Syncing lyrics by hand vs automatically
There are two ways to get timed lyrics: play the song and tap along, or let a tool place the words and check its work. Neither is always right; it depends on how fine the timing has to be and how many songs you have.
How syncing by hand works
Most LRC editors and subtitle tools work the same way. You paste the lyrics, play the track, and press a key as each line starts. For word timing you do the same for every word, or select each word on a waveform and set its start and end. Then you play it back and fix the taps that landed early or late.
It costs nothing and you are in control of every mark. The catch is that the work grows with every word. Line timing on one song is quick. Word timing is a tap per word, a missed tap means going back, and a long or fast song multiplies all of it.
How automatic sync works
An automatic lyric sync tool listens to the vocal and matches your lyrics to it, giving every word a start and an end. The good ones work from the finished mix, so you do not need an acapella. Your job changes from marking every word to checking the result and nudging the few that need it.
It is not magic, and nothing should be exported unchecked. Ad-libs that are not in the lyric sheet, repeated words and long held notes are where any tool, or any person, is most likely to slip.
Which to use
| If you have | Best fit | Why |
|---|---|---|
| One song, line timing only | By hand | A tap per line is quick, and free tools do it well |
| One song, word timing | Automatic, then review | A tap per word adds up fast, and review is quicker than marking |
| A catalogue or regular releases | Automatic, then review | The same work repeats on every track |
| No lyric sheet at all | Write the lyrics first | Both methods need the right words; transcription comes before timing |
| A deliberately off-beat or stylised reveal | By hand, or adjust afterwards | Timing that follows the design rather than the vocal is a creative call |
The part that matters either way: review
Whether you tapped it or a tool placed it, play the timing back against the song before it goes anywhere. Watch the first line, any line after a long pause, and anything sung fast or held long. In LyriSync that review is built in: every word sits on the waveform, you can loop and slow playback, and any line or word can be nudged before you export SRT, LRC, TTML, ASS or editable After Effects text.
Free tools for doing it by hand
If by hand suits the job, a subtitle editor such as Aegisub or Subtitle Edit gives you a waveform to mark against. See how they compare: LyriSync vs Aegisub and LyriSync vs Subtitle Edit.
Not sure how fine the timing needs to be? Read word-level vs line-level timing.
Align any whole song up to 10 minutes and open it in the editor: play it, check every word and fix timings. The private preview is available for 5 days. You pay per song, when you export.
Next guide: LyriSync vs Aegisub for timing lyrics and karaoke