Mastering FCP X: Green Screen Magic in Minutes

FCP X: Create a Chroma-Key (Green-screen) Effect

Benjamin Arango

Mar 27, 2024• Proven solutions

Chroma-key (also called “green screen”) effects are a staple in video production. What FCP X effect does is allow you to make the background behind an actor transparent so you can place the actor into a different environment than a studio.

---

This is a basic tutorial about Apple Final Cut Pro X, professional video editing software. However, if video editing is new to you, consider Wondershare Filmora for Mac . This is a powerful but easy-to-use tool for users just starting out. Download the free trial version below.

Download Mac Version ](https://tools.techidaily.com/wondershare/filmora/download/ )

---

Getting Started

First, the best thing you can do to improve the quality of your keys is to improve how you shoot them. Here are seven basic production rules:

• Actors should be at least 10 feet in front of the green screen. This avoids light from the background “spilling” around their body or shoulders.
• In general, don’t cast shadows on the green screen. Be very careful shooting feet.
• The green background should be as smooth as possible. Paint is always better than fabric; avoid wrinkles and folds.
• The green background should be lit smoothly, both from side to side and top to bottom. I try to have the green background display between 40-50% level on the waveform monitor.
• There is NO relationship between how the background is lit and how your actors are lit. This article will illustrate that.
• Light your background for smoothness. Light your actors for drama.
• Don’t worry about having the green background fill the frame. It only needs to completely surround the edges of your actors. Garbage mattes are used to get rid of junk around the edges.

Setting up the Key

The green screen image is always placed above the background. You can place either the green screen or background image into the Primary Storyline. I find it easier to put the background in the Primary Storyline, because it makes editing the green screen image easier. But this is purely personal choice.

Step 1: Select the green screen clip

From the Effects Browser > Keying category, double-click the Keyer effect, which applies it to the selected clip. (You can also drag the effect on top of the clip, if you forgot to select the green-screen clip first.)

Don’t panic if your image looks weird – we will fix it.

Click the Sample Color icon. This allows fine-tuning the selection of the background color.

In the green-screen image, drag to select a representative section of the background. I try to get close to the face, but not so close that I accidentally select loose hair or skin.

Your key should look better immediately. Most of the time, you can probably stop here. But there are three other adjustments that can make your key look even better:

• Cleaning up the matte
• Edge adjustments
• Light wrap

Click the Matte button to display your key as a white foreground on a black background.

Your goal is the make the foreground solid white, which means opaque, and the background solid black, which means transparent. Adjust the Fill Holes and Edge Distance sliders until your key looks solid. (For REALLY bad keys, you’ll need to also adjust Color Selection, mentioned below.)

If an edge is too pronounced, or needs help, click the Edges icon.

Step 2: Tweaks Video

Then, click and drag a line from the foreground to the background in the Canvas. Drag the midpoint slider (where my cursor is) until the edge looks the best it can. Different video formats make this easy (ProRes), while others (HDV, avchd) make this much harder. Perfection is impossible – do the best you can.

Final Cut provides four additional tweaks at the bottom of the keyer filter:

• Color Selection
• Matte Tools
• Spill Suppression
• Light Wrap

The first three are designed to clean up poorly shot keys – read the FCP X Help files to learn how these work. (I used the Color Selection tools to clean up the very dark key I use an example later in this article.)

Light wrap, though, is aesthetic. What it does is blend colors from the background into the edges of the foreground, to make the entire key look more “organic,” as if the foreground and background were actually in the same space.

This is a subtle effect, but very cool.

Twirl down Light Wrap and adjust the Amount slider and watch what happens. Drag the other sliders around and see what happens. The nice thing about this setting is that when it looks good to you, it is good. The amount of the effect is totally up to you. Remember, Light Wrap only affects the edges of the foreground and should be used subtly.

When you are done, you have a great looking key!

Clean up the Image with a Garbage Mask

Sometimes, however, you don’t have, ah, perhaps, the best green-screen image to work with. Here, for example, there are lighting instruments in the foreground, with a very inadequately lit green screen in the background. (Sigh… this is just pitiful.)

Once you pull the key – which is film-speak for creating a green-screen shot, as I described above – and get it looking as good as possible, there’s one more step: adding a garbage matte to get rid of all the garbage surrounding your actors.

Once you get your key looking as good as you can – which in this case isn’t all that good – drag the Mask effect (Effects > Keying > Mask) on top of the green-screen clip.

NOTE: The Mask effect should always be added after the Keying effect, so that the Mask is below the Keyer in the Inspector.

Then, drag each of the four circles to create a shape such that your foreground image is contained inside it, and everything you want to exclude is outside. Here, for instance, we removed the light stand, the edge of the green background and the tearing at the top of the image. I’ve found this Mask effect works best when applied to a connected clip.

However, the big limitation of the Mask effect is that you only have four points to work with. That’s where a free effect comes in, which allows you to create far more flexible shapes with it. It’s written by Alex Gollner and is available on his website – alex4d.wordpress.com/fcpx/ – I recommend his effects highly.

How to Create a Chroma-Key in easier ways?

Chroma-key, or green screen, is an essential part of every editor to make all kinds of effects. Is there any way to make this sophisticated procedure easier way? Yes, try Filmora.

In version 10.5 for Mac, Filmora added a new feature: AI portrait. It allows you to do a green screen effect with just one click.

By adopting AI portrait, you can add those stunning effects in simple steps: How to Remove or Change Video Background in One Step?

Or: How to Add a Shake Effect to your Videos?

Conclusion

The chroma-key filter in FCP X allows us to create some amazing effects. If you want to use green screen effects more easily, here is Filmora for you. You can appaly Chroma-Key effects with just a few click. Have fun playing with it.

Download Mac Version ](https://tools.techidaily.com/wondershare/filmora/download/ )

Benjamin Arango

Benjamin Arango is a writer and a lover of all things video.

Follow @Benjamin Arango

Benjamin Arango

Mar 27, 2024• Proven solutions

Chroma-key (also called “green screen”) effects are a staple in video production. What FCP X effect does is allow you to make the background behind an actor transparent so you can place the actor into a different environment than a studio.

---

This is a basic tutorial about Apple Final Cut Pro X, professional video editing software. However, if video editing is new to you, consider Wondershare Filmora for Mac . This is a powerful but easy-to-use tool for users just starting out. Download the free trial version below.

Download Mac Version ](https://tools.techidaily.com/wondershare/filmora/download/ )

---

Getting Started

First, the best thing you can do to improve the quality of your keys is to improve how you shoot them. Here are seven basic production rules:

• Actors should be at least 10 feet in front of the green screen. This avoids light from the background “spilling” around their body or shoulders.
• In general, don’t cast shadows on the green screen. Be very careful shooting feet.
• The green background should be as smooth as possible. Paint is always better than fabric; avoid wrinkles and folds.
• The green background should be lit smoothly, both from side to side and top to bottom. I try to have the green background display between 40-50% level on the waveform monitor.
• There is NO relationship between how the background is lit and how your actors are lit. This article will illustrate that.
• Light your background for smoothness. Light your actors for drama.
• Don’t worry about having the green background fill the frame. It only needs to completely surround the edges of your actors. Garbage mattes are used to get rid of junk around the edges.

Setting up the Key

The green screen image is always placed above the background. You can place either the green screen or background image into the Primary Storyline. I find it easier to put the background in the Primary Storyline, because it makes editing the green screen image easier. But this is purely personal choice.

Step 1: Select the green screen clip

From the Effects Browser > Keying category, double-click the Keyer effect, which applies it to the selected clip. (You can also drag the effect on top of the clip, if you forgot to select the green-screen clip first.)

