I'm sure I've read a specification for "standard midi files" which stated that the main Melody line should use channel 4.
Naturally I have no supporting evidence for this statement!
I'm not so sure that this specification stated that backin harmony tracks should be on channel 5, but that channel is a default for some harmony generators.
Karaoke files seem different, and less rigid. Melody is usually on channels 1 and 2 (but I've seen it on 16 as well) and I've found lyrics are always defined as text events (and not lyric events) which are usually embedded in the melody line track but sometimes appear separately.
I have used the GN utilities for this job but these days I tend to do it the hard way in Cakewalk because I mess about with the files that much that the extra effort of transcribing the lyrics is not really that great!
I agree that there is lots of variability in this area. I'm telling you to use track 4!
[This message has been edited by MacAllcock (edited 11-19-2004).]
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John Allcock