Editing to the Beat - the One Frame Trick

[@FilmmakerIQ]

ATTENTION: I made an addendum to not only address a strange issue with KZbin adding additional frame of lag in the audio. Check out the video here: kzbin.info/www/bejne/aH2Zn4psqrOjb80 Getting great responses but some people have been questioning the science bit so I want to address it here instead of repeating myself over and over again. Although light does indeed travel faster than sound, there is _still_ a delay in neurological processing of sight vs sound (about 40ms in delay). You would need about 15m to make up for this delay... Less than 15m and you sense the sound _before_ the visual. Now before you start moving things around by the millisecond, it gets more complicated: the brain also knows this delay exists so it does some things to shift the experience around. Here's a good chapter on the topic. www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK92837/ Ultimately this trick demonstrated in the video is not a science experiment, it is an artistic experiment that plays to the science, but it would be foolhardy to think it is science. This is about making the cut _feel_ right or feel more pleasant. Always think about the intent of the cut. Sometimes you may want to cut right on the beat, sometimes a frame before, sometimes half a second before. But the point is your cuts do matter and something as small as a frame will matter!

[@RijuChatterjee]

Yes, finally you can't beat trying it out out and seeing what feels best!

[@ibjacked]

Thanks, I'll check it out. I was going to comment that there must be biology variables involved because the 1-frame-before appears early to me while the on-the-beat is perfect. Maybe my hearing is retarded ;) Glad to hear there is a better explanation!

[@henryh.448]

I didn't notice much difference in your two versions. I'm on a computer with a soundbar right below my monitor, maybe 50 cm distance. Speed of sound turns out *doesn't* matter for these things, at least a 24 fps video, except maybe in move theater. Rule of thumb i use is 340 m/s for sound, so for TV distance of 2.5 m the transmission delay is 7.35 ms while a frame at 24 fps is 41.67 ms. It's just not that significant compared to one frame. But for a movie theater, idk how far away the speakers are. If it's about 15 m distant then the transmission delay of sound is already equivalent to one frame, so what you'd effectively observe is a two-frame delay. That could definitely matter. *EDIT:* lol just watched rectified version. I like the one frame before the beat version. Btw i have no argument about neurological delays, just wanted to point out the SOS has virtually no bearing in your home but might matter in movie theaters.

[@AustinNewman]

Cutting one frame ahead of the beat makes the edit feel like it is driving the music rather than the other way around. 🔥

[@CollinAbroadcast]

I must be the only one that likes the music to drive the edit 😂

[@andrewdevasir]

@@CollinAbroadcast we are not alone!!

[@CollinAbroadcast]

@@andrewdevasir For real. I like picking a mood for the song and then trying to edit to the song. Each edit comes out in its own style, it's great

[@errorloading_ny]

Collin Abroadcast me too

[@lbrtvlldr]

That is exactly why the "right version" feels off to me. It's the music that should drive the edits in this case. I'd even try to cut one frame AFTER the beats.

[@austinlindsay]

Not to be one of “those people” but I think all beats matter. Meaning, when I’m doing my absolute passion work. I’ll place the cut where it “feels” best. Some cuts feel best right on the beat. Some cuts feel better a frame before, a frame after, etc. That also has to do with the audio beat sometimes landing in the middle of the frame, or the first 1/3rd of the frame, or any number of fractions. Music and beats in videos can get meticulous real fast. Haha

[@MoniJohnson]

Agreed. The jump cut rule can be shifted and applied on a song-by-song or even a cut-by-cut basis for the best final effect. In reality, most of the viewers won't "feel" the difference anyway if it's only a 1-frame difference. As producers/editors we often obsess over the craziest (smallest) of things.

[@MrSofazocker]

@@MoniJohnson Well it depends on the bpm and fps of the video. Auditory response time is around 8-12 ms whereas visual response is about 20-40ms. You offset it so it matches in your brain, at 24 fps its 41.6ms per frame. That, however, doesn't happen if there's a second beat or off-beat in between. Then, it feels jarring, cause your brain can't match the cut to a particular beat, because it has more or less two to choose. But overall, this is more applicable when cutting on a loud sound, not so much in music videos. Always rubs me the wrong way, when cutting to the beat in a music video is just cutting on a loud sound, no respect is given to musical structure. Why do cut on the snare of the 2 3/4 beat?

