Slice/Copy Audio and Video clips without duplicating or making a new layer

[joshp19322768]

So every time I want to split or copy/paste a audio or video clip, it makes a new layer in my composition, making editing very annoying becuase soon my composition fills up with 20 layers of the same clip.

Is there any way to change this?

(Split Video makes new layer ^^^^^)

[Dave_LaRonde · Accepted solution]

No.  That's how AE works.  Sorry.  If you want to do that, you have to use Premiere Pro, which is an actual video editing application.  AE is an effects, compositing and motion graphics application and works VERY differently because it's a different tool.

You get used to it.

[toddg778083]

what is the procedure (keyboard shortcut or menu choices) to split a clip in A/E ?

thanks

[Rick Gerard]

The keyboard shortcut editor and the Search help field will give you all the Keyboard shortcuts much faster than asking a question on a forum. Every menu that has a defined shortcut shows the shortcut on the right side of the menu. This is true for the regular menu and pop-up menus.

Shift + Ctrl/Cmnd D will split a layer at the CTI (current time indicator).

I also have to agree with the others on Editing in After Effects. More than 90% of my comps in AE are single shots under seven seconds.  I have had 7-second comps with a hundred layers. After Effects is a compositing, motion graphics and effects app that you use to create composites, motion graphics and effects you cannot do in a nonlinear editor. It was never designed to be an editor and any editing you do should in AE be limited to short sequences that cover no more than a single phrase, sentence or idea. Editing in AE is about as efficient as driving nails with a screwdriver.

[P.M.B]

After effects is not really for editing.   i do edit audio clips in AE and yes,  sometimes I end with lots-o-layers which i then render back to a single clip.  I should probably be using Audition to edit audio.  And if you are editing video you should probably be using Premier.  After Effects is not an editing program and therefore lacks many of the features a good editing program would have.

[Szalam]

I will third the folks here saying, "You should use Premiere Pro". The stuff you are doing is editing. Premiere Pro is a video editing tool. After Effects is not.