| Filename extension |
.lrc |
|---|---|
| Magic number | None, formally |
| Developed by | None |
| Type of format | Timed text |
| Container for | Song lyrics (with their timings in the song) |
| Open format? | Yes |
| Free format? | Yes |
LRC (short for lyrics) is a computer file format that synchronizes song lyrics with an audio file, such as MP3, Vorbis, or MIDI. It allows for compatible players (such as modern digital audio players) to display song lyrics synchronously with a song. The lyrics file generally has the same name as the audio file, just with a different filename extension, and operates as a sidecar file. For example, if a song's main file is song.mp3, its LRC file would most commonly be song.lrc. The LRC format is text-based and similar in form to subtitle files.
It was first introduced by Taiwan-based Kuo (Djohan) Shiang-shiang's Lyrics Displayer in 1998, with an accompanying plug-in for Winamp.[1]
The original LRC format (sometimes called the Simple LRC format) is formed of two types of tags (time tags and optional ID tags), with one tag per line. Time tags have the format [mm:ss.xx]lyric , where mm is minutes, ss is seconds, xx is hundredths of a second, and lyric is the lyric to be played at that time. A basic example with just time tags is below.
[00:12.00]Line 1 lyrics [00:17.20]Line 2 lyrics [00:21.10][00:45.10]Repeating lyrics (e.g. chorus) ... [mm:ss.xx]Last lyrics line
ID tags may optionally appear before the lyrics,[2] although some players may not recognize or simply ignore this[citation needed]. The format of an ID tag is [type:value], where type is the tag type and value its value (most often some text). The different possible tag types are tabulated below.
| Tag type | Tag purpose |
|---|---|
ti
|
Title of the song |
ar
|
Artist performing the song |
al
|
Album the song is from |
au
|
Author of the song |
length
|
Length of the song (mm:ss)
|
by
|
Author of the LRC file (not the song) |
offset
|
Specifies a global offset value for the lyric times, in milliseconds. The value is prefixed with either + or -, with + causing lyrics to appear sooner
|
re/tool
|
The player or editor that created the LRC file |
ve
|
The version of the program |
#
|
Comments |
A more comprehensive example with both ID and time tags is given below.
[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 ... ...
Several extensions to the format have been created to introduce new funcitonality.
The Walaoke extension, available only in Walaoke from Walasoft, allows the specification of parts for a male-female duet. This is done through the use of M: , F: , and D: at the start of a line for male, female, and duet lines respectively. This allows them to be displayed in different colours. This is illustrated with an example below.
[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
Using blue for male, red for female, and pink for duet, the lines will have the following colours:
The A2 extension to the LRC format (also called the Enhanced LRC format) was introduced by the A2 Media Player, and adds the ability to specify the time individual words are sung. These word time tags are identical to the standard line time tags, but use angle brackets instead of square ones (i.e. <mm:ss.xx>). This allows the player to highlight each word when it needs to be sung, for example. An example is given below.
[ti: Somebody to Love] [ar: Jefferson Airplane] [al: Surrealistic Pillow] [lr: Lyricists of that song] [length: 2:58] [00:00.00] <00:00.04> When <00:00.16> the <00:00.82> truth <00:01.29> is <00:01.63> found <00:03.09> to <00:03.37> be <00:05.92> lies [00:06.47] <00:07.67> And <00:07.94> all <00:08.36> the <00:08.63> joy <00:10.28> within <00:10.53> you <00:13.09> dies [00:13.34] <00:14.32> Don't <00:14.73> you <00:15.14> want <00:15.57> somebody <00:16.09> to <00:16.46> love