[@Angelux31]

This technique is good to know, however, in my experience is more the actual listening careful to the beat with the ear instead of totally reference if by the waveform, of course the waveform will give you a point of reference but at the end, to have a curated cut, you will have to experiment until you got it, sometimes it will be 1 frame before, sometimes at the exact waveform peak and sometimes after

[@xpreshun]

Yeah the other parts to the song as well. Editing to the guitar rift, the bass, etc. or framing movement to the beat instead of cutting.

[@markclancy5714]

I find that true especially with clips that are fast in motion that is another effect that marrys to the feel

[@chrisc7265]

I'm more of a musician and can't help but focus on the music over the visuals. I'm feeling more how the visuals work musically than how the music impacts the visuals. 1/24th of a second is a significant and very noticeable unit of time musically. The early frame feels musical --- it's kind of like a reverse cymbal pulling into the beat. It adds oomph and groove when it hits on the downbeats, it makes the music better. The on-the-beat edits feel jarring and unnatural. If you think about watching a band, you see the drummer swing his arm down, then you hear the hit. You see the guitarist start to flick his hand down, then you hear the strum. When do you see and hear at the exact same time? When you're blindsided, when you don't have an accurate understanding of your environment. You don't hear the rock tumbling down the mountainside (then see it), you don't see the rock teetering on the cliff (then hear it), you see and hear the rock at the exact same time as it hits you in the face. The early cut maintains a level of comfort, of flow, it's more musical, more natural. The on-the-beat cut could be used to emphasize unease, jarring opposites, surprise, the unnatural.

[@peterslegers6121]

Yup, like Chris said ^^

[@chasingvenusfilmarts]

Great comment Chris, very intelligent insights and good analogy. Peace.

[@carsonhunt2808]

Also a musician and editor, and you put my thoughts into words perfectly!

[@triem23]

I must be anomalous. When watching the video the first time it felt "off" to me. I could tell the cuts were early and just figured you had a track where the BPM didn't synch well with the frame rate and you just had to pick between early/late. Maybe I anticipate the cuts, but the "on beat" version is the one that felt correct to me. Go figure!

[@x1n30Parente]

the difference that bpm makes with the framerates that are commonly used is as significant, if not bigger, than the technique in this video (imo)

[@v0ldy54]

Same sensation, it felt off sync to me, I could "clap my hands" on the image swap with the synced cut, but not on the early frame cut and that felt weird

[@FilmmakerIQ]

This exercise isn't about being synchronous with the beat. Because it clearly isn't. This is about making it more pleasant cut which I think it absolutely does. You guys are free to think otherwise. but I would also warn that many of you probably wouldn't even notice if I didn't mention it.

[@triem23]

@@FilmmakerIQ Absolutely see your point. As I said in my original post *I* must be anomalous. Probably for the vast majority of people the "cut early" is more pleasing. I'm an editor and have to cut to music often, and, of course, the episode title let us know this was about cutting to audio, so I went in primed and alert in "deconstruct" mode. Otherwise, well, yeah, probably would have ignored anything that seemed "off" to me as BPM variation. Anyways, John, great video, great discussion and thanks for what you do.

[@felixxmu1967]

To me none of the Versions felt off... they just feel differnt. The early one felt a little bit relaxed vs the on beat. The relaxed felt off at the shortcutting part in the last third of the track as I watched it first. But with the mention and repeated watch it blures totaly to me. Big thanks for your contend John!

[@NotCerius]

I can't even thank you enough for this, I'm currently making a title sequence and this really helps. THANK YOU.

[@BThings]

The thing I love so much about filmmaking is what an incredibly technical art form it is. Not to say that other art forms are not technical, but the need to account for a plethora of minute settings and details, even down to a single frame, just to attain something that is aesthetically pleasing on a basic level is really cool and interesting, and I love doing it!

[@vincentraw]

After years of editing this is the most amazing and effective (and easiest) technique I have ever seen! Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!! A thousand thumbs up!

[@soorajraju04]

The most profound thing I have learnd in a looooooong time... The kind of possibility a single frame opens up ! Whoooa... This is almost on a spiritual level... Thank you ! 🙏🏼✌🏼😊👍🏼

[@BeybladeDad]

Wow, thank you for the in depth look. Who would have thought!

[@CEmanified]

I definitely think the on frame cuts seem more impactful. I think this music could use a mixture of both cuts to emphasize certain notes.

