Track types
Video tracks
Stack from top (front) to bottom (back). Support video files, images, text clips, solid clips, and nested compositions. Expandable to show keyframe property lanes.
Audio tracks
Audio-only tracks at the bottom of the timeline. Display waveform visualization at 50 samples/second. Linked audio follows video clip movement automatically.
Default track layout
Every new composition starts with Video 2 (top), Video 1 (below it), and one Audio track at the bottom. Additional tracks can be added at any time via the track header context menu (right-click) or the toolbar.Track controls
Each track header exposes the following controls:| Control | Function |
|---|---|
| Eye icon | Toggle track visibility |
| M | Mute track audio |
| S | Solo this track (dims all others) |
| Track name | Double-click to rename |
| Expand arrow | Show keyframe property lanes |
Clip types
| Type | Created by | Default duration |
|---|---|---|
| Video / image | Drag from Media Panel | Source duration |
| Audio | Drag from Media Panel or linked to video | Source duration |
| Text | + Text button in toolbar | 5 seconds |
| Solid color | + Solid button in toolbar | 5 seconds |
| Nested composition | Drag composition from Media Panel | Composition duration |
Clip operations
Keyboard shortcuts
| Action | Shortcut |
|---|---|
| Cut tool toggle | C |
| Split all clips at playhead | Shift+C |
| Copy | Ctrl+C |
| Paste at playhead | Ctrl+V |
| Delete selected | Delete / Backspace |
| Undo | Ctrl+Z |
| Redo | Ctrl+Y |
| Cycle blend mode forward | + |
| Cycle blend mode backward | - |
Cut tool
PressC to enter cut tool mode. Click anywhere on a clip to split it at that point. The cut tool snaps to clip edges automatically — hold Alt to disable snapping. Press C again or Escape to return to select mode.
Linked video and audio clips split together. A cut line extends visually across all linked clips so you can see the split point before clicking.
Copy and paste
Ctrl+C copies selected keyframes if any are selected, otherwise it copies the selected clips. Ctrl+V pastes at the current playhead position. The following properties are preserved on paste:
- Effects, masks, and keyframes
- Text properties and solid colors
- Thumbnails and waveforms
- Linked audio (copying a video clip also copies its linked audio)
Multi-select
Shift-click clips to add them to the selection. Drag any selected clip to move all selected clips together. A group boundary check prevents clips from overlapping during a multi-clip drag.Linked clips
Linked video and audio clips move, split, and delete together by default. HoldAlt while dragging to move only one side independently.
Playback controls
JKL shuttle
The JKL keys provide professional-style transport control:| Key | Action |
|---|---|
J | Reverse playback (press again to increase speed) |
K | Pause |
L | Forward playback (press again to increase speed) |
Space | Play / pause |
Left Arrow | Step one frame backward |
Right Arrow | Step one frame forward |
Home | Jump to beginning |
End | Jump to end |
In/out points
| Shortcut | Action |
|---|---|
I | Set in point at playhead |
O | Set out point at playhead |
X | Clear in and out points |
Shift+L | Toggle loop playback |
Timeline markers
PressM to add a marker at the current playhead position. Markers appear on the ruler and can be dragged to reposition them. Use markers to flag moments for review, sync points, or chapter boundaries.
Snapping and ripple editing
Magnetic snapping
When snapping is enabled (magnet icon in the toolbar), clips snap to:- Other clip edges within 0.15 seconds
- The timeline start (0 s)
- In/out point markers
Alt while dragging to temporarily disable snapping.
Overlap resistance
When you drag a clip over another clip on the same track, you must push through 100 px of horizontal resistance before the overlap is forced. This prevents accidental overwrites during normal repositioning. When the overlap is forced, the underlying clip is auto-trimmed.Timeline zoom
Alt+Scroll zooms the timeline centered on the playhead. Use the navigator bar below the tracks to scroll and zoom by dragging its edges or thumb.
Nested compositions
Nested compositions allow you to group a set of clips into a reusable sub-timeline and place it as a single clip on a parent timeline.Creating a composition
Place it on the timeline
Drag the new composition from the Media Panel onto any video track. It appears with an orange outline to distinguish it from regular clips.
Creating your first edit
Import media
Drag video or audio files from your file system into the Media Panel, or drop them directly onto the timeline to create a new track automatically.
Arrange clips
Drag clips to reorder them. Use snapping to align clip edges precisely. Hold
Alt to disable snapping for fine placement.Trim clips
Drag the left or right edge of any clip to trim it. The waveform and thumbnail update live during the trim.
Add cuts
Press
C to enter cut tool mode, then click on clips to split them. Press Escape to return to select mode.Multicam workflow
Masterselects supports grouping multiple clips into a synchronized linked group for multicam editing. Right-click two or more selected clips and choose Combine Multicam to open the multicam dialog and configure sync. All clips in a linked group move together when you drag any one of them. HoldAlt while dragging to move a single clip independently of the group.
See the Multicam AI page for cross-correlation audio sync and AI-assisted angle switching.
Advanced topics
Transitions
Transitions
Drag a transition from the Transitions Panel onto the junction between two adjacent clips on the same track. The clips must be on the same track with no gap between them. The transition creates an overlap by moving the second clip earlier. Duration is clamped to 50% of either clip to prevent the transition from consuming the whole clip.
Clip parenting (pick whip)
Clip parenting (pick whip)
Masterselects supports After Effects-style parent–child relationships between clips. Drag the pick whip icon on a clip to another clip to make it the parent. The child clip inherits the parent’s transform, so moving or scaling the parent affects all children. Cycle detection prevents circular parenting chains.
Speed control
Speed control
Select a clip and adjust the Speed property in the Clip Properties panel. Speed is fully keyframeable with bezier curves, so you can ramp from normal speed to slow motion smoothly over time.
Negative values play the source media backwards. Pitch preservation can be toggled independently of speed.
| Speed value | Effect |
|---|---|
| 100% | Normal playback |
| 50% | Slow motion (clip occupies 2× the timeline) |
| 200% | Fast forward (clip occupies ½ the timeline) |
| 0% | Freeze frame |
| −100% | Reverse playback |
Track solo and visibility
Track solo and visibility
Click S on a track header to solo it — all other tracks dim visually and are excluded from preview rendering. Multiple tracks can be soloed simultaneously. Click the eye icon to hide a track from the preview entirely without removing clips from the timeline. Toggling solo or visibility invalidates the video cache so the preview updates immediately.
Thumbnails, waveforms, and performance
Thumbnails, waveforms, and performance
Thumbnails are generated in the background for all video clips. They are skipped automatically for files larger than 500 MB to avoid memory pressure. Toggle thumbnails with the Thumb On/Off button in the toolbar.Waveforms are generated at 50 samples/second and toggled with the Wave On/Off button. Right-click an audio clip and choose Generate Waveform to regenerate if needed.
Slot Grid view
Slot Grid view
The Slot Grid is a Resolume-style 12-column × 4-row composition launcher. Toggle it from the toolbar. Each row (layer A–D) can play an active composition simultaneously, making it suitable for live performance and VJ workflows. Click a slot to activate and play from the start; click a column header to trigger all compositions in that column.See Preview & Playback for more on the Slot Grid.
Related pages
Keyframe animation
Animate clip properties over time with bezier curves and easing modes.
Preview & playback
RAM Preview, scrubbing cache, and edit mode transform handles.
Text & solid color clips
Add text overlays and solid color backgrounds to your timeline.
Multicam AI
Synchronize multi-angle footage with audio cross-correlation.