LRC (file format)

Infobox file format
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extension = .lrc
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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. For example, "song.mp3" and "song.lrc". The file .lrc is simple, like text, but it is quite hard to make; this can be done well with several pieces of application software.

Formats

Simple format

Simple LRC format was introduced by Kuo (Djohan) Shiang-shiang's "Lyrics Displayer". It was one of the first computer programs, if not the first, that attempted to simulate Karaoke performance [ [http://www.cdmi.net/a2player/lrc_center.html LRC Lyrics Center] ] . 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 [http://www.mobile-mir.com/en/HowToLRC.php] , although some players may not recognize or simply ignore this. Fact|article|date=February 2007

[ti:"Lyrics Title "] [ar:"Lyrics Artist"] [by:"Creator of the LRC file"] [re:"the player or the editor that creates LRC file"] [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] Lyrics beginning ... [00:15.30] Some more lyrics ... ...

Enhanced format

Enhanced LRC format is an extension of Simple LRC Format developed by the designer of A2 Media Player [http://www.mediacommands.com/lyrics.html] . It adds an extra Word Time Tag in the format: .

Example of an Enhanced LRC file:

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

Supporting

Hardware

* [http://www.tvix.co.kr/eng/ Dvico TVIX Media Players] - Plays lyric files on screen automatically when found.
* [http://www.google.com/search?q=trio+mp3+8033a Trio MP3-DA-8033a] - Includes a sample song with simple LRC lyrics.
* [http://www.thinkgeek.com/gadgets/watches/8e18/ MP4 Watch] - Includes sample songs with LRC lyrics.
* [http://www.acorp.com.tw/product2.php?Id=51 Acorp MP560AOF] - Lyric synchronization (LRC V0.2 format).
* [http://www.crintsoft.com crintsoft.com] - MiniLyrics synchronization and viewer.
* Meizu's M3 Music Card [ [http://en.meizu.com/product_m3.asp Meizu: M3 Music Card] ] and M6 Mini Player [ [http://en.meizu.com/product_m6.asp Meizu: M6 Mini Player] ]
* Creative Labs' MuVo V100
* [http://onda.cn/pro/product/product.jsp?Id=11418 ONDA VX858] - Includes sample songs with LRC lyrics.
* [http://www.s1mp3.org/ Most S1MP3 Media Players] - S1MP3 are the cheapest 'no-name' Chinese MP3 and 'MP4' players.
* [http://www.leadsinger.com/ Leadsinger II MVK2] - Leadsinger II MVK2 karaoke all in one microphone that plays mp3's mp4's and most video formats (xvid, divx, mpeg1, mpeg2, AVI, DAT) and plugs directly into your T.V.
* [http://gp2x.co.uk/viewgp2x.html GP2X F200] - GP2X F200 also has this feature in the built-in music player. F100 (any MK below) does not.
* [http://www.mio-tech.com/ Mio Technology GPS (C520)] - Plays lyric files along with music in its built-in music player.
* [http://www.slimdevices.com/pi_controller.html Squeezebox Controller] - displays lyrics with optional, free applet, as do [http://www.slimdevices.com/pi_squeezebox.html SqueezeBox 3] and [http://www.slimdevices.com/pi_transporter.html Transporter]

Software

* MiniLyrics
* [http://www.ideographer.com/karatunes/ KaraTunes]
* [http://www.scriptsoftware.com/istar/ iStar Karaoke]
* [http://www.karafun.com/karaokeplayer/ KaraFun]
* [http://www.vividlyrics.com Vivid Lyrics]
* [http://www.karaoke-lyrics.net KaraokeEditor]
* [http://www.kjams.com kJams]
* Foobar2000 - with [http://gro.clinux.org/projects/ikiki/ foo_uie_lyrics] component
* TT Player
* [http://www.gnu.org/software/emms/ EMMS] , The Emacs Multimedia System

See also

* Karaoke and *.kar files.

References

External links

* [http://www.lrcfiles.com/ Top 100 LRC files]
* [http://www.lyrdb.com/karaoke/ LYRDB] LRC Karaoke Database
* [http://www.lrcdb.org/ lrcDB] Lyrics Database
* [http://lrclyrics.50webs.com LRC Lyrics Database]
* [http://www.cdmi.net/a2player/lrc_center.html LRC Lyrics Center]
* [http://www.mobile-mir.com/en/HowToLRC.php How to get or make LRC] .
* [http://www.lyrdb.com/ LYRDB] , An extensive lyrics database
* [http://lyricsplugin.com/ Lyrics plugin] for Windows Media Player and Winamp (This plugin does not use the LRC format).
* [http://www.mycnknow.com/download/TUTORIAL/tutor.htm Tutorial] - Creating lyrics using LRC Editor
* [http://www.kde-apps.org/content/show.php/Lrceditor-Amarok?content=58164 Lrceditor-Amarok] , a GNU/Linux lrc editor against amarok
* [http://www.portallrc.com.br/ Portal LRC] , a brasilian lyrics web site with over 3000 LRC's