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Linear video editing assembles a video in a fixed sequence, traditionally by copying selected shots from source videotapes onto a master tape in the order they will appear. Because tape is accessed sequentially, changing an earlier scene can mean copying the later scenes again. Non-linear editing lets editors access and rearrange clips without rebuilding the entire sequence.
What linear video editing means
“Linear” describes how the finished program is assembled: its parts are recorded in their final, predetermined order. It does not mean that an editor is using a straight timeline on a modern screen. Adobe defines it as editing video or audio “in a predetermined sequence from start to finish” (Adobe’s explanation of linear editing).
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The term is most closely associated with tape-based editing. An editor locates material on a source tape, selects the desired sections, and records them onto a separate master tape. Each new section is added where it belongs in the finished program.
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A traditional setup uses a source machine to play the original footage and a recording machine to create the edit master. An edit controller may coordinate the machines. The editor searches the source tape, marks or selects a shot, then records it to the master at the appropriate point. The process proceeds in the sequence of the final program; Sony’s description of linear editing identifies assemble edits and insert edits as two types.
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- Assemble edit: Material is recorded sequentially onto the master, building the program from its beginning onward.
- Insert edit: New material is recorded into a chosen portion of an existing recording. Sony identifies this as a linear edit type; the exact operation depends on the equipment and recording format.
The key practical constraint is that tape does not provide random access to the assembled program. If a scene is inserted or removed on the new tape, the scenes recorded after that point may need to be copied again. Museum Victoria’s explanation describes this rebuilding consequence.
Linear editing versus non-linear editing
Non-linear editing (NLE) changes the workflow by letting an editor work with clips in a non-sequential order. A computer-based editor can select, move, trim, extend, or remove individual clips without recording every later clip again. The distinction is about access and revision, not whether an editing screen displays a timeline.
| Task | Linear tape editing | Non-linear editing |
|---|---|---|
| Finding material | The editor searches along the tape sequentially. (Sony) | Clips can be accessed in a non-sequential order. (MIT’s production guide) |
| Building the program | Selected footage is copied to a master in the program’s final order. (Museum Victoria) | Clips can be assembled and adjusted in the editing system. (MIT) |
| Changing an earlier section | Later scenes may need to be copied again. (Museum Victoria) | An individual clip can be changed without rebuilding every following clip. (MIT) |
When linear editing was used
Tape-based linear editing was the common approach before computer-based NLE tools became broadly available. The sources place the transition across a period rather than at one universal date: the British Film Institute discusses the rise of non-linear tools from the late 1980s, while educational course material describes computer-based NLE arriving in the early 1990s. Adobe says linear editing has largely been replaced by NLE.
That history does not show that linear editing has disappeared completely. The sources establish its historical role and broad replacement, but do not provide a current adoption rate or establish how often it is used today.
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