LRC (file format)
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| Filename extension | .lrc |
|---|
LRC (short for LyRiCs) 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.
Contents
Formats[edit]
Simple format[edit]
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[citation needed]. 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:
[00:12.00]Line 1 lyrics [00:17.20]Line 2 lyrics [00:21.10]Line 3 lyrics ... [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]
[ar:Lyrics artist]
[al:Album where the song is from]
[ti:Lyrics (song) title]
[au:Creator of the Songtext] [length:How long the song is] [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]
[ve:version of program]
- Example with ID tags:
[ar:Chubby Checker oppure Beatles, The] [al:Hits Of The 60's - Vol. 2 – Oldies] [ti:Let's Twist Again] [au:Written by Kal Mann / Dave Appell, 1961] [length: 2:23] [00:12.00]Naku Penda Piya-Naku Taka Piya-Mpenziwe [00:15.30]Some more lyrics ... ...
Simple format extended[edit]
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[edit]
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[edit]
Hardware[edit]
- Xiaomi's Standard Music Player
- 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"
- Sony NWZ-E353/E354/E355/E463/E475/A15/A17 Walkman. Serie S Tablet (With an embedded music player based on Android)
- Caanoo, when LRC file found with the same name as the song
- GP2X Wiz, when LRC file found with the same name as the song
- TEAC MP-222, when LRC file found with the same name as the song
- Transcend's MP330,[3] when LRC file found with the same name as the song
Software[edit]
- Sony Media Go (for Windows 8, 7, Vista, and XP, Create and edit lyrics)
- K-Multimedia Player
- lrcShow-X (free software for X Window System, uses D-Bus to communicate with audio player)[4]
- MiniLyrics (for Windows, Mac OS X & Android, own a large LRC database)
- StepMania[5]
- osdlyrics(for linux) [6]
- Kodi/Boxee
- Plex (software) [7]
- Foobar2000 (customizable music player)
See also[edit]
- Karaoke and *.kar files.
- CD+G
- MP3+G
- Timed Text