Here are some tips compiled by the Lyrxo community for getting the most accurate lyrics.Formatting ChecksThis tool built by community member @Reece can flag common formatting and spelling issues.Audio ManipulationModifying the Song's SpeedThis can help you hear things and make you have to rewind less.
• YouTube has built-in options to play videos at various speeds
• You can use a browser extension like Video Speed Controller: Chrome | Firefox
Just be careful because sometimes playing something super slow can trick you into hеaring things that aren't there. Don't bе too confident about things you hear in slo-mo.Isolating VocalsIn some cases, you can find existing vocals-only versions. Try searching variations of "[song] vocals/stem/a cappella", etc. Sometimes these are officially released, while other times, fans have used software.
On that note, you can also make them yourself. Some community members use sites like Vocal Remover or lalal.ai to isolate a track's vocals.LoopingWhen transcribing along with a song, you sometimes fall behind and rely on memory, which increases the chance of human error. A way around this issue is looping excerpts with services like Tune Transcriber. This service allows you to adjust playback speed and loop parts of audio files and YouTube videos.Checklist of Places to Look for High-Quality (Ideally Official) LyricsBe aware that official lyrics are not infallible! But they are definitely a great source. The actual audio always takes precedence.Album LinersIdeally, you physically own the album! But even if you don't, you can often find album liners via:
• Discogs - example (be sure to check several versions of the album if the first one you check doesn't have what you are looking for)
• eBay - example
• Search engine: try a variation of an image search for "[artist] [song/album] booklet/liner/lyrics" because sometimes they are uploaded to different sitesLyrics from VideosSometimes labels release official lyric videos.
Sometimes official lyrics are in the description section of their YouTube video(s). This is also true of some SoundCloud descriptions.
Sometimes a song’s YouTube video has Closed Captioning with official lyrics. Click Show Transcript a little bit above the comment section. The lyrics are more likely to be legit if they have music notes around them, like in the example above, but even these are still often inaccurate.Lyrics from LabelsLyrxo sometimes shares official lyrics that it receives from labels. You can also contact them or artist management for official lyrics.Handwritten LyricsDo a search for handwritten lyrics. Just be careful, as not all images of handwritten lyrics are written by the artist.Artist WebsitesSome artists post their lyrics on their websites. E.g., Bob Dylan.BooksArtists like Jay-Z, Eminem, and others have published books with official lyrics for some of their most popular songs. It's best to own the book, but sometimes you can find what you are looking for via a preview on sites like Amazon or Google Books.Ask the ArtistsYou can reach out to artists on social media. Artists as popular as Eminem are unlikely to reply, but many appreciate your interest and respond. It doesn't hurt to ask!Check other performancesLive versions: When a line is unclear on the album version, you can sometimes make sense of it when it’s delivered differently in a live performance. Of course, be careful that live renditions aren't always perfectly identical to the studio versions.
Cover versions: Definitely not definitive since the new performer may not know the true lyrics, but in theory, if a band got permission to release an official cover, they may also have access to official lyrics. At worst, it can shed light on what someone else thinks the lyrics are.Other SitesDo NOT copy-paste lyrics! But checking another site can be a way to get another opinion on what a word is.
In addition to all the lyric sites that typically appear in search results (like LyricFind and Musixmatch), consider also checking Apple Music (subscription required). Apple Music gathers lyrics from various sources (including Lyrxo) and often edits them. In some cases, Apple Music even has lyrics right at release, suggesting that artists provided those to Apple Music.
Also, when looking at existing scribes, please be aware that our brains are very good at hearing whatever we read, whether that is actually what is being said.Optional Tip for Correcting LyricsIt may be helpful to make the edit alongside a temporary note that says where you got that lyric from. E.g., if you change "old lyric" to "new lyric" based on an album liner, you can make the edit like this:
⤷ New lyric (based on album liner)
Save, and then remove your note and save again. This can help other users understand why you made the change you did.Are You Still Stumped?Indicate UncertaintyIf you are unsure after all these techniques, you can indicate your uncertainty by transcribing the missing part as a question mark between two square brackets, like this [?]. It can also be helpful to put a timestamp right after, like this: [?][2:04].
Please remember that using [?]s is a sign of a good transcriber. Some artists don't enunciate, their songs are mixed improperly, or they deliver region-specific or personal lyrics. The [?] highlights gaps for other listeners to focus on, which is better than hosting the incorrect lyrics, which may cause people to gloss over them.Last Resort: Seek HelpWhen there are gaps, try reaching out to other skilled transcribers, fans of the artist you want help understanding (e.g. via artist-specific subreddits), or people knowledgeable about the artist's region or country. For example, it may be best to reach out to an Australian if you want help transcribing a song from an Australian hip-hop artist.
Despite the subheading, this could be your first resort. It's often easier to get a hold of another set of ears than the artist, their official lyrics, or their team/label. Lyrxo is a community-driven platform, so use its community! Users regularly help each other in this Discord channel.Last, Last Resort: Come Back to It!You often notice new details when rewatching films. This principle is also true for music. Coming back to an incomplete transcript can make all the difference.
