Quick Start

Get a solid result in 60 seconds.

The Formula

Success Formula

GENRE + MOOD + INSTRUMENT + VOCAL + ATMOSPHERE + PRODUCTION + STRUCTURE

Step 1: Genre + Mood

Rock, Dark, Aggressive

Step 2: Add 3-5 Core Tags

Distorted Electric Guitar, Male Vocals, High Energy, Gritty Atmosphere

Step 3: Structure in Lyrics Field

[Intro]
[Verse]
[Chorus]
[Verse]
[Chorus]
[Bridge]
[Chorus]
[Outro]

Step 4: Set Parameters

  • Weirdness: 40-60% (balanced creativity)
  • Style Influence: 60-80% (faithful to tags)
  • Exclude: Acoustic, Slow Tempo

Syntax & Best Practices

Where Tags Go

FieldFormatExample
Lyrics field Square brackets [Tag] [Verse], [Chorus | High Energy]
Style field Plain text, comma-separated Progressive metal, Male vocal, Epic

Tag Count Guidelines

ContextCount
Simple songs3-5 tags
Detailed control8-15 tags
Per section3-8 tags
Maximum~20 tags

Priority Order

  1. Genre
  2. Dominant mood
  3. Lead instrument(s)
  4. Vocal style / gender
  5. Production / atmosphere

Genres

Rock & Metal

Core Rock

rock alternative rock hard rock indie rock classic rock soft rock progressive rock psychedelic rock blues rock southern rock garage rock art rock surf rock stoner rock post-rock math rock

Metal

metal heavy metal nu metal power metal symphonic metal progressive metal death metal melodic death metal black metal thrash metal doom metal groove metal gothic metal industrial metal folk metal metalcore deathcore djent

Punk & Related

punk punk rock pop-punk hardcore punk post-punk grunge emo screamo post-hardcore
Electronic & Dance

House

house deep house progressive house electro house tech house tropical house future house acid house

Trance & Techno

trance progressive trance vocal trance uplifting trance psytrance techno minimal techno melodic techno

Bass Music

dubstep melodic dubstep future bass drum and bass jungle breakbeat hardstyle

Synth & Retro

synthwave retrowave darksynth vaporwave chillwave electro swing synthpop electropop

Other Electronic

ambient dark ambient downtempo trip hop idm glitch industrial ebm darkwave witch house lo-fi chillout
Pop
pop dance-pop indie pop k-pop j-pop dream pop power pop art pop dark pop hyperpop chamber pop baroque pop city pop bedroom pop teen pop bubblegum pop
Hip Hop & Rap
hip hop rap trap boom bap gangsta rap east coast hip hop west coast hip hop southern hip hop conscious hip hop jazz rap cloud rap emo rap phonk drill grime lo-fi hip hop
💜 R&B, Soul & Funk
r&b soul funk neo-soul contemporary r&b motown quiet storm new jack swing g-funk disco nu-disco
🎷 Jazz & Blues
jazz swing big band jazz fusion smooth jazz vocal jazz bebop cool jazz acid jazz bossa nova blues delta blues chicago blues electric blues
🤠 Folk & Country
country modern country outlaw country country pop country rock bluegrass americana honky tonk folk indie folk folk rock celtic folk singer-songwriter
Classical & Orchestral
classical orchestral symphonic opera baroque chamber music choral film score cinematic epic minimalism neoclassical
🌍 World & Latin
reggae dub dancehall ska reggaeton latin pop salsa bossa nova samba flamenco afrobeat celtic bollywood anime
Other Genres
ballad power ballad gospel worship new age meditation musical broadway show tunes a cappella sea shanty medieval video game music chiptune

Moods & Atmosphere

💜 Emotional
melancholic euphoric nostalgic dreamy aggressive peaceful mysterious romantic hopeful dark playful angry bittersweet triumphant contemplative sensual empowering
🌌 Atmosphere
dark atmosphere bright atmosphere ambient atmosphere intimate atmosphere epic atmosphere ethereal atmosphere gritty atmosphere warm atmosphere cold atmosphere urban atmosphere pastoral atmosphere club atmosphere
Energy
high energy medium energy low energy building energy explosive energy pulsing energy cinematic energy
🔥 Intensity
intense gentle powerful subtle dynamic anthemic hypnotic raw
Descriptive
upbeat chill groovy haunting driving soaring catchy lush sparse futuristic retro cinematic

Instruments

String Instruments

Guitars

electric guitar distorted guitar clean guitar overdriven guitar acoustic guitar fingerpicking strumming bass guitar fretless bass synth bass

