How to learn FCP?

[Chris7]

I just got Final Cut Studio 2. What’s the best way to learn it?

I’ve started reading the printed manuals and find them helpful and thorough. I do like really getting to know the program – for example I learned how to change the text size in the timeline and browser, which a FCP specialist with Apple tech support said was not even possible. I’m not sure how much of the approximately 2,0000 pages I am going to need, but I don’t want to miss something, and I don’t want to get into bad workflow habits.

I know there are other printed materials, DVD’s, and downloads to learn the program. Would these be a better way to learn than the manuals? Which ones would you suggest?

 

[augustheat]

Learning FCP

Chris:

I have found the Apple Training Series book for FCP6 to be excellent! Also, I have the MacPro Video series (macprovideo.com) DVD's for all the FCS2 programs. They are informative and well put together. Between these two resources, you shouldn't have any trouble learning FCP. Also YouTube and Ken Stone's web site (Google it) offer some great tutorials, as well...

Hope this helps...

Blessings,

 

[cpcarrot]

I would second Apple's Pro Training Series as very good learning guides. Get the Final Cut Pro 6 book to begin with and go from there (I've been through Color, Motion 3, Soundtrack Pro, FCP Beyond the Basics and FCP The Craft of Editing and they are all very good and teach you something new). Plus if you really want to you can go and get certified from Apple based on these if you really want to.

 

[fluidedge]

Larry Jordan's Final Cut Pro training on Lynda.com is the best i have come across. To be honest watch and digest that and that'll be all you need

 

[AviationFan]

Another vote for lynda.com. While I haven't taken their Final Cut Pro training, I've learned a lot from all the other courses they offer. I especially like the ability to take a peek at tutorials for applications that I don't know anything about yet, just to better understand what kind of software is out there.

- Martin

 

[Chris7]

What are the manuals for?

Thanks. Look like you're suggesting any of three routes would work – Apple Training Series Books, MacPro Video series DVDs, and lynda.com tutorials.

I still wonder – am I going to miss something important by learning from tutorials rather than manuals? For example, do the tutorials tell you things like that it is possible to change the text size in the timeline and browser? Or is that the kind of thing you would only find in the manuals?

 

[huntercr]

Thanks. Look like you're suggesting any of three routes would work – Apple Training Series Books, MacPro Video series DVDs, and lynda.com tutorials.

I still wonder – am I going to miss something important by learning from tutorials rather than manuals? For example, do the tutorials tell you things like that it is possible to change the text size in the timeline and browser? Or is that the kind of thing you would only find in the manuals?

Just because you chose one of the recommendations above, doesn't mean you can't continue to read the manuals. I'd recommend it, actually... just leaf through it when you're bored. When I was starting out with Final Cut I read as much as I could but didn't realize the value in some of the things I was reading because I didn't have any experience yet. Once you get done with your first basic project, it will all make alot more sense the 2nd time you read the manual.

 

[trudd]

The training series books will certainly do the job. The books are a great way to ease into more efficient/complex editing

 

[cpcarrot]

The manual is there if you want to know about individual features, so yes reading the manual will allow you to find out about features that may not be covered in any of the three training methods detailed above. What the manual is however not much use for is teaching how to actually use these features in a useful way. The Apple Pro Training Series, the tutorials on Lydia.com and the others, show you how to actually put the stuff together through useful examples and exercises. So really depends on what you want.

 

[fluidedge]

changing the font size is one of the first things they teach you at lynda.com!

 

[Chris7]

Thanks you to those who posted for the advice. I just bought the first in the Apple Pro Training Series. I'll start on it this weekend, and check out some of the other tutorials mentioned from there.

What the manual is however not much use for is teaching how to actually use these features in a useful way.

Thanks. This puts it in perspective. Sounds like learning first from the manuals is not the way to go; rather the manuals sort of supplement the tutorials.