Hansy / Guides / Change the lyrics of a song

How to change the lyrics of a song and keep the melody

You need three things: the vocal on its own, the words it sings with their timing, and new lines that fit the same notes. Here's the whole process, with Hansy doing the separating and the singing.

1. Get the vocal on its own

Import the song and separate it. The vocal lands on its own track and the band stays on the others. If you already have an a cappella, import that instead.

2. Find the words and phrases

Hansy listens to the vocal and lists each sung phrase with its words and where it starts. A long gap starts a new phrase.

3. Write lines that fit

• Match the syllables. "Pretty" to "lovely" (2 for 2) sings cleanly; "pretty" to "magnificent" crams four syllables into two notes.
• Keep stresses where the music puts them. Say the old line out loud and tap the beat; your new line should land on the same taps.
• Put open vowels on long notes. "Day" and "go" hold well; "it" and "but" don't.
• Change only what you need. Untouched phrases stay exactly as they were.

4. Sing the new words

Keep the original singer's voice, or record 15 to 30 seconds of yourself singing once and use your own from then on. The new phrases go back on the original timeline.

5. Mix it with the band

The new vocal arrives on its own track under the original, which is muted. Compare them with A/B, set the levels, and download a WAV or MP3.

Is it legal to change the lyrics of a song?

Changing lyrics for yourself is generally fine. Sharing or selling a version of someone else's song with new words usually needs permission from whoever owns the song, and parody rules differ by country. This isn't legal advice.

Common problems

• A word lands late or early. The phrase is long or packed; split it in two and try again.
• It sounds like a different singer. Your voice clip may be too short or have music behind it; record a clean 20 seconds.
• Only English works. Other languages are planned.