LRC

LRC is a computer file format that synchronizes song lyrics with an audio file, such as MP3, Vorbis or MIDI. When an audio file is played with certain music players on a computer or on modern digital audio players, the song lyrics are displayed. The lyrics file generally has the same name as the audio file, with a different filename extension. For example, song.mp3 and song.lrc. The LRC format is text-based and similar to subtitle files.

Formats

Simple format

Simple LRC format was introduced by Kuo (Djohan) Shiang-shiang's Lyrics Displayer. It was one of the first programs, if not the first, that attempted to simulate Karaoke performance. It usually displays a whole line of lyrics, but it is possible to display a word at a time, such as one would see in modern Karaoke machines, by creating a time tag for each word rather than each line.

The Line Time Tags are in the format [mm:ss.xx] where mm is minutes, ss is seconds and xx is hundredths of a second.

• Normal example:

[mm:ss.xx] lyrics line 1
[mm:ss.xx] lyrics line 2
...
[mm:ss.xx] last lyrics line

ID Tags may appear before the lyrics,^[1] although some players may not recognize or simply ignore this.^{[citation needed]}

[al:Album where the song is from]
[ar:Lyrics artist]
[by:Creator of the LRC file]
[offset:+/- Overall timestamp adjustment in milliseconds, + shifts time up, - shifts down]
[re:The player or editor that created the LRC file]
[ti:Lyrics (song) title]
[ve:version of program]

• Example with ID tags:

[ti:Let's Twist Again]
[ar:Chubby Checker oppure  Beatles, The]
[au:Written by Kal Mann / Dave Appell, 1961]
[al:Hits Of The 60's - Vol. 2 – Oldies]

[00:12.00]Naku Penda Piya-Naku Taka Piya-Mpenziwe
[00:15.30]Some more lyrics ...
...

Simple format extended

Available only in Walaoke from Walasoft. The ability to change and specify the gender of the lyrics by using M: Male, F: Female, D: Duet.

• Example:

[00:12.00]Line 1 lyrics
[00:17.20]F: Line 2 lyrics
[00:21.10]M: Line 3 lyrics
[00:24.00]Line 4 lyrics
[00:28.25]D: Line 5 lyrics
[00:29.02]Line 6 lyrics

Let's say we use blue for male, red for female and pink for Duet. Line 1 using the default color (blue) when no tag is found. Line 2 lyrics start with red when F: is found. Line 3 lyrics start with blue when M: is found. Line 4 lyrics stays blue when no tag is found. Line 5 lyrics start with pink when D: is found. Line 6 lyrics stays pink when no tag is found.

Enhanced format

Enhanced LRC format is an extension of Simple LRC Format developed by the designer of A2 Media Player. It adds an extra Word Time Tag in the format: <mm:ss.xx>.

Example of an Enhanced LRC file:

[mm:ss.xx] <mm:ss.xx> line 1 word 1 <mm:ss.xx> line 1 word 2 <mm:ss.xx> ... line 1 last word <mm:ss.xx>
[mm:ss.xx] <mm:ss.xx> line 2 word 1 <mm:ss.xx> line 2 word 2 <mm:ss.xx> ... line 2 last word <mm:ss.xx>
...
[mm:ss.xx] <mm:ss.xx> last line word 1 <mm:ss.xx> last line word 2 <mm:ss.xx> ...  last line last word <mm:ss.xx>

Supporting

Hardware

• Meizu's M3 Music Card^[2] and M6 Mini Player
• Creative Labs' MuVo V100
• Archos 5, when LRC file found with the same name as the song
• Rockbox compatible devices. See Manual entry
• Nokia's Symbian devices: "Music Player with lyrics available for selected software versions of Nokia 5800XM, X6 and 5230"
• Riptunes MP3 Player MP1872
• Cowon J3 since firmware 2.24
• Sony NWZ-E353/E354/E355/E463 Walkman. Serie S Tablet (With an embeded music player based on Android)

Software

• Jatis Mobile Karaoke (Karaoke Player for BREW)
• K-Multimedia Player
• Jack! The Knife
• LrcShow-X (for Linux media players) ^[3]
• MiniLyrics (for Windows & Android, own a large LRC database)
• StepMania^[4]
• XBMC/Boxee
• OSD Lyrics (for Linux media players)
• Lyrics Screenlet (a screenlet for Linux media players)

See also

• Karaoke and *.kar files.
• CD+G
• MP3+G

External links

LRC interpreters

• Player software: KaraFun Player^[5]

LRC Generators

• LRCgenerator Online LRC files generator

Lyrics Server Database

• Portal LRC, a Brazilian lyrics web site with over 3000 LRC's
• Lyricsfly API, database of lyrics with REST XML API access
• Tutorial - Creating lyrics using LRC Editor
• Lrceditor-Amarok, a GNU/Linux lrc editor against Amarok
• Amalyp II, a plug-in for Amarok 2 for playback of LRC files and allows to create your own

Download LRC Files

• Download Free lrc-files.

References

1. ^ http://www.mobile-mir.com/en/HowToLRC.php
2. ^ Meizu: M3 Music Card
3. ^ lrcShow-X in kdeapps.org
4. ^ StepMania: Song Lyrics - LRC Format
5. ^ KaraFun Player.