Trim and Ripple
Trimming adjusts clip edges without cutting. Ripple mode shifts downstream clips when you trim, keeping the edit tight.
Cut removes a segment between two points. Trim adjusts one edge of a clip. Trimming is more precise and non-destructive — you can always re-extend a trimmed edge.
Trimming with the Mouse
With Selection Tool (S) active:
Hover over the left or right edge of a clip
→ Cursor changes to ◄ resize marker
Click and drag → trim the clip edge
Behavior without Ripple:
- Trimming left edge: extends or retracts the clip start
- Trimming right edge: extends or retracts the clip end
- No downstream clips move
Behavior with Ripple:
- When you trim, all clips after the edited clip shift automatically
Trimming with Keyboard
Select clip on timeline (S, then click)
) (right parenthesis) → Trim End: cut from playhead to clip end (delete remainder)
( (left parenthesis) → Trim Start: cut from clip start to playhead (delete up to playhead)
These are "Resize Item End" and "Resize Item Start" — they cut and delete simultaneously.
Position your playhead at the exact frame where you want the clip to start or end, then press ( or ). This is the fastest precise trim method.
Trim to Playhead — Step by Step
Trim start (remove beginning up to playhead):
1. L or Left/Right → navigate playhead to desired new start point
2. Click the clip to select it (S tool)
3. Press ( → clip start trims to playhead position
Trim end (remove content after playhead):
1. L or Left/Right → navigate playhead to desired new end point
2. Click the clip to select it (S tool)
3. Press ) → clip end trims to playhead position
Resize Only Audio or Video Part
For a video clip with linked audio, trim only one part:
Shift+resize (drag edge with Shift held)
→ Resizes only the video part OR only the audio part
without affecting the linked counterpart
Only possible with mouse. Useful when:
- Audio continues but video should end earlier
- Video has a black frame but audio is still needed
Moving Clips Keyboard-Style
Select clip → Shift+G (Grab Current Item)
→ Now use Left/Right arrow keys to move the clip
→ Press Enter or Esc to confirm/cancel
This moves the clip with full keyboard control, no mouse needed.
Slip Tool
The Slip tool moves the clip content without changing the clip position or duration on the timeline:
Enable Slip: Toolbar → Slip tool (no default key — assign via Ctrl+Alt+,)
With Slip active:
Drag clip left/right → content shifts inside the clip boundary
left/right keys → slip frame by frame
Use case:
You trimmed a clip to 10 seconds. The wrong 10 seconds is showing.
Slip to reveal different content within the same clip boundary.
Multiple Clip Slip (Batch Slip)
Select all clips you want to slip: Shift+click each
Enable Slip tool
Shift+move → all selected clips slip simultaneously
Ripple Trim to Playhead
Ripple trim deletes AND shifts downstream clips:
Select clip → position playhead inside clip
( → ripple trim start: removes start section, all clips shift left
) → ripple trim end: removes end section, nothing shifts (end of clip)
For full ripple with gap removal, use the Extract method after trimming.
Adjusting Clip Speed
Ctrl+drag (drag clip edge while holding Ctrl)
→ Adjusts playback speed of the clip
→ Faster = shorter clip, Slower = longer clip
For precise speed control:
Right-click clip → Change Speed
Set percentage: 200% = 2x speed, 50% = half speed
Screencast use case: Speed up sections where you type slowly or navigate menus. Set to 150% for "fast-forward through configuration" segments.
Keyboard Reference
| Action | Shortcut |
|---|---|
| Selection Tool | S |
| Trim start to playhead | ( |
| Trim end to playhead | ) |
| Grab clip for keyboard move | Shift+G |
| Resize audio only / video only | Shift+drag (mouse) |
| Adjust clip speed | Ctrl+drag (mouse) |
| Change speed dialog | Right-click → Change Speed |
Common Trim Mistakes
| Mistake | Fix |
|---|---|
| Trimmed too far | Ctrl+Z OR drag edge back out |
| Trimmed video without audio | Re-enable link: Right-click → link audio/video |
| Created gap after trim | Select gap → Shift+Del (extract gap) |
| Wrong clip selected | Click empty space to deselect, then click correct clip |
Hands-On Practice
1. Open project with a clip on V1
2. Activate Selection tool: S
3. Practice mouse trim:
Hover left edge → drag right (removes start)
Hover right edge → drag left (removes end)
Check that source material extends beyond (trim is non-destructive)
4. Practice keyboard trim:
Navigate playhead to a position inside the clip
Press ( → watch clip start trim to playhead
Ctrl+Z to undo
5. Navigate playhead to another position
Press ) → watch clip end trim to playhead
Ctrl+Z to undo
6. Practice Grab+Move:
Click clip → Shift+G
Press Left/Right → clip moves
Press Enter → confirm position
7. Right-click clip → Change Speed → set to 150%
Preview: Space → note faster playback
Ctrl+Z to undo if not needed