Abstract: An electronic editing system utilizes time code signals for deriving the color frame phases of video signals reproduced by a video tape player and by a video tape recorder. A relationship between color subcarrier phases and frame data of the time code signal is derived during a test mode operation and then, in the editing operation, the color subcarrier phases of the video signals of the video tape player and the video tape recorder are derived using this relationship on the basis of the time code signals at editing points. The phase of each color subcarrier is identified by locking color framing pulses of the video signal to a reference synchronizing signal, from which a reference color frame phase can be derived, the difference in phase between the time code signal and the color framing pulse is detected, and the difference in phase between the color framing pulse and the color frame phase of the video signal on the video tape is detected.