What you get from the lyric video maker
A lyric video is a simple idea that works: the song plays, the words appear as they are sung, and something moves on screen so the picture is not static. It is the quickest way to give a track a video, and it works especially well when you have no footage, no camera and no time. People use it to release a demo, to post a snippet of a new song, to share a birthday track with the right words on screen, or to make a study or workout playlist look finished.
TuneSplit's version puts the two hardest parts in one place. First, it lines the lyrics up with the audio automatically instead of making you drag every line on a timeline. Second, it draws an animated frequency waveform that reacts to the music, with the lyrics scrolling in front of it. You choose the background, the shape of the frame and when the vocals start, and the browser does the rest.
- Audio from your TuneSplit songs, or any file you upload.
- Lyrics pasted as plain text, timed automatically across the song.
- A start and end control for the vocals, so intros and outros do not throw the timing off.
- An animated frequency waveform and scrolling lyric lines.
- Four background presets (neon, sunset, ocean, mono) or your own image.
- Two frame shapes: 9:16 (720x1280) and 16:9 (1280x720).
- MP4 export, with a WebM fallback in browsers that cannot record MP4.
Export sizes by platform: 9:16 vs 16:9
Every platform has a favorite shape. Short-form feeds are tall; YouTube is wide. The lyric video maker offers one of each so you can post to the place your audience actually watches. Here is how the two exports map onto the big four. The right-hand column shows the size each platform recommends for uploads. Our exports are 720p, so the platform scales them up; they look clean for lyric text, though a 1080p source would be sharper if you need it.
| Platform | Shape | TuneSplit export | Platform recommended size | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| TikTok | 9:16 vertical | 720x1280 MP4 | 1080x1920 | Keep important words away from the bottom caption area and the right-hand buttons |
| Instagram Reels | 9:16 vertical | 720x1280 MP4 | 1080x1920 | Leave margins at the top and bottom, where the interface sits over the video |
| YouTube Shorts | 9:16 vertical | 720x1280 MP4 | 1080x1920 | Check the current maximum length before you post a long song |
| YouTube (standard video) | 16:9 widescreen | 1280x720 MP4 | 1920x1080 | 720p is a standard YouTube resolution and plays on all devices |
Platform length limits change from time to time, so check the current rules before you plan a full-length upload. If your song is longer than a short-form feed allows, post the chorus as the vertical clip and the full track as a 16:9 video. Both can come from the same lyrics and the same audio; you only change the shape and render again.
How the automatic lyric timing works
Typing timestamps by hand is the part of lyric videos that makes people give up. The lyric video maker takes your pasted lines and spreads them across the duration of the song so that each line appears in order, one after another, without you touching a timeline. For many songs that is already close to right.
Songs are rarely evenly spaced from the first second to the last, though. There is often a long intro, an instrumental break or a fade-out, and spreading lines across the full duration would put words on screen while nobody is singing. That is why the tool has controls for where the vocals start and where they end. Set those two points and the lines are timed only within the sung part of the track.
A few habits improve the result:
- Paste lyrics one line per row, breaking where the singer breathes. Short lines time better than very long ones.
- Remove stage directions such as repeat or chorus again from the text, unless you want those words on screen.
- Write out repeated choruses in full. If a chorus is sung three times, paste it three times so the timing has something to follow.
- Preview once, and adjust the vocal start if the first line appears too early or too late.
The timing is an even spread across the vocal section, not a word-by-word transcription of the audio, so a very rhythmic rap with uneven gaps may need a nudge to the start and end points. Treat the first render as a draft and fix what you see.
Pick a look: presets, your own image, and the waveform
Four presets cover the usual moods. Neon is saturated and nocturnal, good for dance, trap and anything with a city-at-night feel. Sunset is warm and works for pop, folk and love songs. Ocean is cool and calm, a natural pair for chill and lo-fi tracks. Mono is black and white, clean and serious, and reads best when the lyrics are the whole point.
If you want your own artwork, upload an image and use it as the background. Cover art, a photo you took, or a graphic you made yourself all work. The lyrics and waveform are drawn on top, so choose an image with enough calm space for text to remain readable. A darker or lower-contrast picture usually reads best.
The animated frequency waveform is the engine of the look. It moves with the loudness of the music, which gives the video a pulse even when the background is a still. In the vertical shape, the waveform and lyrics are placed to suit a phone screen; in widescreen, they spread across the frame.
Make a song and its lyric video in one session
The lyric video maker is wired into the rest of TuneSplit. If you do not have a track yet, describe one in the AI song generator and it returns two versions from two different models, MiniMax Music v2 and ACE-Step. Each has its own player, an MP3 download and a share page. The lyrics generator can write the words first, and one click sends them to the song generator. Then pick the version you like and send it to the lyric video maker.
These are real tracks we generated while building the site, with the prompts and timings as measured. They make good test material because the lyrics are known, so you can see the timing at work.
Sunlight came from an indie pop prompt with a bright female vocal and was made by MiniMax Music v2 in about 94 seconds. Late Shift is a boom bap rap track from the same model, ready in about 59 seconds. Paper Boats is an acoustic folk ballad, also MiniMax Music v2, about 91 seconds. The ACE-Step version of a prompt usually comes back faster, often in 10 to 30 seconds, and the first playable version is usually within a minute.
