Paste directly over/under Primary Storyline

When copying and pasting a clip, is it possible to paste it directory over (video) or under (audio) the Primary Storyline? Right now, my Project has around 20 layers, so when I paste something it goes all the way to the top or bottom of the stack. I have to go hunting for it, then carefully move it up where I want it.

This would've previously been accomplished using "Track Assignments" in FCP 7, but alas, tracks are no more.

I don't think so. It just goes where there's room and won't overwrite any other clips (unless copy/pasted from the primary storyline). You could probably compound the other layers temporarily and then paste the clip, do what you need to do to it and then (if you want) break the compound clip back apart. That would save a little bit of hunting/vertical timeline scrolling at least.

I was always kind of bothered in FCP7 how if you copied something it would always paste on that same layer, overwriting anything that was on it. I'd have to paste away from where I actually needed it and then move it. FCPX doesn't work the same way. If you copy something underneath the primary storyline video but above the audio, it won't paste between those two layers elsewhere.

Hold shift (to keep it in sync) and drag the clip down to an available area.
but I have to ask: what the heck do you have 20 layers for?

Yeah, 20 layers, even for a feature, seems excessive.

It's around that many layers of video and audio combined, although it's slimmed down quite a bit now that I'm close to the end of the edit. It was a lot of layered sound effects, music, and dialog, along with several versions of different shots. There's probably a good use for Auditions somewhere in there, but I've never used them so I normally just stack layers of shot/sound options until I pick a final.

I use the "Shift + Drag" quite a bit, but it would be great if they'd give you an option to paste a clip directly over/under the Primary Storyline. Seems like a really useful feature.