DaVinci Resolve Split Clip Tips – ‘How to’ Guide

Davinci Resolve is by far one of the best video editing programs you can find anywhere on the market. It comes with everything you need to create professional edits, even if you are new to video editing. In addition, unlike other linear video editor options, this one offers a free version loaded with lots of intuitive features.

The Cut Page is one of Davinci’s revolutionary innovations in editing. It has many features that make editing your clips a breeze, including the Davinci Resolve split clip functionality. This can be really useful when you want to split lengthy footage, such as a documentary or solo interview, into sound bites.

You may also want to apply special effects to different parts of your video or piece together fast-turn commercials and music videos. Whatever your reason for splitting your clip, this guide will show you a few quick Davinci Resolve split clip tips to help you perform the task like a pro.

How to Cut Videos in DaVinci Resolve

You may feel overwhelmed by the number of menus, options, icons, and features that greet you when you first run the Davinci Resolve software. This is especially true if you are new to video editing. But the program is quite straightforward and usually offers more than one way to perform any task.

There are a few different ways to cut or split your clips in Davinci Resolve. Learning these methods can significantly increase your editing speed.

Let’s get right to it.

Import Your Clip into the Media Pool

Before anything else, you want to import your clips into the Media Pool.

To do that:

1. From the Davinci Resolve dashboard, right-click on the Media Pool
2. Select Import Media… from the list of floating menus on the screen
3. Click on your desired clip to add it to the Media Pool
4. Click and drag the clip from the Media Pool into the timeline

Method 1: Using Razor Command

Using this method, you can slice a clip into two or more parts and then delete or rearrange the segments. This method will slice your video clip with its audio at the same time.

Step 1: Find the spot where you want to split the clip

1. Import your clips into the Media Pool
2. Make sure you are in selection mode by clicking the Selection Mode icon (it is the red mouse pointer icon under the Preview Viewer)
3. Click the edit view at the bottom of the screen
4. Slide the red playhead on the timeline to the start of the segment where you want to make the split

Step 2: Make the cut

1. Click the Timeline menu and select Razor from the list of submenus. This will split the clip at the spot where the playhead is on your timeline
2. Move the playhead again to the next spot where you want a split and repeat the step above

Now you have successfully sliced a portion out of your clip. You can highlight the segment and press Delete on your keyboard to remove it or drag the segment to another spot on your timeline.

Here’s is a quick Davinci Resolve split clip: press CTRL + B on your keyboard once you have the playhead in place to quickly slice your clip.

Method 2: Using Split Clip Command

The Split Clip command is another efficient way to cut your clip at the playhead. It is similar to using the Razor Command, but you don’t need to use this feature in the edit mode.

Here is how to use it:

1. Click the Cut icon at the bottom of the Davinci Resolve screen to enter the cut window
2. With your clip on the timeline, move the playhead to where you want to make the split
3. Click the Timeline menu and select Split Clip. This will split your clip at the position of the playhead

There are other quicker ways to slice your clip using the Split Clip command.

• With the playhead on the exact spot where you want to cut the clip, click the Split Clip icon (pair of scissors) on top of the timeline
• Alternatively, press CTRL + \ on your keyboard to split the clip at the played position

Method 3: Using the Blade Edit Mode

To quickly slice your clip, use the Blade Tool (the razor icon located under the Preview Viewer). Using this method is faster than the previous method, but you need to split your video and audio clips separately because it activates the blade edit mode. However, you don’t need to bother about positioning the playhead on a specific spot.

Here’s how to activate and use the Blade Edit Mode:

1. Make sure the correct clip is imported into the Media Pool and it is on the timeline
2. Click the Blade Tool or press B on your keyboard
3. Click on any spot on the clip to cut it. If your video comes with audio, click the clip on the audio track to also cut it
4. Click on the Selection Mode icon when you are done. Alternatively, press A on your keyboard to quickly switch to Selection Mode. You can go ahead and highlight the split sections to move or delete them as the case may be.

This step may seem long, but not if you follow this Davinci Resolve split clip tip below:

1. Press B
2. Cut
3. Press A
4. Repeat!

Splitting clips doesn’t get any easier.

Wrapping Up

The best way to speed up video editing is by learning shortcuts, and these Davinci Resolve split clip tips are definitely going to make you more efficient.

Don’t worry about making mistakes. One of the handy shortcuts you can always count on is Ctrl + Z. This will undo your mistakes so you can try again. With a little bit of practice and patience, you will get the hang of things and start making professional-looking edits.