Apple Final Cut Express 4 - Manual (Page 411)

Chapter 28 Arranging Clips in the Timeline 411
VI
To shuffle a clip item from one position to another:
1 Select a clip item you want to move in the Timeline with the Selection tool.
2 Drag the selected clip item to the beginning of the clip item you want to insert the
dragged clip item in front of.
If you have trouble aligning it with the edit point, press the N key to turn snapping on.
3 While continuing to hold down the mouse button, press the Option key.
The pointer turns into the Shuffle Edit pointer. The direction of the small arrow in the
Shuffle Edit pointer indicates which direction clip items will be rippled around the
insertion point of the moved item.
 If the small arrow points right, all clip items to the right of the insertion point are
rippled to the right, filling the gap where the moved clip item was previously located.
 If the small arrow points left, all clip items to the left of the insertion point are rippled
to the left, filling the gap where the moved clip item was previously located.
Before
The cursor changes to the
Shuffle Edit pointer. In
this case, the small arrow
points to the right, so all
clip items to the right of
the insertion point are
rippled to the right.