[@demp11]

KZbin has additionally added one frame of delay so the on the cut are actually the one frame ones.

[@CEmanified]

@@demp11 Why would the KZbin audio be out of sync by a frame? I'm on mobile so I can't check whether it actually is in this video or not but I don't know why it would be.

[@demp11]

@@CEmanified Don't know maybe it has a reason or it's just a technical issue. he made a post on KZbin about this and the technique being used in the batman trailer.

[@FilmmakerIQ]

The frame latency is a result of the encoding.

[@MidnightSt]

i agree. the on the frame cuts feel more like jump cuts, the one frame ahead cuts feel more... fluent.

[@enricojakobsoriano]

The frame-early cut is surprisingly more pleasing and less jarring. Thanks for this one thing. I’m definitely gonna use it.

[@Mirsab]

I feel it's subjective, this trick is not necessarily better, if it feels good do it, if it doesn't, don't.

[@sothatsdevintart2562]

Thank You! I’ve been fascinated by the technique for a while now, and it’s really nice knowing how to implement it properly.

[@gafaff]

When I started in post production, we used tape, and occasionally there'd be a single-line dropout in a 25fps PAL interlaced video - i.e. a single line lasting 1/50th of a second. When I started, I literally couldn't see it, when everyone (more experienced) else could. Over time I could easily see them, as well as many other artefacts that occur very briefly. This made me conclude that you can train the senses to be "better". A similar thing happens with hearing for musicians and sound engineers, and with taste, for chefs and winemakers.

[@mrdjmedina]

The best tips are the ones you didn't know you needed and this is one I will be using from this day forward.

[@BTheBlindRef]

My brain registers that the scene is changing "early", but it takes a split second for my brain to process the new image and make sense of it. With the "one frame early" approach, my brain's conceptual resolution of the new image coincides with the sound impact even though, when I'm paying close attention, I can see that the picture switches a touch early. When it's in sync, my brain registering "CHANGE!" happens at the same time, but there is a split second where my brain is asking "ok, but what's the image now?" while the beat is already past. It's more effective if your brain registers the new scene at the moment of the beat rather than registering that there is a change of SOME KIND with the beat, but not being able to resolve it until after the fact. Long winded, but that is what it feels like to me.

[@FilmmakerIQ]

I get what you're driving at - that's what I mean with the ricochet feel.

[@gamezswinger]

I started noticing this a few months ago. Totally agree. 1 frame creates the illusion of synchronization. 👍

[@ipso_jure]

Oh, yeah! It is really much "smoother" to watch with frame-ahead. Thanks! I'll use it in my editing now

[@SirReelist]

Really good example for beginning editors! As a long experienced editor myself, I’ve edited several videos to music and I edit with a mix of on or ahead of the beat. There isn’t really a one edit fits all for me. It depends on the music, the rhythm, the shots, and the build-up between music and the shots. Sometimes an edit before the beat makes the shot more powerful and then editing on the beat for the subsequent shots lets the visual rhythm continue with the music. And then from there I break up the rhythm of the edits a little bit. So I think a mix of both can make the editing most effective, but that’s just how I feel.

[@chasingvenusfilmarts]

Indeed, and very well put. Nothing is more annoying than editors being lazy regarding the power of music and audio; the many ways music and audio impact us emotionally and psychologically is profound.

[@SirReelist]

It’s not to say that John is wrong or anything. All of the different techniques of production, and indeed post, are meant to complement each other and no one method is really right or wrong, better or worse. The video makes a good suggestion for editing music videos a slightly different way, but whether to use the technique is entirely up to the artist, or editor. It’s just another tool in the toolbox. It’s a mix of dictating the video with the editing and the audio together.

[@GabrielOnuris]

Interesting... this is the kind of little tip that takes a whole life experience to note, it could mean a priceless change in editing as a whole. Thank you.

[@IngweMutliMediaProductions]

never to old to learn , alway cut on the beat , but never cut 1 frame back , definite improvement , thanks

[@JakHart]

Wow. I mean, seriously, wow. This is absolutely amazing. It reminds me of many music writing tricks and concepts to give more of a punch, or bounce, making the piece more exuberant. Syncopation absolutely rules.

