FCE: Transitions adding time to clips?

[C. Alan]

I am a relatively new Final Cut Express user, and I noticed something tonight that doesn't make much sense to me.

I am trying to cut together some scenes to music that is 120 beats per minute, so to get the timing right, I cut all my clips into two second batches. This way, the clip changed on the 1 beat.

All was going fine until I decided to add cross dissolves to smooth out my clip transitions. I am using a 16 frame cross dissolve. However, the first time I put all my clips together with the dissolves, my timing was thrown all off. I noticed that the dissolved were adding 16 frames to each of my clips (im assuming to accommodate the dissolve). However, this is throwing my music timing off.

Is there a way I can add transitions to my time line without having Final Cut add length to my clips? I know I could fake it by taking 16 frame out of each clip, but that seems like a screwy way to do it.

Thanks,


Edit:
I figured it out. On my time line, the original locations of my edits were still there. When I added the transition, it appeared my clips gained frames in the View window, but in fact, those frames were overlapping the adjacent clips.
--C. Alan
C. Alan

 

[arjen92]

I'm glad you figured it out. Just in addition, you can't add transitions when there's not enough source material (say the end of your tape). I struggled a lot with that.

BTW I found a trick on the internet to edit clips. Play the song in your timeline and press "m" on the beat. This way it's easier to cut things to the beat (when you have snapping on).