Don’t panic if your image looks weird – we will fix it.

Click the Sample Color icon. This allows fine-tuning the selection of the background color.

In the green-screen image, drag to select a representative section of the background. I try to get close to the face, but not so close that I accidentally select loose hair or skin.

Your key should look better immediately. Most of the time, you can probably stop here. But there are three other adjustments that can make your key look even better:

• Cleaning up the matte
• Edge adjustments
• Light wrap

Click the Matte button to display your key as a white foreground on a black background.

Your goal is the make the foreground solid white, which means opaque, and the background solid black, which means transparent. Adjust the Fill Holes and Edge Distance sliders until your key looks solid. (For REALLY bad keys, you’ll need to also adjust Color Selection, mentioned below.)

If an edge is too pronounced, or needs help, click the Edges icon.

Step 2: Tweaks Video

Then, click and drag a line from the foreground to the background in the Canvas. Drag the midpoint slider (where my cursor is) until the edge looks the best it can. Different video formats make this easy (ProRes), while others (HDV, avchd) make this much harder. Perfection is impossible – do the best you can.

Final Cut provides four additional tweaks at the bottom of the keyer filter:

• Color Selection
• Matte Tools
• Spill Suppression
• Light Wrap

The first three are designed to clean up poorly shot keys – read the FCP X Help files to learn how these work. (I used the Color Selection tools to clean up the very dark key I use an example later in this article.)

Light wrap, though, is aesthetic. What it does is blend colors from the background into the edges of the foreground, to make the entire key look more “organic,” as if the foreground and background were actually in the same space.

This is a subtle effect, but very cool.

Twirl down Light Wrap and adjust the Amount slider and watch what happens. Drag the other sliders around and see what happens. The nice thing about this setting is that when it looks good to you, it is good. The amount of the effect is totally up to you. Remember, Light Wrap only affects the edges of the foreground and should be used subtly.

When you are done, you have a great looking key!

Clean up the Image with a Garbage Mask

Sometimes, however, you don’t have, ah, perhaps, the best green-screen image to work with. Here, for example, there are lighting instruments in the foreground, with a very inadequately lit green screen in the background. (Sigh… this is just pitiful.)

Once you pull the key – which is film-speak for creating a green-screen shot, as I described above – and get it looking as good as possible, there’s one more step: adding a garbage matte to get rid of all the garbage surrounding your actors.

Once you get your key looking as good as you can – which in this case isn’t all that good – drag the Mask effect (Effects > Keying > Mask) on top of the green-screen clip.

NOTE: The Mask effect should always be added after the Keying effect, so that the Mask is below the Keyer in the Inspector.

Then, drag each of the four circles to create a shape such that your foreground image is contained inside it, and everything you want to exclude is outside. Here, for instance, we removed the light stand, the edge of the green background and the tearing at the top of the image. I’ve found this Mask effect works best when applied to a connected clip.

However, the big limitation of the Mask effect is that you only have four points to work with. That’s where a free effect comes in, which allows you to create far more flexible shapes with it. It’s written by Alex Gollner and is available on his website – alex4d.wordpress.com/fcpx/ – I recommend his effects highly.

How to Create a Chroma-Key in easier ways?

Chroma-key, or green screen, is an essential part of every editor to make all kinds of effects. Is there any way to make this sophisticated procedure easier way? Yes, try Filmora.

In version 10.5 for Mac, Filmora added a new feature: AI portrait. It allows you to do a green screen effect with just one click.

By adopting AI portrait, you can add those stunning effects in simple steps: How to Remove or Change Video Background in One Step?

Or: How to Add a Shake Effect to your Videos?

Conclusion

The chroma-key filter in FCP X allows us to create some amazing effects. If you want to use green screen effects more easily, here is Filmora for you. You can appaly Chroma-Key effects with just a few click. Have fun playing with it.

Download Mac Version ](https://tools.techidaily.com/wondershare/filmora/download/ )

Benjamin Arango

Benjamin Arango is a writer and a lover of all things video.

Follow @Benjamin Arango

Benjamin Arango

Mar 27, 2024• Proven solutions

Chroma-key (also called “green screen”) effects are a staple in video production. What FCP X effect does is allow you to make the background behind an actor transparent so you can place the actor into a different environment than a studio.

---

This is a basic tutorial about Apple Final Cut Pro X, professional video editing software. However, if video editing is new to you, consider Wondershare Filmora for Mac . This is a powerful but easy-to-use tool for users just starting out. Download the free trial version below.

Download Mac Version ](https://tools.techidaily.com/wondershare/filmora/download/ )

---

Getting Started

First, the best thing you can do to improve the quality of your keys is to improve how you shoot them. Here are seven basic production rules:

• Actors should be at least 10 feet in front of the green screen. This avoids light from the background “spilling” around their body or shoulders.
• In general, don’t cast shadows on the green screen. Be very careful shooting feet.
• The green background should be as smooth as possible. Paint is always better than fabric; avoid wrinkles and folds.
• The green background should be lit smoothly, both from side to side and top to bottom. I try to have the green background display between 40-50% level on the waveform monitor.
• There is NO relationship between how the background is lit and how your actors are lit. This article will illustrate that.
• Light your background for smoothness. Light your actors for drama.
• Don’t worry about having the green background fill the frame. It only needs to completely surround the edges of your actors. Garbage mattes are used to get rid of junk around the edges.

Setting up the Key

The green screen image is always placed above the background. You can place either the green screen or background image into the Primary Storyline. I find it easier to put the background in the Primary Storyline, because it makes editing the green screen image easier. But this is purely personal choice.

Step 1: Select the green screen clip

From the Effects Browser > Keying category, double-click the Keyer effect, which applies it to the selected clip. (You can also drag the effect on top of the clip, if you forgot to select the green-screen clip first.)

Don’t panic if your image looks weird – we will fix it.

Click the Sample Color icon. This allows fine-tuning the selection of the background color.

In the green-screen image, drag to select a representative section of the background. I try to get close to the face, but not so close that I accidentally select loose hair or skin.

Your key should look better immediately. Most of the time, you can probably stop here. But there are three other adjustments that can make your key look even better:

• Cleaning up the matte
• Edge adjustments
• Light wrap

Click the Matte button to display your key as a white foreground on a black background.

Your goal is the make the foreground solid white, which means opaque, and the background solid black, which means transparent. Adjust the Fill Holes and Edge Distance sliders until your key looks solid. (For REALLY bad keys, you’ll need to also adjust Color Selection, mentioned below.)

If an edge is too pronounced, or needs help, click the Edges icon.

Step 2: Tweaks Video

Then, click and drag a line from the foreground to the background in the Canvas. Drag the midpoint slider (where my cursor is) until the edge looks the best it can. Different video formats make this easy (ProRes), while others (HDV, avchd) make this much harder. Perfection is impossible – do the best you can.

Final Cut provides four additional tweaks at the bottom of the keyer filter:

• Color Selection
• Matte Tools
• Spill Suppression
• Light Wrap

The first three are designed to clean up poorly shot keys – read the FCP X Help files to learn how these work. (I used the Color Selection tools to clean up the very dark key I use an example later in this article.)

Light wrap, though, is aesthetic. What it does is blend colors from the background into the edges of the foreground, to make the entire key look more “organic,” as if the foreground and background were actually in the same space.

This is a subtle effect, but very cool.

Twirl down Light Wrap and adjust the Amount slider and watch what happens. Drag the other sliders around and see what happens. The nice thing about this setting is that when it looks good to you, it is good. The amount of the effect is totally up to you. Remember, Light Wrap only affects the edges of the foreground and should be used subtly.

