The Sequence Editor provides a multitrack editing view for files contained in a Sequence clip. Many of the same tools available in the main Timeline Editor can also be used in the Sequence Editor, such as:
- Pan and Volume controls
- Volume Automation
- Effects
- The Timeline Toolbar
- Auto-leveling
Once the Sequence clip is created, it will be accessible from the "Sequences" folder of the Project sidebar and available to add to other Compositions in your Project.
Accessing the Sequence Editor
There are a few ways to access the Sequence Editor:
- Right-clicking on a Sequence in the main timeline, then selecting Edit Sequence.
- Clicking to select a Sequence clip in the Project Sidebar.
- Using the keyboard shortcut Command + Shift + O (MacOS) / Control + Shift + O (Windows)
Once you're finished working in the Sequence Editor, you can either navigate back to your Composition by clicking on the Go back 
button, or by clicking on the Composition again in the Project Sidebar.
Using the Sequence Editor
Once inside the Sequence Editor, you can manually adjust clips as you do in the Timeline Editor.
Sequence edits propagate to all Compositions
If you make edits to a Sequence, those edits are global to the Project - they will affect all Compositions containing that Sequence.
The Inspector is also accessible from the Sequence Editor, which will allow you to take actions such as adding Effects or control Room Tone on individual clips within the Sequence.
Editing Video Sequences
Detach Audio
Descript's Detach Audio feature provides a way for users to edit a video's audio track without creating breaks in the video timeline. To accomplish this, a Sequence is created with one track serving as the video layer, and another track serving as the audio layer. Edits can then be performed independently on each track without affecting the other.
Multicam Editing
Users interested in editing multiple video clips from the same interview can check out our article Multicam Editing Overview to learn more.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why are my Timeline Editor edits not reflected in the Sequence Editor?
The Timeline Editor and Sequence Editor are separate views. A Sequence should be thought of as a virtual container clip that groups multiple tracks together for editing in the main Timeline. As such you can remove sections of tracks inside the Sequence Editor (such as background noise, cross-talk, or coughs) without splitting the "Sequence" clip in the main Timeline.
Conversely, if you remove a section of the Sequence clip on the main Script/Timeline Editor (say for example, the first 10 minutes prior to the beginning of an interview), if you then jump into the Sequence Editor you will still see the entirety of the contained source files.
Can't I just use the Sequence Editor as a traditional multi-track editor instead of the Timeline Editor and Pinned tracks?
No. Due to the text-based editing design of Descript, the Pinned track was designed as the primary environment for adding/editing multitrack content such as images, music, B-roll, in addition to Fancy Captions, Shapes, Titles and more. The Script Track should serve as the primary location for your main program content.
While many features and tools of the Timeline Editor are available to use the Sequence Editor, there are a few notable exceptions:
- Deleting or cutting a clip in one of the tracks does not cause the entire track to 'ripple' (shrink the gap) like it would in the normal Timeline Editor view. This assures that the entirety of your clips stay aligned for editing outside of the Sequence Editor.
- You cannot initiate filler word removal.
- The Wordbar is not an available option.
- Cues are not an available option.
- Cloud, File and Timeline export capabilities are not available from the Sequence Editor and must be initiated from a Composition that contains the Sequence.
Why does Descript say "No Sequence at Playhead" when I try to edit my Sequence?
A Sequence is created when you combine two or more audio tracks into a Multitrack Sequence. This message occurs when your playhead is located over a standard media file that is not a sequence file. You can tell if your clip is a sequence file by the sequence icon in the upper left-hand corner.
If I make an edit or apply an effect to a track in the Sequence Editor, will that affect every Composition that has that Sequence clip?
Yes - Making any changes to a Sequence in the Sequence Editor view will apply those changes universally to all instances of the Sequence in your Project. This includes actions like:
- Removing crosstalk
- Adding an effect
- Adjusting the volume, panning or clip speed