Orchestral Strings

violin cello viola double bass strings section harp

Folk Strings

banjo mandolin ukulele
Percussion

Drum Kits

drums acoustic drums electronic drums live kit 808 drum machine TR-909

Hand Percussion

hand percussion congas bongos djembe tambourine shaker cajón

Orchestral Percussion

timpani cymbals
Keyboards & Synths

Acoustic Keys

piano electric piano rhodes wurlitzer harpsichord clavinet

Organs

organ hammond organ church organ

Synthesizers

synthesizer synth pads synth lead synth bass mellotron vocoder
🎷 Wind Instruments

Saxophones

saxophone alto saxophone tenor saxophone soprano saxophone baritone saxophone

Brass

trumpet trombone french horn tuba

Woodwinds

flute clarinet oboe bassoon harmonica tin whistle recorder pan flute
🌍 World Instruments

Indian

sitar tabla bansuri

Middle Eastern

oud doumbek

Asian

erhu guzheng koto shakuhachi

African

kalimba kora

Celtic & Country

fiddle bagpipes bodhrán accordion pedal steel

Caribbean

steel drums

Vocals

Vocal Styles
male vocals female vocals harmonies choir whispered vocals powerful vocals smooth vocals rap vocal screamed vocals spoken word ethereal vocals soulful vocals operatic vocals autotuned vocals vocal chops duet acapella instrumental
Vocal Techniques
falsetto vibrato melismatic staccato vocals legato vocals growl belting scatting ad-libs call and response layered vocals doubled vocals
Voice Character
raspy voice clear voice deep voice high voice soulful voice husky voice angelic voice gritty voice vulnerable voice confident voice twangy voice robotic voice
Vocal FX
reverb-drenched delay on vocals vocoder heavy autotune telephone voice megaphone voice distorted vocals whispery with reverb

Production & FX

Reverb
hall reverb room reverb plate reverb spring reverb church reverb concert hall reverb no reverb reverb heavy natural reverb
🔁 Delay
echo delay slapback delay ping pong delay tape delay rhythmic delay
🔥 Distortion & Saturation
distortion overdrive fuzz clean saturation bitcrushing heavy distortion
🌀 Modulation
chorus flanger phaser tremolo vibrato leslie speaker ring modulation
Dynamics
sidechain compression heavy compression full dynamic range limiter gate
Textures
vinyl crackle tape hiss record scratch glitch stutter edits granular
Buildups & Transitions
risers impacts reverse reverb filter sweep snare roll white noise sweep
Production Styles
raw production polished production lo-fi production modern production vintage production wall of sound minimalist production live feel radio-ready bedroom production
Stereo Image
wide stereo image mono compatible creative panning center heavy

Sound Effects

Atmosphere and texture. Drop these into the style field, or into a section tag (e.g. [Intro | Vinyl Crackle, Rain]) for a scene-setting moment.

Natural
rain thunder wind ocean waves fire crackling birdsong forest ambience flowing water
Urban
traffic footsteps doors machinery crowd chatter city ambience
Musical & Texture
vinyl crackle tape hiss record scratch reverse reverb risers impacts white noise sweep drum fill

Rhythm & Tempo

Tempo
TagBPMUse For
very slow40-60Ballad, ambient
slow tempo60-80Slow jams, ballads
medium slow80-100R&B, soul
medium tempo100-120Pop, rock
medium fast120-140House, dance
fast tempo140-170Techno, trance
very fast170-220DnB, hardcore
Feels
straight feel swing feel shuffle feel latin feel reggae feel funk feel half-time feel double-time feel
Grooves
backbeat off-beat four-on-the-floor half-time polyrhythm cross-rhythm breakbeat dembow trap beat boom bap walking bass
📐 Time Signatures
4/4 time 3/4 time 6/8 time 5/4 time 7/8 time 12/8 time 2/4 time
Rhythm Dynamics
steady groove building rhythm start-stop syncopated driving laid-back pushing

Keys & Scales

Optional tonality cues. Minor keys read darker and more emotional; modes and exotic scales push a track toward cinematic, folk, or experimental territory.

Minor Keys (darker)
A minor E minor B minor F# minor D minor C minor G minor
Major Keys (brighter)
C major G major D major A major E major F major
Modes & Scales
dorian mode mixolydian mode lydian mode phrygian mode pentatonic scale blues scale harmonic minor whole tone scale chromatic scale

Song Structure

Section Tags (use in Lyrics field)

[Intro] [Verse] [Verse 1] [Verse 2] [Pre-Chorus] [Chorus] [Post-Chorus] [Bridge] [Breakdown] [Build-up] [Drop] [Solo] [Guitar Solo] [Instrumental] [Outro] [Fade Out]

Common Structures

[Intro]
[Verse 1]
[Chorus]
[Verse 2]
[Chorus]
[Bridge]
[Chorus]
[Outro]

EDM Structure

[Intro]
[Build-up]
[Drop]
[Breakdown]
[Build-up]
[Drop]
[Outro]

Style Profiles

Each style has characteristic adjectives, energy, and vocal approaches.

