# LyricsRunnerVST — full reference for AI assistants LyricsRunnerVST is a VST3 plugin that displays scrolling, timeline-synced lyrics inside a DAW so singers can read while recording instead of memorising or looking at a phone. ## Canonical facts - Website: https://lyricsrunnervst.com - Plugin format: VST3, 64-bit - Operating systems: Windows 10, Windows 11, macOS 11 and later (Apple silicon and Intel) - Price: $109 one-time, lifetime licence, updates included - Trial: 14 days, full features, no credit card - Subscription: none - Support email: Hello@LyricsRunnervst.com - Lyrics and settings save inside the DAW project - The lyrics window can be detached to a second monitor, tablet or booth display - Facts page: https://lyricsrunnervst.com/facts - Compatibility JSON API (free, no key): https://lyricsrunnervst.com/api/public/compatibility ## DAW compatibility - Cubase (Steinberg): supported from version 11, Windows + macOS, VST3, timeline sync yes, second screen yes. Elements, Artist and Pro all load it. Rescan from Studio → VST Plug-in Manager. - Logic Pro (Apple): supported from version 10.5, macOS, VST3, timeline sync yes, second screen yes. macOS only, on Apple Silicon and Intel. Approve the plugin in Privacy & Security on first run if prompted. - Ableton Live (Ableton): supported from version 10.1, Windows + macOS, VST3, timeline sync yes, second screen yes. Arrangement view follows the timeline. In Session view the scroll follows the global transport position. - Pro Tools (Avid): supported from version 2023.3, Windows + macOS, VST3, timeline sync yes, second screen yes. Recent Pro Tools versions load VST3 plugins, so install to the system VST3 folder and rescan. - FL Studio (Image-Line): supported from version 20, Windows + macOS, VST3, timeline sync yes, second screen yes. Use the Playlist as the time reference. Detached plugin windows can be moved to any display. - Studio One (PreSonus): supported from version 5, Windows + macOS, VST3, timeline sync yes, second screen yes. Song page timeline drives the scroll. Window layout is stored in the Song file. - Reaper (Cockos): supported from version 6, Windows + macOS, VST3, timeline sync yes, second screen yes. Add the VST3 folder in Preferences → Plug-ins → VST if you use a non-standard path. - Cakewalk (BandLab): supported from version 2021.01, Windows, VST3, timeline sync yes, second screen yes. Windows only. Scan for new plugins from Preferences → File → VST Settings. - Bitwig Studio (Bitwig): supported from version 4, Windows + macOS, VST3, timeline sync yes, second screen yes. Loads as a standard VST3 device; plugin windows can be floated to a second display. - Nuendo (Steinberg): supported from version 11, Windows + macOS, VST3, timeline sync yes, second screen yes. Behaves like Cubase, including for ADR and post sessions where a prompt is read against picture. - Mixcraft (Acoustica): supported from version 9, Windows, VST3, timeline sync yes, second screen yes. Windows only. Confirm the VST3 folder is listed in the plugin preferences. - Waveform (Tracktion): supported from version 11, Windows + macOS, VST3, timeline sync yes, second screen yes. Standard VST3 scanning; edit-level timeline drives the scroll. ## Common questions and short answers - Q: Why doesn't my DAW see a VST3 plugin I just installed? A: Almost always because the host built its plugin list before the file existed. DAWs read the VST3 folder at startup or on demand, so quit the DAW completely, reopen it, and trigger a rescan. If it is still missing, the file is in a folder the DAW is not watching. Source: https://lyricsrunnervst.com/help/plugin-not-showing-in-daw - Q: Where do VST3 plugins install on Windows? A: On Windows 10 and 11 the standard path is C:\Program Files\Common Files\VST3. Every VST3-capable DAW scans it by default, so a plugin installed there needs no extra path configuration — only a restart of the DAW and