Songs made on the free plan can be up to two minutes long and are for personal, non-commercial use. A two-minute song fits comfortably into one vertical video, which is the length most short-form feeds favor.
Watermark and pricing on exports
Free exports include a small Made with TuneSplit watermark. Everything else about the free export is the same: both shapes, all four presets, your own background image, and the full MP4. Pro removes the watermark. Pro is $9.90 per month or $99 per year, with 450 credits a month, songs up to three minutes, a commercial licence and full WAV stems.
Rendering happens in your browser, and nothing is uploaded to render it. Because the video is encoded on your device, the time it takes depends on your computer and the length of the song; a two-minute song on a modern laptop is not a long wait.
How it compares with general video editors
Kapwing, FlexClip and Opus all appear for lyric video searches, and they are good products. They are general-purpose video editors with templates, stock footage, captions and timelines, which is the right tool when you are making a whole video. We have not compared their prices in this category and will not guess at them. The comparison below is about how the workflow differs for a song.
| TuneSplit lyric video maker | General online video editors | |
|---|---|---|
| Starting point | A song plus pasted lyrics | A blank project or a template |
| Lyric timing | Automatic spread across the vocal section, with start and end controls | Usually manual captions or an automatic caption tool |
| Audio visual | Animated frequency waveform included | Add and style it yourself, if available |
| Shapes | 9:16 and 16:9 | Many sizes and layouts |
| Footage and effects | Four presets or your own image | Large libraries, clips, transitions, text styles |
| Export | MP4 in the browser, small watermark on free exports | Varies by plan; check each site |
| Best when | You have a song and want a lyric video fast | You need a full edit with footage and effects |
If you want a cinematic music video with footage and effects, a full editor is the better choice. If what you have is a track and its words, and you want a moving lyric video in a couple of minutes, this is the shorter path.
Rules of the road for lyrics and audio
Only use audio and lyrics you have the rights to. That means your own songs, songs you generated here, and material you are licensed to use. Do not upload a copy of a commercial release you do not own and post it; platforms scan for that, and it is not what this tool is for. TuneSplit does not clone voices or create covers in a real singer's voice, and generated lyrics are moderated. If you believe something infringes, the Terms page lists a DMCA contact.
Free songs from the generator are personal, non-commercial use. If you plan to monetize a video, such as running it on a monetized channel or using it in an ad, you need the commercial licence that comes with a paid plan.
Frequently asked questions
Is the lyric video maker free?
Yes. You can render and download a lyric video as an MP4 for free. Free exports carry a small Made with TuneSplit watermark; Pro removes it. Free songs from the generator are for personal, non-commercial use, so check licensing before you monetize a video.
What sizes can I export?
Two shapes: 9:16 vertical at 720x1280 for TikTok, Instagram Reels and YouTube Shorts, and 16:9 widescreen at 1280x720 for standard YouTube videos. Both are exported as MP4 where your browser supports it, with a WebM fallback. Platforms scale the 720p video up to their own recommended sizes.
Does the video have a watermark?
Free exports have a small Made with TuneSplit watermark in the frame. Everything else is the same as a paid export: both aspect ratios, the presets, your own background and the full-length video. Pro removes the watermark. Pro is $9.90 a month.
How are the lyrics timed to the song?
The lines are spread across the song automatically, in order, so you do not build a timeline by hand. You can set where the vocals start and end, which keeps words off the screen during an intro or outro. It is an even spread rather than word-by-word recognition, so adjust the start and end if a line appears early or late.
Can I use my own background image?
Yes. Choose from four presets, neon, sunset, ocean and mono, or upload your own image to sit behind the waveform and lyrics. Cover art or a photo you took works well. Pick an image with calm areas so the text stays readable, and only use pictures you have the rights to.
Can I make a lyric video for TikTok or Instagram Reels?
Yes. Choose the 9:16 shape and export at 720x1280, which is the vertical format TikTok, Reels and Shorts use. Keep the key words away from the very top and bottom of the frame, where the apps place their own interface, and check each platform's current maximum length before posting a long song.
Are my song and lyrics uploaded to a server?
No. The video is rendered in your browser, so the audio and lyrics are not uploaded to make it. Files you add stay on your device during the render.
Can I use any song, including songs by famous artists?
Only use audio and lyrics you own or have permission to use. That includes songs you made with TuneSplit and your own recordings. Do not upload commercial releases you do not have rights to; platforms detect and remove them. TuneSplit does not offer voice cloning or covers in a real singer's voice.
How long does it take to render?
It depends on your device and the length of the song, because the video is encoded in your browser. A short song on a recent laptop is usually quick, while long tracks and older phones take longer. Keep the tab open while it renders, and use a computer for longer videos.
Do I need a song from TuneSplit?
No. You can pick a song you made with the AI song generator or upload any audio file you have the rights to use. If you do not have a song yet, describe one in the generator, choose the version you prefer from the two it returns, and send it to the lyric video maker with the lyrics.
Can I use the video commercially?
Free exports and free songs are for personal, non-commercial use. A commercial licence comes with a paid plan, which is $9.90 a month or $99 a year for Pro. If you upload your own audio, your own rights to that audio still apply either way.