How to sync audio and video in Final Cut Pro with a clapperboard

Before you start

These steps follow Apple's Final Cut Pro 12.3 user guide. Synchronize Clips builds a new clip from your picture and sound, and you edit with that clip.

You'll be matching the first frame where the sticks close (or the first white frame of a flash) with the very start of the clap's spike. New to that? Read how to sync audio and video with a clapperboard.

Synchronize Clips by waveform

1. Select the pair

   In the browser, select the camera clip and its sound file.

2. Open Synchronize Clips

   Choose Clip > Synchronize Clips, press Option-Command-G, or Control-click and choose Synchronize Clips.

3. Name it

   Type a name in Synchronized Clip Name and choose which event it goes in.

4. Use the sound to line it up

   Tick “Use audio for synchronization”. Final Cut matches the camera's recording of the clap to your sound file.

5. Switch off the camera's sound

   Tick “Disable audio components on AV clips” so you only hear the good recording.

6. Click OK and check

   A new synced clip appears in the event. Play the clap and a line of dialogue before you start cutting.

Sync on the clap with markers (no camera sound needed)

1. Mark the picture

   Open the camera clip, step with the arrow keys to the first closed-sticks frame or flash frame, and press M to add a marker.

2. Mark the sound

   Open the sound file and add a marker at the start of the clap's spike.

3. Synchronize on the markers

   Select both clips and choose Clip > Synchronize Clips. Click Use Custom Settings and set Synchronization to First Marker on the Clip. Leave “Use audio for synchronization” off so the markers decide.

Fix a synced clip that's slightly off

Select the synced clip and choose Clip > Open Clip. Drag the attached sound left or right, then click the arrow at the top left of the timeline to close it.

Questions