Final Cut Pro X

A powerful video editing app for Macs.

Tips

Organizing files

Create a new library for each project.
First, organize everything into folders (e.g. Assets: Voice/Video/Image: …) before importing (FCPX uses the folder structure as the tags).
When importing don’t duplicate the footage into the library.
After a project finished, “Delete generated library files” to save space. You can drastically reduce the size of the library file.

Check out these videos for more information: Import and organise footage, folders and libraries - Final Cut Pro X and How to organise footage, folders and libraries for Final Cut Pro X

Basic shortcuts

Get used to j, k, and l (ll: 2x playback).
Up and down arrow move between cuts.
Master a (select cursor), r (range selection cursor), and b (blade cursor)
⌘+b: blade cut
⌥+[: trim Start. A common pattern is to cut first with b and then trim unnecessary parts with ⌥+[.
⌥+f: insert freeze frame.
⇧+⌘+8: show audio meters

See Keyboard shortcuts in Final Cut Pro.

More advanced shortcuts

⇧+⌘+v: paste attributes and ⌥+⌘+v: paste effects. Use x to remove effects/attributes.

Adjustments

Use adjustment layers. The whole adjustments can be copied and pasted.

Audio

Turn on the audio meters
Keep the audio around -6db ~ -12db.

Tutorial videos