Cross-fading clips linked to video

When audio clips are linked to video clips that don't overlap, cross-fading the audio clips is more complex than an audio-only cross-fade. The audio clips linked to video clips cannot be dragged to overlap if the video clips are on the same track. You can solve this problem by moving the clips onto different tracks. First turn off Sync mode, so that you can move or trim a clip independently of its linked video or audio.

Cross-fading audio linked to video is useful when performing a split edit, in which a clip's video and audio start or end at different times. In one version of a split edit, called an L-cut, the audio Out point is later than the video Out point so that you can continue playing a video clip's audio after the next video clip's In point. Another kind of split edit is an audio lead, called a J-cut, which you use when you want an audio/video clip's audio to start playing before the video In point.

Note: Cross-fading existing clips in the Timeline usually requires extending the duration of one or more audio clips. Whenever you extend the duration of a clip, additional frames must be available in the clip's source (master) clip beyond the current In or Out point. For example, if you didn't trim the beginning or ending of a source clip before adding it to the Timeline, the clip is already using all frames available from its source, so its duration cannot be extended.

To cross-fade audio clips linked to nonoverlapping video:

1 If necessary, click the triangle to the left of each track name to expand the audio tracks you want to adjust.

2 Click the Toggle Sync Mode button () to deselect Sync mode. See Linking video and audio clips in the Timeline.

3 Drag one audio clip to a track where the audio can overlap the other audio clip in time. The tracks do not have to be adjacent.

4 Drag the In or Out point of one audio clip to extend it as far past the edge of the other audio clip as needed. Make sure that only the In or Out point is moving, not the entire audio clip.

5 Select the cross-fade tool ().

6 Click the clip you want to fade out, and then click the clip you want to fade in. Premiere automatically creates and adjusts fade handles on both clips.

7 Click the Toggle Sync Mode button again to select Sync mode.

Mixing Audio > Cross-fading clips linked to video