Scrubbing is when you drag the playhead across a segment of audio waveform. It is an efficient way to navigate in an audio clip. To open a clip in the Source Monitor, double click the clip in the timeline panel. The playhead appears when you click the audio clip. Click across the clip, forward or backward, to move along or scrub the clip. Shift+T for PC, Control+T for Mac 20 Ripple Trim This enables you to trim the head or tail of the clip very quickly, making an extremely efficient workflow. To trim the next edit from the Playhead use W, for the previous edit from the playhead use Q.
If you're anything like me, you've probably gotten comfy with your everyday After Effects shortcuts. So you might not have added anything new to your finger-fu for a while. This is particularly common if you work remotely, as you miss out on the over-the-shoulder tips that happen in a collaborative workspace.
Sometimes, it helps to break out of that path dependency. So here are some of the lesser-known shortcuts that I use to make my compositing work a bit faster. I'm confident that you'll find something new in here, regardless of your experience level. (Or, if you consider yourself a shortcut sifu, score yourself based on how many of these you already know.)
Caveats apply: I'm a PC guy, so I'll be listing my choices with the Alt / Ctrl key modifiers. Mac users should just swap Alt to Option and Ctrl to Cmd. This article also assumes that you're using a Latin-based keyboard with a US layout. I also use the term CTI (current time indicator) because that's what Adobe calls it. You might know it as ‘playhead'.
The accent grave key lets you maximize/restore the panel beneath your cursor.
` (accent grave)
This key is particularly useful when you're working on complex comps with a lot of layers, or if you're stuck with a single-screen setup and need to temporarily make some room. Tapping the accent grave key (`) maximizes the panel beneath your mouse cursor. (It's usually found under the Esc key and also has the ~ tilde symbol on it.) Tap it again to reverse.
Ctrl+` (accent grave)
Once you've found the accent grave key, you can add a Ctrl modifier to it. This will reveal all the properties for the currently selected layer(s). But, if you only want to view the properties that you've keyframed, then tapping U will do the trick.
Ctrl+Shift+A or F2
Everyone knows Ctrl+A for 'select all,' but most people tend to deselect by clicking somewhere else, and that can move screen focus to where you don't want it. The alternative is to hit Ctrl+Shift+A, or just F2. Not a big deal, just a bit tidier.
Ctrl+K
This shortcut simply brings up the composition settings. Note that you either need to have the composition selected in the Project panel, or in-focus in the Timeline panel for this to work.
Ctrl+Shift+Y
Similarly, Ctrl+Shift+Y opens the Properties panel for the solid or null that's either open in the Timeline or selected in the Project panel.
Ctrl+F
You'll already know Ctrl+F as the Find shortcut. In After Effects, you can use this in both the Project or Timeline panels, and what makes this particularly powerful is using search terms like 'missing' to find missing assets, fonts and plugins. If you're in the Timeline panel, you can view the values for properties on all layers by adding a search modifier for things like scale, transparency, position, etc.
Alt+[ or Alt+]
This is AE's trim shortcut. Select the layer(s) in the Timeline view you want to trim and use the shortcuts to trim and out points at the current CTI (current time indicator or playhead) position. Just be aware that the behavior of Alt+] has always been to leave a single frame after the CTI position, which has caught me out more than once. Usually post-render.
Ctrl+Shift+D
One of the most useful tools to have at your disposal, Ctrl+Shift+D lets you split the selected layers at the CTI (current time indicator). And it doesn't have the extra frame issue of the trim tool, so you could use it as a simpler alternative by deleting the unwanted layer it creates.
I and O
With a layer selected in the Timeline panel, hitting I or O will move the CTI to the beginning (in) or the end (out) of that layer.
Shift+Pg Up or Pg Dn
You should already know that the Pg Up and Pg Dn keys will advance/rewind your CTI in single-frame increments. (You might be using Ctrl+Left Cursor / Right Cursor, instead.) Holding down Shift for either of these options will advance in 10-frame increments.
Ctrl+Home
This will center your selected asset(s) to the frame. Just bear in mind that it works off the anchor point of the selected asset, so elements like text will not be visually centered. If you need to adjust this, tapping A will reveal the anchor point properties for the selected layer(s).
Ctrl+Alt+F
This is AE's fit to composition tool, and it's super-useful for quickly fitting imported stills or clips to the frame size. (You'd have to open the Layers-Transform-Fit to Comp menu option to get to it, otherwise.) Just be aware that it will not respect aspect ratio, so keep an eye open for unwanted image stretching.
Ctrl+Shift+Plus or Minus
While we're on the topic of resizing, if you want to nudge the scale of a selected layer up and down by 10 percent, then this lets you do just that.
Ctrl+Alt+Plus or Minus
And similarly, this shortcut lets you nudge the opacity of the selected layer up and down by ten percent. Alternatively, if the layer selected is a Light, then this will increase the Intensity property.
