Editing Commands
Command	Description
F9	Insert Edit
F10	Overwrite Edit
F11	Replace Edit
Shift-F11	Fit to Fill Edit
N	Turns snapping on or off
F	Match frame
Shift-F	Find match frame and match master clip on the browser.
Shift-Delete	Ripple Delete
Cntrl-G	Clear Gap
Cntrl-V	Make Edit (make blade cut at current playhead location)
Drag below thin gray line	Overwrite Edit
Drag above thin gray line	Replace Edit
Click-Option-Drag	Insert Edit
Opt-Drag a Head or Tale	Temporarily overrides the linking of a clip so you can drag one clip independent of linked clips.
Opt-Click-Drag	Copies clip
Shift-Drag	Ensures you don't move left or right while dragging just up and down.
Cmd-L	Links Selection
[ or ]	Ripples one frame at a time           [ =  left              ]=  right This is when the ripple button is selected.  It does the same thing when the clip is selected with the slip tool selected. Therefore it will slip one frame at a time.
Shift-[ or ]	Ripples several frames at a time (# of frames decided in User Preferences dialogue [option-q])
E	Extend edit. (Trims or extends the clip to the playhead.   Can also set an in our out and use the Extend command)
Shift- (While on Roll or Ripple)	Toggles to the other tool.
Shift- (While on Slip)	Reverts to default selection tool.
Cmd-U	Make subclip
M	Insert marker at playhead
M-while on a Marker	Gives you Marker properties to edit it.
Cmd- ` (~ key)	Deletes Marker
Cntrl- ` (~ key)	Delete all Markers
Cmd-T	Insert Default Transition
Opt-Cmd-T	Insert Default Audio Transition
Opt-L	Makes Audio a stereo pair
Cmd-R	Render current selection
Opt-R	Render All
Cmd-Drag (When dragging audio controls)	Gives more precise control over dragging audio handles.
Shift-N	Makes the image in the canvas into a still frame.
Middle mouse or ← or →	Scrubs 1 frame at a time.
Shift-\	Play In to Out
I & O	Sets In and Out respectively.
Shift I & Shift O	Goes to In and Out Points respectively.
X	Mark Clip
Shift-P	Play from playhead to out point.
\	Play around the current frame.  Back steps a few seconds so you can set running Ins or Outs.
Cntrl-L	Sets playback to loop or not.  (View Menu - Loop Playback)
Cntrl-D	Opens the duration dialogue for the selected transition or clip.
Shift-N	Makes a Freeze Frame
Cntrl-S	Solo selected items.
Shift-K	Jump to Next Keyframe
Opt-K	Jump to Previous Keyframe
Cntrl-K	Add Keyframe for all Parameters.
Cntrl-F	Saves a motion parameter as a favorite when you are viewing the motion in the viewer.
Right Click Keyframe - Smooth	Gives you tangents to control keyframe curves.
Opt-C	Nest Items
Double Click a Nest	Goes to the nested sequence
Opt-Click a Nest	To treat it as a normal clip and see its motion and effects.
Opt-When on Pen Tool	Reverts to default selection tool.
Opt-Default Selection Tool	Brings up the pen tool.
Cmd-J	Change speed.

 

Windows
Command	Description
Cmd-O	Sequence Settings
Cmd-I	Import Clip
Cmd-F	Find
Cmd-7	Trim Window
Cmd-8	Log and Capture
Cmd-9	Item Properties
Double Click Bin Name	Open Bin as a Window
Opt-Double Click Bin Name	Open Bin as a Tab
Cntrl-Q	Easy Setup
Shift-O	Sequence Settings
Cmd-Opt-Q	Audio/Video Settings
Opt-Q	User Preferences
Opt-6	Audio Mixer
Opt-7	Frame Viewer
Opt-9	Video Scopes
Opt ↑ and ↓	When a clip is selected this will move it up and down a layer assuming that there is no clip in the way.