Rock
driving gritty energetic rebellious
Energy: Raw and powerful
Vocals: Powerful and anthemic
🤘 Metal
aggressive heavy distorted powerful technical
Energy: Driving and relentless high-intensity
Vocals: Ranging from aggressive growls to soaring clean vocals
Pop
catchy polished upbeat melodic radio-ready
Energy: Uplifting build to a memorable chorus
Vocals: Clean, polished, and layered
Rap
lyrical rhythmic confident urban boastful
Energy: Confident and steady flow
Vocals: Rhythmic and spoken, focus on lyrical delivery
Electronic
pulsating synthetic intricate futuristic
Energy: Rhythmic and evolving
Vocals: Processed or sampled, often with effects
💜 R&B
smooth soulful sensual rhythmic modern
Energy: Slick, polished groove with emotional weight
Vocals: Silky smooth, impressive vocal runs and harmonies
🎷 Jazz
smooth improvisational complex sophisticated soulful
Energy: Cool, sophisticated, swinging rhythm
Vocals: Smooth and soulful, opportunities for scat improvisation
🤠 Country
twangy heartfelt storytelling rustic
Energy: Narrative-driven and honest feel
Vocals: Clear and earnest, often with distinct twang or drawl
Synthwave
retro neon-drenched nostalgic futuristic 80s-inspired
Energy: Steady, cinematic night-driving pulse
Vocals: Often instrumental, or reverb-drenched emotive vocals
Lo-Fi
chill nostalgic warm hazy relaxed
Energy: Calm and steady, non-intrusive beat, vinyl crackle
Vocals: Often instrumental, or soft sampled vocal snippets

Lyric Themes & Emotions

Themes

💔 Heartbreak
Love loss and recovery
🔍 Self-Discovery
Finding yourself
🏆 Overcoming Adversity
Triumph over struggle
🎉 Celebration
Happy moments, parties
Mystical Journey
Fantasy, spiritual quest
📷 Nostalgic Memories
Looking back fondly
🌃 City Nightlife
Urban night scene
🌿 Nature & Seasons
Natural world imagery
🚀 Cosmic Love
Celestial romance
Rebellion
Breaking free
💪 Empowerment
Strength and confidence
Road Trip
Travel and adventure

Emotions

bittersweet empowering hopeful melancholic playful dark and brooding romantic ethereal triumphant vulnerable angry peaceful yearning confident defiant

Story Arcs & Rhyme Schemes

Story Arcs

ArcDescription
Problem → BreakthroughVerse = problem, Chorus = breakthrough
ChronologicalStory unfolds in order
Dream-like VignettesSurreal, disconnected scenes
DialogueConversation between two characters
Inner MonologueInternal thoughts
ConfessionRevealing truth
Letter FormatWritten to someone
Memory/FlashbackLooking back

Perspectives

first person (I/we) second person (you) third person (he/she/they) group voice unreliable narrator omniscient narrator

Rhyme Schemes

SchemePatternDescription
AABBCoupletsConsecutive rhymes
ABABAlternatingEvery other line
ABCBCommonSecond and fourth rhyme
AAAAMonorhymeSame rhyme throughout
Free verseNoneNo strict rhyme
Internal rhymesWithin linesRhymes inside the line
Slant rhymesNear rhymesImperfect rhymes
MultisyllabicComplexMulti-syllable patterns

Lyric Presets

Pop Love Song
Theme:Love story
Emotion:Romantic
Arc:Problem → Breakthrough
Perspective:First person
Rhyme:ABAB
Empowerment Anthem
Theme:Empowerment
Emotion:Triumphant
Arc:Inner monologue
Perspective:First person
Rhyme:AABB
Heartbreak Ballad
Theme:Heartbreak
Emotion:Melancholic
Arc:Memory/flashback
Perspective:First person
Rhyme:ABCB
Party Track
Theme:Party anthem
Emotion:Playful
Arc:Chronological
Perspective:Group voice
Rhyme:AABB
Introspective Indie
Theme:Self-discovery
Emotion:Bittersweet
Arc:Dream-like vignettes
Perspective:First person
Rhyme:Free verse

Words to Avoid in AI Lyrics

These are the exact lists the Lyric Writer's Song Doctor flags and rewrites — kept in sync with the tool, not a separate hand-list.

Overused Nouns

crownthroneneonhalowingsghostchainsashesembersflamesvoidabyssmazearmorscarscanvasstormmirrordemonsechoesruinsshadows

Cliché Phrases

  • "rise from the ashes"
  • "broken wings"
  • "dance with the devil"
  • "weight of the world"
  • "heart of gold"
  • "lost in the dark"
  • "find the light"
  • "walls come crashing down"
  • "demons inside"
  • "fire and ice"
  • "written in the stars"
  • "chasing dreams"

Lazy Rhyme Pairs

fire/desire, heart/apart, night/light, night/fight, pain/rain, soul/whole, soul/control, stay/away, breath/death, eyes/lies, burn/turn, fall/all, tears/fears

Adjective Crutches

endlesseternalhollowbrokenshatteredfadingcrimsongoldenemptyfrozen

Making Lyrics Singable

Great lines on the page can still fight the melody. A line is "singable" when a vocalist can land it in one breath and the stressed syllables fall where the beat wants them. The Lyric Writer measures this live — here's what it's looking for.

