# Edit video and audio in the Timeline

> Use the Nodespell Timeline node to arrange video, image and audio clips on tracks, trim and mix them, and render a video back into your graph.

Source: https://docs.nodespell.com/edit/timeline/ · Last updated: 2026-11-10

The Timeline in Nodespell is a node with a built-in multi-track editor. You place video, image and audio clips on tracks, trim and arrange them frame-accurately, mix the sound, and render one video. The render feeds the Timeline node's **Video** output, so the cut can continue through the rest of your graph.

## Add a Timeline and open the editor

1. In Graph, press `Tab` to open the [Tab menu](https://docs.nodespell.com/graph/add-nodes/), search for **Timeline**, and add it.
2. Connect the outputs you want to edit, such as generated videos, images or audio, to the Timeline node's **Assets** input. The input accepts many connections.
3. Right-click the node and choose **Edit Timeline**, or select it and open the [Design panel](https://docs.nodespell.com/edit/viewers/). The editor opens there.

A new Timeline starts with one video track (**Video 1**), one audio track (**Audio 1**), a 1920×1080 sequence at 30 fps, snapping on, and linked audio on.

The editor needs a current desktop browser. If required browser features are missing, it shows **Timeline editor needs a modern desktop browser** and asks you to switch to an up-to-date Chromium- or Firefox-based desktop browser.

## What is in the Timeline editor?

| Area               | What it does                                                                                       |
| ------------------ | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| Top bar            | Sequence summary (size, frame rate, length), preview status, **Render**, and the side panel toggle |
| Viewer             | Plays the sequence, with transport controls, preview volume and **Focus** for a larger viewer      |
| **Media** tab      | Everything connected to the **Assets** input, ready to drag onto a track                           |
| **Properties** tab | Settings for the selected clip or track, or the sequence when nothing is selected                  |
| Toolbar            | Tools, snapping, linked audio, split, delete, zoom, **Mixer** and **View**                         |
| Tracks             | Video and audio tracks with headers and clips                                                      |
| Mixer              | One strip per audio track plus **Master**                                                          |

## Add clips to tracks

Open the **Media** tab. Each item shows where it came from and whether it is already used.

- Drag an item onto a track, or use **Add to timeline**.
- **Add all to timeline** places every item; **Add unused** places only items not yet on the timeline.
- Filter the list with **All**, **Video**, **Audio** or **Not used**.
- You can also drag Assets from the [Asset Manager](https://docs.nodespell.com/assets/asset-manager/) into the Media area; they are added to the node's **Assets** input.

Tracks are type-locked. Video and image clips go on video tracks; audio clips go on audio tracks, and a video's sound can go on an audio track. An image clip starts five seconds long. Another Timeline's output appears as **Nested**, and a Compositor's output appears as **Comp**.

When a connected node produces a new take, the Media item shows **Changed upstream**. Choose **Update to new version** to swap the clips to the new take; trims and effects stay as they are.

## Arrange, trim and split clips

| Tool or action                 | Shortcut                  | What it does                                                                  |
| ------------------------------ | ------------------------- | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| **Select**                     | `A`                       | Drag a clip to move it, drag an edge to trim, double-click to edit properties |
| **Blade**                      | `B`                       | Click a clip to cut it at that point                                          |
| **Trim**                       | `T`                       | Drag an edge to ripple; drag inside a clip to slip its footage                |
| **Split at playhead**          | `S`                       | Cuts the selected clips at the playhead                                       |
| **Delete** / **Ripple delete** | `Delete` / `Shift+Delete` | Removes clips; ripple delete also closes the space                            |
| **Duplicate**                  | `Cmd/Ctrl+D`              | Copies the selection                                                          |
| **Disable clip**               | `D`                       | Turns a clip off without removing it                                          |
| **Close gap**                  | none                      | Removes an empty gap between clips (select the gap marker)                    |

Right-click a clip for more: **Detach audio** or **Link audio**, **Replace with selected media**, **Update to new version**, **Reload from source**, **Turn off effects**, **Reset effects**, **Edit properties** and **Set range to selection**.

**Snap** (**Snapping on** / **Snapping off**) aligns edits to clip edges and the playhead. **Move audio with video** keeps a video clip and its linked audio together. Edits always land on whole frames of the sequence frame rate.