When you are done, you have a great looking key!

Clean up the Image with a Garbage Mask

Sometimes, however, you don’t have, ah, perhaps, the best green-screen image to work with. Here, for example, there are lighting instruments in the foreground, with a very inadequately lit green screen in the background. (Sigh… this is just pitiful.)

Once you pull the key – which is film-speak for creating a green-screen shot, as I described above – and get it looking as good as possible, there’s one more step: adding a garbage matte to get rid of all the garbage surrounding your actors.

Once you get your key looking as good as you can – which in this case isn’t all that good – drag the Mask effect (Effects > Keying > Mask) on top of the green-screen clip.

NOTE: The Mask effect should always be added after the Keying effect, so that the Mask is below the Keyer in the Inspector.

Then, drag each of the four circles to create a shape such that your foreground image is contained inside it, and everything you want to exclude is outside. Here, for instance, we removed the light stand, the edge of the green background and the tearing at the top of the image. I’ve found this Mask effect works best when applied to a connected clip.

However, the big limitation of the Mask effect is that you only have four points to work with. That’s where a free effect comes in, which allows you to create far more flexible shapes with it. It’s written by Alex Gollner and is available on his website – alex4d.wordpress.com/fcpx/ – I recommend his effects highly.

How to Create a Chroma-Key in easier ways?

Chroma-key, or green screen, is an essential part of every editor to make all kinds of effects. Is there any way to make this sophisticated procedure easier way? Yes, try Filmora.

In version 10.5 for Mac, Filmora added a new feature: AI portrait. It allows you to do a green screen effect with just one click.

By adopting AI portrait, you can add those stunning effects in simple steps: How to Remove or Change Video Background in One Step?

Or: How to Add a Shake Effect to your Videos?

Conclusion

The chroma-key filter in FCP X allows us to create some amazing effects. If you want to use green screen effects more easily, here is Filmora for you. You can appaly Chroma-Key effects with just a few click. Have fun playing with it.

Download Mac Version ](https://tools.techidaily.com/wondershare/filmora/download/ )

Benjamin Arango

Benjamin Arango is a writer and a lover of all things video.

Follow @Benjamin Arango

Benjamin Arango

Mar 27, 2024• Proven solutions

Chroma-key (also called “green screen”) effects are a staple in video production. What FCP X effect does is allow you to make the background behind an actor transparent so you can place the actor into a different environment than a studio.

---

This is a basic tutorial about Apple Final Cut Pro X, professional video editing software. However, if video editing is new to you, consider Wondershare Filmora for Mac . This is a powerful but easy-to-use tool for users just starting out. Download the free trial version below.

Download Mac Version ](https://tools.techidaily.com/wondershare/filmora/download/ )

---

Getting Started

First, the best thing you can do to improve the quality of your keys is to improve how you shoot them. Here are seven basic production rules:

• Actors should be at least 10 feet in front of the green screen. This avoids light from the background “spilling” around their body or shoulders.
• In general, don’t cast shadows on the green screen. Be very careful shooting feet.
• The green background should be as smooth as possible. Paint is always better than fabric; avoid wrinkles and folds.
• The green background should be lit smoothly, both from side to side and top to bottom. I try to have the green background display between 40-50% level on the waveform monitor.
• There is NO relationship between how the background is lit and how your actors are lit. This article will illustrate that.
• Light your background for smoothness. Light your actors for drama.
• Don’t worry about having the green background fill the frame. It only needs to completely surround the edges of your actors. Garbage mattes are used to get rid of junk around the edges.

Setting up the Key

The green screen image is always placed above the background. You can place either the green screen or background image into the Primary Storyline. I find it easier to put the background in the Primary Storyline, because it makes editing the green screen image easier. But this is purely personal choice.

Step 1: Select the green screen clip

From the Effects Browser > Keying category, double-click the Keyer effect, which applies it to the selected clip. (You can also drag the effect on top of the clip, if you forgot to select the green-screen clip first.)

Don’t panic if your image looks weird – we will fix it.

Click the Sample Color icon. This allows fine-tuning the selection of the background color.

In the green-screen image, drag to select a representative section of the background. I try to get close to the face, but not so close that I accidentally select loose hair or skin.

Your key should look better immediately. Most of the time, you can probably stop here. But there are three other adjustments that can make your key look even better:

• Cleaning up the matte
• Edge adjustments
• Light wrap

Click the Matte button to display your key as a white foreground on a black background.

Your goal is the make the foreground solid white, which means opaque, and the background solid black, which means transparent. Adjust the Fill Holes and Edge Distance sliders until your key looks solid. (For REALLY bad keys, you’ll need to also adjust Color Selection, mentioned below.)

If an edge is too pronounced, or needs help, click the Edges icon.

Step 2: Tweaks Video

Then, click and drag a line from the foreground to the background in the Canvas. Drag the midpoint slider (where my cursor is) until the edge looks the best it can. Different video formats make this easy (ProRes), while others (HDV, avchd) make this much harder. Perfection is impossible – do the best you can.

Final Cut provides four additional tweaks at the bottom of the keyer filter:

• Color Selection
• Matte Tools
• Spill Suppression
• Light Wrap

The first three are designed to clean up poorly shot keys – read the FCP X Help files to learn how these work. (I used the Color Selection tools to clean up the very dark key I use an example later in this article.)

Light wrap, though, is aesthetic. What it does is blend colors from the background into the edges of the foreground, to make the entire key look more “organic,” as if the foreground and background were actually in the same space.

This is a subtle effect, but very cool.

Twirl down Light Wrap and adjust the Amount slider and watch what happens. Drag the other sliders around and see what happens. The nice thing about this setting is that when it looks good to you, it is good. The amount of the effect is totally up to you. Remember, Light Wrap only affects the edges of the foreground and should be used subtly.

When you are done, you have a great looking key!

Clean up the Image with a Garbage Mask

Sometimes, however, you don’t have, ah, perhaps, the best green-screen image to work with. Here, for example, there are lighting instruments in the foreground, with a very inadequately lit green screen in the background. (Sigh… this is just pitiful.)

Once you pull the key – which is film-speak for creating a green-screen shot, as I described above – and get it looking as good as possible, there’s one more step: adding a garbage matte to get rid of all the garbage surrounding your actors.

Once you get your key looking as good as you can – which in this case isn’t all that good – drag the Mask effect (Effects > Keying > Mask) on top of the green-screen clip.

NOTE: The Mask effect should always be added after the Keying effect, so that the Mask is below the Keyer in the Inspector.

Then, drag each of the four circles to create a shape such that your foreground image is contained inside it, and everything you want to exclude is outside. Here, for instance, we removed the light stand, the edge of the green background and the tearing at the top of the image. I’ve found this Mask effect works best when applied to a connected clip.

However, the big limitation of the Mask effect is that you only have four points to work with. That’s where a free effect comes in, which allows you to create far more flexible shapes with it. It’s written by Alex Gollner and is available on his website – alex4d.wordpress.com/fcpx/ – I recommend his effects highly.

How to Create a Chroma-Key in easier ways?

Chroma-key, or green screen, is an essential part of every editor to make all kinds of effects. Is there any way to make this sophisticated procedure easier way? Yes, try Filmora.

In version 10.5 for Mac, Filmora added a new feature: AI portrait. It allows you to do a green screen effect with just one click.

By adopting AI portrait, you can add those stunning effects in simple steps: How to Remove or Change Video Background in One Step?

Or: How to Add a Shake Effect to your Videos?

