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Crafting AI-Generated Music with Suno.ai

Sascha Corti

• 4 min read
Crafting AI-Generated Music with Suno.ai
Photo by Namroud Gorguis / Unsplash

This post summarizes some of the learnings I've had playing with Suno.ai.

Introduction

Suno.ai (http://suno.ai/) is a powerful AI music generator that transforms text prompts into original audio clips. In this blog post, we’ll explore key capabilities, from the Simple Mode interface for quick music generation to the deeper customization of advanced prompts. By the end, you’ll have the tools to produce professional-quality songs and refine them to suit any style.

Why Suno.ai?

  • Ease of Use: A straightforward Simple Mode that lets anyone start creating music with minimal setup.
  • Flexibility: A Custom Mode offering deeper control over lyrics, sections, and audio structure.
  • High Fidelity: Quality output suitable for experimentation and professional production.
  • Commercial Possibilities: Paid subscriptions enable monetization.

Quick Start: Simple Mode

How It Works

  1. Enter a Prompt: Provide a short text description (~200 characters) focusing on style, genre, instruments, vocals, and mood.
  2. Generate Clips: Suno.ai returns two ~2-minute audio clips.
  3. Pick the Best Result: Compare the clips, choose your favorite, and refine from there.

Example Prompt

Uplifting pop song with catchy lyrics and a memorable chorus.

Why Start Simple?

  • Immediate Feedback: Instantly see how the AI interprets your request.
  • Minimal Complexity: Ideal for learning Suno’s capabilities before diving into advanced customization.

Crafting Effective Prompts

Best Practices

  • Use vivid descriptive words (e.g., “energetic,” “haunting,” “cinematic”).
  • Keep prompts concise to avoid confusing the model.
  • Steer clear of direct references to real-world artists or brands.

Example

Energetic synth-pop with pulsing bass, retro '80s vibe, soaring female vocals, danceable beat, and love song lyrics.

Simple Mode Lyric Generation

By default, Suno.ai will generate basic lyrics along with your music, derived from your text prompt. These lyrics can be hit-or-miss:

  • Pros: Instant words to match the theme.
  • Cons: Limited nuance and thematic development.

Don’t worry if the initial lyrics aren’t perfect; you can refine or replace them in Custom Mode.

Moving to Custom Mode

Custom Mode is where things get technical:

  1. Extend a Clip: When you have a promising clip, click Extend to enter Custom Mode.
  2. Structure Your Song: Use bracketed tags such as [Verse], [Chorus], and [Bridge] to define sections.
  3. Refine Prompts: Paste your existing prompt into the Style of Music box, and add detailed instructions.
  4. Set Extension Points: Choose where new content begins (e.g., the end of the previous chorus).
  5. Iterate & Generate: Continue refining each section until your song is complete.

Example: Adding a Second Verse and Bridge

[Verse 2]
Lost in space, far from home
...

[Bridge]
Through the struggles and the pain
...

Custom Tags and Structure

Suno uses bracketed tags to guide its compositional AI. Some common tags include:

  • [Verse]
  • [Chorus]
  • [Bridge]
  • [Instrumental]

Combine these to build common structures like:

  • Intro → Verse 1 → Chorus → Verse 2 → Chorus → Bridge → Chorus/Outro

Tweaking AI Behavior

  • Add emotional cues ([Sad Verse], [Uplifting Chorus]).
  • Experiment with instrumental markers ([Instrumental Break]).

Regeneration & Finalization

Suno.ai typically provides two audio renders for each generation cycle. If they don’t meet your needs:

  1. Regenerate: Tweak your tags or prompt.
  2. Refine: Modify lyrics or style descriptors.
  3. Finalize: Once satisfied with each section, stitch the song into a continuous track by clicking Create Whole Song.

Integrating External AI for Lyrics

Why Use GPT or Claude?

  • Complex Lyrics: Generate more nuanced or thematically rich content.
  • Section Formatting: Pre-label your lyrics with [Verse], [Chorus], etc.
  • Prompt Tailoring: Tools like ChatGPT can summarize or adapt lengthy descriptions to fit Suno’s character constraints.

Example GPT Prompt

"Create a 100-character Suno style prompt describing a pop ballad with dramatic piano and emotional vocals.
Then generate an 800-character lyric set with [Verse], [Chorus], and [Bridge]."

Tip: Google Gemini is great at creating rhymes for song texts.

Prompt Engineering Tips

Process & Experimentation

  • Maintain a library of effective prompts.
  • Keep notes on results to see what language yields the best outcome.
  • Balance specificity (e.g., “pulsing bassline”) with open-ended creativity (e.g., “dreamy, cinematic atmosphere”).

Fine-Tuning & Feedback

Suno.ai learns from your responses:

  • Thumbs Up/Down: Rate each generated clip.
  • Refine & Regenerate: Your ratings help the system adapt over time.

Post Production

For complete mastery, export your audio and refine it in a digital audio editing solution such as:

  • Ableton Live
  • Logic Pro
  • FL Studio

With this, you can:

  • Rearrange sections.
  • Fine-tune EQ, compression, and effects.
  • Add layers of instrumentation.

Understanding Licensing

  • Free Plan: Non-commercial usage only.
  • Paid Plan: Full commercial rights and monetization options.

If you intend to publish or profit from your music, ensure you have the correct subscription.

Advanced Prompting Scenarios

Holiday-Themed Music

To create holiday-centric tracks:

  • Theming: Focus on bells, choirs, and nostalgic motifs.
  • Style: Orchestral or jazz elements.
  • Lyrics: Keep it inclusive and uplifting.

Sample Prompt

Upbeat pop Christmas, female belting, festive energy, sleigh bells, lush orchestral strings, powerful chorus

Conclusion

By combining Suno.ai’s intuitive interface with advanced tools like GPT or Claude, you have an end-to-end pipeline for AI-driven music creation:

  1. Start Simple: Quickly ideate in Simple Mode.
  2. Go Custom: Take advantage of tags and structure in Custom Mode.
  3. Refine: Export to a DAW for final polishing.
  4. Iterate & Scale: Learn from feedback, optimize prompts, and push the boundaries of what AI-generated music can do.

Ready to Begin? Head to Suno.ai and start experimenting. Whether you’re composing a casual tune or a professional soundtrack, Suno.ai’s blend of convenience and customization makes it a vital tool in any music creator’s arsenal.