Apple Final Cut Pro 5 - Manual (Page 909)

122 Part I Media and Project Management
Using the Option Key to Temporarily Enable Pen Tools
When using the Selection tool, holding down the Option key and moving the pointer
over the volume level overlay in the Timeline makes the Pen tool the active tool. This is
a fast and easy way to create keyframes to mix your levels.
Holding down the Option key and moving the pointer to an existing keyframe
temporarily enables the Delete Point tool, so that you can quickly delete keyframes you
don’t want.
Using the Command Key to “Gear Down” Adjustment Speed
In Final Cut Pro, items you drag onscreen normally move at the same speed at which
you move your mouse across your work surface. When you’re dragging the volume
level overlay, this usually works just fine. However, you can drag even more precisely by
pressing the Command key after you start dragging an item.
If you hold down the Command key while dragging the volume level overlay, the
overlay moves much more slowly, and its numeric value changes in much smaller
increments. This is especially valuable when mixing levels in the Timeline, where the
small height of clips can make precise level adjustment difficult.
Note: The Command key works with nearly any dragging operation in Final Cut Pro.
Creating, Modifying, and Deleting Keyframes in the Viewer
The keyframe controls are located next to the slider controls in the Viewer.
 Level Keyframe button: The keyframe button to the right of the dB field places a
keyframe on the level overlay at the current playhead location. You place keyframes
on the audio level in preparation for creating a dynamic change in the level when
you’re mixing.
 Level keyframe navigation buttons: These buttons, to the left and right of the Level
Keyframe button, allow you to move the playhead forward or backward from one
keyframe on the level overlay to the next.
Level Keyframe
button
Pan Keyframe button
Reset button