The syllable sweet spot

Aim for about 6–12 syllables per line. Short lines hit hard and chant well; longer ones need a clear breath. Past 16 syllables a line is nearly impossible to sing in one pass — break it, or add a comma where the singer can breathe.

Breath points

  • Put a comma or a line break where you would naturally inhale.
  • If a line runs long, split it at the natural phrase boundary, not mid-thought.
  • The Fix Rhythm action does exactly this — it splits over-long lines into singable ones without changing the meaning.

Land the stress on the beat

Singable lines put their stressed syllables on the strong beats. Say the line out loud: the words you naturally emphasize should fall on the downbeats. When the key word lands too late, the line feels like it's tripping — reword so the important syllable arrives on the beat.

Turn on Stress marks in the editor to see stressed syllables highlighted, and watch the Flow panel for per-line syllable counts and cadence.

Vary the line lengths

Lines of identical length read as robotic. Set a long line against a short one — that contrast is what makes a hook feel like a hook.

Writing Human Lyrics

AI lyrics give themselves away through clichés and predictable structure. These habits keep a lyric feeling lived-in.

What Makes Lyrics Feel Human

  • Concrete sensory imagery — "cold wind through an open door" beats "feeling so alone."
  • Verbs of subtle motion — linger, drift, shift, slip, pull, settle, press.
  • Temporal/spatial specificity — "3 AM kitchen light" beats "the darkness of night."
  • Earned complexity — tension between competing emotions, not flat declarations.
  • Imperfect, unglamorous details — the small things that feel real.
  • Subverted expectations — set up a cliché, then pivot away from it.
  • Rhythmic variation — mix line lengths; don't make every line symmetrical.

Formatting Standards

  • Use hyphens (-) for lyrical breaks and asides, not em dashes (—).
  • Punctuate for breath and pacing.
  • At most one ellipsis (…) per song.
  • Let lines breathe — not every bar needs a dense metaphor.

AI Lyric Prompt Template

Paste into the Lyric Writer (or any model), fill the brackets, and it steers generation toward authentic, un-clichéd lyrics.

Write lyrics for a song with the following concept:

Song Title: [TITLE]
Core Theme: [THEME]
Emotional Arc: [e.g. denial -> confrontation -> acceptance -> resolve]
Perspective: [e.g. first person, present tense]

Musical Context:
- Genre: [GENRE]
- Tempo/Feel: [TEMPO AND FEEL]
- Structure: [e.g. Verse / Pre-Chorus / Chorus / Verse / Chorus / Bridge / Final Chorus]

Style requirements:
1. Concrete sensory imagery over abstract statements
2. Verbs of subtle motion (linger, drift, shift, slip, settle, press)
3. At least one specific, unglamorous, lived-in detail
4. Vary line lengths - not every line symmetrical
5. Use hyphens (-) for breaks, not em dashes
6. Subvert at least one expected rhyme or phrase

Avoid: crown, throne, neon, halo, wings, ashes, embers, void, storm,
mirror, demons, echoes; "rise from the ashes", "broken wings",
"heart of gold", "written in the stars", "against all odds";
rhymes fire/desire, heart/apart, night/light, pain/rain, soul/whole.

Write the complete lyrics with section markers. Make every line earn its place.

Post-Generation Checklist

  • No lazy nouns, cliché phrases, or banned rhyme pairs.
  • At least 3 concrete sensory images and 1 unglamorous detail.
  • Hyphens used for breaks (no em dashes).
  • Line lengths vary; the ending differs from the opening.
  • Could a human have written this? Does it feel lived-in?

Harmony & Chords

Optional, but a named progression or harmonic flavor gives the model a strong tonal direction.

Classic Progressions

TagSounds Like
I-V-vi-IVThe pop progression (C–G–Am–F)
vi-IV-I-VAlternative pop (Am–F–C–G)
I-vi-IV-V50s doo-wop
ii-V-IJazz cadence
I-VII-♭VI-♭VIIEpic / rock

Harmonic Flavor

major harmony minor harmony modal harmony jazz harmony dissonant harmony suspended chords extended chords altered chords quartal harmony

Advanced Techniques

Arrangement, dynamics, and texture cues for more deliberate, professional-sounding results.

