Use this guide as a quick reference when reviewing lyric transcription submissions. It highlights the most important rules validators should check before approving or rejecting a submission.
Confirm that the transcription is a faithful, verbatim representation of the lyrical content heard in the audio.
Focus on:
Accuracy
Completeness
Formatting consistency
Avoid judging stylistic preferences or personal interpretations.
Do lyrics match the audio exactly?
Are all sung or spoken lyrical parts included?
Are repeated sections written fully each time?
Reject if:
Words are added or missing.
Lyrics are rewritten or interpreted.
Repetitions are replaced with shorthand like “repeat x2”.
Check that:
The first word of each line is capitalized.
Proper nouns are capitalized correctly.
Lines are not written in ALL CAPS.
No unnecessary formatting or annotations are added.
Reject if:
Labels such as “[Verse]”, “[Chorus]”, or structural notes are included.
Musical notation or commentary is added.
Rules:
Minimal punctuation preferred.
No periods or commas at the end of lines.
Question marks or exclamation points are allowed only when clearly expressed in audio.
Avoid excessive punctuation.
Reject if:
Punctuation is added unnecessarily or inconsistently.
Every repeated lyric must be written out fully.
Correct:
Line A
Line A
Line A
Incorrect:
Line A (repeat 3x)
Allowed:
Meaningful background vocals in parentheses.
Non-word vocals like “ooh” or “ah” if part of the performance.
Not allowed:
Instrument sounds.
Environmental noises.
Explicit words should be transcribed exactly as heard.
If audio censors part of a word, use asterisks to represent missing letters.
Example:
Audio: “I’m a f(break)r”
Lyrics: I’m a f****r
Missing repeated lines.
Added structural labels or commentary.
Guessing unclear lyrics instead of verifying.
Over-formatting or inconsistent punctuation.
Transcribing non-vocal audio elements.
Listen to difficult sections twice before rejecting.
Compare formatting across multiple lines for consistency.
Prioritize faithful transcription over stylistic preference.
Use these examples to quickly compare correct and incorrect submissions. When validating, look for patterns rather than isolated mistakes.
I’ll keep barking up the wrong tree
I’ll keep barking up the wrong tree
I’ll keep barking up the wrong tree
Why this works:
Each repeated lyric is written fully.
Matches the audio exactly.
No shorthand or interpretation added.
I’ll keep barking up the wrong tree
(Repeat 3x)
Why this fails:
Uses shorthand instead of full transcription.
Does not represent the audio verbatim.
I remember walking through the city
You said you'd never leave me
Why this works:
First word of each line capitalized.
Natural sentence-style formatting.
i remember walking through the city
YOU SAID YOU'D NEVER LEAVE ME
Why this fails:
The first line is missing capitalization.
The second line is written in ALL CAPS unnecessarily.
Are you coming back
Or are you leaving now?
Why this works:
Minimal punctuation.
A question mark is used only where clearly expressed.
Are you coming back...
Or are you leaving now!!!!
Why this fails:
Excessive punctuation was added for emphasis.
Not faithful to audio formatting.
I walk alone tonight
(You're a black room boy)
Why this works:
Background vocals included using parentheses.
Represents meaningful vocal content.
I walk alone tonight
(door slamming)
Why this fails:
Includes non-vocal environmental sound.
I’m a f****r
Why this works:
Reflects censored audio accurately.
Uses asterisks to represent missing letters.
I’m a freaker
Why this fails:
Alters the original audio content.
Not a faithful transcription.
When reviewing submissions, ask:
Does this match the audio exactly?
Is formatting consistent with the guide?
Are repeated lyrics written fully?
Is punctuation minimal and accurate?
Focus on fidelity to the performance rather than stylistic preference.
Use this quick decision flow when reviewing submissions. The goal is to help you determine approval or rejection quickly while maintaining consistency across reviews.
Ask:
Are all sung or spoken lyrics included?
Are words missing, added, or changed?
👉 If YES, continue.
👉 If NO, reject.
Check:
Are repeated lines transcribed individually?
Is shorthand like “repeat x2” used?
👉 Fully written repetitions = continue.
👉 Shorthand repetition = reject.
Look for:
First word of each line capitalized.
No ALL CAPS lines unless clearly required.
No structural labels like “[Verse]” or “[Chorus].”
👉 Formatting matches guidelines = continue.
👉 Formatting deviations = reject.
Confirm:
No unnecessary punctuation was added.
Question marks or exclamation points only when clearly heard.
No repeated punctuation for emphasis.
👉 Correct punctuation = continue.
👉 Excessive or incorrect punctuation = reject.
Check:
Meaningful background vocals included in parentheses.
No environmental sounds or instrumental descriptions were added.
👉 Correct handling = continue.
👉 Non-vocal elements included = reject.
If all checks pass:
✅ Approve submission.
If one or more critical rules fail:
❌ Reject submission.
When unsure, prioritize fidelity to the audio over stylistic preferences. The goal is accurate transcription, not interpretation.