Ctrl+Alt+V
Ctrl+V is universal for pasting copied assets. Adding the Alt modifier changes the default behavior to paste the assets at the CTI instead of at the beginning of the timeline.
Ctrl+Alt+T
If you want to adjust the duration of a piece of footage, this shortcut enables the time-remapping tool on the select layer(s) and adds a keyframe at its in and out points, which you can then drag to the required position. Obviously, you don't need to apply this to still assets, as these can be retimed by just dragging the in and out points of the layer.
Ctrl+Shift+E
This is an immediate way to remove all the effects from the selected layer(s). To be honest, I'd prefer this to be a function that toggles all the effects on and off, but you can use Ctrl+Z / Ctrl+Shift+Z after this shortcut to achieve the same goal.
Ctrl+Shift+Up Cursor or Down Cursor
If you have a layer selected in the Timeline panel, this shortcut will let you select the layers above or below it. Repeatedly tapping the cursor keys will add further layers to the selection. (And don't forget the F2 key for deselect all.)
Holding down Alt and dropping an asset on top of another will instantly replace it with properties intact.
Alt+Drag and Drop
This is another super-useful tool. If you hold down Alt while you drag a file from the Project panel and drop it onto a layer in the Timeline panel, it'll replace the existing asset with your new one. But the most important part is that all your existing effects and keyframes will be maintained.
Ctrl+Alt+G
This one opens the Interpret Footage panel for a selected file. This is where you'll find properties for color management, timecode, PAR, frame rate, etc. More importantly, it's where you'll find the option to loop the selected clip, rather than duplicating it on your timeline a dozen times.
Ctrl+Alt+Shift+E
I've tried to steer away from four-key finger wrangles, but I use this one regularly as it applies the most recent effect to the selected layer(s).
Double-click the Hand, Shape, Rotate, and Selection buttons
Have you tried double-clicking these buttons? You really should. Each one has a unique response to this action.
The Hand button will center and re-size the current composition in the Composition panel.
The Shape button will create a new mask on the selected layer that corresponds to the current Shape option (Ellipse, Star, etc.)
The Rotate button will reset the primary Rotation property of the selected layer to zero.
The Selection button will reset the Scale property of the selected layer to zero.
Hold down Alt to switch off all Solo layers except for the one you want.
Alt-click Solo switch
If you want to isolate a layer so that you can get a better look at what you're working on, you just toggle the layer's Solo switch in the Timeline panel, and you can set as many layers to Solo as you need. Holding down Alt while you click on the Solo switch will turn off Solo for all layers before turning it on for only the current layer.
Ctrl+Shift+V
Similar to the Alt-click Solo tweak, this shortcut lets you turn off the Visibility switch for the selected layers. To achieve the opposite, you can use Ctrl+Alt+Shift+V. (That's the last of the four-fingers, I promise.)
Ctrl+Alt+' (single quote)
Adobe Premiere Mac Move Playhead To Mouse Cti Free
And finally, you can't really write a piece on keyboard shortcuts without including the one that brings up all the keyboard shortcuts. If you need to remind yourself what does what, or prefer to bake a custom set that works the way you do, then you'll find it all here. Go nuts. And remember that you can save your preferences in the Adobe Creative Cloud so that they're available across your machines.
These were my favorite time-saving shortcuts, but I'm always happy to hear more. And, if you think that my finger-fu is weak, then feel free to challenge me in the comments below. Still need more speed in After Effects? Why not check out Mark Christiansen's guide to making After Effects faster.
Home > Articles > Design
␡- Customizing the Timeline
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This chapter is from the book
This chapter is from the book
This chapter is from the book
Although you can perform some editing functions in the Project panel and Source Monitor, you'll do the vast majority of your editing—and spend the vast majority of your editing time—in the Timeline. Briefly, the Timeline is made up of multiple audio and video tracks onto which you insert content.
The Timeline and the Program Monitor are integrally linked. The Timeline shows the temporal progression of your project, and the Program Monitor shows what's happening at the current frame, or playhead. If you watch the timecodes on the Timeline and Program Monitor as you drag the playhead around in either panel, you'll notice that they are always in lockstep.
Timelines and sequences are also integrally linked, since a sequence is essentially a representation of content within the Timeline. Double-click a sequence in the Project panel, and it opens in the Timeline.
In this chapter, you'll learn how to configure and navigate the Timeline and how to configure the Program Monitor. You'll also learn basic ways to get content from the Project panel to the Timeline.
Customizing the Timeline
Let's spend some time customizing the Timeline and learning its features . We'll be working with the sequence we created at the end of the last chapter, renamed Moscow Tour.
The Premiere Pro Timeline panel.
We'll discuss many of the individual features of the Timeline over the course of this and subsequent chapters, but let's briefly discuss its key features .
