For years, I’ve heard good things about Davinci Resolve as a powerful industry-standard video editing software. Despite all the positive things I’ve heard, I’m still reluctant to switch from Adobe Premiere Pro for fear of the whole process of learning new software from scratch. However, motivated by frustration over frequent failures, I finally made the call for a long-needed transformation.
As someone who recently switched from Adobe Premiere Pro to Davinci Resolve 18.6 for video editing, I found myself having difficulty fully understanding Davinci Resolve, especially in the color grading section. This is mainly because Davinci Resolve uses a node-based editing system that offers great control and flexibility in color grading but can be overwhelming and make it difficult to learn the software at first. head.
If you’re like me, new to Davinci Resolve and looking to speed up your grading process so you can complete projects faster, then this list of keyboard shortcuts I recently learned and compiled will help you grade quickly. faster, easier and more efficient without having to delve into the menu every time.
Here are 15 essential keyboard shortcuts that will speed up your color grading process in Davinci Resolve, divided into three main categories: dealing with nodes, working with previews and comparisons, and finally doing work with qualifying rounds.
In Handle buttons in the color editing page
1. Add serial button – “Alt + S”
This will help you add a serial button for sequential adjustments. The serial node is essentially a layer where you can start making non-destructive color edits on it or stack different adjustments one after another.
2. Add parallel button – “Alt + P”
This will help you create a parallel node for independent adjustment. The parallel button allows multiple edits to be performed simultaneously on the same image.
3. Add layer mixer – “Alt + L”
This will add a class mixer to your existing serial node. The layer mixer allows you to control how multiple nodes are blended at once, rather than sequentially. Think of this as a blend mode in Adobe Photoshop.
4. Add external button – “Alt + O”
This will add an external node from the source window you created on the serial node earlier. Think of this as a quick way to invert your mask for the next edit node.
5. Add serial button before selected button – “Shift + S”
This will add a serial node before the currently selected node. This shortcut will allow you to immediately create an edit button in front of the existing button without having to click, drag, and re-link the existing button.
Work with previews and comparisons
6. Ignore all buttons – “Shift + D”
This will quickly bypass all the effects and edits done on the nodes so you see the original footage.
7. Disable selected button – “Cmd + D”
This will help you disable the selected button. This is often used to compare and track the impact progress of edits made on a node.
8. Disable all buttons – “Alt + D”
This key combination is quite similar to “Shift + D”, bypassing all the effects performed on all buttons. In this case, it works by disabling all the buttons for a clear preview.
9. Split screen preview – “Cmd + ALT + W”
This will help you enable split-screen view for easier comparison. Note that if nothing happens to your preview screen, you may need to select from the drop-down menu in the upper left (shown in the example below) and select the desired comparison screen.
10. Enter full screen mode – “Shift + F”
This will take you to a full-screen preview of your creation. This will allow you to see your edits and footage more clearly, especially if you’re working with a smaller screen size.
11. Add version – “Cmd + Y”
This will allow you to save your current edited version along with all the buttons. This can be used to quickly compare before and after or to jump back and forth in your editing work non-destructively. If done correctly, a short message stating “Color Grading Version Added” will appear in the upper left of your preview screen. Pro tip: If you’ve saved multiple versions, you can also preview different variations of the color grade all at once by selecting the split-screen version preview.
12. Previous version – “Cmd + B”
This will allow you to access the previous version you saved, perhaps using it for quick comparisons or even reversing your adjustments back to where you want them.
13. Next Version – “Cmd + N”
This allows you to access the next version from the current version you are using. Note that this may only work if you are on a previous version. It also won’t work if you don’t save the previous or next version during your editing.
Work with qualified people
14. Show highlights of selected colors – “Shift + H”
This combination will show you the selected colors on the preview screen by fading other areas to gray. This allows you to fine-tune parameters using “Matte Finesse” in qualifiers for more precise tuning.
15. Show highlights of selected colors in black and white – “Shift + ALT + H”
This will show you the selected colors on a black and white preview screen. This function is especially useful when selecting light or bright colors where the usual highlight function is not enough for you to accurately evaluate the selected color.
Whether you’re a seasoned editor or new to the world of color grading, I’m pretty sure these keyboard shortcuts will be able to help you seamlessly navigate Davinci Resolve’s powerful color grading tools, Save time and enhance your creative work instantly.
In short, Davinci Resolve is a powerful and efficient platform for color grading, and these shortcuts are just the tip of the iceberg in unlocking its full potential. What other techniques have you found useful in optimizing your color grading process?