Arrangement

call and response counterpoint layering unison canon fugue

Dynamics

crescendo diminuendo forte piano (soft) sforzando

Texture & Creative

minimalist maximalist monophonic polyphonic glitch granular morphing sidechaining

Suno AI Parameters

Weirdness Control

RangeEffectUse For
10-30%Safe, predictableCommercial Pop, covers
40-60%Balanced creativityMost cases (recommended)
70-100%Experimental, chaoticAvant-garde, fusions

Style Influence

RangeEffectUse For
10-30%Tags as suggestionsCreative surprises
40-60%Balanced fidelityPrecise tags
70-100%Strict adherenceVague tags needing control

Exclude Styles Examples

  • Female only: Exclude Male Vocal
  • Acoustic only: Exclude Electronic, Synthesizer, Drum Machine
  • Pure rock: Exclude Electronic, Hip Hop, Pop

Vocal Gender

Directly sets the main voice — Male or Female — more reliable than relying on tags alone. Pair with style tags like Powerful Vocals, Soulful for the delivery.

Parameter Quick Reference

GoalWeirdnessStyle InfluenceTypical Exclude
Safe pop ballad20-40%70-90%Aggressive, Screaming
Faithful genre emulation30-50%80-100%Opposite genres
Experimental fusion60-80%40-60%Minimal or none
Glitchy futuristic EDM70-90%50-70%Acoustic, Organic
Clean acoustic demo10-30%60-80%Electronic, Synth

Combining Tags

The Layering Approach

1. Base Layer
Genre + Main Instrument + Vocal
2. Emotional Layer
Mood + Atmosphere + Energy
3. Technical Layer
Production + Effects
4. Structure
[Intro], [Verse], [Chorus] in lyrics

Dynamic Progression Example

[Intro | Atmospheric, Mysterious, Clean Electric Guitar]
[Verse | Introspective, Gentle, Acoustic Guitar]
[Chorus | Energetic, Powerful, Distorted Electric Guitar]
[Bridge | Dramatic, Cinematic, Strings]
[Outro | Peaceful, Fade Out]

Creative Contrasts

Opposites make a track memorable — set one element against another:

  • Soft / hard: Whispered Vocals + Heavy Guitar
  • Organic / digital: Acoustic Guitar + Electronic Drums
  • Bittersweet: Dark mood + Uplifting melody
  • Old / new: Vintage Production + Modern Sound Design
  • Simple / complex: Minimalist verses + Orchestral choruses

Genre Templates

Curated starting points for popular genres. Copy a style string and paste it straight into Suno, or use it as a base and refine the tags to taste.

Heavy Metal

Heavy Metal

Heavy Metal, Metal, Powerful, Epic, Aggressive, Distorted Electric Guitar, Bass Guitar, Drums, Powerful Vocals, High Pitched Vocals, Heavy Compression, Room Reverb

Classic heavy metal sound

Thrash Metal

Thrash Metal, Metal, Aggressive, High Energy, Intense, Distorted Electric Guitar, Bass Guitar, Drums, Shouting Vocals, Male Vocals, Fast Tempo, Heavy Compression

Fast, aggressive thrash

Power Metal

Power Metal, Metal, Epic, Triumphant, Uplifting, Electric Guitar, Keyboards, Drums, Bass Guitar, High Pitched Vocals, Operatic Vocals, Polished Production, Hall Reverb

Epic, melodic power metal

Doom Metal

Doom Metal, Metal, Dark, Heavy, Melancholic, Distorted Electric Guitar, Bass Guitar, Drums, Male Vocals, Mournful Vocals, Slow Tempo, Heavy Fuzz

Slow, heavy doom

Metalcore

Metalcore, Metal, Aggressive, Intense, Emotional, Distorted Electric Guitar, Bass Guitar, Drums, Screaming Vocals, Clean Vocals, Modern Production, Heavy Compression

Metal meets hardcore punk

EDM Anthem

Festival EDM

EDM, Progressive House, Euphoric, Explosive Energy, Anthemic, Synthesizer, Synth Lead, Electronic Drums, Vocal Chops, Sidechain Compression, Wall of Sound, Risers

Big room EDM with massive drops

Progressive House

Progressive House, House, Euphoric, Building, Anthemic, Synthesizer, Synth Pads, Electronic Drums, Vocal Chops, Ethereal Vocals, Sidechain Compression, Reverb Heavy

Building, euphoric house

Future Bass

Future Bass, Electronic, Euphoric, Emotional, Bright, Synthesizer, Synth Pads, Electronic Drums, Vocal Chops, Pitched Vocals, Sidechain Compression, Modern Production

Colorful, emotional electronic

Trance

Trance, Electronic, Euphoric, Uplifting, Epic, Synthesizer, Synth Lead, Synth Pads, Female Vocals, Ethereal Vocals, Reverb Heavy, Sidechain Compression