Conclusion

The chroma-key filter in FCP X allows us to create some amazing effects. If you want to use green screen effects more easily, here is Filmora for you. You can appaly Chroma-Key effects with just a few click. Have fun playing with it.

Download Mac Version ](https://tools.techidaily.com/wondershare/filmora/download/ )

Benjamin Arango

Benjamin Arango is a writer and a lover of all things video.

Follow @Benjamin Arango

The Science of YouTube Thumbnails: Sizes, Templates, and Psychological Triggers

YouTube Thumbnail Size Template & Practical Tactics for You

An easy yet powerful editor

Numerous effects to choose from

Detailed tutorials provided by the official channel

Try It Free Try It Free

A YouTube thumbnail is like a cover page of your video that creates the first impression. Though a default thumbnail is created for each video by YouTube, you can always customize it and make it more appealing and attractive.

More in detail about Youtube thumbnail size template, tips, and others can be learned from the following content.

In this article

01 [Youtube Thumbnail Specifications ](#Part 1)

02 [Youtube Thumbnail Templates](#Part 2)

03 [Top 5 Tips for Creating Effective Thumbnails](#Part 3)

04 [How to Add a Customized Thumbnail to a Youtube Video](#Part 4)

Part 1 YouTube Thumbnail Specifications

To stand out from the crowd and create an impact over the viewers, a well-customized thumbnail works great. A customized thumbnail proves effective in ways more than one like encouraging attention, increasing engagement, giving a professional look, portraying your personality, and much more. The right size of the thumbnail is an important consideration and the following are the suggested YouTube video thumbnail dimensions.

● An ideal width and height of YouTube thumbnail size is 1280 X 720 pixels

● The size of the thumbnail should be kept under 2MB.

● Use the thumbnail in JPEG, PNG, BMP, or GIF format.

● The ideal thumbnail ratio for YouTube has to be kept at 16:9.

● The width of the thumbnail should not be less than 640 pixels.

Part 2 YouTube Thumbnail Templates

If you are struggling to find the right thumbnail for your video, templates are a great rescue. There are several sites and programs where you can find multiple templates that can be customized and edited to suit your requirements. We have shortlisted a few sites where you can check different types of interesting templates for the YouTube thumbnails.

● Canva: This online site has a huge collection of free as well as paid video thumbnails in different categories, and types. You can filter the collection of templates based on style and theme. The templates can be further customized as needed after which they can be downloaded to be used on YouTube.

● VistaCreate: Interesting template designs are available at this site to be used as a YouTube video thumbnail. You can even create your own design or customize the ones available. The site also has an option to choose the desired thumbnail design using the search bar.

● Postermywall: YouTube templates in an array of designs, themes, and genres are available at this site. There are also Youtube Thumbnail Size Template and from these you can choose the one that matches the personality of your video and customize it as per the requirements. The search bar to look for your choice of template is also available.

● Visme: Templates for all types of video thumbnails are available at this site to choose from. You simply need to choose the template as per your choice and you are all set to have an impressive thumbnail for your video. You can even look for your choice of design using the search bar.

● Snappa: There is a wide selection of templates in different categories at this site that can be used for creating a customized thumbnail for your YouTube videos. The templates are free and you need to create a free account on the site to use them.

Part 3 Top 5 Tips For Creating Effective Thumbnails

To make your thumbnails interesting and effective we have shortlisted a few useful tips as below.

● Keep it clutter-free: It’s always good to keep your thumbnail simple and clean without any clutter. If you use too many elements in a thumbnail, they will look messy when watched on a mobile device.

● Using a still image from the video: Though you can set a customized thumbnail for your videos, an automatic image is also selected by YouTube. It might be a possibility that the image automatically selected is good enough and effective and thus creating a customized thumbnail is not required.

● Using editing software like Wondershare Filmora Video Editor for creating customized graphics: A good editing software can be used for creating an effective and impressive image. Wondershare Filmora is one such professional tool that can be considered. This Windows and Mac-based program can let you edit your images using multiple features. Simple and fast to use, the software also supports batch processing so that multiple files as thumbnails for multiple videos can be created at a time. Additional features supported by the software include motion tracking, adding text and tiles, adding overlays and filters, adding transitions and elements, color tuning, and more.

Wondershare Filmora

Get started easily with Filmora’s powerful performance, intuitive interface, and countless effects!

Try It Free Try It Free Try It Free Learn More >

● Use eye-catchy titles: Using catchy titles in your thumbnails is an effective way to grab the attention of the viewers. A title will give a glimpse to the viewers of the content of the video.

● Try different designs: If you are not sure about a thumbnail design, create multiple ones and then add them to the video one by one. Select the design that goes best and looks attractive.

Part 4 How to Add A Customized Thumbnail To A Youtube Video

Once a customized thumbnail image is created, the next step is to add it to the video on your YouTube. The process is simple and quick and involves the following steps.

Step 1. Open your YouTube account and add the new video using the camera-plus icon. Alternatively, to add a thumbnail to the already uploaded video, go to the Studio dashboard and tap on the video for editing the settings.

Step 2. At the bottom of the video settings window, you can see the 3 thumbnails generated automatically. To upload the customized image, click on the Custom thumbnail box at the bottom right-hand side.

Step 3. Browse and import the created thumbnail image and click on the Upload button.

The selected image will not be used as the thumbnail for the video.

Key Takeaways from This Episode

● A YouTube thumbnail works as the cover for your video and is the first thing that will get the attention and the interest of the viewer.

● YouTube video thumbnail dimensions as recommended must be used.

● Several pre-designed templates are available for creating interesting thumbnails.

● To create an effective thumbnail, several tips and tricks can be used like using editing software like Wondershare Filmora.

Try It Free Try It Free

A YouTube thumbnail is like a cover page of your video that creates the first impression. Though a default thumbnail is created for each video by YouTube, you can always customize it and make it more appealing and attractive.

More in detail about Youtube thumbnail size template, tips, and others can be learned from the following content.

In this article

01 [Youtube Thumbnail Specifications ](#Part 1)

02 [Youtube Thumbnail Templates](#Part 2)

03 [Top 5 Tips for Creating Effective Thumbnails](#Part 3)

04 [How to Add a Customized Thumbnail to a Youtube Video](#Part 4)

Part 1 YouTube Thumbnail Specifications

To stand out from the crowd and create an impact over the viewers, a well-customized thumbnail works great. A customized thumbnail proves effective in ways more than one like encouraging attention, increasing engagement, giving a professional look, portraying your personality, and much more. The right size of the thumbnail is an important consideration and the following are the suggested YouTube video thumbnail dimensions.

● An ideal width and height of YouTube thumbnail size is 1280 X 720 pixels

● The size of the thumbnail should be kept under 2MB.

● Use the thumbnail in JPEG, PNG, BMP, or GIF format.

● The ideal thumbnail ratio for YouTube has to be kept at 16:9.

● The width of the thumbnail should not be less than 640 pixels.

Part 2 YouTube Thumbnail Templates

If you are struggling to find the right thumbnail for your video, templates are a great rescue. There are several sites and programs where you can find multiple templates that can be customized and edited to suit your requirements. We have shortlisted a few sites where you can check different types of interesting templates for the YouTube thumbnails.

● Canva: This online site has a huge collection of free as well as paid video thumbnails in different categories, and types. You can filter the collection of templates based on style and theme. The templates can be further customized as needed after which they can be downloaded to be used on YouTube.

● VistaCreate: Interesting template designs are available at this site to be used as a YouTube video thumbnail. You can even create your own design or customize the ones available. The site also has an option to choose the desired thumbnail design using the search bar.