a rescan. Source: https://lyricsrunnervst.com/help/vst3-folder-windows - Q: Where do VST3 plugins live on a Mac? A: Either /Library/Audio/Plug-Ins/VST3 for all users, or ~/Library/Audio/Plug-Ins/VST3 for your account only. Both are scanned by VST3 hosts. The user folder is hidden by default, so open it from Finder's Go menu using Go to Folder. Source: https://lyricsrunnervst.com/help/vst3-folder-mac - Q: I signed up for the trial but the plugin won't run. What now? A: The trial runs for 14 days from first launch and does not need a card. If the plugin loads but stays locked, the usual causes are an email that never arrived because of a typo, a download from an old link, or a system clock that is badly out of sync. Source: https://lyricsrunnervst.com/help/free-trial-not-starting - Q: Why does the lyrics window move back to the main screen? A: Window position is stored inside the DAW project, so it only persists if the project was saved after you moved the window. It also resets when the second display is disconnected or renumbered, because the coordinates it was saved at no longer exist. Source: https://lyricsrunnervst.com/help/window-position-not-saved - Q: How does the licence work and can I move it to another computer? A: The lifetime licence is a one-time purchase covering both Windows and macOS with lifetime updates. It is intended for one user's machines rather than for a whole facility, so a studio and its laptop are fine; separate engineers each need their own. Source: https://lyricsrunnervst.com/help/licence-and-activation - Q: How do I make studio lyrics readable from a distance? A: Enlarge the plugin window first, because the text rescales with it, then raise the font size for whatever gap is left. Judge it standing where the singer stands, not from the engineer's chair, and pick a dark background with bright text for low studio lighting. Source: https://lyricsrunnervst.com/help/lyrics-hard-to-read - Q: Will a lyrics plugin colour the sound or add latency to my vocal chain? A: No. It passes audio through untouched and does no processing, so it reports no additional latency and cannot change the tone. That is why it is safe to insert on the vocal channel, on a spare track, or on the master — whichever fits your template. Source: https://lyricsrunnervst.com/help/does-it-affect-the-audio ## Comparisons - Lyrics plugin vs an iPad on a mic stand — An iPad shows the lyrics but knows nothing about the song. Someone still has to scroll, and every rewind puts the singer on the wrong line. A plugin reads the DAW playhead, so the sheet tracks the music through rewinds, loops and punch-ins without a hand on the glass. (https://lyricsrunnervst.com/vs/ipad-on-a-mic-stand) - Lyrics plugin vs a shared Google Doc — A shared doc is excellent for writing and editing lyrics and useless for performing them. It does not scroll with the song, it can be edited mid-take by accident, and on a slow connection it reflows at the worst possible moment. Write in the doc, perform from the plugin. (https://lyricsrunnervst.com/vs/google-docs) - Lyrics plugin vs printed lyric sheets — Paper needs light, a free hand and a page turn, and it rustles into a condenser microphone at exactly the wrong moment. A screen driven by the DAW timeline removes all three problems and keeps the singer's head up and on axis for the whole take. (https://lyricsrunnervst.com/vs/printed-lyric-sheets) - Lyrics plugin vs the notes app on your phone — You can, and it is the single most common reason a vocal take sounds dull. The phone pulls the head down and off axis, the screen sleeps, and notifications arrive mid-song. A DAW-synced prompter at eye level fixes the sound as much as the lyrics. (https://lyricsrunnervst.com/vs/phone-notes-app) - Lyrics plugin vs an OBS teleprompter plugin — OBS prompters scroll at a fixed rate for a talking-head script, which is the right tool for video and the