AMV editor online, free, browser, real beat detection.
The AMV community has been cutting to the beat since the late '80s. Most modern tools still don't have a real beat tracker. Cutflux does, onset detection in your browser, locks every cut to a real percussive event. The technique you've been doing by hand for decades, now automatic.
A short history (because most editors forgot)
1982. Jim Kaposztas cuts a Star Blazers AMV to The Beatles' "All You Need Is Love", credited as the first widely-shared AMV. Done frame-by-frame on tape.
1996. AnimeMusicVideos.org launches. The community builds the modern beat-cutting playbook (cut on snares for verses, every beat for choruses, big changes on drops) twenty years before TikTok rediscovered it.
2001-2010. Sony Vegas becomes the default AMV tool. Multi-track, deep effects, scriptable. Still no automatic beat detection, every editor maps beats manually with tap-along.
2026. Browser editors finally catch up, Cutflux runs onset detection in WebAudio and outputs the beat map automatically. The technique AMV editors invented is now a one-second step instead of a 20-minute setup.
Why this matters for AMV editors specifically
Tap-along latency is gone
Onset detection has zero reaction-time latency. The beats are on the actual hits, not your tapping rhythm.
Section changes get detected
Verses, choruses, bridges, drops, onset detection reads section transitions as discontinuities, not just beat counts. Hierarchical cutting becomes obvious.
No software install or license
Old Vegas licenses are getting expensive. Open Cutflux in a browser, start cutting. Useful for shared computers, school, or anywhere you can't install software.
Songs that shift tempo work
Live drumming and section changes break BPM-grid editors. Onset-based tracking follows the song. Good for harder AMV picks (rock, prog, anything with feel changes).
Cutflux vs the traditional AMV toolkit
| Tool | Beat detection | Multi-track | Cost | Install | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cutflux | Auto (onset) | Single (multi planned) | Free | Browser, none | Fast AMVs, <7 min, no install |
| Sony Vegas Pro | Manual | Multi | $399 one-time | Windows install | Classic AMV workflow |
| DaVinci Resolve | Manual markers | Multi | Free | Desktop install | Long-form, full effects |
| Adobe Premiere | Manual | Multi | $22.99/mo | Desktop install | If you already pay for CC |
| BeatEdit for Premiere | Auto (onset) | Premiere's | ~$70 once | Premiere plugin | Premiere users who want auto-detection |
| Adobe After Effects | Manual | Comp layers | $22.99/mo | Desktop install | Effects-heavy AMVs |
| CapCut | BPM grid (Pro $19.99) | Limited | Free / $19.99 Pro | App or browser | Mobile AMVs only |
The 5-step AMV workflow in Cutflux
Drop your source clips
MP4, MOV, WebM, MKV. Phone recordings, OBS captures, ripped sources. Cutflux processes client-side; sources never leave your machine.
Drop the song
Onset detection runs in <2 seconds for a 3-minute song. Beats appear as markers on the timeline.
Cut on beats, vary by section
Snares only during verses. Every kick during the chorus. Big visual changes on each drop. The hierarchy is what makes AMV reads as intentional vs busy.
Layer the punch moments
Glitch on the breakdown, zoom on the lyric peaks, lyric punch on the singalong lines. Cutflux's Glitch on Beat and Lyric Punch-Out stack on the same timeline.
Export 1080p
Horizontal 1920×1080 for YouTube, vertical 1080×1920 for TikTok / Reels submissions. Watermark-free. Free.
Tools that stack with Cutflux for AMV workflows
Other AMV resources
We maintain a curated, CC0 list of AMV-friendly tools and resources outside Cutflux: github.com/for-he-s-loved/awesome-amv-tools. Beat trackers, audio analysers, lyric sites, font packs, source repositories, pull requests welcome.
Frequently asked
Can I make an AMV in a browser?
Yes. Cutflux runs entirely in your browser with no install. It handles most AMV workflows up to about 5-7 minutes, beyond that, desktop editors like DaVinci Resolve or Sony Vegas still have an edge for very long pieces.
What's the difference between Cutflux and Sony Vegas for AMVs?
Sony Vegas (now Vegas Pro) is the historic standard, full multi-track, deep effects, scriptable. Cutflux is browser-based with onset-detection beat tracking automatic, free, no install. Vegas wins for ambitious 5+ minute AMVs with heavy effects work; Cutflux wins for fast iteration and getting started.
Do I need to know editing to make an AMV?
No. The AMV community made the technique accessible in the '90s, drop clips, drop song, cut on beats. Modern tools like Cutflux automate the beat-finding so the only judgement call is which clip to put where.
Does Cutflux support multiple video tracks?
Beat Timeline is single-video-track currently; multi-track is on the desktop-port roadmap. For complex multi-source overlays, use DaVinci Resolve. For 80% of AMV workflows, single track is plenty.
Can I import effects libraries / presets?
Not yet. Cutflux's effects (Glitch on Beat, Beat Zoom, Lyric Punch-Out) are built-in tools. Custom preset import is on the roadmap.
What format should I export for AMV competitions?
Most modern AMV comps accept H.264 MP4 at 1920×1080, 24-30 fps. Cutflux's default 1080p export hits these specs. Check your specific comp for length and codec rules.