What Is a Timecode Offset?
When you download a lyric video or motion visual from Talesoft, it's timed to align with the official multitrack version of that song — the same stems used in production worship recordings. But in the real world, your congregation might be singing to a different recording: a live album cut, a simplified arrangement, or even a slightly different tempo.
That's where timecode offsets come in. An offset is simply a positive or negative time adjustment — measured in seconds or frames — that shifts when your visual starts playing relative to your audio. Think of it as nudging the video forward or backward in time so the lyrics land exactly where they should.
Why Versions Differ
Even within the same song, different recordings can vary in several ways:
- Intro length — a studio version might have a 4-bar instrumental intro, while a live version jumps straight to the verse.
- Tempo — a live recording may run slightly faster or slower than the studio master.
- Key changes or arrangement edits — some versions drop a bridge or repeat a chorus an extra time.
- Fade-ins or countdowns — some tracks include a click or count-in that the official multitrack doesn't.
None of these make the visual unusable — they just mean you need to dial in the right offset for your specific version.
How to Find Your Offset
The simplest method is to use a reference point — a moment in the song that's easy to identify visually and aurally, like the first word of the first verse or a distinctive chord hit.
- Play your audio track and note the timestamp when that reference point hits.
- Check the visual — note the timestamp in the video where the same lyric or cue appears.
- Calculate the difference. If your audio hits the cue at 0:08 but the visual shows it at 0:12, you need a −4 second offset (start the video 4 seconds earlier, or delay the audio by 4 seconds).
- Apply and test. Run through the first verse and chorus to confirm the sync holds. If tempo differs, you may need to adjust further into the song.
Applying the Offset in Common Playback Software
Most church presentation software lets you set a video start offset or audio delay directly in the media settings:
- ProPresenter — use the "Cue" settings to set a video start time or add a delay to the audio cue.
- EasyWorship — adjust the start time in the media properties panel.
- Proclaim — use the slide timing controls to offset when the video begins.
- MediaShout — set a custom in-point on the video clip.
- Ableton Live / DAW-based setups — drag the video clip on the timeline to align it with your audio track.
If your software doesn't support video offsets natively, you can pre-render a version of the visual with silence or black frames added to the beginning to create the offset manually.
When Tempo Drift Is the Problem
If your sync is good at the start but drifts over time, the issue isn't an offset — it's a tempo difference between your recording and the multitrack reference. In this case:
- Use a DAW (like Ableton or Logic) to time-stretch your audio to match the visual, or vice versa.
- Alternatively, contact us — for popular songs we may be able to provide a version timed to a specific recording on request.
A Note on Talesoft Visuals
All Talesoft lyric videos and motion visuals are timed to the official multitrack release of each song. We include timing notes in the product description where we're aware of common version differences. If you're unsure which version a visual is timed to, or you're working with a custom arrangement, get in touch — we're happy to help you get it locked in.