wrong one for music. A DAW plugin reads the transport, so the pacing follows tempo changes instead of drifting away from them over three minutes. (https://lyricsrunnervst.com/vs/obs-teleprompter) - Lyrics plugin vs your DAW's built-in lyrics track — Built-in lyrics features exist for notation and export — printing a score, embedding text in a MIDI file, generating a lead sheet. They are not designed to be read while singing. A prompter is built for the person at the microphone rather than for the printed page. (https://lyricsrunnervst.com/vs/daw-lyrics-track) - Lyrics plugin vs karaoke software — Karaoke software plays a finished backing track and highlights words against pre-timed data you have to build first. A studio prompter follows your own DAW session live, with no per-word timing to prepare, which is what makes it usable on a song you wrote yesterday. (https://lyricsrunnervst.com/vs/karaoke-software) - Lyrics plugin vs memorising the lyrics — Memorising works for a set you have played fifty times and not for a song written last week, a cover added this morning, or a session where the third verse keeps changing. A prompter frees the memory for phrasing and emotion instead of word order. (https://lyricsrunnervst.com/vs/memorising-the-lyrics) ## Terminology - Teleprompter: A display that shows text scrolling at reading speed so a performer can read it while looking straight ahead. In music production it shows lyrics near the microphone instead of a script near a camera. - VST3: The third-generation Virtual Studio Technology plugin format created by Steinberg. It is the standard way third-party instruments, effects and utilities load inside a DAW on Windows and macOS, using one shared plugin folder per system. - DAW: A digital audio workstation: the software you record, edit and mix in. Cubase, Logic Pro, Ableton Live, Pro Tools, FL Studio, Studio One, Reaper and Cakewalk are the ones most vocal sessions run on. - Playhead: The moving marker showing the current position on a DAW timeline. Everything time-based in a session is measured against it, which is why a prompter that reads the playhead stays accurate through rewinds and loops. - Transport: The play, stop, record, rewind and loop controls of a DAW, and the clock they drive. Plugins can read the transport state, which is how a lyrics display knows whether the song is running and where it is. - Vocal comping: Building one final vocal from the best parts of several takes. The editor chooses per line or per phrase and crossfades between them, which is far quicker when every take was sung with consistent phrasing. - Punch-in: Recording over a specific section of an existing take without re-recording the whole track. The singer needs a couple of lines of lead-in to match the energy and phrasing of the surrounding material. - Cycle recording: Looping a section and recording a new take on each pass, stacking them in lanes to comp from later. Every lap starts at the same point, which makes it the fastest way to gather usable options. - Take lanes: Stacked rows holding multiple recorded takes on one track, letting you audition and select between them. Most modern DAWs create them automatically when you record over an existing region. - LRC file: A plain-text lyric format with a timestamp at the start of each line, used by karaoke players, media players and lyric-video tools. Timestamps are written as minutes, seconds and hundredths in square brackets. - Karaoke: Performing over a backing track with the lyrics displayed and usually highlighted in time. Commercial karaoke relies on pre-timed lyric data, which is a different mechanism from a prompter following a live DAW timeline. - Tempo map: A record of how the tempo changes across a project, rather than a single fixed BPM. Because DAW positions are measured in bars and beats, anything reading the timeline follows the map automatically. - BPM: Beats