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Refining Cuts (missing Trim Tool)
Getting on quite well with Vegas but trying to figure out how to quickly/easily and precisely refine edits without a similar thing to the Avid/FCP Trim Tool.
It would be great if someone who has used the Trim Tool in anger (preferably in Avid) can tell me how they refine curt in Vegas. To put things into perspective when cutting footage (i.e. doing basic documentary/news type interview/cutaway editing) I recon I spend at least 20% of my time in the Trim Tool, so you can understand how much I am missing it.
I have searched the forums and have come up with two responses to this question. The first response is ‘Vegas is so great and packed with lots of features so you don’t need it’, which is unhelpful evangelising. The other response it from people who clearly do not understand what the Trim Tool is. They say things like, why do you need two preview windows to trim clips. This answer is also of no practical use.
So what is the Trim Tool?
The trim tool is used to get a straight cut ‘frame perfect’ without having to stretch things around with the mouse pointer on the timeline. Basically you select the cut where the two clips meet and hit the hotkey for Trim Tool. This shows two preview windows. The first is the last frame of the first clip and the second the first frame of the second clip. You can then add/subtract 10 or a singe frame from either side of the cur. You can then play from 5 seconds before the cut to five seconds after (I think this is configurable and I think you can loop playback). If you add/subtract from each clip the time line automatically adjusts so there are no gaps. The last bit is very useful. Currently if I make a clip shorter in Vegas I then have to shift everything on the timeline after the cut along to fill the gap. YouTube has some training example of using the Trim Tool.Anyway and pointers would be great,
Ben -
3 Replies
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1) create the loop by dragging on the timeline. make sure LOOP PLAYBACK option is turned on
2) make sure RIPPLE EDIT is turned on
3) if you drag the left most clip edge left or right, the right hand clip will move accordingly
if you drag the right hand clip edge, it will either overlap the left hand clip or not, as you will see
you CAN’T show I/O points of both clips as you require – though I’m hoping to be proved wrong….
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Thanks, that kind of works. Are there any keyboard short-cuts associated with this. I would much rather tap a single key than point/click/drag with the mouse. There may be a longer learning curve but if it increases productivity significantly I don’t have a problem.
Thanks for your help,
Ben -
CTRL + L = toggle ripple edit
number keypad:
7 + 9 = select beginning or end of clip, and jump to next
4 + 6 = trim/extend by 1 pixel
1 + 3 = trim/extend by single frame
5 = exit edge trimming mode
8 + 2 = move clip up / down a track. VERY useful
F3/F9 = trim left/right (when in edge trimming mode)there’s more. in the Help menu, there’s a whole section just on keyboard shortcuts, plus you can create your own, of course.
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