[@mikedusenka3238]

Cutting on the beat or a frame, even a few before, depends on what is shown before or after. Composition, subject, and movement or lack of, mostly play into when to cut, even with music videos. It's finding when the action in the frame best matches the music. For instance, "the cut on the beat" example looked jarring because the shot at 2:19 is a wide landscape shot with your eye's looking in the center, and when cut to the next frame at 2:21 the viewers eye's are forced to the right third of the frame looking at the tree or even at the peak of the mountain - breaking Walter Murch's Eye Trace technique. In this example you're right to massage the cut by a frame to reduce the jarring cut - but don't just cut one frame early everytime because it sometimes feels right. Overall love the channel and can't wait to see more videos.

[@gustavogarza8585]

I discover this by error and trial, now with your explanation it all makes sense, Thank you

[@KendrickHarrisKenfinity]

It's awesome to find out how us editors can seamlessly edit and create fully synchronized sequences. Stay safe and keep it up!

[@pdrg]

Great point. I think it's like fireworks, we are used to getting the visual information before the audio for large visual changes

[@danielshepherd7306]

Exacty what I was thinking.

[@davidr7236]

Super interesting study, thank you. After you taught us what to watch for either of them feel contrived, like when we say a word too many times and it doesn't sound like a real word anymore, but the intro sequence definitely feels impactful.

[@clintbriant8508]

So suttle but definitely gives a more natural feel to the changing clip. I've considered it before while mixing and could feel that it mattered but until you painted the picture I just messed with moving them up/back and watching several times to get that feeling just right. Now I know AND understand! Great topic. Thanks!

[@plaidawan]

This was great. That dissonance between sound and image creating a perfect match was something I'll throw in my edits.

[@leeallen2301]

What I noticed was that when you cut before the beat, the transition was smoother, and for something where you need to emphasise the visuals instead of the audio it worked better. When the cut was directly on the beat it made the beat stand out a lot more which would be better for a music video, which is what I mainly shoot. It’s interesting that the guy who taught you this worked on music videos. Good info though, and this will be useful as an extra option for me.

[@shuttermaniacproductions5149]

I love this. This was the answer to a question that had almost formed in my primitive head. Thanks John, you will now forever live in my edits.

[@abbyrodebaugh6634]

You deserve endless subscribers! You are so talented/intelligent and I love your videos, especially the informative and historical ones. Thank you for sharing this tip and your knowledge with us! Never stop filmmaking, you’re one of the best 👊

[@toms2145]

There isn’t an emoji that displays the wonderful feelings that have come over me. This is gold. Thank you. I really mean that. ✌️❤️😀

[@happypearsweddingvideography]

Thank you so much for this tip! So many times I've been editing and I think 'that just doesn't seem right' but then I look at my waveforms and think that it's edited on the beat so it must be. In my current edit, I just shifted a lot of cuts back a frame and it flows so much better!

[@thomasgorman6513]

I don't know, I'm on the fence. Sometimes with the 1 frame early cut I thought "oh, they kind of missed that cut a bit" and sometimes I thought "ooh, that was nice." But it was the same for the on-beat cuts too. I think the 1 beat early cuts sometimes felt like a punch in the face before the music caught up. I think cutting on beat never felt as nice as the good feeling early cuts, but never felt as bad as the worst cuts 1 beat early.

[@FilmmakerIQ]

I never want to take a prescriptive attitude with these things - it's never an "always do this" - sometimes having a beat drive the cut feels right in the moment, sometimes it doesn't. That's why editing is such an art :)

[@thomasgorman6513]

@@FilmmakerIQ Oh certainly, I didn't mean to imply that you did. I was just interested to note that on the same cuts, the very same cuts watched over and over, my perception of them would change.

[@soulvibe2007]

Looking at it from the audio side you need to know and adjust the cut to the attack of the beat/sound as well. That is probably why this technique will not always feel right.

[@FilmmakerIQ]

Watching the same cut over and over again is also a real danger - sometimes you don't see the problem until you can watch it from a father back - seeing the cut in context with the surrounding cuts...

[@Bthefilmer]

I felt the same with the consecutive cuts.

[@Foomandoonian]

That's wild. The difference is quite noticeable once you know to look for it.

[@joeledelblute]

Thank you! This was easy to find and incredibly helpful. Love the "human" explanation.

[@AL.N-music]

I discovered this technique through practice. The odd cuts usually you won't realize when you've been at it for too long. Then you watch it again the next day and realize something's off. Then by trial and error has come to this same place of cutting to the beat. There would always be some peculiar cases sometimes though. You want it jarring, playing to the context of the music. But this is a great technique. Great to know I was right on the money there.