● Postermywall: YouTube templates in an array of designs, themes, and genres are available at this site. There are also Youtube Thumbnail Size Template and from these you can choose the one that matches the personality of your video and customize it as per the requirements. The search bar to look for your choice of template is also available.

● Visme: Templates for all types of video thumbnails are available at this site to choose from. You simply need to choose the template as per your choice and you are all set to have an impressive thumbnail for your video. You can even look for your choice of design using the search bar.

● Snappa: There is a wide selection of templates in different categories at this site that can be used for creating a customized thumbnail for your YouTube videos. The templates are free and you need to create a free account on the site to use them.

Part 3 Top 5 Tips For Creating Effective Thumbnails

To make your thumbnails interesting and effective we have shortlisted a few useful tips as below.

● Keep it clutter-free: It’s always good to keep your thumbnail simple and clean without any clutter. If you use too many elements in a thumbnail, they will look messy when watched on a mobile device.

● Using a still image from the video: Though you can set a customized thumbnail for your videos, an automatic image is also selected by YouTube. It might be a possibility that the image automatically selected is good enough and effective and thus creating a customized thumbnail is not required.

● Using editing software like Wondershare Filmora Video Editor for creating customized graphics: A good editing software can be used for creating an effective and impressive image. Wondershare Filmora is one such professional tool that can be considered. This Windows and Mac-based program can let you edit your images using multiple features. Simple and fast to use, the software also supports batch processing so that multiple files as thumbnails for multiple videos can be created at a time. Additional features supported by the software include motion tracking, adding text and tiles, adding overlays and filters, adding transitions and elements, color tuning, and more.

Wondershare Filmora

Get started easily with Filmora’s powerful performance, intuitive interface, and countless effects!

Try It Free Try It Free Try It Free Learn More >

● Use eye-catchy titles: Using catchy titles in your thumbnails is an effective way to grab the attention of the viewers. A title will give a glimpse to the viewers of the content of the video.

● Try different designs: If you are not sure about a thumbnail design, create multiple ones and then add them to the video one by one. Select the design that goes best and looks attractive.

Part 4 How to Add A Customized Thumbnail To A Youtube Video

Once a customized thumbnail image is created, the next step is to add it to the video on your YouTube. The process is simple and quick and involves the following steps.

Step 1. Open your YouTube account and add the new video using the camera-plus icon. Alternatively, to add a thumbnail to the already uploaded video, go to the Studio dashboard and tap on the video for editing the settings.

Step 2. At the bottom of the video settings window, you can see the 3 thumbnails generated automatically. To upload the customized image, click on the Custom thumbnail box at the bottom right-hand side.

Step 3. Browse and import the created thumbnail image and click on the Upload button.

The selected image will not be used as the thumbnail for the video.

Key Takeaways from This Episode

● A YouTube thumbnail works as the cover for your video and is the first thing that will get the attention and the interest of the viewer.

● YouTube video thumbnail dimensions as recommended must be used.

● Several pre-designed templates are available for creating interesting thumbnails.

● To create an effective thumbnail, several tips and tricks can be used like using editing software like Wondershare Filmora.

Try It Free Try It Free

A YouTube thumbnail is like a cover page of your video that creates the first impression. Though a default thumbnail is created for each video by YouTube, you can always customize it and make it more appealing and attractive.

More in detail about Youtube thumbnail size template, tips, and others can be learned from the following content.

In this article

01 [Youtube Thumbnail Specifications ](#Part 1)

02 [Youtube Thumbnail Templates](#Part 2)

03 [Top 5 Tips for Creating Effective Thumbnails](#Part 3)

04 [How to Add a Customized Thumbnail to a Youtube Video](#Part 4)

Part 1 YouTube Thumbnail Specifications

To stand out from the crowd and create an impact over the viewers, a well-customized thumbnail works great. A customized thumbnail proves effective in ways more than one like encouraging attention, increasing engagement, giving a professional look, portraying your personality, and much more. The right size of the thumbnail is an important consideration and the following are the suggested YouTube video thumbnail dimensions.

● An ideal width and height of YouTube thumbnail size is 1280 X 720 pixels

● The size of the thumbnail should be kept under 2MB.

● Use the thumbnail in JPEG, PNG, BMP, or GIF format.

● The ideal thumbnail ratio for YouTube has to be kept at 16:9.

● The width of the thumbnail should not be less than 640 pixels.

Part 2 YouTube Thumbnail Templates

If you are struggling to find the right thumbnail for your video, templates are a great rescue. There are several sites and programs where you can find multiple templates that can be customized and edited to suit your requirements. We have shortlisted a few sites where you can check different types of interesting templates for the YouTube thumbnails.

● Canva: This online site has a huge collection of free as well as paid video thumbnails in different categories, and types. You can filter the collection of templates based on style and theme. The templates can be further customized as needed after which they can be downloaded to be used on YouTube.

● VistaCreate: Interesting template designs are available at this site to be used as a YouTube video thumbnail. You can even create your own design or customize the ones available. The site also has an option to choose the desired thumbnail design using the search bar.

● Postermywall: YouTube templates in an array of designs, themes, and genres are available at this site. There are also Youtube Thumbnail Size Template and from these you can choose the one that matches the personality of your video and customize it as per the requirements. The search bar to look for your choice of template is also available.

● Visme: Templates for all types of video thumbnails are available at this site to choose from. You simply need to choose the template as per your choice and you are all set to have an impressive thumbnail for your video. You can even look for your choice of design using the search bar.

● Snappa: There is a wide selection of templates in different categories at this site that can be used for creating a customized thumbnail for your YouTube videos. The templates are free and you need to create a free account on the site to use them.

Part 3 Top 5 Tips For Creating Effective Thumbnails

To make your thumbnails interesting and effective we have shortlisted a few useful tips as below.

● Keep it clutter-free: It’s always good to keep your thumbnail simple and clean without any clutter. If you use too many elements in a thumbnail, they will look messy when watched on a mobile device.

● Using a still image from the video: Though you can set a customized thumbnail for your videos, an automatic image is also selected by YouTube. It might be a possibility that the image automatically selected is good enough and effective and thus creating a customized thumbnail is not required.

● Using editing software like Wondershare Filmora Video Editor for creating customized graphics: A good editing software can be used for creating an effective and impressive image. Wondershare Filmora is one such professional tool that can be considered. This Windows and Mac-based program can let you edit your images using multiple features. Simple and fast to use, the software also supports batch processing so that multiple files as thumbnails for multiple videos can be created at a time. Additional features supported by the software include motion tracking, adding text and tiles, adding overlays and filters, adding transitions and elements, color tuning, and more.

Wondershare Filmora

Get started easily with Filmora’s powerful performance, intuitive interface, and countless effects!

Try It Free Try It Free Try It Free Learn More >

● Use eye-catchy titles: Using catchy titles in your thumbnails is an effective way to grab the attention of the viewers. A title will give a glimpse to the viewers of the content of the video.

● Try different designs: If you are not sure about a thumbnail design, create multiple ones and then add them to the video one by one. Select the design that goes best and looks attractive.

Part 4 How to Add A Customized Thumbnail To A Youtube Video

Once a customized thumbnail image is created, the next step is to add it to the video on your YouTube. The process is simple and quick and involves the following steps.

Step 1. Open your YouTube account and add the new video using the camera-plus icon. Alternatively, to add a thumbnail to the already uploaded video, go to the Studio dashboard and tap on the video for editing the settings.

Step 2. At the bottom of the video settings window, you can see the 3 thumbnails generated automatically. To upload the customized image, click on the Custom thumbnail box at the bottom right-hand side.

