> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.trackyard.com/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Smart Clip Trimming

> How automatic segment selection and hit point alignment work to match music to your exact needs

Most platforms force you to trim tracks manually or settle for awkward fade-outs. Trackyard's smart trimming analyzes the waveform and selects the best-sounding segment automatically — no editing required.

***

## The Problem with Manual Trimming

When you need a 30-second clip from a 3-minute track, you face several challenges:

* **Where to start?** Random starting points often land mid-phrase or off-beat
* **Where to end?** Abrupt endings sound amateurish
* **How to align peaks?** Getting the big hit to land at the right moment requires manual editing
* **Time consuming** — Multiply this by 100 videos and it's a full workday

Trackyard solves this with **waveform analysis and intelligent segment selection**.

***

## How It Works

When you request a clip with `duration_seconds`, Trackyard:

<Steps>
  <Step title="Analyzes the waveform">
    The algorithm scans the entire track for:

    * **Musical phrases** — Where melodies start and end
    * **Energy peaks** — Drops, hits, crescendos
    * **Beat alignment** — Downbeats and measure boundaries
    * **Tonal consistency** — Segments with clear harmonic structure
  </Step>

  <Step title="Scores possible segments">
    Every potential clip is scored based on:

    * **Musical coherence** — Does it feel like a complete idea?
    * **Energy distribution** — Is there a natural arc (build → peak → resolve)?
    * **Start/end quality** — Clean entry and exit points
    * **Hit point placement** — Dominant energy peak location (if specified)
  </Step>

  <Step title="Selects the best segment">
    The highest-scoring segment is extracted and returned as an MP3. No fade-outs, no awkward cuts — just the best-sounding 30 seconds of that track.
  </Step>
</Steps>

***

## Usage Examples

### Basic Trimming

**Request a 30-second clip:**

```bash theme={null}
curl -X POST https://api.trackyard.com/api/external/v1/download-track \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer $API_KEY" \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -d '{
    "track_id": "trk_abc123",
    "duration_seconds": 30
  }' \
  --output clip-30s.mp3
```

**What you get:**

* The algorithm finds the best 30-second segment
* Clean start and end (aligned to musical phrases)
* No manual editing required

***

## Hit Point Alignment

The killer feature: **choreograph musical peaks to specific offsets**.

### The Use Case

You're editing a product video:

* The product appears on screen at **12 seconds**
* You want the music to hit its peak **exactly** when the product appears
* Traditional music libraries make you do this manually

Trackyard does it automatically.

### How to Use It

```bash theme={null}
curl -X POST https://api.trackyard.com/api/external/v1/download-track \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer $API_KEY" \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -d '{
    "track_id": "trk_abc123",
    "duration_seconds": 22,
    "hit_point_seconds": 12
  }' \
  --output clip-with-hit.mp3
```

**What happens:**

1. The algorithm finds the **dominant energy peak** in the track (the biggest drop/hit/crescendo)
2. It selects a 22-second segment where that peak lands at the **12-second mark**
3. You get a clip perfectly timed to your video edit

### Real-World Examples

<AccordionGroup>
  <Accordion title="Instagram Reel: Product Reveal" icon="mobile">
    **Scenario:** 15-second Reel, product appears at 8 seconds

    **Request:**

    ```json theme={null}
    {
      "track_id": "trk_xyz789",
      "duration_seconds": 15,
      "hit_point_seconds": 8
    }
    ```

    **Result:** Music peaks right when the product enters the frame. Zero manual editing.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="YouTube Ad: Logo Drop" icon="video">
    **Scenario:** 30-second ad, logo reveals at 22 seconds

    **Request:**

    ```json theme={null}
    {
      "track_id": "trk_def456",
      "duration_seconds": 30,
      "hit_point_seconds": 22
    }
    ```

    **Result:** The musical peak aligns with the logo reveal for maximum impact.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="App Trailer: Title Card" icon="mobile-screen">
    **Scenario:** 45-second trailer, title card at 35 seconds

    **Request:**

    ```json theme={null}
    {
      "track_id": "trk_ghi123",
      "duration_seconds": 45,
      "hit_point_seconds": 35
    }
    ```

    **Result:** Music builds throughout, then hits the peak right as the title appears.
  </Accordion>
</AccordionGroup>

***

## When to Use Smart Trimming

<Tabs>
  <Tab title="Use It">
    ✅ **Short-form content** — Instagram Reels, TikToks, YouTube Shorts

    ✅ **Ads** — Pre-roll, mid-roll, social media ads

    ✅ **Product demos** — SaaS walkthrough videos, unboxing videos

    ✅ **Trailers** — App, game, or film trailers

    ✅ **Batch processing** — Auto-scoring 100+ videos with consistent durations
  </Tab>

  <Tab title="Skip It">
    ❌ **Long-form content** — Full episodes, feature films, podcasts (use full track)

    ❌ **Custom edits** — If you need frame-perfect control, download the full track and edit manually

    ❌ **Looping background music** — If you want seamless loops, use the full track or a loop-optimized library
  </Tab>
</Tabs>

***

## Tips for Best Results

<AccordionGroup>
  <Accordion title="Choose tracks with clear peaks" icon="chart-line">
    Tracks with obvious drops, hits, or crescendos work best for hit point alignment.

    **Good candidates:**

    * Electronic music with drops
    * Orchestral music with crescendos
    * Hip hop with bass hits

    **Less ideal:**

    * Ambient/drone (no clear peaks)
    * Minimalist classical (subtle dynamics)
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Align hit points to visual moments" icon="crosshairs">
    Place the hit point where you want maximum impact:

    * Product reveals
    * Logo drops
    * Title cards
    * Character entrances
    * Scene transitions
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Test different durations" icon="sliders">
    If a 30-second clip doesn't sound quite right, try 28 or 32 seconds. Sometimes a slightly different duration gives the algorithm more flexibility to find a better segment.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Preview before downloading" icon="headphones">
    Use the `preview_url` from search results to audition tracks before spending a credit on `/download-track`.
  </Accordion>
</AccordionGroup>

***

## Limitations

<Warning>
  **Hit point precision:** The algorithm aligns the peak to within ±1 second of your specified offset. For frame-perfect sync, download the full track and edit manually.
</Warning>

<Warning>
  **Minimum duration:** Smart trimming works best for clips 10+ seconds long. Very short clips (\< 10s) may not have enough musical content for the algorithm to work effectively.
</Warning>

***

## API Parameters

| Parameter           | Type   | Description                                                                                        |
| ------------------- | ------ | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| `track_id`          | string | **Required.** The track ID from search results                                                     |
| `duration_seconds`  | number | **Optional.** Clip length in seconds. Omit for full track.                                         |
| `hit_point_seconds` | number | **Optional.** Offset (in seconds) where the musical peak should land. Requires `duration_seconds`. |

***

## Next Steps

<CardGroup cols={2}>
  <Card title="Download API Reference" icon="download" href="/api-reference/download-track">
    Full API documentation for `/download-track`
  </Card>

  <Card title="Use Cases" icon="lightbulb" href="/use-cases/social-media-ads">
    See hit point alignment in action
  </Card>

  <Card title="API Quickstart" icon="rocket" href="/getting-started/api-quickstart">
    Try smart trimming yourself
  </Card>

  <Card title="Code Examples" icon="code" href="/api-reference/examples">
    Python and JavaScript examples
  </Card>
</CardGroup>