LRC
LRC, Lyric Resource computer file, is a format that synchronizes song lyrics with an audio file, such as MP3, OGG or MIDI. There are at least two variations of lyric files: simple and enhanced where enhanced can synchronize to the syllable. In general, the .LRC file will have the same root name as the associated music file. These files are supported by multiple music players and software. Of course they can also be used for audio books. The WISEreader N526 has support for these files.
A LRC file that is embedded in a MIDI file will have a KAR file extension, karaoke with lyrics synchronized with the music. This can also be contain in the MP3 metadata.
[edit] Sample File
This is a sample from a WISEreader. It shows a news report that is being synchronized.
[ti:] [ar:] [al:] [by:] [offset:0] [00:00.20]A Study Shows England's Stonehenge Was Used As A Burial Ground For 500 Years [00:02.00](MUSIC) [00:11.10]BOB DOUGHTY: This is SCIENCE IN THE NEWS in VOA Special English. [00:16.20]I'm Bob Doughty. [00:18.00]BARBARA KLEIN: And I'm Barbara Klein. [00:20.30]This week we share findings from a new report about a famous circle of stones in southern England. [00:29.20](MUSIC) [00:42.80]BOB DOUGHTY: New research suggests that England's Stonehenge served as a burial ground for hundreds of years.
[edit] Metadata
The LRC format provides for metadata but this is often not supported, and is optional. If present it will appear before the lyrics.
- [al:Album where the song is from]
- [ar:Lyrics artist]
- [by:Creator of the LRC file]
- [offset:+/- Overall timestamp adjustment in milliseconds, + shifts time up, - shifts down i.e. a positive value causes lyrics to appear sooner, a negative value causes them to appear later]
- [re:The player or editor that creates LRC file]
- [ti:Lyrics (song) title]
- [ve:version of program]
[edit] For more information
- Wikipedia LRC
- Lyrics Center - seems to just show search results.
- minilyrics - A player for Windows that can use existing audio support.
- SMIL - Synchronized Multimedia Integration Language
