What’s an LRC file?

LRC is a file format that helps you in the synchronization of song lyrics with some audio files, like MP3 files, MIDI and Vorbis. With some mp3/MIDI/Vorbis music players, you will be able to play LRC files. They will let you read the song lyrics while the music is playing! Cool isn’t it??

Now, You will be able to do this karaoke like thing with certain music players on the computer and on some audio players. You will read the lyrics right on the display!

The LRC file must have the same name as the mp3 audio in order to work well. For example, you will have a song.mp3 file and another file which is going to be song.lrc. LRC files are text-based, so you will be able to open it from any text editor. Are pretty similar to subtitle files.

This is the M6 mini player. Is one of the MP3 players that can play LRC lyrics files!

A bit of history

Simple LRC format: Introduced by Kuo Shiang-shiang’s Lyrics Displayer. Was the first program to try to emulate karaoke displayers. It displays complete lyric lines, but it could display a word at a time. Just like it’s possible to see in modern karaoke players. You can do that by creating a time tag for each word rather than for every line of lyric.

Here’s an example of how an LRC file looks like:

(Remember you can open the LRC files with any text editor like Notepad (Win), textEdit (Mac), etc.)
[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]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

If you feel like creating your own lyric files, go ahead. It’s easy!
Just follow this tutorial to create LRC lyric files


Have fun!