Step 3. Browse and import the created thumbnail image and click on the Upload button.

The selected image will not be used as the thumbnail for the video.

Key Takeaways from This Episode

● A YouTube thumbnail works as the cover for your video and is the first thing that will get the attention and the interest of the viewer.

● YouTube video thumbnail dimensions as recommended must be used.

● Several pre-designed templates are available for creating interesting thumbnails.

● To create an effective thumbnail, several tips and tricks can be used like using editing software like Wondershare Filmora.

Try It Free Try It Free

A YouTube thumbnail is like a cover page of your video that creates the first impression. Though a default thumbnail is created for each video by YouTube, you can always customize it and make it more appealing and attractive.

More in detail about Youtube thumbnail size template, tips, and others can be learned from the following content.

In this article

01 [Youtube Thumbnail Specifications ](#Part 1)

02 [Youtube Thumbnail Templates](#Part 2)

03 [Top 5 Tips for Creating Effective Thumbnails](#Part 3)

04 [How to Add a Customized Thumbnail to a Youtube Video](#Part 4)

Part 1 YouTube Thumbnail Specifications

To stand out from the crowd and create an impact over the viewers, a well-customized thumbnail works great. A customized thumbnail proves effective in ways more than one like encouraging attention, increasing engagement, giving a professional look, portraying your personality, and much more. The right size of the thumbnail is an important consideration and the following are the suggested YouTube video thumbnail dimensions.

● An ideal width and height of YouTube thumbnail size is 1280 X 720 pixels

● The size of the thumbnail should be kept under 2MB.

● Use the thumbnail in JPEG, PNG, BMP, or GIF format.

● The ideal thumbnail ratio for YouTube has to be kept at 16:9.

● The width of the thumbnail should not be less than 640 pixels.

Part 2 YouTube Thumbnail Templates

If you are struggling to find the right thumbnail for your video, templates are a great rescue. There are several sites and programs where you can find multiple templates that can be customized and edited to suit your requirements. We have shortlisted a few sites where you can check different types of interesting templates for the YouTube thumbnails.

● Canva: This online site has a huge collection of free as well as paid video thumbnails in different categories, and types. You can filter the collection of templates based on style and theme. The templates can be further customized as needed after which they can be downloaded to be used on YouTube.

● VistaCreate: Interesting template designs are available at this site to be used as a YouTube video thumbnail. You can even create your own design or customize the ones available. The site also has an option to choose the desired thumbnail design using the search bar.

● Postermywall: YouTube templates in an array of designs, themes, and genres are available at this site. There are also Youtube Thumbnail Size Template and from these you can choose the one that matches the personality of your video and customize it as per the requirements. The search bar to look for your choice of template is also available.

● Visme: Templates for all types of video thumbnails are available at this site to choose from. You simply need to choose the template as per your choice and you are all set to have an impressive thumbnail for your video. You can even look for your choice of design using the search bar.

● Snappa: There is a wide selection of templates in different categories at this site that can be used for creating a customized thumbnail for your YouTube videos. The templates are free and you need to create a free account on the site to use them.

Part 3 Top 5 Tips For Creating Effective Thumbnails

To make your thumbnails interesting and effective we have shortlisted a few useful tips as below.

● Keep it clutter-free: It’s always good to keep your thumbnail simple and clean without any clutter. If you use too many elements in a thumbnail, they will look messy when watched on a mobile device.

● Using a still image from the video: Though you can set a customized thumbnail for your videos, an automatic image is also selected by YouTube. It might be a possibility that the image automatically selected is good enough and effective and thus creating a customized thumbnail is not required.

● Using editing software like Wondershare Filmora Video Editor for creating customized graphics: A good editing software can be used for creating an effective and impressive image. Wondershare Filmora is one such professional tool that can be considered. This Windows and Mac-based program can let you edit your images using multiple features. Simple and fast to use, the software also supports batch processing so that multiple files as thumbnails for multiple videos can be created at a time. Additional features supported by the software include motion tracking, adding text and tiles, adding overlays and filters, adding transitions and elements, color tuning, and more.

Wondershare Filmora

Get started easily with Filmora’s powerful performance, intuitive interface, and countless effects!

Try It Free Try It Free Try It Free Learn More >

● Use eye-catchy titles: Using catchy titles in your thumbnails is an effective way to grab the attention of the viewers. A title will give a glimpse to the viewers of the content of the video.

● Try different designs: If you are not sure about a thumbnail design, create multiple ones and then add them to the video one by one. Select the design that goes best and looks attractive.

Part 4 How to Add A Customized Thumbnail To A Youtube Video

Once a customized thumbnail image is created, the next step is to add it to the video on your YouTube. The process is simple and quick and involves the following steps.

Step 1. Open your YouTube account and add the new video using the camera-plus icon. Alternatively, to add a thumbnail to the already uploaded video, go to the Studio dashboard and tap on the video for editing the settings.

Step 2. At the bottom of the video settings window, you can see the 3 thumbnails generated automatically. To upload the customized image, click on the Custom thumbnail box at the bottom right-hand side.

Step 3. Browse and import the created thumbnail image and click on the Upload button.

The selected image will not be used as the thumbnail for the video.

Key Takeaways from This Episode

● A YouTube thumbnail works as the cover for your video and is the first thing that will get the attention and the interest of the viewer.

● YouTube video thumbnail dimensions as recommended must be used.

● Several pre-designed templates are available for creating interesting thumbnails.

● To create an effective thumbnail, several tips and tricks can be used like using editing software like Wondershare Filmora.

Fade In, Fade Out: Exploring Two Essential Audio Techniques in Final Cut Pro

Two Ways to Fade In/Out Audio in Final Cut Pro

Benjamin Arango

Mar 27, 2024• Proven solutions

Creating a fade in or out effect in Final Cut Pro will make your audio amazing. However, as Final Cut Pro is for pros, not every user knows how to make fade in/out audio. In fact, it is very easy to fade audio in Final Cut Pro. This tutorial will show you how to apply effects like fade-in, fade-out, and crossfade to your audio clips using Final Cut Pro in two ways.

Part 1: Use the Modify Menu to Fade In/Out Audio

Part 2: Use Fade Handles to Fade In/Out Audio

---

This tutorial offers only the basics of the audio fading techniques in Apple Final Cut Pro X, which is a specialized video editing software used by professionals worldwide. If you are an amateur who is new to video editing, we suggest you begin with Wondershare Filmora for Mac (originally Wondershare Video Editor for Mac). It is a powerful yet easy-to-use software that is ideal for beginners. You can download the free trial version of Wondershare Filmora below.

Download Mac Version ](https://tools.techidaily.com/wondershare/filmora/download/ )

With this modern and extremely user-friendly tool, you’ll find that applying effects like fade-in, fade-out, or crossfade to your audio clips is very easy.

---

Before we get started, you can firstly detach the audio from video to better edit it. Locate your audio clip in the timeline, highlight the desired audio/video clip, right click on it, and choose Detach audio to unlink your audio from your video to edit them as separate elements.

Check more articles here, if you are also interested in other audio editing tips in Final Cut Pro or want to know how to record a voice over with FCP.

Part 1: How to Fade Audio by using the Modify Menu

You can go to the Modify menu and easily apply fade-in or fade-outs to the audio clip you are editing. The Final Cut Pro preferences also allow you to adjust the fade duration.

Step 1 : First, you have to select the audio or the video clips with audio in the timeline.

Step 2 : Select Modify> Adjust Volume> Apply Fades.

