Markers
Also known as: timeline markers, beat markers, clip markers
Flags placed on a timeline or clip to mark important moments, such as music beats, the best part of a run or notes for later edits.
Updated
What it means
Markers are small visual flags in editing software. Placed on the timeline, they mark points in the overall edit, such as beats, music changes or sections. Placed on a clip, they mark moments in the source footage, such as the takeoff of a jump or a funny reaction. Many editors let you color-code markers and add notes.
They speed up editing by turning a long scan through footage into a quick jump between flagged points. Cameras can add a similar flag while recording, as with HiLight tags, and some editors import those as markers.
For music-driven edits, markers on the beat are the backbone of beat sync and rhythm editing.
How it works in practice
Play the music track and tap the marker shortcut on every beat or on the important ones, such as the start of each bar, the drop and the ending. Then snap clips to those markers so cuts land in time with the tempo.
While reviewing footage, drop markers on the best moments of each clip. After reviewing a whole trip, you have a map of the highlights without rewatching hours of footage.
Use colors for meaning, such as red for must-use moments, yellow for maybes and blue for music cues, and add short notes for anything you want to remember.
What to watch out for
Too many markers become as confusing as none. Be selective, especially on long timelines with many clips and music cues.
Markers on clips may not survive when clips are copied between projects or apps. Check that your editor keeps them, or export a list. Metadata such as camera tags can also be lost when files are converted.
Marking every beat in a fast track creates a crowded timeline. Mark bars or phrases instead, and add individual beats only where you need precise cuts, such as the drop or a big hit.
How RawClip handles it
RawClip does not need markers. The AI analyzes the music beat and your footage itself, finds the best moments and cuts them in time, so you can skip the marking stage entirely and get a finished highlight.