In this guide
Start with a backing and lyrics you can use, add the audio and a visual background in a video editor, then time separate text clips to the singer’s entrances. Play the exported file through before sharing.
To make a karaoke video, combine a suitable instrumental backing with on-screen lyrics in a video editor, time each line to the music, and export the result as video. Show each line early enough for the singer to read it, then review the entire exported file for timing, spelling and readability.
You need rights appropriate to your use of the backing recording, musical composition, lyrics and visuals. Owning a song or removing its vocal does not automatically authorize publishing a new video. If you are using someone else’s work, obtain the necessary permissions for the planned use.
What you need
| Item | What to prepare | Check |
|---|---|---|
| Backing audio | An authorized karaoke track, instrumental, original project export or tested vocal-removal result. | Listen for remaining lead vocals, missing instruments and clear musical entrances. |
| Lyrics | Text you wrote or have permission to reproduce for the intended video. | Confirm spelling and line breaks against an authorized source. |
| Video editor | An editor that can place audio and timed text over a background. | Confirm it can import your file and export a video suitable for the destination. |
| Background | Your own image, footage or a simple color background. | Use visuals you have permission to include and leave room for legible text. |
1. Choose and check the backing
A prepared karaoke version or original multitrack project can provide a useful starting point. If you only have a finished song that you are authorized to process, the Saturalabs karaoke maker can estimate the singing and the remaining audio. Describe the singing and listen to Background audio for the possible backing; Isolated sound is the estimated vocal.
Compare a verse, chorus and ending with the original. Some singing may remain and instruments may change or disappear. AI downloads require an account and sufficient credits, with the cost shown before download. Saturalabs returns audio; it does not generate or synchronize a lyric video. The karaoke backing guide explains the listening checks in more detail.
2. Put the music and background on a timeline
Create a project in your chosen video editor. Import the authorized backing and your visual background, then place them on the timeline. Extend or arrange the visual so it covers the entire audio, including the intro and ending. Keep the backing at a consistent start position while timing the text.
For example, in Clipchamp for personal accounts, Microsoft documents My media → Import media for importing audio, then adding the file to the timeline. Its audio guide describes importing and placing the track. Menu names and available features can vary by version and account.
3. Add and time each lyric line
- Find the first entrance. Play the intro and note where the singer should begin. Put the first line on screen slightly before that point so it can be read in advance.
- Add a text clip. In Clipchamp, open the Text tab, add a title above the visual on the timeline and edit its words in the text properties. Microsoft’s text guide documents adding and editing title clips.
- Set the duration. Drag the text clip’s trim handles to keep the line visible through its phrase. Place the next line early enough that the singer can prepare; avoid hiding the current line before it is finished.
- Repeat for each phrase. Use short, readable lines and leave instrumental breaks clear or label them if that helps the performer. Check repeated choruses rather than assuming every repeat has identical timing.
- Review transitions. Play from a few seconds before each change. Zoom into the timeline and adjust any line that appears late or disappears too soon.
These steps create line-by-line text timing. A word-by-word color sweep requires additional animation or a specialist feature; ordinary title clips do not automatically highlight each sung word. Build a short test first to see whether the editor supports the effect you want.
A timing example
Suppose a vocal entrance begins at 0:12 and the first phrase finishes around 0:16. Start the first line before 0:12, leave it visible through the phrase, and preview the next line’s entrance before deciding its exact start. The lead-in depends on reading speed and arrangement. If the next phrase begins immediately, consider displaying the upcoming line separately while keeping the current line legible.
Keep a short cue sheet with the phrase, approximate entrance and text-clip position. After an edit to the backing length, revisit later cues; a change near the beginning can shift every subsequent lyric if the audio and titles do not move together.
4. Check readability and export
Use a large, high-contrast font and keep text away from the edges. Test it on a phone or the display people will use; busy footage, bright backgrounds or platform overlays can make otherwise readable words hard to see. Avoid relying on color alone to communicate timing.
Export the video from the editor, then open the exported file in a player. Listen for the full intro and ending, compare lyrics against the backing, and check several transitions as well as the first and last lines. If audio and text gradually drift apart, inspect the original timeline, file length and export rather than shifting one line and assuming the rest is correct. The audio-to-video checklist covers additional sync checks.
Common questions
Can I make a karaoke video from any song?
You need a usable backing and the rights required for the recording, composition, lyrics and visuals in your intended use. Separating audio does not grant permission to publish it.
Does a vocal remover add timed lyrics?
No. Saturalabs estimates audio sources and returns audio. Add and time authorized text separately in a video editor or use a tool designed for lyric timing.
Why can I still hear the singer?
A separator estimates the vocal and remainder from a combined mix. It may leave vocal remnants or remove wanted instruments. Compare another source or an authorized instrumental if available.
Do I need word-by-word highlighting?
No. Line-by-line text can be useful if it appears early enough and stays readable. Word highlighting is an additional design choice and may require more editing.