Final Cut Pro X - 3: Working the Timeline and Adding Tracks

1.  Using the selection tool to move clips in the timeline

With the selection tool (a) from the tool palette, highlight a clip in the timeline and left click and hold to move it around. Release to drop the clip. You can change the order of clips in the timeline using the selection tool. If you create a gap you can right click in that space and choose ‘close gap’.

2. Making a cut in the Timeline

First make sure you turn snapping on in order to lock onto the playhead where you would like to make the cut. To turn snapping on press "N" on the keyboard.
To split a clip, park the playhead at the desired cut point. Then from the tool palette select the razor blade tool (b). Move the mouse with the razor blade selected to the playhead over the video and it will snap too the line. Left click to perform the cut.

3.  Trimming clips in the Timeline

To trim a clip, move the mouse to the front or back edge of a clip and when you see a symbol that looks like this (see pic). Click and drag to trim in either direction. Use the playhead as a guide to line up your trim point.

4.  Transitions in the Timeline

The common transitions to use are cuts (default) fade in, fade out, and cross dissolve.

To add a transition simply drag and drop one between two clips or at the end of a clip. There are 110 built in transitions to choose from.
You can extend or shrink the transition by the trimming the edge of the transition (). A cross dissolve will act as a fade in at the beginning of your movie or a fade out and the end (when your last clip is not connected to an adjacent clip).

5.  Using a 2nd video track

Video track 2 overrides video track 1 and is useful for adding b-roll while keeping your interview audio running in audio track below.
Drag a clip from the event library on top of primary storyline track 1. Park the playhead to assist in lining up your clip. Note: Video on track 2 will automatically be connected to track 1 where you add it. This is called clip connections (see step 27 for more info on clip connections)

6.  To add a title to your video

Click on the "T" icon in the toolbar options above the library. Click on a title below to preview it.
Too add a title on top of video in your movie drag and drop the title above a clip on the timeline. To add it over black video choose a blank space in your timeline.
Once the title is in the timeline, highlight it then mouse over the text in the Canvas and double click to change the wording of the text.

Once you are done, click on the clipboard icon to the left of the "T" icon to return to your media library view.

7.  Editing text options

Click on the ‘Inspector button' (circled button in the upper right corner of Final Cut Pro) to get more text options such as font, color, style and size.

8.  Adding music or narration

Import music files from ‘File’ then ‘Import’ then ‘Files’. Add to a new event or existing event. To move the audio into your timeline highlight the audio clip from the Event Library and drag and drop it below your primary storyline video track. Audio can be trimmed with in and out points before adding it to the timeline (just like video).
Audio tracks will appear in the timeline in a green color.