Final Cut Pro X 10.1 (Digital Video & Audio Editing Courses) 10th Edition

This is an excellent guide to using 10.1. Possibly one of the best computer textbooks I have read.First... The software is really awesome!!! Very different from earlier versions, which obviously necessitates a completely different approach to editing.At first I wondered why such close attention to how media is acquired and documented, then as I began the section on editing it quickly became apparent why laying the proper groundwork upfront is so important when you come to the actual editing process. At this point I went back and did a quick revision of the first part of the book.Once you grasp how the procedure works the workflow becomes fast and smooth.On the surface the software looks deceptively simple but in reality its functionality is highly complex.It really is a super application but one that requires the sort of detailed instruction Brendan has employed in this book to facilitate a quick and thorough understanding of its myriad features.Thanks Brendan, your time and patience explaining everything in such careful detail is greatly appreciated.The book has a logical workflow and is easy to understand.

Mixed feelings.The bad: There are well over 100 updates (errata) to be applied to update it to a newer release. That's a *lot*. Worse, once you're done, it's still not the current release of FCP so you have to muddle your way through from time to time. Also, if you can't get something to work, there are no "completed exercises" available to download so, from then on, the instructions won't quite match your project. Over time, the divergence just gets wider and wider.The good: It covers things in a methodical, well-planned sequence that mirrors what you may do in real life. When carefully followed, the instructions work pretty much as documented. (As a professional course developer and presenter, this is no small feat!) Sticking to one project throughout the book gives a very good foundation for actual practice. I was especially pleased with the various hints and tips of what to expect in the real world. For example, podcasts require a much smaller audio dynamic volume range than movies, 12 db in the former versus as much as 36 in the latter. And, throughout, the attention to "story" and suggestions on how to tell it both audibly and visually and making the two work together was excellent. I was pleased by the attention to artistic issues while nailing the technical "how to" details.As a professional, I can appreciate the consequences of frequent software updates on step-by-step instructions and screen shots, the necessities and economics of printing high-quality full-color books versus applying updates, and for the developer, the thankless task of struggling to keep things current versus the publishers economic needs versus the mounting frustrations of readers trying to make things work in a later version.Recommendation: Yes, if you need to become good with FCP, this book will give you a strong leg-up toward that end. Plan on downloading the Errata material and, at a minimum, go through it and mark the book where the Errata apply. Or you can cut and paste the Errata into place in the book so it'll be there when you get there. (That took me several hours with scissors and Scotch tape.) And even then, you'll need to be creative from time to time when FCP at its latest revision no longer matches the book -- view *that* as a "learning opportunity". {Learning to use FCP's built in Help system is essential -- the book omits this but the revision mismatch will necessitate you learn it. Good!} So, yes, buy the book and work it, methodically, step-by-step. It does work. I was amazed at the quality of the final result. The details are all there.

I have found this book very useful. FCP X has been changing so rapidly that it is nearly impossible to produce a training book for it. The updates are helpful, but I think a person would need some knowledge of Final Cut X in order to be able to get the most out of the book. I do recommend it, but I think a complete beginner would need other resources to go along with it.

Some people below have complained that the layout of the Kindle version is sloppy and that there is no index.The layout of the copy that I have is fine, and there is a full, hyperlinked index.I have not used Final Cut before. Yesterday, I downloaded a trial copy of 10.1 and a copy of Mr. Boykin's book. Four chapters in, I think that the book is excellent. The tutorial, hands-on approach is extremely helpful. Worth every penny.