- Snap (S). Controls whether items in the Timeline snap to each other when moved. Enabled by default.
- Add Marker (M). Click to add a marker to the Timeline.
- Playhead. Marks the current frame of the video shown in the Program Monitor.
- Timecode. Displays the location of the playhead.
- Timeline Display Settings. Opens the Settings menu.
- Time ruler. The time display within the Timeline. Runs from left to right, usually starting at zero.
- Track header. The area to the left of the Timeline track, where many track configuration adjustments are made.
- Toggle Track Output. Turns the track on and off. When a track is off, its content is no longer displayed in the Program Monitor.
- Toggle Track Lock. This button toggles locking on and off. Locking a track makes the content uneditable.
- Toggle Sync Lock. This button toggles Sync Lock on and off. Sync Lock keeps tracks in sync when certain edits are performed.
- Mute track. Mutes that track's audio during playback.
- Solo track. Plays only that track's audio during playback.
- Timeline panel menu. Contains multiple configuration options for the Timeline.
Adobe Premiere Mac Move Playhead To Mouse Cti Software
Customizing track height
At various times during the typical project workflow, you'll want to change the appearance of your audio and video tracks. By default, the tracks are small and devoid of any indication of the content they contain. I like my audio and video files to reflect their contents, since it helps me edit faster, particularly during the early phases of production. Let's explore some options for displaying more information on the video tracks.
To expand or minimize all tracks
- To expand all tracks, click the Timeline Display Settings button to open the Settings menu, and choose Expand All Tracks .
Using the Settings menu to expand or minimize all tracks.
Premiere Pro expands all tracks . Already we can see a lot more information.
Expanding all tracks to see more information.
- To minimize all tracks, click the Timeline Display Settings button to open the Settings menu, and choose Minimize All Tracks .
Premiere Pro minimizes all tracks.
To expand or minimize all video or audio tracks
- On the right edge of the Timeline, grab one of the edges of the vertical zoom bar for either the audio or video tracks .
- Drag inward to expand track size, outward to minimize track size .
Drag inward to expand the tracks; drag outward to minimize the tracks.
To adjust the height of individual tracks
Do one of the following:
- In the track header area of the Timeline, position the pointer at the top of the track that you want to expand, until the height adjustment pointer appears . Drag upward to expand the track and downward to minimize the track.
Hover your mouse at the top of the track until the height adjustment pointer appears.
- Click the track header area of the track that you want to adjust . Push the scroll wheel on your mouse away from you to increase video track size, and toward you to decrease it.
Click the track's track header area, and use your scroll wheel to adjust its size
- Click to select the track in the Timeline area (not the track header area). Then press Control+ + (Windows) or Command+ + (Mac OS) to expand the track. Press Control+ – (Windows) or Command+ – (Mac OS) to minimize the track.
Customizing video tracks
Video thumbnails are representations of the clip content . You can see them because they were enabled by default, and they became visible when you expanded the track.
You can turn thumbnails on and off even when the video track is expanded, and you can control the appearance of the thumbnails using the procedures described in the following tasks.
To enable and disable video thumbnails
- To enable thumbnails, click the Timeline Display Settings button to open the Settings menu, and choose Show Video Thumbnails . When the menu item shows a check mark, the thumbnails are enabled.
Showing video thumbnails in the Settings menu.
- To disable thumbnails, click the Timeline Display Settings button to open the Settings menu, and choose Show Video Thumbnails . When the menu item does not show a check mark, the thumbnails are disabled.
To control thumbnail appearance
Click the panel menu in the upper-right corner of the Timeline . Select one of the following:
Choose one of these three options for thumbnail display.
- Video Head and Tail Thumbnails. Shows thumbnails of the first frame and the last frame, with blank space in between .
Head and tail thumbnails.
- Video Head Thumbnails. Shows a thumbnail of the initial frame and then blank space through the end of the file .
- Continuous Video Thumbnails. Shows thumbnails throughout the clip .
Continuous video thumbnails.
Customizing audio tracks
Audio waveforms reflect the volume of the audio file, so a quick glance at a waveform can tell a lot about the actual contents of the file. In Premiere Pro CS7, Adobe has changed the appearance of the waveform on the Timeline from a traditional view to a 'rectified' view , where positive and negative values of the waveform are combined to create a single positive value presented from the bottom of the audio track. You can return to the traditional appearance via a control available in the panel menu, as you'll learn in the following task.
Premiere Pro's new, rectified waveform.
To switch to the traditional waveform display
From the panel menu in the upper-right corner of the Timeline panel, choose Rectified Audio Waveforms so that the check mark disappears .
Disabling rectified audio waveforms in the panel menu.
Adobe Premiere Mac Move Playhead To Mouse Cti Settings
Premiere Pro returns to the traditional waveform view .
Adobe Premiere Mac Move Playhead To Mouse Cti -
The traditional waveform style.