Apply changes to all matching clips in sequences?

[Bob at IndigoHealth]

Here's a "feature" that has long mystified me. If I right-click a clip and select "Modify -> Audio channels", the dialog has a check box that says "Apply changes to all matching clips in sequences"

But if I have instances of the clip in any sequences, I get a warning when I click the OK button:

"Changes to the clip channel format or number of audio clips will not affect clips already in a sequence..."

So, what's the point of the "Apply changes to all matching clips" check box?

[R Neil Haugen]

That's a very good question. I've never even bothered to try and figure that one out, lol.

@TrentHappel  ... do you have a comment for us on the real-world effects of this option?

And of course, hey, it's Adobe ... I love so much about these apps, so many marvelous people ... but ... a little piece I put together around 2:30 am a couple years back, struggling mightily with the app in question ... (though I'm sure they'd want the verbiage 'modernized' ... )

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[Trent Happel · Accepted solution]

Sorry for any confusion. This checkbox will apply to any changes that are within your exisiting audio tracks. eg: if original audio is Stereo, you can change the Media Source Channel (eg: L & R settings)

It will not apply to Clip Channel Format nor Number of Audio Clips, as you are not allowed to modify these two in the Timeline. The reason you see this warning dialog is beacause it looks like you changed your Clip Channel Format to Mono (original appesr to be Stereo).

[Bob at IndigoHealth]

Okey-dokey... I had to read that about 4 times, but I think I understand what you're saying:

The "Modify -> Audio channels" dialog can NOT change the channel format (mono, stereo, etc.) of clips already in a timeline. But other changes DO affect clips in the timeline if that check box is selected. For example, if a clip's format has been changed from stero to mono (and mapped to one of the two stereo channels), then this dialog could chnage the mapping to the other stereo channel, and that change could apply to clips in a timeline.

Related but off-topic question: What the heck is "Number of audio clips"?

[Trent Happel]

Number of Audio Clips will control how many streams of the channel type will be created. eg: if you have Stereo audio and type in 3 to Number of Audio Clips, you will see 3 Stereo channels under Media Source Channel.

[kano22998057eh1r]

Did you manage to figure out how to apply those changes to the clips already in your sequence? I've made a bit of a balls up...

When I started putting my sequence together I modified all my clips to change to stereo, where originally I had a boom and a lav mic... I'm almost done with the project but I need to get the original audio channels back where the lav and boom are seperated into different channels but I have no idea how to without re-cutting all my footage and dragging it onto my timeline

[Dowsky]

At this point in your project I don't think there's a way to do this without a lot of dragging into the timeline. Sounds like you need to modify the audio for all the clips that you're using from stereo into two channels of mono. Then for each audio clip in your sequence that you need to replace with two-channel mono, do a match frame (my keyboard shortcut is F) from your sequence, and then drag the audio into the timeline on top of your existing audio. It'll drag two linked tracks rather than one.

One of the first things I do at the beginning of an editing project is modify the audio so instead of a stereo audio clip where left is one source and right is another source, you've got two mono tracks, each a different source. Then you're set up correctly from the beginning.