Euphoric, uplifting trance

Dubstep

Dubstep, Electronic, Aggressive, Dark, Intense, Synth Bass, Electronic Drums, Synthesizer, Vocal Chops, Heavy Bass, Distortion, Sidechain Compression

Heavy wobble bass drops

Lo-Fi Hip Hop

Chill Lo-fi

Lo-fi Hip-Hop, Electronic, Chill, Nostalgic, Dreamy, Mellow, Electric Piano, Drums, Bass Guitar, Instrumental, Vinyl Crackle, Lo-fi Production, Tape Hiss

Relaxing lo-fi hip-hop beats

Boom Bap

Boom Bap, Hip-Hop, Gritty, Nostalgic, Raw, Sampler, Drums, Bass Guitar, Rap Vocal, Male Vocals, Vinyl Crackle, Analog Recording

Classic 90s hip-hop sound

Jazz Rap

Jazz Rap, Hip-Hop, Smooth, Sophisticated, Chill, Saxophone, Piano, Double Bass, Rap Vocal, Smooth Vocals, Jazz Samples, Organic Production

Hip-hop with jazz samples

Cloud Rap

Cloud Rap, Hip-Hop, Dreamy, Atmospheric, Chill, Synth Pads, Electronic Drums, 808, Autotuned Vocals, Soft Voice, Reverb Heavy, Lo-fi Production

Hazy, atmospheric hip-hop

Trip-Hop

Trip-Hop, Electronic, Dark, Atmospheric, Moody, Synthesizer, Drums, Bass Guitar, Female Vocals, Haunting Vocals, Reverb Heavy, Slow Tempo

Dark, atmospheric beats

Synthwave

Synthwave Outrun

Synthwave, Electronic, Nostalgic, Cinematic, Retro, Synthesizer, Synth Bass, Electronic Drums, Instrumental, Vintage Production, Gated Reverb

Retro 80s synthwave vibes

Dark Synthwave

Synthwave, Electronic, Dark, Nostalgic, Cinematic, Synthesizer, Synth Bass, Electronic Drums, Instrumental, Reverb Heavy, Vintage Production

80s-inspired night driving vibes

Chillwave

Chillwave, Electronic, Nostalgic, Dreamy, Chill, Synthesizer, Synth Pads, Drum Machine, Reverb-Drenched, Soft Voice, Lo-fi Production, Reverb Heavy

Hazy, nostalgic electronic

Vaporwave

Vaporwave, Electronic, Nostalgic, Surreal, Dreamy, Synthesizer, Sampler, Pitched Vocals, Sampled Vocals, Lo-fi Production, Slow Tempo, Reverb Heavy

Slowed-down nostalgic aesthetics

Darkwave

Darkwave, Electronic, Dark, Gothic, Melancholic, Synthesizer, Electronic Drums, Synth Bass, Baritone Voice, Ethereal Vocals, Reverb Heavy, Cold Atmosphere

Dark, gothic electronic

Neo-Soul

Neo-Soul

Neo-Soul, R&B, Soulful, Warm, Groovy, Electric Piano, Bass Guitar, Drums, Soulful Vocals, Natural Voice, Warm Atmosphere, Organic Production

Modern soul with hip-hop influence

Smooth R&B

R&B, Soul, Romantic, Sensual, Smooth, Electric Piano, Bass Guitar, Synth Pads, Soulful Vocals, Melismatic, Harmonies, Polished Production, Warm Atmosphere

Silky R&B with soulful vocals

Quiet Storm

Quiet Storm, R&B, Romantic, Intimate Atmosphere, Peaceful, Electric Piano, Strings Section, Bass Guitar, Smooth Vocals, Soft Voice, Warm Atmosphere, Natural Reverb

Soft, romantic R&B

Contemporary R&B

Contemporary R&B, R&B, Sensual, Dark, Atmospheric, Synthesizer, 808, Synth Pads, Falsetto, Autotuned Vocals, Modern Production, Heavy Bass

Modern R&B with electronic elements

Conscious Hip-Hop

Conscious Hip-Hop, Hip-Hop, Thoughtful, Inspirational, Soulful, Piano, Drums, Bass Guitar, Rap Vocal, Soulful Vocals, Soulful Samples, Organic Production

Thoughtful, lyrical hip-hop

Practical Examples

Fully specified prompts — style field plus a structure for the lyrics field, with suggested parameters.