[@konradswart4069]

Thank you very much! In my videos _timing is of the _*_utmost_*_ importance!_ I had the feeling, that I did not always get it _exactly_ right, and I _just could not figure out_ what my problem was. This video is _very helpful!_ _Thanks again!_

[@noahv17]

Wow I didn't know this had a name. I've been unknowingly doing this, but now that I know why it makes so much more sense. Great video

[@mvfreedom]

Love this, first time I’ve ever heard this and it’s noticeably better. Appreciate the video!

[@CULT-CinemaRu]

Dunno about others but edit to the beat is perfect to my eye and I was always doing that, while one frame before creates a weird dissonance effect to me, so ... :)

[@southlondon86]

Exactly what I thought.

[@clurkroberts2650]

Been doing this for years. The image is the predominate source, and by cutting the video a frame earlier, the music( or sound) punctuates and reinforces the impact of the video cut... sort of like a rim shot. Works really well for sfx, such as explosions and crashes, anything with a significant image content transition....try it. Likewise, cutting the image one frame late of audio is easily detected and seems totally out of sync and jarring. Wish you had shown this as an example.

[@kontoname]

rim shot xD

[@bidurregmi2723]

New things I learned today that can bring drastic change. Thanks a lot 🙏

[@JeffDelMusic]

It's possible that also that we naturally see things happen before we hear them happen. It's makes more sense in our brains for something to change in sound way after it changes in our vision, like watching someone hit a baseball with a bat from the outfield. Very useful trick! Thank you for sharing!

[@alonavelar2386]

Thank you, never actually thought about this difference, great examples

[@jason_swet]

I started doing this when I first taught myself how to edit. I edited based on “feeling” and realized that the cuts that were just a frame early felt better. Didn’t realize this was a more formalized method that other editors did!

[@OptimuSekac]

Cutting on beat makes cuts more noticeable, its to jumpy and exciting almost like you try to scare the audience with next scene. Adding one frame makes it smoother, easier on the eye. Like you said video and sound work more in harmony that way. That is what i was able to see. Great trick!

[@armandonorig]

Dude! Thannk you very much for this, I've editing for a relatively long time but never heard of this. It makes so much sense!!!

[@DigitalGenki]

Thanks so much for this! the almost back to back comparisons at around 5:00 showcases it best. one frame before gave the cuts a lot more weight

[@DanSpotYT]

It is indeed amazing how only a frame or so can make a difference. Like many have also said I go with what feels right and tend to mix it up as well.

[@BoyceBailey]

I remember reading this in an amination book. I think it was also a Disney "See a sound hear a sound" trick and they also played the sound before the frame.

[@fxm5715]

With a heavy beat like this music, cutting one frame early makes it feel like the beat LANDS on the cut, as opposed to cutting right on the beat makes it feel like the cut JUMPS on the beat, if that makes any sense. For my taste, the first works better, with this music. If it were a cymbal crash for the cut, I suspect I'd go the other way, wanting that lighter feel.

[@VIPER401]

This is new to me and will surely try the one frame before the beats drop! Thank you!

[@FallLineJP]

Great tip! Just went through a video I'm working on and just this one change makes a pretty big difference. Thanks!

[@Mal0wens]

Wow! This was a phenomenon I didn’t understand until now. Intuitively, I cut before the beat too because right on felt late. Bt I thought it was a factor of how video playback worked rather a limitation of our light/sound perception. Very interesting!

[@gregwaugh8069]

I found that so enlightening. Of course there is no hard or fast rule. Bring the cut in late, see what happens. Great tip to enhance the character of the video.

[@0800filmez]

This is one of the most interesting things I've seen lately. Thanks!

[@luckystriker7489]

Thank you. I've been cutting scene transitions right on the beat spikes because it seemed logical, but it never 'felt' right when watching it. Now I know why

[@kokoa.1365]

i’m a new ceo and of course i’m currently wearing the hat of every role from editing marketing videos etc. & this has only heighten my interest in creating amazing videos for my brand..i love it!

[@britcom1]

Great tip, John! I never thought about giving the eyes a head start.

[@johnhmaw]

Fascinating. I find the version with the cut ahead to be somehow less intrusive and more natural. Much nicer. Very useful. Thanks.

