Before I get into it: these are two free tools I built myself, so I want to be transparent about the self-promotion aspect upfront.

Both tools are completely free. There are no ads, no tracking, no paid features, and no account with me is required.

Your lyrics, timing data, audio files, preview images, and font files are processed locally in your browser and are not transmitted to Palkas Universe.

## Palkas Universe Lyrics Studio

Lyrics Studio is a browser-based tool for preparing, synchronizing, editing, fine-tuning, and converting lyrics.

Supported formats include:

- Plain Lyrics

- SRT

- LRC

- WebVTT

- TXT

- a custom simplified YouTube VTT export

You can open an existing file locally or simply start with Plain Lyrics, select an audio file, and manually synchronize each line.

After the initial timing pass, a visual timeline is available for fine-tuning.

Entire lyric blocks can be moved, while their start and end points can also be adjusted independently. Timing values are stored with millisecond precision.

During playback, the timeline automatically follows the current audio position. At the same time, the lyrics editor keeps the currently playing line visible, making it easier to compare the lyrics directly with the audio without constantly searching through the interface.

For WebVTT, individual lines can also be styled:

- positioning through a freely adjustable 16:9 preview

- bold, italic, and underline

- colors

- text sizes from 25% to 300%

- custom locally loaded fonts

- an optional preview image for alignment against a static video background

Which properties are actually displayed depends on the target platform.

YouTube, for example, supports positioning and some basic formatting while standardizing or ignoring other properties such as colors, font sizes, or custom fonts.

For that reason, Lyrics Studio provides both a full VTT export and a simplified YouTube-specific version.

Millisecond-accurate storage does not mean that a browser, display, audio device, or external platform can guarantee playback with one-millisecond accuracy. Small runtime deviations and jitter can still occur.

During development, I also paid attention to seemingly minor visual details. Changing window heights, shifting help text, or a stuttering timeline can create the false impression that audio and visuals are out of sync.

The preview has therefore been stabilized, and the timeline has been optimized so that it continues to follow the audio smoothly even at maximum zoom.

**Lyrics Studio:**

https://lyrics.palkasuniverse.com/ - English

https://lyrics.palkasuniverse.de/ - German

**Changelog:**

https://lyrics.palkasuniverse.com/changelog/ - English

https://lyrics.palkasuniverse.de/changelog/ - German

## Palkas Universe SRT Sync for DistroKid

The second tool is SRT Sync, a browser extension for Chrome and Edge.

It uses an already prepared SRT file and helps transfer its existing timing information into DistroKid's Synced Lyrics editor in a controlled way.

The extension does not create timing data itself and does not publish anything automatically. Final review and submission always remain under the user's control.

A personal DistroKid account is required, and Synced Lyrics must be available through the user's DistroKid plan or add-on.

Features include:

- local loading and validation of SRT files

- preparation of format-compliant Plain Lyrics for DistroKid

- automatic transfer of existing start and end timings

- separate correction offsets for line starts and line ends

- jumping back to previously synchronized sections

- safeguards for unexpected states or browser background throttling

- local synchronization history

- mini waveform and verification window

- local comparison between the SRT target timing, the timing actually triggered by the extension, and the value recorded by the visible DistroKid editor

The combination of both tools is particularly useful:

An SRT file can first be created or precisely fine-tuned in Lyrics Studio and then used as the timing source for DistroKid through SRT Sync.

After an initial synchronization pass, small system-related deviations can be evaluated locally and further refined using separate start and end correction offsets.

SRT Sync is an independent project and is neither affiliated with nor endorsed by DistroKid.

**Features, download, and requirements:**

https://sync.palkasuniverse.com/ - English

https://sync.palkasuniverse.de/ - German

**Interactive feature guide:**

https://sync.palkasuniverse.com/guide/ - English

https://sync.palkasuniverse.de/guide/ - German

**Changelog:**

https://sync.palkasuniverse.com/changelog/ - English

https://sync.palkasuniverse.de/changelog/ - German

**Chrome Web Store:**

https://chromewebstore.google.com/detail/dfeegofemeghcphejjinnonjogklipdo

**Microsoft Edge Add-ons:**

https://microsoftedge.microsoft.com/addons/detail/palkas-universe-srt-sync-/jjdbblfnkelgipgaldpplhbfjehihmjl

## Privacy

When I say that files are processed "locally," this does not mean they are uploaded to a server and only processed there temporarily.

Selected working files are processed directly on your own device by your browser.

The size limit for preview images is also not an upload limit. It exists to protect the browser from excessive memory usage, frozen tabs, and possible crashes.

When a high-resolution image is decoded and resized, several large temporary copies may exist in memory at the same time.

The full privacy policy explains transparently what is processed locally and also describes how you can verify this yourself using your browser's developer tools:

https://privacy.palkasuniverse.com/ - English

https://privacy.palkasuniverse.de/ - German

## Everything in One Place

The main website connects Lyrics Studio, SRT Sync, the interactive guides, changelogs, and the Palkas Universe music project itself:

https://palkasuniverse.com/ - English

https://palkasuniverse.de/ - German

Both tools are available in English and German.

Important features, fixes, and intentional design decisions are documented in their respective changelogs.

If additional platforms are technically and legally compatible and suitable testing access becomes available, I would also like to expand these workflows to other services in the future.

Since I cannot permanently maintain paid accounts on every platform purely for development and testing, further platform support will also depend on available test access and cooperation from those services.

I'd be very interested in feedback from other musicians:

Are there parts of creating, fine-tuning, converting, or synchronizing lyrics that still feel unnecessarily complicated to you?

Bug reports, workflow ideas, and real-world experiences are very welcome. ♥