## Set the sequence size, frame rate and length

Select the sequence summary in the top bar, or deselect everything and open **Properties**.

| Setting             | Options                                                                                                     |
| ------------------- | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| **Preset**          | **1080p** 1920×1080, **720p** 1280×720, **4K** 3840×2160, **9:16** 1080×1920, **1:1** 1080×1080, **Custom** |
| **Size**            | Width and height, 16 to 16,384 px                                                                           |
| **Frame rate**      | 24, 25, 30, 50 or 60 fps, or **Custom** (1 to 240)                                                          |
| **Length**          | Follows the clips: the sequence ends where the last clip ends                                               |
| **Default framing** | **Fit** or **Fill** for clips whose shape differs from the sequence                                         |

## Adjust clips and tracks

Select a clip and open **Properties**. Video clips have **Framing** (**Fit**, **Fill**, **Custom**), **Opacity**, **Position**, **Scale**, **Rotation**, **Anchor**, crop, and a composite **Mode** (**Normal**, **Multiply**, **Screen**, **Overlay**, **Add**). Audio clips have **Gain**, **Fade In** and **Fade Out**.

To add a track, right-click an empty part of the timeline and choose **Add video track** or **Add audio track**, or drop a clip into the new-track area. Track headers let you rename a track (double-click), change its color, lock it, mute or solo it, turn it on or off, and delete it. Select a track header to edit effects for every clip on that track.

## Mix audio

Select **Mixer** in the toolbar. Each audio track gets a strip with level, pan, mute and solo, plus **Equalizer** and **Dynamics** (a compressor followed by a limiter). The **Master** strip controls the whole mix.

## Preview playback

| Shortcut                     | Action                                                                |
| ---------------------------- | --------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| `Space`                      | Play / pause                                                          |
| `J` / `K` / `L`              | Reverse / stop / forward; hold `K` and tap `J` or `L` to step a frame |
| `Left` / `Right`             | Back or forward one frame                                             |
| `Shift+Left` / `Shift+Right` | Back or forward one second                                            |
| `Up` / `Down`                | Previous or next cut                                                  |
| `Home` / `End`               | Go to start or end                                                    |
| `I` / `O` / `Alt+X`          | Set range start / set range end / clear range                         |
| `F` / `Shift+F`              | Fit timeline to selection or range / fit track height                 |
| `?`                          | Show all Timeline shortcuts                                           |

Shortcuts work while the timeline has focus. The loop button cycles **Loop range**, **Loop all** and **No loop**. The preview chip reports **Preview ready**, preparation progress or dropped frames, and sets preview **Quality** to **Full**, **Half**, **Quarter** or **Eighth**.

## Render the Timeline into the graph

1. Select **Render** in the top bar.
2. Choose a preset: **Custom**, **Timeline** (current size and fps), **Preview** (720p WEBM), **MP4**, **High** or **Social** (1080p MP4).
3. Set **Range** to **Whole timeline** or **Range**, and the file **Name**.
4. Open **More settings** for **Container** (WEBM or MP4), bitrate, resolution, frame rate and audio options.
5. Select **Render**. Cancel at any time from the progress window.

The finished render feeds the node's **Video** output. The **Render** popover then shows **Up to date** or **Out of date**, and offers **Download**. Details of every setting are in [Export finished media](https://docs.nodespell.com/edit/export/).

## Frequently asked questions

### Why is MP4 unavailable when I render a Timeline?

Nodespell renders in your browser, and MP4 needs H.264 and AAC encoding support. When the browser lacks it, MP4 shows as unsupported and WEBM is used.

### Does the Timeline output update automatically when I edit?

No. The **Video** output keeps the last render until you select **Render again**. The popover marks it **Out of date** when the edit has changed.

### Can I put a still image on the Timeline?

Yes. Image clips go on video tracks and start five seconds long; trim them like any other clip.

### Can I put audio clips on a video track?

No. Tracks are type-locked: audio clips stay on audio tracks.

## Related

- [Video editing outside the Timeline](https://docs.nodespell.com/edit/video-editing/): single-purpose video nodes such as Trim Video and Join Video
- [Export finished media](https://docs.nodespell.com/edit/export/): render settings and downloads
- [Connections](https://docs.nodespell.com/graph/connections/): wire the rendered video onward
- [Takes](https://docs.nodespell.com/graph/takes/): how new takes reach the Timeline
- [Add a soundtrack to a clip](https://docs.nodespell.com/recipes/soundtrack-for-a-clip/): a worked Timeline example