[@evilpigskin]

Great tip!! It's more organic once you watch the final sequence with all the shots not on cut. I liked them more. Loved the Austin Powers hear a like song so much! You are great.

[@JustinBradleyPhotographer]

I've never looked into this formally and I am so happy I came across this. I am editing a video right now and this popped up in the algo while I was downloading a track from ES, so I thought, what the heck lets validate or learn something new.... I used to cut right at the beat and it felt weird until one day I was being lazy about it and cut early. It seemed so natural I started thinking this is how we process nature. For example. Lightning and Thunder. After that experience I tell myself that the lightning comes before the thunder when I edit.

[@Memo2Self]

Your explanation of our brains reacting at different microscopic speeds to sound and image inexplicably reminded me of a minor Clint Eastwood movie from the 60s called "Joe Kidd." The ONLY thing I remembered about this movie was a scene in a valley where we saw in the far distance a puff of white smoke coming from the top of a mountain. No sound. A beat later the guy next to Clint falls from his horse, fatally shot - and THEN we hear the distant. echoing sound of the rifle. I only saw the movie once, but the idea of realistically playing with the speeds of sound and light - and having it so PERFECTLY sound-edited - makes me remember it so vividly to this day. Cool video. I actually would love to have seen a one-frame-AFTER version too - I suspect it would have felt totally wrong.

[@gutshotaz2805]

Very helpful. Have been cutting to the beat in the past.

[@darealphantom]

You definitely helped out my future edits by making this video thank you so much for uploading this

[@liaminwales]

im always amazed by all the ways to cut and link shots, from shooting to editing it's just deceptively complex the way you can link shots. moving objects colours moment of camera sound music and much much more, good video ill have to play with what frame to cut on

[@AndysRandomEdits]

Amazing tip! I’m glad I found this channel. Thank you!

[@occularmalice]

Great tip! Looking to incorporate this next time I'm doing something like this. Thanks!

[@violaat354]

I think there's also a thing with subtitles. When I put subtitles exactly when the person speaks and stopped, it just felt kinda off. So I tend to put the subtitles earlier.

[@gabequezada2066]

This first video ive seen from this man has made me subscribe to him.... Excellent video... You have a new fan.. Thank you

[@vivanmusicmaker]

I hv been thinking of this whole time... u cleared it out absolutely.. thanks so much

[@ChristCenteredIronworks]

Really great video sir thank you

[@michael_viteritti]

That's very true, I realized at the end of the video, great explanation

[@lucasishii]

THANK YOU! Awesome info

[@rotorwashuav]

I'm fairly new to editing video but have already noticed that cutting a frame before makes for a better sync. After watching this video now I know why, thanks! Liked & subbed.

[@musabzain1947]

And I always thought light travels faster than sound. Thanks for the update! 😀

[@FilmmakerIQ]

It does. Maybe listen to what was said.

[@darthvader_]

Much of my editing is from realization, but this video is absolutely gorgeous!

[@themauriciobunch2442]

Thanks for sharing! Always learning something new!

[@abrahamgrc2243]

That's crazy man I've been doing this by pure instinct for quite a while and didn't know it was even a thing. You kinda give me a bit more security that what I'm doing in not a crazy wack weird thing haha thanks for this and all your tips bro. Keep it up, great work.

[@lukecasey3480]

Firstly, what a rare pleasure to be taught by you ... a wonderful collegial presence and none of the barely-sufferable bombast and blowhard attempts at showmanship. Just terriic info and wonderfully presented. You may be interested in my perspective. I'm no neurologist and can't comment on the processing of sensory impulses, but I do acknowledge what you say and agree with the logic. As a massively visual person, though, the one-frame trick registers for me very differently - but the effect is the same, that is, it's definitely the thing to do (in this example shown). For me, the split-second visual change registers before the sound beat registers - but what makes it work for me is the sound then underpins the visual change. It serenades the visual change, respects it, enhances it. Then the music drives the visuals forward. It's great stuff. A pleasure. Well done.

[@MrHaydnSir]

great work, brilliant in-depth explanation - loved it ✌️

[@RanitBhowmick]

I've been doing this unknowingly all my life but now I know the science behind it ! 🤯

[@umerimam9506]

Wow, I always used to think that why does my video feels delayed even though I cut exactly on the beat. Thanks for explaining this

[@octap79]

Depending on the content and the music the cuts can be easily more than 1 frame early. I usually don't count the exact frames but it can be 5 or more. When you "master" that technique you can play with early cuts to exact cuts and back to early cuts in a video

[@FilmmakerIQ]

Sure! And sometimes you may even want them to come late.