 

Navigation
Command	Description
J-K-L	Back, Stop, Forward Hit J or L several times for faster playback. Hold K-L for slow motion forward playback. Hold K-J for slow motion backward playback. Hold K and tap K or L for frame by frame navigation.
↑ and ↓	Next and Previous cut point.
Shift-M	Snaps Playhead to next marker.
Opt-M	Snaps Playhead to previous marker.
V	Selects edit closest to playhead.
Opt-P	Plays every frame (used for previewing when real time playback won't work, this will play it at a slower than real time rate so you can see the effect).

 

Display
Command	Description
Shift-T	Toggles between various track heights. (Zooms in or out vertically on timeline).
Opt- +or-	Zooms in or out horizontally on the timeline.
Shift-Z	Shows the whole sequence horizontally in the timeline.
Opt-Cmd-W	Show Waveform
↑ and ↓ in Browser	Navigates between bins.
← or → in Browser	Opens and Closes bin contents.
Drag-Track Height	Customizes track heights.
Opt- Drag Track Height	Does a resize on all audio or video tracks depending on which you are on.
Shift-Drag Track Height	Applies track height to all tracks as you drag.
Cntrl-U	Default window display.
W	Switches between wireframe and other views in the canvas.
Shift-F5	Lock all audio tracks.
Shift-F4	Lock all video tracks.
Mark- Audio Peaks	IDs any peaks in the audio.
Modify-Levels	You can change the level of several clips at once using this command.
Cntrl-Z	Turns range check on and off for Luma.

 

Track Controls
Command	Description
Shift-F5	Toggles audio tracks to be all locked or all unlocked.
Option-Click Auto Select Box	Toggles all other audio or video auto selects on or off.  Audio and Video are treated as separate entities when toggling.
Shift-T	Toggles between various track heights. (Zooms in or out vertically on timeline).
Opt- +or-	Zooms in or out horizontally on the timeline.
Shift-Z	Shows the whole sequence horizontally in the timeline.
Opt-Cmd-W	Show Waveform
Opt-W	Clip Overlays

 

Miscellaneous
Command	Description
Cmd-B	Creates a new bin.
Cmd-N	Creates a new sequence.
Cntrl-Shift-Drag Timeline	Lets you scrub the thumbnail.
Cmd-A	Select All
Shift-Cmd-A	Deselect All
Cntrl-P	Set Poster Frame
Hold Option and go to the Windows Menu - Set Custom Layout ____	This will set up a custom display so that you can quickly recall a common window layout.
Opt-F	When looking at an effect in the viewer type this to set it as a favorite effect setup.

 

Tips

Click purple line on the zoom slider to bring the the view over to the playhead.

To move a clip to a specific duration select it and type the duration in.

To ripple a fixed amount select the head or tail and type in the amount.

In the trim edit window with dynamic on, hitting K sets new in or out for active clip.

In the viewer in you shift click and drag an in our out it will move both, slipping the clip.

To select a logging bin during capture, either create from the Log Window or select in the browser and hit File - Set Logging bin.

When setting Hues.  Red = 0 degrees   Green=120 degrees   Blue=240 degrees.

When creating titles, FCP sees * as a signal to create two symmetrical columns. i.e. Producer*Name       Director*Name will produce the result: Producer Name Director Name

If you have a sequence but no links to the media in the bin, select the sequence in the browser and go to Tool-Create Master Clips.  This will create a bin with links to the original media.

To make sure a clip is broadcast safe for color and luma.  Go to effects-color correct- broadcast safe.

To drag sub-frame in audio shift-drag.

When you want to change the filters or motion for several clips in the sequence.  Set the sync mode to open and it will show the clip that you are moused over in the viewer.

To slip one frame at a time.  Select the clip you want to slip then select the slip tool.  Use the [ ] keys to slip.

 

Multiclip Tips

To rearrange clips in multiclip Cmd-Click and drag.

To remove a clip Cmd-Drag out of viewer.

To readjust a clips sync after it is added to a multiclip hold Shift-Cntrl- and drag left or right.

To drag and drop from viewer to the timeline use the Opt key.  This adds the whole multiclip to your sequence.

To cut to another clip using the keyboard hit Cmd- #(on the numeric pad)