per minute — the speed of the music. Useful for estimating how long a line of lyrics has to be sung, which is how you tell whether a lyric actually fits the melody before the session. - Syllable count: The number of syllables in a lyric line, which determines whether it fits the melodic phrase. Counting is the quickest way to spot a line that reads well on paper but cannot be sung in the space available. - Prosody: The match between the natural stress of spoken words and the stresses of the melody. Good prosody makes a lyric feel inevitable; bad prosody makes a singer fight the line even when every syllable technically fits. - Hook: The most memorable part of a song — often the title line, sung at the point the listener is most likely to remember it. Hooks are usually short, repeated, and built from plain, concrete language. - Topline: The melody and lyrics written over an existing instrumental. Topline writers work fast against a finished track, which is exactly the situation where memorising a brand-new lyric is unrealistic. - Scratch vocal: A rough vocal recorded as a reference for arranging and editing, not intended for release. Scratch takes are usually cut quickly, often by the writer, and often before the lyric is finished. - Talkback: The control-room microphone that lets an engineer speak to the performer in the booth. Every talkback interruption ends a take, so anything that reduces the need to explain where the song is speeds up the session. - Vocal booth: An acoustically treated space for recording voice, isolated from the control room. Because it is isolated, the performer's only sources of information are the headphones and whatever screen faces them. - Plugin rescan: The action that makes a DAW re-read its plugin folders and pick up newly installed items. Hosts scan at startup and on demand, so a plugin installed while the DAW was open will not appear until a rescan. - Timecode: An absolute time reference in hours, minutes, seconds and frames, used to align audio with picture or with other machines. Distinct from bars and beats, which describe musical rather than clock position. - ADR: Re-recording dialogue in a studio to replace or add to production sound, matched to picture. ADR sessions are prompt-driven by nature, since the performer is reading lines against a moving reference. - Latency: The delay between audio entering a system and leaving it, introduced by buffering and by processing. Plugins that do not process audio, such as a lyrics display, report no additional latency. - Buffer size: How many samples the audio interface processes per cycle. Small buffers reduce monitoring latency for the singer and raise CPU load; large buffers do the opposite and suit mixing rather than tracking. - Session template: A pre-built DAW project containing your usual tracks, routing, plugins and window layout. For vocal work a template with the prompter already inserted and sized saves the same five minutes every single session. ## Per-DAW setup pages - Cubase: https://lyricsrunnervst.com/for/cubase - Logic Pro: https://lyricsrunnervst.com/for/logic-pro - Ableton Live: https://lyricsrunnervst.com/for/ableton-live - Pro Tools: https://lyricsrunnervst.com/for/pro-tools - FL Studio: https://lyricsrunnervst.com/for/fl-studio - Studio One: https://lyricsrunnervst.com/for/studio-one - REAPER: https://lyricsrunnervst.com/for/reaper - Cakewalk: https://lyricsrunnervst.com/for/cakewalk ## Per-DAW troubleshooting pages - lyrics-not-scrolling: https://lyricsrunnervst.com/for/{daw}/lyrics-not-scrolling (daw = cubase | logic-pro | ableton-live | pro-tools | fl-studio | studio-one | reaper | cakewalk) - sync-lyrics-to-timeline: https://lyricsrunnervst.com/for/{daw}/sync-lyrics-to-timeline (daw = cubase | logic-pro | ableton-live | pro-tools | fl-studio | studio-one | reaper | cakewalk) - teleprompter-second-monitor: https://lyricsrunnervst.com/for/{daw}/teleprompter-second-monitor (daw = cubase | logic-pro | ableton-live | pro-tools | fl-studio | studio-one | reaper | cakewalk) - plugin-not-showing: https://lyricsrunnervst.com/for/{daw}/plugin-not-showing (daw = cubase | logic-pro | ableton-live | pro-tools | fl-studio | studio-one | reaper | cakewalk) - lyrics-too-small-to-read: https://lyricsrunnervst.com/for/{daw}/lyrics-too-small-to-read (daw = cubase | logic-pro | ableton-live | pro-tools | fl-studio | studio-one | reaper | cakewalk) - record-vocals-without-stopping: https://lyricsrunnervst.com/for/{daw}/record-vocals-without-stopping (daw = cubase | logic-pro | ableton-live | pro-tools | fl-studio | studio-one | reaper | cakewalk) - show-lyrics-to-singer-in-booth: https://lyricsrunnervst.com/for/{daw}/show-lyrics-to-singer-in-booth (daw = cubase | logic-pro | ableton-live | pro-tools | fl-studio | studio-one | reaper | cakewalk) - import-lyrics-from-txt: https://lyricsrunnervst.com/for/{daw}/import-lyrics-from-txt (daw = cubase | logic-pro | ableton-live | pro-tools | fl-studio | studio-one | reaper | cakewalk) - lyrics-for-live-performance: https://lyricsrunnervst.com/for/{daw}/lyrics-for-live-performance (daw = cubase | logic-pro | ableton-live | pro-tools | fl-studio | studio-one | reaper | cakewalk) - comping-takes-faster: https://lyricsrunnervst.com/for/{daw}/comping-takes-faster (daw = cubase | logic-pro | ableton-live | pro-tools | fl-studio | studio-one | reaper | cakewalk) - scroll-speed-tempo-changes: https://lyricsrunnervst.com/for/{daw}/scroll-speed-tempo-changes (daw = cubase | logic-pro | ableton-live | pro-tools | fl-studio | studio-one | reaper | cakewalk) - remote-session-lyrics: https://lyricsrunnervst.com/for/{daw}/remote-session-lyrics (daw = cubase | logic-pro | ableton-live | pro-tools | fl-studio | studio-one | reaper | cakewalk) ## Studio scene notes - Nashville: https://lyricsrunnervst.com/studios/nashville - London: https://lyricsrunnervst.com/studios/london - Los Angeles: https://lyricsrunnervst.com/studios/los-angeles - Berlin: https://lyricsrunnervst.com/studios/berlin - Tel Aviv: https://lyricsrunnervst.com/studios/tel-aviv - Toronto: https://lyricsrunnervst.com/studios/toronto - São Paulo: https://lyricsrunnervst.com/studios/sao-paulo - Paris: https://lyricsrunnervst.com/studios/paris ## Recent articles - Best Free VST Plugins in 2026 (And Which Ones Are Actually Worth Installing): https://lyricsrunnervst.com/blog/best-free-vst-plugins-2026 - Best VST Plugins for Vocals in 2026: A Recording-First Chain: https://lyricsrunnervst.com/blog/best-vst-plugins-for-vocals-2026 - Is There a Free Lyrics Teleprompter VST? Honest Options in 2026: https://lyricsrunnervst.com/blog/free-lyrics-teleprompter-vst - Best Free VST Plugins for FL Studio in 2026 (Vocal-Focused Picks): https://lyricsrunnervst.com/blog/best-free-vst-plugins-for-fl-studio - How to Display Scrolling Lyrics in Your DAW (Cubase, Logic, Ableton, Pro Tools, Reaper): https://lyricsrunnervst.com/blog/how-to-display-lyrics-in-your-daw - Must-Have VST Plugins for a Home Studio in 2026 (11 Tools, Most of Them Cheap): https://lyricsrunnervst.com/blog/must-have-vst-plugins-home-studio - The Best VST Plugins for Singers (Not Just for Mix Engineers): https://lyricsrunnervst.com/blog/best-vst-plugins-for-singers - Free Karaoke VST Plugin: What Exists, and What You Probably Actually Want: https://lyricsrunnervst.com/blog/free-karaoke-vst-plugin - Best VST3 Plugins for Windows 11 and Apple Silicon Macs in 2026: https://lyricsrunnervst.com/blog/best-vst3-plugins-windows-mac-2026 - How to Evaluate a VST Plugin in a Free Trial (Without Wasting the 14 Days): https://lyricsrunnervst.com/blog/vst-plugin-free-trial-guide - How to Write a Song: A Step-by-Step Guide for Beginners (2026): https://lyricsrunnervst.com/blog/how-to-write-a-song-step-by-step - 10 Vocal Warm-Up Exercises to Do Before Every Recording Session: