132. What is the difference between line-based and note-based lyrics?

Band-in-a-Box® allows you to use two different methods for lyric entry: Line-based and Note-based. Note-based lyric entry is a newer addition to the Band-in-a-Box® feature set, and in most cases it is the best method to use. With note-based lyrics you can associate specific words or syllables with specific notes in the music, so your lyrics print out at the right spot. You can also adjust the font and size of the lyrics. These options aren't available with Line-based lyrics. You might want to use line-based lyrics if you do not have a Melody line (so there are no notes to associate the lyrics with) or if you aren't worried about how the lyrics look, and just want to use the fastest lyric entry method.

Line-based lyrics

In the Notation Window, find the space directly above where the chord symbols appear. To enter line-based lyrics, you simply click in this space, then type in the lyrics. Use the cursor down/up keys (or Enter key ) to advance to the next/previous line of lyrics. To print out the lyrics with your song, press the Print button to open the Print Options dialog and make sure that 'Lyrics above', 'Lyrics below', or 'Lyrics Separate' is selected in the pull-down box on the left side. This will print out the lyrics above or below the staff or on a separate page. The vertical position of the lyrics can be specified with the 'Lyrics Below by' setting.

Note-based lyrics

In the Notation Window, press Ctrl-L on your keyboard, or press the [L] (Lyrics) button in the toolbar. When you press the Lyrics Button, the Lyric Edit window opens up and the current note (or group of notes at the same time) are highlighted. Whatever you type into the Lyric Edit window will be placed under the currently highlighted note. To move to the next note, you can press enter or tab on your keyboard. To move to the previous note, you can use shift-tab. Note that a hyphen can be added at the end of syllables, and a backslash can be placed at the end of a phrase to indicate a line break. Note-based lyrics will print out as long as you have the 'Print Note-based Lyrics' setting in the Print Options dialog selected. You can customize the font and size of the lyrics by using the Font settings in the Notation Window Options dialog (OPT button). You can also control the vertical position of the lyrics by using the 'Lyric Position' setting in the Notation Window Options dialog.


Last edited by Alyssa - PG Music; 08/30/18 09:48 AM.
Alyssa - PG Music