The Keyframe Editor is mainly about when things happen. It is ideal for moving blocks of animation in time without changing the shape of the motion curve.
Keyframe Editor and Spline Editor solve different problems
Use Keyframe Editor for timing: when animation starts, ends and which parameters should line up. Use Spline Editor for the shape and speed of value changes.
Move an animation block as a unit
Select several keys and shift them together. Relative spacing stays intact, so a finished motion can be moved later in the comp without rebuilding it.
Synchronize multiple parameters
Position, Size, Angle and Blend often need aligned start/end points. The Keyframe Editor makes timing drift easy to see and correct.
Copy animation intentionally
Keys can be transferred between compatible parameters or nodes, but value ranges must make sense. A technically possible copy is not always a meaningful motion design choice.
Use Spreadsheet for exact frame numbers
When exact timing matters, Spreadsheet is often faster than dragging keys visually. It turns the animation into explicit time/value data, which is useful for matching several elements.
Mini exercise
- Create a Transform and animate Position.
- Add Scale and Opacity/Blend animation.
- Move all keys 12 frames later.
- Move only the Opacity start 4 frames earlier and compare the feel.
Key takeaway
Use Keyframe Editor for timing and Spline Editor for motion character. Separating those jobs makes animation faster to reason about.