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Arrange and edit multitrack clips with Audition

Last updated on May 16, 2021

When you insert an audio file in the Multitrack Editor, the file becomes a clip on the selected track. You can easily move clips to different tracks or timeline positions. You can also edit clips nondestructively, trimming their start and end points, crossfading them with other clips, and more.

To arrange clips in the Editor panel, you use the Move or Time Selection tools.

Select and move clips

Do any of the following:
- To select an individual clip, click it in the Editor panel.
- To select all clips in selected tracks, choose Edit > Select > All Clips In Selected Track.
- To select all clips in a session, choose Edit >Select > Select All.
- To move selected clips, select the Move tool in the toolbar, and then drag the clips. Or choose Clip > Nudge Right or Nudge Left to move clips one pixel at a time. (If you zoom in to see individual samples, nudging moves clips one sample at a time.)
Note:

To move clips with the Time Selection tool , right‑click and drag (similar to the Hybrid tool technique in previous versions). You can also drag the clip header with any tool.

Snap to clip endpoints

Snapping lets you quickly align clips with other clips. If snapping is enabled, both dragged clips and the current‑time indicator snap to selected items. While you drag a clip, a white line appears in the Editor panel when snapping points meet.

To enable snapping for selected items, click the Toggle Snapping icon at the top of the Editor panel.
Choose Edit > Snapping > Snap To Clips.

For more information, see Snap to loop beats and Snap to markers, rulers, frames, and zero crossings.

Overlapping Clips

When clips overlap each other without crossfading, only the top-most clip plays.

You can change the order of the clips using any one of the following method :

• Select the Bring Clip to Front or Send Clip to Back command from the clip section of the main menu to rearrange the selected clip.
• Select the Bring Clip to Front or Send Clip to Back command from the clip context menu to rearrange the clip. In case a clip overlaps other clips, the clips are listed in the Bring Clip to Front sub-menu where they are sorted by their start time to bring the hidden clips to the front.

Copy a clip

You can create two types of copied audio clips: reference copies that share source files and unique copies that have independent source files. The type of copy you choose depends upon the amount of available disk space and the nature of destructive editing you plan to perform in the Waveform Editor.

Reference copies consume no additional disk space, letting you simultaneously edit all instances by editing the original source file. (For example, you can add the Flanger effect to a source file in the Waveform Editor and automatically apply the effect to all 30 referenced copies in a session.)

Unique copies have a separate audio file on disk, allowing for separate editing of each version in the Waveform Editor. (For example, you can add destructive effects to the version in an introduction while leaving the version in a verse dry.)

Note:

To quickly copy a reference, press Ctrl + C (Windows) or Cmd + C (Mac OS). Alternatively, Alt-drag (Windows) or Option-drag (Mac OS) the clip header.

Click the Move tool in the toolbar. Then right‑click and drag the clip.

Note:

To copy with the Time Selection tool , right‑click and drag the clip header (similar to the Hybrid tool technique in previous versions).
Release the mouse button, and choose one of the following from the pop‑up menu:
- Copy Here (to copy a reference)
- Copy Unique Here

Trimming and extending clips

You can trim or extend audio clips to suit the needs of a mix. Because the Multitrack Editor is nondestructive, clip edits are impermanent; you can return to the original, unedited clip at any time. If you want to permanently edit an audio clip, however, you can quickly open the source file in the Waveform Editor. (See Comparing the Waveform and Multitrack editors.)

Remove a selected range from clips

In the toolbar, click the Time Selection tool .
Drag across one or more clips to select them and a range.
Do one of the following:
- To remove the range from clips and leave a gap in the timeline, choose Edit > Delete.
- To remove the range and collapse the gap in the timeline, choose Edit > Ripple Delete, and select one of the following options:
  Selected Clips
  Removes selected clips, shifting remaining clips on the same tracks.
  Time Selection in Selected Clips
  Removes the range from selected clips, splitting them if necessary.
  Time Selection in All Tracks
  Removes the range from all clips in the session.
  Time Selection in Selected Track
  Removes the range only from the currently highlighted track in the Editor panel.

Collapse a gap between clips on a track

Right-click the empty area between the clips, and choose Ripple Delete > Gap.

Trim or extend clips

If you want to repeat a clip, right-click it and select Loop. (See Looping clips.)
In the Editor panel, position the cursor over the left or right edge of the clip. The edge‑dragging icon appears.
Drag clip edges.

The Clip > Trim option has three parameters.

Trim to time selection

If you want to use a portion of the clip, select the portion and choose Trim to time selection.

Trim start to playhead

Place the playhead where you want your clip to start and choose this option to trim the clip.

Trim end to playhead

Place the playhead at the position where you want the clip to end and choose this option to trim out the clip.

Shift the contents of a trimmed or looped clip

You can slip edit a trimmed or looped clip to shift its contents within clip edges.

ms20 — Shift clip contents within clip edges

In the toolbar, click the Slip tool .
Drag across the clip.

Permanently edit a clip’s source file in the Waveform Editor

Double‑click the clip header.

Split clips

Split audio clips to break them into separate clips that you can independently move or edit.

Split clips with the Razor tool

In the toolbar, hold down the Razor tool , and choose one of the following from the pop-up menu:

Razor Selected Clips

Splits only clips you click.

Razor All Clips

Splits all clips at the time point you click.

Tip: to switch between these modes in the Editor panel, press Shift.
In the Editor panel, click where you want the split to occur.

Split all clips at the current-time indicator

Position the current-time indicator where one or more audio clips exist.
Choose Clip > Split.

Set audio clip properties

In the Properties panel, you can quickly change multiple settings for selected audio clips. Clip settings for gain and mute are independent from similar track controls.

Select an audio clip, and choose Window > Properties.

Note:

You can access individual properties from the Clip menu.
Set the following options:

Note:

To change the clip name, type in the text box at the top of the panel.

Clip Color

Click the swatch to customize. A swatch with a red slash indicates that the clip is using the default color for the current Appearance preset. (See Change interface colors, brightness, and performance.)

Clip Gain

Compensates for a low or high volume clip that is difficult to mix.

Lock in Time

Allows only up or down moves to other tracks, with a fixed timeline position. A lock icon appears on the clip.

Loop

Enables clip looping. For more information, see Looping clips.

Mute

Silences the clip.

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