# What is a speed ramp?

> A speed ramp changes a clip's playback speed smoothly, such as slow motion on the action. See a worked frame example and the Premiere Pro and Resolve steps.
- **Author**: Marxx
- **Published**: 2026-11-09
- **Category**: Video editing
- **URL**: https://marxx.ai/library-glossary/speed-ramp

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A speed ramp is a smooth change of speed inside one clip: normal, then slow motion on the action, then back. The change eases in and out instead of jumping.

## A worked example

Say a clip runs 4 seconds at 30 frames per second. You slow the middle 1 second to 25% speed.

- That 1 second of footage takes 1 / 0.25 = **4 seconds** to play.
- The clip is now 3 + 4 = **7 seconds** long.
- The 1 second holds 30 real frames. To play for 4 seconds at 30 fps, you need 4 x 30 = 120 frames. The editor must make up **90 frames**.

Editors fill the gap by repeating frames, blending them or creating new ones. DaVinci Resolve lists nearest frame, frame blending and optical flow as its retime quality options. See [frame rate](/glossary/frame-rate).

## Steps in Premiere Pro

Premiere Pro (now called Adobe Premiere) uses time remapping (Adobe Help, checked 3 Nov 2026).

1. Right-click the clip, then Show Clip Keyframes > Time Remapping > Speed.
2. Drag the band up to speed up or down to slow down.
3. Ctrl-click (Windows) or Command-click (macOS) the band to add speed [keyframes](/glossary/keyframe).
4. Drag a keyframe's Bezier handles to make the ramp smooth.

Adobe's tip: time-remapped clips can play back slowly, so use [proxy files](/glossary/proxy-files) or a lower-resolution preview.

## In DaVinci Resolve

The Edit page has a retime control for fast or slow motion. Speed Warp is a Studio feature. Resolve 21 adds bezier easing in the Keyframe Editor for smoother non-linear speed ramps (Blackmagic, checked 3 Nov 2026).

## FAQ

### What is the difference between a speed ramp and slow motion?

Slow motion holds one lower speed. A speed ramp changes speed within the clip.

### Why does my slowed clip look choppy?

Slowing a clip needs frames the camera never shot. Use a higher frame rate when you film, or a retime method that blends or creates frames.

### Can I speed ramp to the beat?

Yes. Place the speed keyframes on the beats of the music. See [beat sync](/glossary/beat-sync).

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