The Editblog

The debate will always rage as to which editing application is better: Avid or Final Cut Pro. Recently I wrote of a comparison of an audio feature of both apps and a post about that article on DVGuru gave me an idea… write a number of follow-ups that look at a number of features side by side. And that is what I plan to do. The apps are large and features numerous. And of course they do not match up feature for feature but they are surprisingly similar. At least to me they are, and I use them both equally.

First I want to take a look at some of the basic terminology between the two apps. While Avid does make several different levels of software, I will be using Avid Xpress Pro for comparison as that I what I own.

Avid vs. Final Cut Pro terminology.

When comparing Avid and Final Cut Pro, one of the first things to learn is the proper terminology between the two apps. Some are the same, many are different.

Source / record monitor – in Avid, it’s pretty straight forward. The left monitor is the source, be it video, audio, a graphic or a whole sequence. The right side is the record side. It reflects the timeline which is where you record to.

Viewer / canvas
The same is true for Final Cut Pro only the names are different. Since FCP is more geared for compositing and effects, the “canvas” term makes sense.
For the most part, the terminology between the two apps is similar. Both have sequences, master clips and subclips. In version 5.0, FCP added multicam editing. These clips are called multiclips. In Avid, they are grouped clips.

Final Cut Pro clip icons

Avid clip icons
As for effects, FCP has an effects tab and then the different effects divided into bins. Avid has its Effect Palette that is broken down into different categories. One distinction is that FCP has the transitions labeled separately from the clip filters. To use a transition in Avid, you have to drag the effect to an edit in the timeline as they are not labeled transitions. But most editors know that wipes and dissolves are transitions.

The Avid Effect Pallette

The Final Cut Pro effects tab

For both apps you just drag the desired filter to a clip in the timeline.

As for actual editing commands. They are the same. Only the icons are different.

Final Cut Pro icons on top, Avid icons on bottom

Obviously there are WAY more differences in the two apps that the terminology listed above and to compare every command, operation and function could take a whole book! But as I begin to look at some of the similarities and differences in upcoming articles, this basic comparison seemed wise.

Which app is better? Stay tuned … and no wagering.

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This entry was posted on Friday, August 11th, 2006 at 11:30 am and is filed under Avid editing, Final Cut Pro. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Responses are currently closed, but you can trackback from your own site.