Lyrics Text vs Timing (and AbleSet)

Pasting or editing lyrics fixes the words only. Timing comes from Analyze. If your stems have no lead vocal, upload a reference mix with vocals so lyrics can be detected and timed.

AbleSet (and other timed lyric exports) need timed lyrics — not just the correct words on the page.

Two separate jobs:

Job What it does What it does not do
Paste / edit lyrics text Corrects wrong analyzed words Does not add or fix timing
Analyze (lyrics analysis path) Detects lyrics and places them in time Does not replace careful word fixes you already made if you only needed a typo fixed

Paste and edit fix words only

If Analyze got a word wrong, open the Lyrics tab on the arrangement page, click into the line, and correct the text (including pasting a corrected lyric sheet when that is how you edit).

That updates the text. It does not create timing. Untimed or sparsely timed lyrics still will not drive AbleSet’s lyrics track the way a full timed pass does.

AbleSet’s optional lyrics track only uses songs that already have timed lyrics — songs without timed lyrics are skipped. See The Setlist Management Page.

Timing requires Analyze

To get time-synced lyrics:

  1. Upload the audio for the arrangement (stems, and a reference file when needed — below).
  2. Run Analyze (the Analyze card on the Lyrics or Chords tab, or Analyze when you upload). Credits apply — see Uploading and Analyzing Your Stems.
  3. After Analyze finishes, open Lyrics and check that lines land with the vocal.

If the words are wrong but the timing is mostly right, edit the text in place. If timing is missing or full of gaps, you need a better analysis path (usually better vocal audio — next section), not more pasting.

No lead vocal in the stems → large gaps

Lyrics analysis listens for a lead vocal. If your multitracks are instrumental-only (or the lead is missing / too quiet), Analyze often returns large gaps — empty stretches where no lyric lines were detected or timed.

Fix: upload a reference file — the original recording (or a mix) that includes the lead vocals — in time with the multitracks, then run Analyze so Pliris can detect and time the lyrics from that vocal.

  1. Keep your stems as they are for playback and export.
  2. Add the vocal reference as a Reference file on the song (same song length / aligned with the stems — if the reference is early or late, timing will be wrong).
  3. Run Analyze again so lyrics can be detected from the reference vocal.
  4. Then fix any wrong words on the Lyrics tab if needed.

Stems still play as uploaded; the reference is there so analysis can hear the vocal.

AbleSet checklist

  1. Arrangement has timed lyrics (Analyze completed with usable vocal audio).
  2. Band setlist solution is AbleSet under Settings → Setlist management.
  3. Add a lyrics track is on (Standard or Pro template — not custom templates yet).
  4. Re-export the set after lyrics timing is good.

Frequently asked questions

I pasted the correct lyrics. Why doesn’t AbleSet show them in time?

Paste and edit change the words. AbleSet’s lyrics track needs timed lyrics from Analyze. Run Analyze with vocal audio available (stems with lead vocal, or a time-aligned reference mix that includes the lead).

Can I time lyrics by hand instead of Analyze?

Edit the text on the Lyrics tab anytime. Timing comes from the lyrics analysis path (Analyze). If timing is empty or gappy, fix the audio input (add a vocal reference) and Analyze again rather than pasting more text.

My stems are karaoke / no lead vocal. What should I upload?

Upload a reference of the original (or any mix with the lead vocal) that lines up with the multitracks, then Analyze. Without a lead vocal in the audio Analyze hears, expect large gaps.

Will re-analyzing wipe lyric word fixes I already made?

Re-analyze when the audio input for lyrics was wrong (no vocal, wrong take, misaligned reference). Prefer editing words in place when timing is already good. See My Song Didn’t Analyze Right and Replacing Stems and Re-analyzing.

Where to go next

Stuck on lyrics or AbleSet, click the support bubble in the bottom-right of any page, or email support@fromstudiotostage.com.