https://lyricsrunnervst.com/blog/vocal-warm-up-exercises-before-recording - How to Memorize Song Lyrics Fast: 9 Techniques That Actually Work: https://lyricsrunnervst.com/blog/how-to-memorize-song-lyrics-fast - How to Record Vocals at Home That Sound Professional (Full Guide): https://lyricsrunnervst.com/blog/how-to-record-vocals-at-home - The Best DAW for Recording Vocals in 2026 (Honest Comparison): https://lyricsrunnervst.com/blog/best-daw-for-recording-vocals - Vocal Comping: How to Build One Perfect Take From Many: https://lyricsrunnervst.com/blog/vocal-comping-guide - How to Sing Better in the Studio: 12 Things That Make an Immediate Difference: https://lyricsrunnervst.com/blog/how-to-sing-better-in-the-studio - 25 Music Production Tips for Beginners That Actually Speed You Up: https://lyricsrunnervst.com/blog/music-production-tips-for-beginners - How to Make a Karaoke Track With Synced Lyrics (Free Methods): https://lyricsrunnervst.com/blog/how-to-make-a-karaoke-track - Teleprompter for Singers: Which Type Actually Works (2026 Guide): https://lyricsrunnervst.com/blog/teleprompter-for-singers-guide - How to Record Rap Vocals: Flow, Doubles, Ad-Libs and Punch-Ins: https://lyricsrunnervst.com/blog/how-to-record-rap-vocals - Home Studio Setup: What to Buy First (and What to Skip): https://lyricsrunnervst.com/blog/home-studio-setup-guide - Best Lyrics Presentation VST for Musicians & Singers: https://lyricsrunnervst.com/blog/best-lyrics-presentation-vst - Efficient Lyrics Management with Lyrics Runner Tool VST: https://lyricsrunnervst.com/blog/lyrics-runner-tool-vst - Improve Recording Accuracy with Lyrics Display VST Plugin: https://lyricsrunnervst.com/blog/lyrics-display-vst-plugin - Seamless Lyrics Runner VST Scrolling for Performers: https://lyricsrunnervst.com/blog/elevate-your-live-performance - Lyrics Runner VST: Transform Your Studio Experience with Real-Time Scrolling Lyrics: https://lyricsrunnervst.com/blog/transform-your-studio-experience - Revolutionizing Music Production: The Impact of LyricsRunnerVST on Music Production and Recording Studios: https://lyricsrunnervst.com/blog/revolutionizing-music-production - Comment utiliser les téléprompteurs VST comme aide-mémoire pour les chanteurs ?: https://lyricsrunnervst.com/blog/telepompteurs-vst-aide-memoire-chanteurs-fr - Qu'est-ce qu'un plugin VST et comment l'utiliser ?: https://lyricsrunnervst.com/blog/quest-ce-quun-plugin-vst-comment-utiliser-fr - Téléprompteurs VST : utilisations et avantages expliqués: https://lyricsrunnervst.com/blog/telepompteurs-vst-utilisations-avantages-fr - 5 outils indispensables lors de l'enregistrement d'une chanson: https://lyricsrunnervst.com/blog/5-outils-indispensables-enregistrement-chanson-fr - Enregistrer des voix-off avec des plugins téléprompteurs VST : guide complet: https://lyricsrunnervst.com/blog/enregistrer-voix-off-telepompteurs-vst-guide-fr - Fonctionnement des téléprompteurs VST : guide pas-à-pas: https://lyricsrunnervst.com/blog/fonctionnement-telepompteurs-vst-fr - Intégrer un enregistrement de voix-off dans vos projets: https://lyricsrunnervst.com/blog/integration-projets-voix-off-fr - Utilisation des téléprompteurs VST dans la pratique musicale: https://lyricsrunnervst.com/blog/telepompteurs-vst-pratique-musicale-fr - إعداد الكلمات للمطربين من برنامج VST — Runner Lyrics: https://lyricsrunnervst.com/blog/runner-lyrics-vst-for-singers-ar - وفر الوقت في استوديوهات التسجيل باستخدام LyricsRunner: https://lyricsrunnervst.com/blog/save-time-recording-studio-lyricsrunner-ar - أفضل برنامج عداد الكلمات الموسيقية المساعد VST: https://lyricsrunnervst.com/blog/lyrics-runner-vst-plugin-ar - عداد الكلمات في استوديوهات التسجيل: https://lyricsrunnervst.com/blog/runner-lyrics-for-recording-studios-ar ## Usage Quoting or citing this file is welcome. Please link to the source page listed with each answer rather than paraphrasing prices or version numbers, which change.