When you have an instrumental track without vocals, or when our AI synchronization system can't automatically detect where to place lyrics, you'll need to manually synchronize your lyrics. This guide walks you through the most effective approach.
Select "Create" from your dashboard (purple button)
Choose "From an instrumental file" option on the creation page
Upload your instrumental track when prompted
When you see the "Lyrics" section, prepare your text
Paste your lyrics into the editor when prompted, or upload a lyrics file with timings (.srt, .lrc or .json) if you already have one
After setting your lyrics, you'll reach the "Sync lyrics" step where you have two options:
Option A: Auto Sync
Select Auto Sync if you have an isolated vocal track
Upload the vocal audio file that matches your instrumental
Choose an AI Sync Engine: Pro (recommended, 5 credits per minute) or Base (1 credit per minute). You'll see the cost before you continue.
Option B: Manual Sync
Select Manual Sync if you don't have a vocal track
Scroll down and click the Lyrics Editor button
This will open the Lyrics Editor window where you can manually time each lyric
Unlike songs with vocals where our AI can detect singing patterns, instrumental tracks provide no vocal cues for automatic synchronization. This means you'll need to place the lyrics manually based on your knowledge of the song.
The most accurate way to synchronize lyrics to an instrumental track is using the Manual Sync feature with reduced playback speed:
To enter the Lyrics Editor, scroll down after selecting Manual Sync and click the Lyrics Editor button. This opens the interface where you can manually time your lyrics.
Click the "Manual Sync" button in the top menu
As the song plays, press and hold the spacebar for as long as each word is sung
The system will automatically assign timing to each word based on your spacebar presses
While syncing, the following keyboard shortcuts are available:
[Spacebar] - Press and hold while the current word is being sung
[Backspace] - Press once to redo the current line, press twice for the previous line
[S] - Toggle between playback rates (0.5x, 0.75x and 1x)
[←] / [→] - Seek backward or forward in the audio
After completing the initial synchronization, you can make precise adjustments:
Toggle between LINES and WORDS views to work at different levels of detail
In LINES view - Click and drag entire lines to adjust their position
In WORDS view - Select individual words to:
Move them by dragging to a new position
Stretch their duration by dragging the right edge
Change when they start by dragging the left edge
Use the snapping tools to align them with adjacent words
These fine-tuning options allow you to perfect your synchronization after the initial pass with the Manual Sync method.
Consider using the 0.5x or 0.75x speed when doing manual synchronization with the spacebar method, especially for songs with rapid lyrics or complex timing
Focus on accuracy rather than speed - the reduced playback rate helps with this
If you make a mistake, use the Backspace shortcut rather than stopping the sync process
Make multiple passes - first sync with Manual Sync, then fine-tune in WORDS/LINES view
Practice with shorter sections before attempting an entire song
Review your work by playing through the entire song
Make any necessary adjustments using the fine-tuning techniques
Click Save (floppy disk icon) in the Lyrics Editor, close it, then click "Save & Continue" at the bottom of the Sync lyrics page to open your project in the video editor, where you can customize and export it
With these methods, you can create professionally synchronized karaoke tracks even for instrumental songs, expanding your library with unique tracks that wouldn't be possible through automated methods alone.
