Studio 21.1.1
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EDITING ESSENTIALS

How to ripple trim without leaving a gap

DaVinci Resolve Studio 21.1 · Original practical guide

A ripple trim changes a clip’s length and shifts later material. Use it when the sequence should become shorter or longer, rather than leaving empty timeline space.

Before you begin

Open a practice timeline on the Edit page. Duplicate it before experimenting.

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Timeline trim example across multiple tracks
Timeline trim example across multiple tracks Reference example from the DaVinci Resolve 21.1 manual, page 1087. Software screenshot © Blackmagic Design. The demonstration media and selected settings may differ from your project.

Step by step

  1. Duplicate the timeline and note an important sync point after the edit you will adjust.
  2. Choose Trim Edit mode with T. Target a single side of the edit, watching the trim cursor before dragging.
  3. Drag the edge to remove or reveal source frames. Observe downstream clips move and confirm relevant track auto-selection and locks are appropriate.
  4. Play across the edit and revisit the later sync point. Return to Selection mode when you finish trimming.

Check your result

There is no unintended gap, and later dialogue, graphics, and music still align as required.

If it doesn’t work as expected

A locked or excluded track may not follow the ripple. Do not repair downstream sync by guesswork; undo and correct the affected-track setup first.

BUILD THE UNDERLYING SKILL

Edit with precision

Go deeper with the course’s explanations, exercises, and knowledge checks.

Open module 04 →
← PREVIOUS GUIDETrim the start and end of a clipNEXT GUIDE →Remove a gap between clips

Technical reference: DaVinci Resolve 21.1 Reference Manual, Blackmagic Design, September 2026. Screenshot page numbers refer to that manual. Independently written guidance; specific controls may vary by platform and build. Authorship & image credits.