I have just started to try out VST Live, and initially to use it primarily for using Metronome and Lyrics.
Currently you have to enter Lyrics row by row spanned over timeline.
It would be so much simplier if you could import a whole set of lyrics from a text file (.txt or .doc or whatever), and have VST Live separate each line of the lyrics as one instance and put it on separate rows/beats/bars in the timeline.
Possibly even be able to select on what bar/beats each line should be imported on, i.e. every bar or beat etc.
Then it would be so easy to finally move and adjust each row manyally to get correct synchronisation rather than to have to enter it row by row.
Ok, we tried that but it never works out, because the text would have to be strictly formatted according to time which it almost never is.
You might want to have a look at the “Notes” module. It now allows for time markers which you can easily set, and when playing back it jumps to those markers when that time is reached.
Thinking about it…we might offer a transformation from Notes to Lyrics maybe…
Why not just ask how many bars per line, and which bar to start at, before import. Only import text files, and make each crlf denote a new lyric line? Should work in 90% of cases…
As a singer I just need to know what the lyrics are. Being able to see the entire line of lyrics at the start of the phrase would be perfect for me. I don’t need each word highlighted as it would be in a karaoke - I already know the phrasing, but sometimes I forget the words.
And if you could also include a function for moving remaining text from cursor position down to a new specific bar/beat you can easily manually adjust for breaks solos etc.
Tried that and it does not. It’s less than 20% here. Almost no lyrics are formatted like that.
You might say 2 Bars and then insert verse by verse (given each verse line has 2 Bars) though. We’ll check that.
There are several possible solutions, which can work in parallel.
If you have Midi for vocal tracks, use the same function as in Cubase and Dorico:
As in Cubase, all the lyrics is placed in a textbox. Select (mark) a part of the lyrics, eg row 1 and select which note the current text should start on. Continue with the remaining text in the same way.
This should also enable the import of Midi files that contain text.
It also allows exporting from Cubase (where the lyrics are included in the track) and linked to different notes.
If midi for lyric track is missing. Similar functionality as in point 1, but instead of marking a note, the selected track is marked where the text is to be inserted.
Import of already time coded text (eg srt, sub etc). This, of course, requires that the tempo matches between the time-coded text and the tempo in VST Live.
Yes, it’s like cut and paste… but hopefully a little bit simplified and easier to edit in Lyrics window.
The problem for me right now is that it is based on lyrics on each beat and I just want to add blocks of text in a simple way (I don’t currently use midi for lyrics).
By using the Zoom slider it’s easy to display blocks of text not entirely in sync with every beat,
but if you zoom in it scrolls to fast.
So another proposal for making it work a little bit better for very simple cases in the LYRICS window would be to make the timeline scrolling a bit more flexible by introducing a Visibility filter with differents options for displaying certain bars/beats:
Show only bars/beats with text/lyrics
Show only Bars
Show only every second bar/beat etc… (other possible options)
Example:
Let’s say I insert blocks of text (4 rows of verse, some rows of chorus etc.) at different bars/beats in the timeline to follow the music, and zoom in to see it correctly (see image below)
Then make it possible to “Show only bars/beats with text”
Now the scrolling of timeline and Lyrics will be slower and you will see the whole text slowly following the music
I think that would work for a lot of cases when you only want to see the lyrics in a simple way
… and it’s up to you to use it or not.
The problem with this is that it makes the Lyric track in Track window containg large chunks of text not vissible correctly, but in my case I will not use the the track window for Lyrics.
This sounds like it could be consolidated with my Note Track idea
Cubase should definately extend their cycle marker functionality by allowing to import text with timecodes so that you can place certain text somewhere in your timeline easily - e.g. notes from a client or even lyrics.
Additionally, how cool would it be to print or generate a PDF out of all the markers, e.g. for a cue sheet that needs to be submitted to a PRO or if you just want to print your lyrics paired with measures/timecode info so your singer or session player in the cabin has some more reference material to work with
If not, I really would appreciate just having an easy text import of a complete song, exactly line by line, eg. exactly as the pdf is, but:
Combined with a
and the already drag&drop feature for a “line” = lyrics object
it seems to be an easy addition for the programmers and an efficient one for the users.
Even for RLC and MIDI lyrics import the functions for line edit would be very helpful.
(*) Proposed line edit feature for lyrics track - example:
pure Textfile:
“This ain’t a song for the broken-hearted”
“No silent prayer for faith-departed”
Import looks like this: (standard time gap):
1.1.0. “This ain’t a song for the broken-hearted”
2.1.0. “No silent prayer for faith-departed”
our singer wants this e.g.:
“This ain’t a song”
“for the broken-hearted”
“No silent prayer”
“for faith-departed”
to put these lyrics parts into the right timing in VST Live is easy - just drag&drop,
but cutting or gluing is impossible.
If these functions would be available, text import as a hole song of other sources would be quite simple.
And we don’t have to think about precise timing or correct lyrics objects for import for this one.
Here’s a thought - make the text entry multiline but when ok it hit split the lines and choose an arbitrary time separation (say every 4 beats or selectable ). We can then move each line to where needed. Would also allow paste from a text file.
and, if I had a free wish, I would like to see -for user interface consistency- a similar functionality like"drag-drop" an audio file to the tracks window.
This could look like:
drag-drop a text file to the tracks window
a new lyric track is made by VST Live
and every text line /w CR-LF is a new text object, just one after another
empty or wrong ones can be deleted manually
and forgot an input box for edit (this was pre 2000)
if there would be loads of time left for realization, this:
show single text objects in track view, moveable, cutable, deletable …(because the context menu is already there!
Thanks for your suggestions, it seems that this feature is not often used by VST Live users.
Cause since Version 1, there isn’t any development, isn’t it?
Well, I know, there is a way and I works, but most inefficient.
…which requires a setting for separation bars.
We are working on that.
Please note that VST Live Lyrics are strictly time based, so every entry requires a specific position.
Thx, That’s why I thought of some auto added time gaps.
(Or drag-drop to the position on lyrics screen)
This morning I tried to import lyrics meta events from a MIDI file.
These are already time based. But this don’t seem to work either.
Or I’m wrong
I think the easiest/fastest way to implement a time based split function for lyrics is:
split mark is the text curser in the edit line for lyrics
support a cut text/lyrics at this position
put the rest of text in a new lyrics object some ticks later (fixed), so that it is movable
usr can move this new lyrics obj. to the intended position
Added 18.07.25: @musicullum
I realized during my tests, that the string length of the lyrics input box and the edit line for lyrics are different.
As a result the lyrics edit line in the lyrics window cuts the length of the input box string!
Better: just use one place for editing - I would love to have inline editing for the objects in the lyrics window. (see → Qmidi eg.)
