and wording might be frustrating, even laughable, to a pro user.

Yes, I added two separate clips and the cross dissolve works merely by adding it. Not so when working with two clips created by spitting.

Just saw your uload message, I will defintely watch that. Thanks!

Tom, that movie is very helpful to a beginner. I think what I did, applying the transition first then dragging its upper left handle to the center, accomplishes the same thing? (overlapping and crossfading)