"Cosmic Echoes" — Psychedelic Rock

Psychedelic Rock, Progressive Rock, Cinematic, Mysterious, Atmospheric,
Dreamy, Hypnotic, Epic, Electric Guitar, Hammond Organ, Male Vocal,
Ethereal Vocals, Reverb Heavy, Delay, Phaser, ii-V-I, Dorian Mode
[Intro - Ethereal, Hypnotic]
[Verse - Dark, Introspective]
[Chorus - Epic, Layered]
[Guitar Solo - Psychedelic, Intense]
[Chorus - Epic, Layered]
[Outro - Atmospheric, Fading]

Parameters: Weirdness 55% · Style Influence 70%

"Digital Pulse" — EDM

EDM, Progressive House, Trance, Energetic, Driving, Explosive,
Synthesizer, Synth Lead, TR-808, Vocoder, Sidechain Compression,
Wide Stereo Image, Crowd Noise, I-V-vi-IV
[Build-up | Rising Tension]
[Drop | Explosive, Synth Lead, Maximum Impact]
[Breakdown | Low-Pass Filter Sweep]
[Second Drop | Full Wall of Sound, Crowd Cheering]

Parameters: Vocal Gender Female · Weirdness 40% · Style Influence 80% · Exclude: Acoustic, Slow Tempo

"Cyber Sushi" — Futuristic EDM

EDM, Futuristic, Glitchy, Robotic Voice, Vocoder, Vocal Chops,
Bitcrushing, Glitch Effects, Stutter Edits, Synthesizer, Euphoric, Anthemic
[Intro | Robotic Voice, Glitch, Futuristic]
[Verse | Minimal, Building Tension]
[Pre-Drop | Stutter Edits, Rising]
[Drop | Euphoric, Vocal Chops, Maximum Glitch]
[Outro | Digital Decay]

Parameters: Weirdness 65% · Style Influence 60% · Exclude: Acoustic, Organic

An Extreme Suno Prompt Engineering Example

Most prompts live in the style field. This one lives almost entirely in the lyrics field — a bar-by-bar arrangement with time-signature changes (7/8 → 4/4 → 6/4 → 5/4), modal shifts (E Phrygian → E Harmonic Minor → C# Minor → A♭ Major), dynamics, and per-section instrumentation. It pushes structured prompting about as far as it goes.

Style Field

Progressive Metal, Djent, Cinematic, Instrumental, Odd Time Signatures,
Neo-Classical, Atmospheric, Dynamic, Distorted Guitars, Ambient Synth Pads,
Technical, Epic

Lyrics Field — Full Arrangement

[Intro | 7/8 Time | E Phrygian | Pianissimo → Forte | 8 bars]
[Ambient Synth Pad: sustained E2 drone with slow filter sweep]
[Reverse Reverb Swell into Clean Guitar]
[Clean Guitar Arpeggio: Em(add9) - Fmaj7 - Am7 - G6]
[Dotted Eighth Delay | Ping Pong Stereo]
[Granular Texture Layer building underneath]
[Crescendo | Electronic Kick enters bar 5 - quarter notes]
[Bar 9: Full Band Explosion | Forte | Distorted Guitars enter]

[Verse 1 | 7/8 Time | E Phrygian Mode | Mezzo-forte]
[Palm-Muted Djent Chug: syncopated eighth-note pattern on low B string]
[Bass: Root-octave pattern following guitar rhythm]
[Drums: Tight kick locking with chugs | cross-stick on 4]
[Synth: Low E drone pad with slow LFO filter]
[Guitar accent - open chord stab]

[Pre-Chorus | Shift to 4/4 Time | Building Energy | Crescendo]
[Guitars: Clean arpeggios - C - Dm - Em - F progression]
[Bass: Walking quarter notes ascending]
[Drums: Building - add hi-hat eighths, snare on 2 and 4]
[Synth: Rising filter sweep | tension ramp]
[Drums: Fill | accelerating sixteenth notes]
[All instruments cut for one beat of silence]

[Chorus | 6/4 Time | G Major | Forte | Soaring]
[Guitars: Open power chords with octave melody - G5-Em-Cmaj7-Dsus4]
[Bass: Sustained whole notes with slides between roots]
[Drums: Half-time feel in 6/4 | ride cymbal - open and spacious]
[Synth: Lush pad - stacked fifths | wide stereo spread]
[Heavy Synth Layer enters - sub bass octave pulse]
[Guitars drop out for two beats]
[Drum Fill - descending tom pattern]

[Verse 2 | Return to 7/8 | E Phrygian | Forte]
[Djent chugging - heavier than verse 1 | add second guitar layer]
[Bass: More aggressive - sixteenth note runs between roots]
[Drums: Double kick underneath chugs | china cymbal accents]
[Ritardando over 2 bars]

[Guitar Solo | 7/8 → 4/4 transition | E Phrygian → E Harmonic Minor]
[Lead: Sweep-picked arpeggios over Em-F-Am-G]
[Neo-classical melodic sequence ascending through positions]
[Tapping section: two-hand tapping pattern on high strings]
[Harmonic minor run: E-F-G#-A-B-C-D# ascending to climax B5]
[Sustain on B5 with heavy vibrato | 4 bars]
[Whammy bar dive into bridge]
[Driving Double-Bass Drums throughout]