You should remember that the fades appear at the beginning and the end of each clip. The default duration of the fade is one half-second. If you want to modify that duration, you just have to drag the fade handle up to the point where your fade is supposed to begin or end.

Step 3: If you want to remove the fades, choose Modify > Adjust Volume > Remove Fades.

See more details on how to fade audio in Final Cut Pro from the following video.

Part 2: How to Fade Music by using Fade Handles

You have already learned how to find the fade handles on the screen. Now, you just have to manually drag the handle to the exact point from which you want the fade to begin or end. Just keep in mid this simple rule: fade handles at the beginning of a clip produce fade-in effects, whereas fade handles at the end give fade-out effects.

You can manually fade-in or out a portion of the audio clip on your timeline by using the fade handles. Place the pointer over the clip and you can see the fade handles appearing in the top left and right corners of the waveform. To change the sound of the fade, you’ll have to modify the shape of the fade by selecting one of the several preconfigured choices.

Using the fade handles to create crossfades:

Step 1 : To create a crossfade, first you have to select two adjacent clips in the timeline. After that choose Clip> Expand Audio (or press Control-S). You can see the waveforms on your screen expanding.

Step 2 : To overlap the audio parts of the two clips on your timeline, just drag the end point of the first clip and the start point of the second clip.

Step 3 : Now, you’ll have to drag the fade handles of each clip to the exact points where you want the fade to start and finish.

Tips: How to change fade shapes while using the fade handle

You can easily change the sound of your fades by modifying the default fade shape. For this, you’ll have to control-click a fade handle and select one of the fade preferences from the list.

• Linear: The rate of change is constant over the length of the fade.
• S-curve: Eases in and out of the fade with the midpoint at 0 dB.
• +3dB: Picks up quickly and then gradually peters out toward the end. This is the considered to be the most useful mode while choosing a quick fade.
• –3dB: Begins slowly and then toward the end picks up fast. This setting allows you to maintain a perfectly natural volume while crossfading two clips.
• Linear: Maintains a constant rate of change over the length of the fade.
• S-curve: Eases in and out of the fade with the midpoint at 0 dB.
• +3dB: Starts quickly and then slowly tapers off toward the end. This is the most useful setting for quick fades.
• –3dB: Starts slowly and then moves quickly toward the end. This is the default setting and is best for maintaining a natural volume when crossfading between two adjacent clips.

Benjamin Arango

Benjamin Arango is a writer and a lover of all things video.

Follow @Benjamin Arango

Benjamin Arango

Mar 27, 2024• Proven solutions

Creating a fade in or out effect in Final Cut Pro will make your audio amazing. However, as Final Cut Pro is for pros, not every user knows how to make fade in/out audio. In fact, it is very easy to fade audio in Final Cut Pro. This tutorial will show you how to apply effects like fade-in, fade-out, and crossfade to your audio clips using Final Cut Pro in two ways.

Part 1: Use the Modify Menu to Fade In/Out Audio

Part 2: Use Fade Handles to Fade In/Out Audio

---

This tutorial offers only the basics of the audio fading techniques in Apple Final Cut Pro X, which is a specialized video editing software used by professionals worldwide. If you are an amateur who is new to video editing, we suggest you begin with Wondershare Filmora for Mac (originally Wondershare Video Editor for Mac). It is a powerful yet easy-to-use software that is ideal for beginners. You can download the free trial version of Wondershare Filmora below.

Download Mac Version ](https://tools.techidaily.com/wondershare/filmora/download/ )

With this modern and extremely user-friendly tool, you’ll find that applying effects like fade-in, fade-out, or crossfade to your audio clips is very easy.

---

Before we get started, you can firstly detach the audio from video to better edit it. Locate your audio clip in the timeline, highlight the desired audio/video clip, right click on it, and choose Detach audio to unlink your audio from your video to edit them as separate elements.

Check more articles here, if you are also interested in other audio editing tips in Final Cut Pro or want to know how to record a voice over with FCP.

Part 1: How to Fade Audio by using the Modify Menu

You can go to the Modify menu and easily apply fade-in or fade-outs to the audio clip you are editing. The Final Cut Pro preferences also allow you to adjust the fade duration.

Step 1 : First, you have to select the audio or the video clips with audio in the timeline.

Step 2 : Select Modify> Adjust Volume> Apply Fades.

You should remember that the fades appear at the beginning and the end of each clip. The default duration of the fade is one half-second. If you want to modify that duration, you just have to drag the fade handle up to the point where your fade is supposed to begin or end.

Step 3: If you want to remove the fades, choose Modify > Adjust Volume > Remove Fades.

See more details on how to fade audio in Final Cut Pro from the following video.

Part 2: How to Fade Music by using Fade Handles

You have already learned how to find the fade handles on the screen. Now, you just have to manually drag the handle to the exact point from which you want the fade to begin or end. Just keep in mid this simple rule: fade handles at the beginning of a clip produce fade-in effects, whereas fade handles at the end give fade-out effects.

You can manually fade-in or out a portion of the audio clip on your timeline by using the fade handles. Place the pointer over the clip and you can see the fade handles appearing in the top left and right corners of the waveform. To change the sound of the fade, you’ll have to modify the shape of the fade by selecting one of the several preconfigured choices.

Using the fade handles to create crossfades:

Step 1 : To create a crossfade, first you have to select two adjacent clips in the timeline. After that choose Clip> Expand Audio (or press Control-S). You can see the waveforms on your screen expanding.

Step 2 : To overlap the audio parts of the two clips on your timeline, just drag the end point of the first clip and the start point of the second clip.

Step 3 : Now, you’ll have to drag the fade handles of each clip to the exact points where you want the fade to start and finish.

Tips: How to change fade shapes while using the fade handle

You can easily change the sound of your fades by modifying the default fade shape. For this, you’ll have to control-click a fade handle and select one of the fade preferences from the list.

• Linear: The rate of change is constant over the length of the fade.
• S-curve: Eases in and out of the fade with the midpoint at 0 dB.
• +3dB: Picks up quickly and then gradually peters out toward the end. This is the considered to be the most useful mode while choosing a quick fade.
• –3dB: Begins slowly and then toward the end picks up fast. This setting allows you to maintain a perfectly natural volume while crossfading two clips.
• Linear: Maintains a constant rate of change over the length of the fade.
• S-curve: Eases in and out of the fade with the midpoint at 0 dB.
• +3dB: Starts quickly and then slowly tapers off toward the end. This is the most useful setting for quick fades.
• –3dB: Starts slowly and then moves quickly toward the end. This is the default setting and is best for maintaining a natural volume when crossfading between two adjacent clips.

Benjamin Arango

Benjamin Arango is a writer and a lover of all things video.

Follow @Benjamin Arango

Benjamin Arango

Mar 27, 2024• Proven solutions

Creating a fade in or out effect in Final Cut Pro will make your audio amazing. However, as Final Cut Pro is for pros, not every user knows how to make fade in/out audio. In fact, it is very easy to fade audio in Final Cut Pro. This tutorial will show you how to apply effects like fade-in, fade-out, and crossfade to your audio clips using Final Cut Pro in two ways.

Part 1: Use the Modify Menu to Fade In/Out Audio

Part 2: Use Fade Handles to Fade In/Out Audio

---

This tutorial offers only the basics of the audio fading techniques in Apple Final Cut Pro X, which is a specialized video editing software used by professionals worldwide. If you are an amateur who is new to video editing, we suggest you begin with Wondershare Filmora for Mac (originally Wondershare Video Editor for Mac). It is a powerful yet easy-to-use software that is ideal for beginners. You can download the free trial version of Wondershare Filmora below.

