Complete Guide to LRC Format: Understanding Synchronized Lyrics Files

What is LRC Format?

LRC (Lyrics) is a synchronized lyrics file format that combines lyrics text with timestamp information. When audio plays to a specified time, the corresponding lyrics are displayed or scrolled.

Basic Format

Standard Timestamp Format

LRC files use a standard timestamp format:

[minutes:seconds.centiseconds]Lyrics content

For example:

[00:12.34]This is a line of lyrics
[01:23.45]This is another line of lyrics
[02:34.56]This is the third line of lyrics

Timestamp Breakdown

• Minutes: 00-59, represents the number of minutes
• Seconds: 00-59, represents the number of seconds
• Centiseconds: 00-99, represents hundredths of a second (actually centiseconds, not milliseconds)

Metadata Tags

In addition to lyrics and timestamps, LRC files can contain metadata tags:

Common Metadata Tags

[ti:Song Title]
[ar:Artist]
[al:Album Name]
[au:Lyricist]
[length:Song Length]
[by:LRC Editor]
[offset:Time Offset]

[00:12.34]First line of lyrics
[00:18.56]Second line of lyrics

Tag Descriptions

• [ti] (Title): Song title
• [ar] (Artist): Artist/Singer
• [al] (Album): Album name
• [au] (Author): Lyricist
• [length]: Total song duration, format is mm:ss
• [by]: Creation tool or creator
• [offset]: Time offset in milliseconds, used for global time adjustment

Time Offset

The time offset tag is used for globally adjusting all timestamps:

[offset:+500]

This means displaying all lyrics 500 milliseconds earlier.

[offset:-500]

This means displaying all lyrics 500 milliseconds later.

Use Cases

1. Device Latency: Different devices may have latency when playing audio
2. Production Errors: Systematic errors may exist during timestamp creation
3. Version Differences: Different versions of audio may have different lengths

Extended Tags

Some players support extended tags, providing richer lyrics display effects:

Character Tags

[00:12.34]<font color="red">Red lyrics</font>
[00:18.56]<b>Bold lyrics</b>
[00:24.68]<i>Italic lyrics</i>

Note: Not all players support these tags.

Compatibility

LRC-Supported Players

• Desktop:

  • NetEase Cloud Music
  • QQ Music
  • Kugou Music
  • Kuwo Music
  • Foobar2000
  • VLC Media Player

• Mobile:

  • NetEase Cloud Music App
  • QQ Music App
  • Apple Music (requires conversion)
  • Spotify (requires third-party tools)

Unsupported Cases

• Apple Music uses its own format
• Spotify requires special tools
• YouTube Music does not support external LRC files

Best Practices

1. File Naming

LRC files should have the same name as audio files:

My Song.mp3
My Song.lrc

This way, players will automatically load the lyrics file.

2. File Encoding

• Recommended: UTF-8 (supports multiple languages)
• Traditional: GBK/GB2312 (Chinese environment)

3. Timestamp Precision

Use centisecond precision:

[00:12.34]  ✓ Recommended
[00:12.345] ✗ Non-standard

4. Empty Line Handling

Avoid empty lines as they may affect parsing in some players:

[00:12.34]First line of lyrics

[00:18.56]Second line of lyrics  ✓ Good practice

Example File

A complete LRC file example:

[ti:Ye Qu]
[ar:Jay Chou]
[al:November's Chopin]
[au:Vincent Fang]
[by:LRC Editor]
[offset:0]

[00:04.50]Preamble bloodthirsty hurt the beauty
[00:07.20]Forgotten in  this season
[00:10.80]Your side face  still beautiful
[00:13.50]I am waiting  for opportunity

Technical Details

Character Encoding

LRC files themselves don't specify encoding, but in practice:

• Modern Recommendation: UTF-8 with BOM
• Chinese Windows: GBK/GB2312
• Internationalization: UTF-8

File Size

A typical LRC file for a 3-4 minute song:

• Size: Approximately 2-5 KB
• Lines: Approximately 50-200 lines

Parsing Rules

1. One or more timestamps per line
2. Timestamp format: [mm:ss.xx]
3. Timestamps followed by lyrics content
4. Metadata tags at the beginning of the file

Multi-Timestamp Support

Some players support multiple timestamps on the same line:

[00:12.34][00:45.67]Repeated lyrics

This displays the same lyrics at different times.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: What's the difference between LRC and Karaoke (.krc)?

A: LRC is a plain text format, simple and universal. KRC is an encrypted format that typically contains word-by-word lyrics and more effects.

Q: How can I ensure LRC file compatibility?

A: Use standard timestamp format, avoid extended tags, and use UTF-8 encoding.

Q: Can I add translations in LRC?

A: You can use the duplicate timestamp method:

[00:12.34]Original lyrics
[00:12.34]Translated lyrics

Conclusion

Although the LRC format is simple, it's powerful and has good compatibility. Mastering the basic knowledge of the LRC format can help you better use LRC Editor to create professional synchronized lyrics.

If you're ready to start creating lyrics, check out our Tutorial.