Ok, I am one of the new "switchers" from FCP, and am really loving Media Composer.  These forums have been VERY helpful as I make my way through my first project.  Thanks to all!

So...I am having trouble with Ripple Trim, and I can't seem to figure this one out on my own... 

I have sucessfuly used ripple trim to edit in the timeline with only one track of video and two tracks of audio.  But when my timeline gets more complicated with layers of video and audio I can't seem to find a way to perform a ripple trim and keep ALL the tracks in sync.

The attached image "timeline.png" shows the timeline before I perform a ripple trim, and the lower half of the image shows the timeline again and what happens after I perform the ripple trim...with the tracks with green arrows and a red "X" being out of Sync.

Legend:

• Yellow arrows: The clip I am performing the ripple trim on
• Green arrows: Sync Point
• Green arrows w/Red X:  Out of Sync tracks

I have tried "selecting all tracks" w/ Command-A before I trim, but that doesnt seem to work.  I am sure I amiising something simple here.  Please help!  Thanks in advance.

Sync Locks will help you to stay in sync (it's the small button right from the track button).

You can search in the Help for Sync Locks:

"Activate sync locks for maintaining sync during edits. Click next to the Timecode track to switch sync locks on and off for all tracks."

What you want to do is enable the sync-locks (to the right of the track names, its like a forward slash).

For every track that has sync lock enabled an equivalent trim will be made to that track.

With the trim rollers, you can Shift select specific head/tails on diferent tracks to perform asymetric trims. And you can Command select a trim roller to set it as the specific point from where the trim will be monitored.

One nice tip is, if you make a trim and then come out of trim-mode to review you can go right back to the previous roller selection by holding ALT when you press the trim-mode button.

Ahh, Sync Locks, Cool.  Big Mahalos for the help..I knew it was something very simple.  Lovin' the AVID!  Goodby FCP. 

A Google Search revealed this cool bit of info on Sync Locks:

http://splicenow.com/2009/02/16/sync-locks-and-why-you-need-them/

To preview and edit use the mappable play loop function.

I map it to shift-play

The avid will loop around the trim point and you can trim on each loop.

The pre and post roll is defined in settings-trim

(PS the similar sync lock box next to TC1 will lock all tracks at once.)

Steve

Also just keep a simple rule in mind when doing anything in MC. If the roller is yellow that means it will affect the actual lenght of the timeline. So in order to maintain sync you have to apply yellow rollers to all tacks, otherwise you will change the actual duration of tracks 1 - 3 and leave 4 and 5 untouched.. meaning you fall out of sync.. Sync lock helps but keep that in mind.. In general in MC anything that is yellow , splice, extract, yellow roller (Ripple Trim) affect the duration of your sequence. You are actually adding or removing material while preserving everything around it. Red color (overwrite, lift, red roller) adds, removes, resizes stuff but it doesn't alter the lenght of your sequence. Just overwrites..

Thanks for the help!  I am getting a grip on Media Composer.  I'll try the play loop...nice.  There are just so many great tools packed into MC! I feel I will be discovering more for a while....