[@geetarthneo]

Thank you, this is very helpful to me as I love this type of cut.

[@beowolf4572]

Yep! I liked the cuts one frame before the beat, definitely made a big difference when I watched it. I've always mixed it up anyway, a frame on, or before, or after, the beat.

[@RCAvhstape]

I have a different theory: light travels faster than sound. Even if you're in the room with the band, when you see the drummer hit the kick pedal, you hear the sound a split second later. So we are used to seeing things happen slightly before we hear them. Although the aerial scenery is not involving in making the sound of the music, the two things are related thanks to our intrepid editor, and thus we perceive a cause and effect relationship between the two. Maybe this is dumb, just my take on it. Cool video.

[@FritzelMedia]

My thought was always that we're used to sounds in real life always reaching our ears after the light does. With the further away the sound occurring, the longer the delay. So mentally, we're accustomed to it sounding "correct" when audio happens slightly after the visual. So when they occur at the exact same time (such as on-the-frame), it just feels off.

[@FilmmakerIQ]

But the time differential between light and sound is way beyond human comprehension in every day speaking situations, especially in anything that would actually require our attention

[@FritzelMedia]

@@FilmmakerIQ That's perhaps true for typical up-close interactions, but we experience and account for far more than that. If you are able to consciously feel/detect the different that 1 frame of video makes (1/24s) then image what our brains are able to detect without us even realizing it. And it only takes about 43 feet for there to be a difference between light and sound from a source of 1/24s. So I'm just say overall, it could be a factor, just a thought.

[@FilmmakerIQ]

But 43 feet is a pretty significant distance. That's more than enough for a first down! It's not an everyday speaking distance. Besides there is nothing about motion pictures that evolution trained the human mind for. In studies in perception, the ITU found that you can audio as much as 125 ms behind the video before a sync issue is even _detected_ (but only 45 ms ahead before it becomes detected). So for timings this short - under 100ms, the human experience is very much a huge smear. That's how the frame techniques works, we're playing inside that smear and perhaps even pushing things to the edge of the smear.

[@IAMDIMITRI]

OMFG, it makes so much sense! Thank you! Cut feel smoother this way.

[@luxxn]

Wow it is really interesting how just a single frame changes the impression of the clips. Like you said, it feels that the video is driven by the music if the cut happens on the beat. Sometimes this might be a good thing but if you have a video like this (nature, calm shots) for me it's more harmonic if the cut happens a frame prior to the beat. Thank you so much for sharing!

[@vitalbutinar]

Hi John. I actually figured this out a few years ago when I was still just starting out with filmmaking and I was editing it. While I was really happy with the shots sometimes the cut just didn't feel powerful enough and I started playing around with it. Soon I figured if I made the cut a little before or after the beat or the action it made a really big impact on the way you perceived the edit. It's really interesting because sometimes it work and sometimes it doesn't but 9 out of 10 times when the cut feels unnatural it's because the timing of the cut is not right for about a couple of frames and I use this principle a lot when editing dialog scenes or scenes where there's a an emphases on a fast and dynamic pace of the scene and action. Thank you for bringing my attention to this and now I actually know why this happens and it's interesting how my girlfriend who is a great editor and does this naturally never actually noticed it until recently with a project that was really hard to edit together and she asked me to take a look why something wasn't working. The only thing I did was change the cuts a couple of frames and it worked.

[@ChrisAkaMastermind]

I really like these short videos!

[@SKEvolved]

I could see the difference. Very helpful video, thank you. -Steve

[@DoubleBenis]

well, this is mind bending to me, I felt like there is some videos looks better then others, and this is might be an answer. Thanks a lot!

[@CristanBoerg]

It really is very subtle, but if you watch it attentively, you get the feeling of the footage beeing more smooth when cut one frame earlier.

[@underwaterHD]

Genius. The struggle finally ends. Thank you 😇

[@RothmanHarv]

This is a trick in sound editing and animation too. If you have a hammer hitting a nail, or a bowling ball bounce say, it can feel nicer if the "bang" happens the frame after it visibly contacts.