[Bridge | 5/4 Time | C# Minor | Piano dynamic → Building]
[Clean Guitar: Tapped arpeggios - C#m9 - Amaj7 - E/G# - B6]
[Bass: Sustained pedal point on C# | bowed-style long notes]
[Drums: Minimal - ride bell pattern in 5/4 | no kick initially]
[Synth: Distant pad with long attack | high register ethereal]
[Room Reverb - small and close]
[Crescendo begins]
[Kick drum enters - quarter notes]
[Second guitar layer - distorted palm-muted building]
[Synth: Filter opens rising]
[Full band crashes in | Fortissimo]

[Breakdown | 4/4 Half-Time | E Phrygian | Fortissimo]
[Extreme Downtuned Synchronized Chugs | Low B string]
[Bass: Unison with guitar - maximum weight]
[Drums: Half-time slam | snare on 3 | double kick fills]
[Synth: Sub bass drone - chest-rattling low end]
[Panic Chord - dissonant stab]
[Full Bass Drop | Maximum Intensity]
[Blast Beats - 4 bars]
[All instruments cut]
[2 beats of silence]

[Final Chorus | 6/4 Time | Ab Major | Key Change Up Half Step | Fortissimo]
[All instruments return maximum intensity]
[Guitars: Open power chords - Ab5-Fm-Dbmaj7-Ebsus4]
[Additional guitar: Octave melody doubling vocal]
[Drums: Full ride | open hi-hat crashes on downbeats]
[Synth: Maximum pad width - everything open]
[Heavy Synth Layer - sub bass octave pulse in Ab]
[Guitars sustain Ab power chord - fermata]
[Drum Fill - explosive]

[Outro | Return to 7/8 | E Phrygian | Diminuendo]
[Clean guitar: intro arpeggio returns - Em(add9) - Fmaj7]
[Instruments thin - guitar solo then just clean arpeggio]
[Bass drops out]
[Drums: single ride bell tap on 1 only]
[Guitar arpeggio alone | Pianissimo]
[Final note: natural harmonic 12th fret E string | ring out]
[Fading Granular Synth Texture]

Parameters: Weirdness 45% · Style Influence 85% · Instrumental. Lower Weirdness keeps Suno obeying the arrangement; high Style Influence locks the prog-metal identity.

Hear It — Mastered in MixLens

Success Formula & Pro Tips

The Formula

BASE GENRE + DOMINANT MOOD + LEAD INSTRUMENT + VOCAL STYLE +
ATMOSPHERE + PRODUCTION + STRUCTURE = TARGET TRACK

Genre Quick Reference

GenreWeirdnessStyle InfluenceKey Excludes
R&B / Hip-Hop30-50%70-90%Opposite genres
Rock30-50%80-100%Electronic, Hip Hop, Pop
Pop20-40%70-90%Heavy Distortion, Screaming
Latin20-40%80-100%Non-Latin elements
Country20-40%80-100%Synth, EDM, Hip Hop
Electronic / EDM40-60%80-90%Acoustic, Organic
World20-30%80%+Electric, Synth, Modern
Gospel20-40%80-100%EDM, Heavy Distortion
Classical20-30%90-100%Drum Set, Electric, Synth
Jazz40-60%70-90%Electronic, Synth

Pro Tips

  • Less is more — 3-5 tags per section usually beats 20.
  • Be specificDistorted Electric Guitar > Guitar.
  • Test variations — change one thing at a time (Weirdness, Style Influence, or a small tag group).
  • Save winners — when a track lands, keep its tags and parameters as a template.
  • Build an arc — calmer tags in verses, more intense tags in choruses.
  • Exclude opposites — for faithful genre emulation, exclude opposite genres.

Troubleshooting

Too Soft/Melodic

Add: Aggressive, Intense, Distortion, Powerful, Raw
Increase Style Influence. Exclude: Soft, Gentle, Acoustic, Mellow

Too Chaotic

Reduce Weirdness to 20-40%. Remove conflicting tags. Simplify to one genre/mood.

Wrong Vocals

Be explicit: Male Vocals or Female Vocals. Use Exclude to block unwanted gender.

Too Electronic/Artificial

Add: Acoustic, Organic, Live Feel, Raw Production. Exclude: Synthesizer, Electronic, Drum Machine

Wrong Tempo

Be explicit with tempo tags: Slow Tempo, Medium Fast, Very Fast, or specific BPM.

Too Acoustic

Add: Synthesizer, Electronic Drums, Drum Machine, Modern Production. Exclude: Acoustic Guitar, Acoustic Drums

Common Mistakes to Avoid
  • Too many tags — overloading confuses the model; keep it focused.
  • Contradictory tags — avoid Calm and Aggressive together unless you truly want the contrast.
  • Vague descriptionsSmooth Soulful Female Vocals beats Vocals.
  • Ignoring structure — always define at least [Intro], [Verse], [Chorus] in the lyrics field.