How to Activate Magnetic Feature for Audio Clips

Question

How to Activate Magnetic Feature for Audio Clips

I’m very new to FCP. I thought I had this problem solved. However, what I had done

was inadvertently move my audio clip from below the video clip to behind the

video clip. Yes, I realize that probably sounds impossible to experienced

users. Nevertheless . . .

My problem is, my audio clip does not have the magnetic feature that the video

clip above it has.

My question is, how do I get the magnetic feature to work on

my audio clip like it works on the video clip?

As I have said before, instructions and tutorials are great when things go right. But,

when things go wrong there’s no substitute for experience. Thank you all for

sharing your experience.

MacBook Air 13″, macOS 15.5

Posted on Jul 5, 2025 3:18 PM

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Answer 1

Top-ranking reply

Luis Sequeira1

Level 9

72,720 points

Jul 5, 2025 11:40 PM in response to CampfiresMike

Clips per se aren’t “magnetic”, storylines are. If I understand correctly, you have audio clips connected to video clips - they appear below. If you want to have these clips to get joined together, filling the gaps: select the audio clips and press Command-G to Create Storyline.

In FCP everything is either on the primary storyline, or is connected to something there. A connected clip is attached to a specific place in the primary.

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Answer 2

Jul 7, 2025 12:19 AM in response to CampfiresMike

No, they did not magically "become magnetic"!

See my previous post about creating a storyline.

Situation 1: clips in the primary storyline

If you were to delete audio clip "B", everything after it will move to close the gap

Situation 2: Audio clips "A", "B" and "C" moved below the storyline:

The three clips are right next to each other, but if you now delete clip "B", NOTHING WILL MOVE. That is because both "A" and "C" are connected to some point in the primary (as indicated by the little stems in the image).

Situation 3: Clips "A", "B" and "C" are turned into a secondary storyline

By selecting the three clips and pressing Command-G, a secondary storyline is created:

Notice the grey "shelf" encompassing the three clips;

Notice also the one single "stem" connecting the storyline to the primary (at the very left).

NOW if you were to delete clip "B", then clip "C" would move left to fill the gap "magnetically".

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Answer 3

Tom Wolsky

Level 10

152,771 points

Jul 5, 2025 3:30 PM in response to CampfiresMike

Is snapping turned on? You can toggle it off and on with the n key.

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Answer 4

Jul 6, 2025 2:37 AM in response to CampfiresMike

"he surprise is that after an edit in the primary line, and then the clip is moved back below the video, the audio clip now has the magnetic feature."

Not really!

You probably just dragged the two portions of audio together.

Here is an example with two pieces of audio connected to one video.

Notice the connecting points! Each audio is connected at that location.

Now if you select the two audio clips and make a connected storyline, this storyline is connected at a single point, and it is magnetic.

The gray slug in between the two audios is a gap clip.

You can delete the gap clip, and the second audio clips will get together, due to the magnetic behavior of the storyline.

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Answer 5

Jul 5, 2025 11:57 PM in response to Luis Sequeira1

Thanks. Every bit of new information is helpful. The FCP learning curve is steep, at least for me.

I have a video with sound. I won't use that sound. And I have an audio clip that I made on my phone in Voice Memo. That's the audio I will use.

I placed the video clip in the primary edit line, and the audio clip below it. When I removed part of the audio, the ends wouldn't snap together like the video clips do. However, I've discovered, at least for the moment, it seems like I get different results for the same actions and vise versa, that if I move the audio to the same line that the video is on and edit it there the ends snap together. No surprise there. The surprise is that after an edit in the primary line, and then the clip is moved back below the video, the audio clip now has the magnetic feature. Any insights to what's going on here is appreciated.

If I can replicate this tomorrow, I have managed to make enough progress to create a proof-of-concept video! Very exciting stuff for me.

Thank you!

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Answer 6

Jul 5, 2025 6:42 PM in response to Tom Wolsky

I appreciate your assistance.

I can see the snapping icon toggle on and off as I press n, but it doesn't make a difference in how the edited clip behaves. A gap occurs regardless.

Here's a second question. If I move the audio clip into the timeline, where I know snapping works, edit it there, and then move it back to below the video clip, will the edits be saved? Or, will it revert to its unedited state when it's moved?

I can't find much information on editing audio clips. Almost everything is focused on video clips. It makes sense that the edits would be similar, but I can't get them to behave similarly unless they are in the "primary" (?) timeline.

And, here's a second, second question. If I get the audio edited, can I save it in its edited state for use in another project, or is it stuck in the project where it was created?

Thank you.

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Answer 7

Jul 6, 2025 2:34 PM in response to Luis Sequeira1

Thank you so much! I didn't know the audio clip has an established relationship to the video clip. This is very good to know. And, I didn't know the gap in the audio could be selected. It never occurred to me to try that. Also, very good to know.

Perhaps by moving the audio clip behind the video clip and making an edit, it broke the connection points, and then the magnetic feature worked when I moved it back below the video. At least that's what happened. I'm speculating as to why.

I really appreciate the help. I think I now know enough to proceed . . . and discover new problems.

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