FCP7

Hi,

I am still in FCP7 but my Mac is now 10 years old and I have to upgrade.

What are the chances of FCP7 working on a new Mac with Sierra and the spec below?

Many thanks!

Mark, UK

3.3GHz Processor
2TB Storage
3.3GHz quad-core Intel Core i5 processor
Turbo Boost up to 3.9GHz
8GB (two 4GB) memory, configurable up to 32GB
2TB Fusion Drive1
AMD Radeon R9 M395 with 2GB video memory
Retina 5K 5120x2880 P3 display

I'm running a 2010 Mac Pro (going on 17 years old) that is pretty much maxed out, at a broadcast station. It has had Final Cut Studio installed on it since it was new. I launched it, FCP 7 runs. Not sure how stable it is. Haven't touched it in ages. I'm sure it would run OK. But there's a chance the installer on the DVDs won't run in Sierra.

Just curious, why not upgrade to FCPX if you're upgrading to Sierra? Invest in a quality video card, double the RAM you currently have, you'd be good to go.

Hi, thanks for the reply!

I'm basically v scared of switching to Pro X as seems so different to 7 from what I can see, and I don't want to have to re-learn everything. For one, I think when you take a shot out of the timeline in X then everything moves up, and I can't work like that at all. I want shots to stay put on the timeline, across multiple video tracks.

Someone said Premiere is closer to FCP7 - not sure if this is true? - but I was hoping to run FCP 7 a while longer on a new system.

Just out of interest do u think I'd need to double the ram on the spec above to run X? That spec above is for a brand new top of the range iMac as far as I can see.

Thanks again!

Mark

If you're leaping to FCPX, just do it very carefully. Study up. Know what you're getting into. run parallel systems until you know you are confident the switch will work for your organization. Then cut over and don't look back.

You really should be running FCPX, it's a gas.

It'll run (if you migrate it over from your old computer and not do a fresh install). You can even edit 4K 60fps videos with FCP7. However some things won't work right. The Color Corrector can come up with completely different adjustments when using the eyedropper tool each and every time. And Smoothcam no longer works at all (the stabilization thingy). Most other things seem to work though, but there might be a few plug-ins and/or filters that I've never tried that no longer work.

Ii know learning new software is a drag, but just out curiosity, why are holding on to 7? If you haven't tried 10, what are your concerns? And if you have tried it, what about it aren't you pleased with?

There are so many reasons to upgrade including really taking advantage of your new processor and graphics cards. It will only become harder and harder to maintain a functioning version of 7 as the operating system is rewritten etc.

I do have 7 installed on my machine, but only open it in the rare cases where I need to translate a project from another time. Other than that, there is virtually no functionality in 7 that I miss or think is better than in 10.

Thanks all, I just really worry about X being so different, especially in terms of the timeline and how it all moves up when a shot is taken out. I need to edit to a sound track structure and be able to place shots on multiple tracks at points where they'll stay put and not move around, but I don't think this is possible in X?

Also won't there be a new FCP coming soon, which'll make X obsolete? Not sure on this but it'd be just my luck to learn something only for it to change again.

Many thanks!

Mark

lockie86 wrote: Thanks all, I just really worry about X being so different, especially in terms of the timeline and how it all moves up when a shot is taken out. I need to edit to a sound track structure and be able to place shots on multiple tracks at points where they'll stay put and not move around, but I don't think this is possible in X?

Also won't there be a new FCP coming soon, which'll make X obsolete? Not sure on this but it'd be just my luck to learn something only for it to change again.

Many thanks!

Mark

I'm not aware of any newer version FCP that would make X "obsolete".

I think most people who switch , and take the time to learn it properly with a few good tutorials, report that once over the short learning curve, they've never edited faster or with more fun.

I liken it to learning ice skating. The first couple times you're wobbly and things don't work like they did on dry land, but once it clicks, you're gliding at full speed and having a ball.

The magnetic timeline is scary (to some) at first, but it's power is unlike any other earthbound track-based editor.

FCPX 10.3 gives even more strength to sound editing including lanes, roles, and sub roles. If you need to edit sound with "things left in place", there are ways to do this, but once you crack X, you'll realize that your need to "lock everything down" is mostly unnecessary.

Take the plunge! Don't listen to those who would fill you with fear based on unfounded rumors and lies. FCPX will make your job easier, faster, more fun, more creative. I edit to audio a lot, and would NEVER want to do it in legacy FCP ever again.

As for the "magnetic timeline", yes, it exists. But there's a Position tool to override that function. There are other ways of working so you're not locked into it. But once you learn it, it is a huge advantage.