Download Mac Version ](https://tools.techidaily.com/wondershare/filmora/download/ )

With this modern and extremely user-friendly tool, you’ll find that applying effects like fade-in, fade-out, or crossfade to your audio clips is very easy.

---

Before we get started, you can firstly detach the audio from video to better edit it. Locate your audio clip in the timeline, highlight the desired audio/video clip, right click on it, and choose Detach audio to unlink your audio from your video to edit them as separate elements.

Check more articles here, if you are also interested in other audio editing tips in Final Cut Pro or want to know how to record a voice over with FCP.

Part 1: How to Fade Audio by using the Modify Menu

You can go to the Modify menu and easily apply fade-in or fade-outs to the audio clip you are editing. The Final Cut Pro preferences also allow you to adjust the fade duration.

Step 1 : First, you have to select the audio or the video clips with audio in the timeline.

Step 2 : Select Modify> Adjust Volume> Apply Fades.

You should remember that the fades appear at the beginning and the end of each clip. The default duration of the fade is one half-second. If you want to modify that duration, you just have to drag the fade handle up to the point where your fade is supposed to begin or end.

Step 3: If you want to remove the fades, choose Modify > Adjust Volume > Remove Fades.

See more details on how to fade audio in Final Cut Pro from the following video.

Part 2: How to Fade Music by using Fade Handles

You have already learned how to find the fade handles on the screen. Now, you just have to manually drag the handle to the exact point from which you want the fade to begin or end. Just keep in mid this simple rule: fade handles at the beginning of a clip produce fade-in effects, whereas fade handles at the end give fade-out effects.

You can manually fade-in or out a portion of the audio clip on your timeline by using the fade handles. Place the pointer over the clip and you can see the fade handles appearing in the top left and right corners of the waveform. To change the sound of the fade, you’ll have to modify the shape of the fade by selecting one of the several preconfigured choices.

Using the fade handles to create crossfades:

Step 1 : To create a crossfade, first you have to select two adjacent clips in the timeline. After that choose Clip> Expand Audio (or press Control-S). You can see the waveforms on your screen expanding.

Step 2 : To overlap the audio parts of the two clips on your timeline, just drag the end point of the first clip and the start point of the second clip.

Step 3 : Now, you’ll have to drag the fade handles of each clip to the exact points where you want the fade to start and finish.

Tips: How to change fade shapes while using the fade handle

You can easily change the sound of your fades by modifying the default fade shape. For this, you’ll have to control-click a fade handle and select one of the fade preferences from the list.

• Linear: The rate of change is constant over the length of the fade.
• S-curve: Eases in and out of the fade with the midpoint at 0 dB.
• +3dB: Picks up quickly and then gradually peters out toward the end. This is the considered to be the most useful mode while choosing a quick fade.
• –3dB: Begins slowly and then toward the end picks up fast. This setting allows you to maintain a perfectly natural volume while crossfading two clips.
• Linear: Maintains a constant rate of change over the length of the fade.
• S-curve: Eases in and out of the fade with the midpoint at 0 dB.
• +3dB: Starts quickly and then slowly tapers off toward the end. This is the most useful setting for quick fades.
• –3dB: Starts slowly and then moves quickly toward the end. This is the default setting and is best for maintaining a natural volume when crossfading between two adjacent clips.

Benjamin Arango

Benjamin Arango is a writer and a lover of all things video.

Follow @Benjamin Arango

Benjamin Arango

Mar 27, 2024• Proven solutions

Creating a fade in or out effect in Final Cut Pro will make your audio amazing. However, as Final Cut Pro is for pros, not every user knows how to make fade in/out audio. In fact, it is very easy to fade audio in Final Cut Pro. This tutorial will show you how to apply effects like fade-in, fade-out, and crossfade to your audio clips using Final Cut Pro in two ways.

Part 1: Use the Modify Menu to Fade In/Out Audio

Part 2: Use Fade Handles to Fade In/Out Audio

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This tutorial offers only the basics of the audio fading techniques in Apple Final Cut Pro X, which is a specialized video editing software used by professionals worldwide. If you are an amateur who is new to video editing, we suggest you begin with Wondershare Filmora for Mac (originally Wondershare Video Editor for Mac). It is a powerful yet easy-to-use software that is ideal for beginners. You can download the free trial version of Wondershare Filmora below.

Download Mac Version ](https://tools.techidaily.com/wondershare/filmora/download/ )

With this modern and extremely user-friendly tool, you’ll find that applying effects like fade-in, fade-out, or crossfade to your audio clips is very easy.

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Before we get started, you can firstly detach the audio from video to better edit it. Locate your audio clip in the timeline, highlight the desired audio/video clip, right click on it, and choose Detach audio to unlink your audio from your video to edit them as separate elements.

Check more articles here, if you are also interested in other audio editing tips in Final Cut Pro or want to know how to record a voice over with FCP.

Part 1: How to Fade Audio by using the Modify Menu

You can go to the Modify menu and easily apply fade-in or fade-outs to the audio clip you are editing. The Final Cut Pro preferences also allow you to adjust the fade duration.

Step 1 : First, you have to select the audio or the video clips with audio in the timeline.

Step 2 : Select Modify> Adjust Volume> Apply Fades.

You should remember that the fades appear at the beginning and the end of each clip. The default duration of the fade is one half-second. If you want to modify that duration, you just have to drag the fade handle up to the point where your fade is supposed to begin or end.

Step 3: If you want to remove the fades, choose Modify > Adjust Volume > Remove Fades.

See more details on how to fade audio in Final Cut Pro from the following video.

Part 2: How to Fade Music by using Fade Handles

You have already learned how to find the fade handles on the screen. Now, you just have to manually drag the handle to the exact point from which you want the fade to begin or end. Just keep in mid this simple rule: fade handles at the beginning of a clip produce fade-in effects, whereas fade handles at the end give fade-out effects.

You can manually fade-in or out a portion of the audio clip on your timeline by using the fade handles. Place the pointer over the clip and you can see the fade handles appearing in the top left and right corners of the waveform. To change the sound of the fade, you’ll have to modify the shape of the fade by selecting one of the several preconfigured choices.

Using the fade handles to create crossfades:

Step 1 : To create a crossfade, first you have to select two adjacent clips in the timeline. After that choose Clip> Expand Audio (or press Control-S). You can see the waveforms on your screen expanding.

Step 2 : To overlap the audio parts of the two clips on your timeline, just drag the end point of the first clip and the start point of the second clip.

Step 3 : Now, you’ll have to drag the fade handles of each clip to the exact points where you want the fade to start and finish.

Tips: How to change fade shapes while using the fade handle

You can easily change the sound of your fades by modifying the default fade shape. For this, you’ll have to control-click a fade handle and select one of the fade preferences from the list.

• Linear: The rate of change is constant over the length of the fade.
• S-curve: Eases in and out of the fade with the midpoint at 0 dB.
• +3dB: Picks up quickly and then gradually peters out toward the end. This is the considered to be the most useful mode while choosing a quick fade.
• –3dB: Begins slowly and then toward the end picks up fast. This setting allows you to maintain a perfectly natural volume while crossfading two clips.
• Linear: Maintains a constant rate of change over the length of the fade.
• S-curve: Eases in and out of the fade with the midpoint at 0 dB.
• +3dB: Starts quickly and then slowly tapers off toward the end. This is the most useful setting for quick fades.
• –3dB: Starts slowly and then moves quickly toward the end. This is the default setting and is best for maintaining a natural volume when crossfading between two adjacent clips.

Benjamin Arango

Benjamin Arango is a writer and a lover of all things video.

Follow @Benjamin Arango

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