ATTENTION: I made an addendum to not only address a strange issue with KZfaq adding additional frame of lag in the audio. Check out the video here: kzfaq.info/get/bejne/aLJmobpn2rTUaZ8.html 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!

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

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

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.

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

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

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!

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.

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!

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.

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

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!

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.

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 ! 🙏🏼✌🏼😊👍🏼

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 👊

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.

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.

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.

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

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

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

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

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

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!

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

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

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!!!

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

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.

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

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!

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

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

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

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.

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!

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.

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!_

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

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

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

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!

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.

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

This is pure gold. Thanks !

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

Thanks for sharing! Always learning something new!

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

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

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

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

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

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.

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

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

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.

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

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

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

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

I love this channel so much

This is mind blowing😍 thanks for this !

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.

THANK YOU! Awesome info

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

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

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

I really like these short videos!

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

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.

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!

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!

Really great video sir thank you

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.

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.

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!

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.

This is great. Very useful tip and communicated well

Awesome video! Thanks for sharing!

This was so helpful thanks for making this☺️🙌

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!

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.

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

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 ... :)

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

Thank you for the amazing tip!

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!

Slick trick. This is great!

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.

Such an awesome tip. thanks so much.

Thank You sooooo much! this will help me a lot.

Thankyou for sharing this 🙏🏽

Very subtle but there is a difference, thanks!

I love this channel.

Wow man, Impressed 💯

Hey bud...you are awesome...I just started using premiere pro and was wandering everywhere for this...you shown me how it's done.😍

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.

Great tip. I will be using it on my next video

Wow. That is amazing!

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.