Guide to Suno AI Prompting: Metatags Explained
May 3
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Ready to make your AI music shine? If you're using Suno AI but not getting the exact sound you want, the secret might be in your text prompts and tags. This post will help you understand different ways to prompt Suno and how to use powerful meta tags to guide your music creation. We'll explore basic prompting, custom modes, and how special tags can influence song structure and even voice styles.
Creating music with AI is exciting, but sometimes getting the perfect result takes a little finesse with your prompts. Just like generating images with Midjourney requires specific commands, directing your AI music generation in Suno can benefit from clear instructions. If you're exploring the world of automating creative processes, consider the Midjourney Automation Suite from TitanXT. While focused on image generation, it highlights the power of automation in creative fields.
Starting Simple with Suno Prompts
When you start in Suno AI's song description mode, you can simply describe what you want. Think of it like talking to a friendly AI assistant. You can mention the music style and the topic. For example, "reggae dub track about AI music."
Suno tries its best with even simple prompts. You don't have to be a technical expert to get decent music. However, if you want more control, you can get more detailed in your descriptions.
Adding More Detail to Your Prompts
You can go beyond basic descriptions. For instance, instead of just "reggae dub track about AI music," you could try something like: "reggae dub tune about AI in music start with classic reggae vibes and add futuristic electronic melodies for AI mix in echoey drum beats and blend traditional instruments with spacey sounds."
Adding this level of detail helps guide the AI more specifically, influencing not just the sound but sometimes even the lyrics it generates.
Using Custom Mode and Metatags
The real power in Suno often comes from using Custom Mode. This is where you can provide your own lyrics and structure the song using special tags called metatags.
If Suno generates lyrics you don't love but you like the music, you can switch to Custom Mode, keep the music style, and either write your own lyrics or have Suno generate different random lyrics for you.
Working with Lyrics
In Custom Mode, you'll see how lyrics are formatted with tags like `[Verse 1]` and `[Chorus]` in square brackets. These are your metatags.
You can edit the lyrics directly. If you need help writing or rewriting lyrics, other AI tools like ChatGPT can assist, especially if you run into issues with certain services handling copyrighted or explicit content.
Understanding Basic Metatags
Metatags work best when they are short, often just one or two words, maybe up to three. Using too many can make them less effective. Some common tags are:
`[Verse 1]`
`[Verse 2]`
`[Chorus]`
A cool trick is to add descriptive words to these tags to suggest how the lyrics should be sung or the mood:
`[Sad Verse]`
`[Happy Chorus]`
`[Rap Verse]`
`[Power Pop Chorus]`
Keep in mind that while these tags help steer the AI, the results can sometimes be unexpected. It often takes some trial and error.
Structuring Your Song with More Tags
Beyond verses and choruses, you can use tags for other parts of a song:
`[Pre-Chorus]`: Builds anticipation before the chorus.
`[Bridge]`: Provides a contrast or transition, often appearing later in the song.
`[Hook]`: A memorable musical or lyrical part that grabs attention. A chorus can contain a hook, but a hook isn't always a chorus.
`[Break]`: A section where the main melody or rhythm pauses or changes unexpectedly.
`[Interlude]`: A short musical or vocal passage between main parts, often used for transitions or setting a mood.
`[Outro]` or `[Ending]`: Tags to signal the song is finishing. `[Fade Out]` or `[Fade to end]` can also be used.
Tags like `[Intro]` can be less reliable in Suno. Sometimes a simple description like "short instrumental intro" in the style prompt works better.
Instrumental and Voice Metatags
You can also try to influence specific instruments or vocal styles, especially in the style prompt or within your lyric metatags.
Examples of instrumental tags:
`[Instrumental Interlude]`
`[Melodic Bass]`
`[Percussion Break]`
`[Bass Drop]` (Use in appropriate genres like EDM)
To influence the generated singing voice, you can include style descriptions or meta tags in your prompts or lyrics. The AI generates voices randomly, so this takes trial and error. Some voice-related tags/styles you can try:
Gregorian Chant
Spoken Word
Emotional
Lounge Singer
Diva Solo
Gospel Choir
`[Female Narrator]`
`[Primal Scream]`
Adding Ad-libs
You can add short vocal additions, or ad-libs, within your lyrics by putting them in parentheses like `(oh yeah)` or `(hey!)`. Include these directly in the lyric text you provide in custom mode.
Creating Instrumental Tracks
Suno also lets you generate instrumental-only tracks. Just toggle the instrumental setting to ON. You can use basic prompts here too, like "high energy rap rock."
Getting very technical with specific instrument lists ("tight punchy drum kit," "distorted electric guitar riffs") doesn't always yield perfect results. Simple descriptions often work better for instrumental generation as well.
For those who enjoy using AI for creative tasks like music or image generation, automating parts of the workflow can save a lot of time. If you use Midjourney, checking out the Midjourney Automation Suite from TitanXT could streamline your image creation process significantly.
Changing Vocals Using External Tools
Sometimes, even with prompting, Suno's generated voice isn't exactly what you want. While Suno is getting better, you might need external tools to change the singing voice after you've generated the song.
This usually involves:
Creating your full song in Suno.
Downloading the song.
Separating the vocals from the instrumental track using editing software (like CapCut's vocal removal feature).
Using a third-party AI voice change tool (like Kits AI or Musify) to alter the detached vocal track.
Replacing the original Suno vocal track with the new one over the instrumental.
Some voice changer tools are free or offer free credits, though many require payment for full use or better quality. They can offer realistic voices or more novelty/parody voices.
Conclusion
Suno AI is a powerful tool for creating music, and understanding how to use prompts and especially metatags gives you more control over the final output. While AI music generation is still developing and results can vary, experimenting with different tags for structure, instruments, and voice styles can lead to unique and interesting tracks. Keep creating and exploring the possibilities!
Remember, whether it's music or images, AI tools can enhance your creative projects. If you're generating visuals with Midjourney, see how automation can help by visiting the Midjourney Automation Suite at TitanXT.