• YouTube has built-in options to play videos at various speeds
• You can use a browser extension like Video Speed Controller: Chrome | Firefox
Just be careful because sometimes playing something super slow can trick you into hеaring things that aren't there. Don't bе too confident about things you hear in slo-mo.Isolating VocalsIn some cases, you can find existing vocals-only versions. Try searching variations of "[song] vocals/stem/a cappella", etc. Sometimes these are officially released, while other times, fans have used software.
On that note, you can also make them yourself. Some community members use sites like Vocal Remover or lalal.ai to isolate a track's vocals.LoopingWhen transcribing along with a song, you sometimes fall behind and rely on memory, which increases the chance of human error. A way around this issue is looping excerpts with services like Tune Transcriber. This service allows you to adjust playback speed and loop parts of audio files and YouTube videos.Checklist of Places to Look for High-Quality (Ideally Official) LyricsBe aware that official lyrics are not infallible! But they are definitely a great source. The actual audio always takes precedence.Album LinersIdeally, you physically own the album! But even if you don't, you can often find album liners via:
• Discogs - example (be sure to check several versions of the album if the first one you check doesn't have what you are looking for)
• eBay - example
• Search engine: try a variation of an image search for "[artist] [song/album] booklet/liner/lyrics" because sometimes they are uploaded to different sitesLyrics from VideosSometimes labels release official lyric videos.
Sometimes official lyrics are in the description section of their YouTube video(s). This is also true of some SoundCloud descriptions.
Sometimes a song’s YouTube video has Closed Captioning with official lyrics. Click Show Transcript a little bit above the comment section. The lyrics are more likely to be legit if they have music notes around them, like in the example above, but even these are still often inaccurate.Lyrics from LabelsLyrxo sometimes shares official lyrics that it receives from labels. You can also contact them or artist management for official lyrics.Handwritten LyricsDo a search for handwritten lyrics. Just be careful, as not all images of handwritten lyrics are written by the artist.Artist WebsitesSome artists post their lyrics on their websites. E.g., Bob Dylan.BooksArtists like Jay-Z, Eminem, and others have published books with official lyrics for some of their most popular songs. It's best to own the book, but sometimes you can find what you are looking for via a preview on sites like Amazon or Google Books.Ask the ArtistsYou can reach out to artists on social media. Artists as popular as Eminem are unlikely to reply, but many appreciate your interest and respond. It doesn't hurt to ask!Check other performancesLive versions: When a line is unclear on the album version, you can sometimes make sense of it when it’s delivered differently in a live performance. Of course, be careful that live renditions aren't always perfectly identical to the studio versions.
Cover versions: Definitely not definitive since the new performer may not know the true lyrics, but in theory, if a band got permission to release an official cover, they may also have access to official lyrics. At worst, it can shed light on what someone else thinks the lyrics are.Other SitesDo NOT copy-paste lyrics! But checking another site can be a way to get another opinion on what a word is.
In addition to all the lyric sites that typically appear in search results (like LyricFind and Musixmatch), consider also checking Apple Music (subscription required). Apple Music gathers lyrics from various sources (including Lyrxo) and often edits them. In some cases, Apple Music even has lyrics right at release, suggesting that artists provided those to Apple Music.
Also, when looking at existing scribes, please be aware that our brains are very good at hearing whatever we read, whether that is actually what is being said.Optional Tip for Correcting LyricsIt may be helpful to make the edit alongside a temporary note that says where you got that lyric from. E.g., if you change "old lyric" to "new lyric" based on an album liner, you can make the edit like this:
⤷ New lyric (based on album liner)
Save, and then remove your note and save again. This can help other users understand why you made the change you did.Are You Still Stumped?Indicate UncertaintyIf you are unsure after all these techniques, you can indicate your uncertainty by transcribing the missing part as a question mark between two square brackets, like this [?]. It can also be helpful to put a timestamp right after, like this: [?][2:04].
Please remember that using [?]s is a sign of a good transcriber. Some artists don't enunciate, their songs are mixed improperly, or they deliver region-specific or personal lyrics. The [?] highlights gaps for other listeners to focus on, which is better than hosting the incorrect lyrics, which may cause people to gloss over them.Last Resort: Seek HelpWhen there are gaps, try reaching out to other skilled transcribers, fans of the artist you want help understanding (e.g. via artist-specific subreddits), or people knowledgeable about the artist's region or country. For example, it may be best to reach out to an Australian if you want help transcribing a song from an Australian hip-hop artist.
Despite the subheading, this could be your first resort. It's often easier to get a hold of another set of ears than the artist, their official lyrics, or their team/label. Lyrxo is a community-driven platform, so use its community! Users regularly help each other in this Discord channel.Last, Last Resort: Come Back to It!You often notice new details when rewatching films. This principle is also true for music. Coming back to an incomplete transcript can make all the difference.
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