Boost Your Editing Efficiency: How the Shift-1 Shortcut Sets Source Media to Audio and Video in Final Cut Pro

Keyboard shortcut: Shift1

Have you ever edited a clip into your timeline and ended up with only the picture, or only the sound? That's usually the source media setting. Shift-1 puts it back to the normal mode, so your edits bring in both audio and video.

What Does Shift-1 Do?

Shift-1 runs Source Media: Audio & Video. It turns on audio/video mode, so the next edits you make from the Browser add both the video and the audio portion of your selection to the timeline.

This setting affects edit commands such as Append (E), Connect (Q), Insert (W), and Overwrite (D). It doesn't open or change any windows; it simply decides which parts of the source clip get edited in.

How to Use It

  1. Press Shift-1 to switch source media to audio and video.
  2. In the Browser, select a clip or mark a range.
  3. Use an edit command, such as E to append. The clip lands in the timeline with both its picture and its sound.

The edit buttons in the toolbar show which mode you're in, so a quick glance tells you whether your next edit will include audio, video, or both.

Related Shortcuts

  • Shift-2 sets source media to video only, handy for laying B-roll over an interview without its camera audio.
  • Shift-3 sets source media to audio only, handy for grabbing just the sound from a clip.

Practical Tip

The source media setting stays where you left it. If you switched to video only for B-roll and later your edits seem to be missing audio, press Shift-1 before your next edit to get back to normal.

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