Track

A track in a non-linear editing timeline is a single horizontal layer that holds content of a specific type — primary interview footage, B-roll video, narration audio, background music, graphics, or other elements. Tracks are stacked vertically in the timeline interface: multiple video tracks appear above each other (V1, V2, V3...), with higher-numbered tracks composited over lower ones in the final output. Multiple audio tracks appear below the video tracks (A1, A2, A3...) and mix together into the final audio blend. The total output of the timeline is the composite of everything in all tracks at each moment in time — the sum of all visible and audible layers.

The organization of tracks in a professional NLE timeline follows conventions that improve editor efficiency and maintainability. Primary footage (the main interview or narration) typically sits on V1 (the lowest video track). B-roll and cutaway footage goes on V2, composited over V1 during the duration of each B-roll clip. Motion graphics, titles, and overlaid graphics go on V3 or higher. For audio: the main dialogue or interview audio is on A1; a second microphone channel (if the interview was recorded with two mics) goes on A2; voiceover narration is on A3 or A4; background music is on a lower track, and sound effects on adjacent tracks. This conventional organization makes the timeline readable to any editor who inherits the project.

For producers collaborating with editors, understanding tracks explains several editorial concepts. "Adding a B-roll track over the interview" means placing a video clip on V2 that temporarily hides the V1 interview footage for the duration of the B-roll clip. "The music is on its own track" means the background music is a separate audio layer that can be volume-adjusted, muted, or replaced independently from the dialogue audio. "Those graphics live on a separate track" means they can be selectively removed, reordered, or replaced without touching the video footage below. Tracks are the organizational unit that makes complex, multi-element video editing manageable — they separate the different content types so they can be adjusted, replaced, and refined independently.