Download the free trial, get training from Ripple or macProVideo, quality stuff at both sites, learn it, decide for yourself. FCP7 is old and outdated and not supported any longer.

You could go to Premiere Pro. And if you want to learn to edit really fast there, as someone posted elsewhere:
1- Quit PPro
2- Launch FCPX
3- Edit faster

Thanks for this, I will definitely look into it!

I really do need to lock things down though! ) But happy to try and look at it differently. I just can't imagine a way without doing that as I need to edit to a firm structure that's locked into sound and music as a base.

But if there's ultimately a way to do this with X I could at least revert to that if needed.

Thanks again!

Again, many of us do that daily, as professionals, with FCPX.

@lockie86. I think you're getting hung up on "locked/not locked". There are (at least) two ways to edit picture to a fixed piece of audio/music:

Option 1) Make the the music the spine of the edit as the Primary storyline and add your picture as Secondary picture over the music where you'd like. In this way, the music won't move at all.

Option 2) Add a short (1 frame) piece of black at the head of your edit and connect your music to the head of the track and then just keep editing picture into the Primary storyline. This is probably the easiest way to keep your music locked and your picture relating to where you want it.

Either way, it's really easy to keep things "locked" while you edit picture. The main reason we have the magnetic storyline is that it solves the more common issue that sounds are usually connected to picture, not the other way around. This way, dialog never gets out of sync and sound effects move with the picture they're associated with.

If you want to leave a music track or other ambience track in place throughout, use Option 2 to leave them where they are but keeping the ability to move dialog and effects with the picture. In fact, in FCPX ,unlike FCP7 or Premiere, or other NLEs, you have to go out of your way to break sync between Picture and Dialog. And because you can turn on tracks clip by clip, and use Roles and Subroles, there's no need for the legacy audio tracks method of other NLEs.

lockie86 wrote: Hi,

I am still in FCP7 but my Mac is now 10 years old and I have to upgrade.

What are the chances of FCP7 working on a new Mac with Sierra and the spec below?

Many thanks!

Mark, UK

3.3GHz Processor
2TB Storage
3.3GHz quad-core Intel Core i5 processor
Turbo Boost up to 3.9GHz
8GB (two 4GB) memory, configurable up to 32GB
2TB Fusion Drive1
AMD Radeon R9 M395 with 2GB video memory
Retina 5K 5120x2880 P3 display

Why upgrade at all if you are still using a peace of software that is outdated?
My friend its time not just to update your hardware but also your software and join today standards!

If you want to edit to a sound or music track, just put the sound or music file on the primary storyline (aka first thing you put on the timeline). That way if you move video clips around, you won't have to worry about everything else rubber-banding out of sync with the music/sound. Probably the easiest and best way to do it.

Think of the Primary Storyline as V1+A1+A2 all combined together.

thank you for your help!

FCPX.guru wrote: As for the "magnetic timeline", yes, it exists. But there's a Position tool to override that function. There are other ways of working so you're not locked into it. But once you learn it, it is a huge advantage.

For an experienced FCS 2 user, I recommend to not use "p" and "d" (delete = overwrite from the position of the playhead/skimmer) in FCP X in the first few weeks. Why? I had learned FCP #2 in 2001 with the help of a book. The author was very good at explaining everything, how, why and when. So it was an obvious decision for me to buy his tutorial DVD when FCP X came out. He always referred back to legacy FCP and recommended the said shortcuts for those who just made the switch. Bad advice! I continued to find the magnetism bizarre and counter intuitive. Then I bought a second training from another author. He never even mentioned FCP 7. Instead, he edited a complex doc about Kendo fighters. Seeing him move around B-roll, trim and audition clips with ease, made me think, why, this would have been a multi-track nightmare in FCP 7! Good tut.

Not a tutorial, but an excellent demo how you can edit fast and without worrying about clip collisions, track management (what else is the NEED to lock tracks?) and synch is this:
vimeo.com/194855528

Watch this before you decide. Think about how much effort this would be within FCP 7.

Many thanks to everyone for taking the time to help and advise here, and for making your answers so comprehensive!

Best trainings around now are from Ripple Training & macProVideo. I've been an Apple certified trainer since 2005. First thing I tell my students on day one, "Forget everything you've learned about any other NLE, NONE of it will apply to FCPX. Comparisons generally confuse you."

That said, there are some literal comparisons that actually help. Such as the one I stated here. Primary Storyline is literally tracks V1, A1, A2 combined, and mush easier to deal with. P and D are important to know, no reason to not learn them up front, AND learn they are the least used editing tools. Get proper training, and forget everything you learned about legacy FCP.