A big guide to Suno: making a song from scratch

The music world has entered a new era. No, that's not the title of a science fiction novel. Neural music generators, like Suno AI, are already creating songs that challenge traditional songwriting. Let's break down how to master Suno step by step and uncover its secrets. See how it's changing the game rules.

Enjoy the read!

How to sign up for Suno

To begin your musical journey, you'll need to sign up for Suno AI. This is no harder than creating a social media account and you can use any one of these platforms: Apple, Discord, Google or Microsoft, or even an international phone number.

After logging in, Suno will give you 50 daily credits, which is enough to create five tracks in two variations - a total of 10 audio files. These credits refresh every 24 hours so you can keep creating music without any breaks. In the bottom left corner of the screen, you can check how many credits you have left.

A fun fact: if you create a new account in test mode, you will be able to make five songs using model 4, but only once. If you want to continue using this version, then it's time for a subscription. You can also use older models (3.5 and 2) but their sound quality is not as good. If your goal is to create serious music, then access to model four is what you need.

How to generate songs

Option 1. Natural-language description

The simplest way is to enter a request in the "Song description" field: specify a genre, plot, instrumentation, and any other specific wishes. For instance, you could create a dance track by specifying the following:

More prompt examples:

Suno understands many languages. Typically, the generated song's language matches your request's language, but you can try experimenting, for example, by:

Option 2. Parametric language (Custom mode)

If you want more control, you can enable Custom mode and enter the lyrics, type keywords to describe music, specify which genres you want to apply, and exclude unwanted styles.

The song title will be generated automatically, or you can specify one if you prefer. Even if you do specify a title, this won't change the overall mood of your song.

Generating Lyrics in Custom Mode

When Custom mode is enabled, you can provide specific lyrics and shape them in the way you want. Are you ready? Here's what to do.

1. Click Write with Suno under the lyrics field.

1. Specify the lyric style. For example: “Write a song about traveling in space in the style of [some band]” or “Create lyrics for a rock ballad with folk elements.”

2. Click Write Lyrics — in a second you’ll get two lyric options. Click Accept This Option under the one you like more.

The prompt length is limited to 250 characters, which is still enough to create a unique piece of writing.

If you love tweaking, try assembling a song from fragments. For example, take a verse from one song and a chorus from another - it's like a construction set where the parts almost always fit together.

There are two lyric generators available on Suno: Classic and Remi. Personally, I prefer the newer model, Remi, as it creates more emotional and deeper lyrics. However, be warned that it may sometimes contain profanity, so it's best to proofread the generated lyrics carefully before sending them. You may encounter unusual or colloquial word forms, but this is normal.

Writing lyrics with Suno doesn't use up credits, which makes it very convenient. As with standard generation, Suno supports around 50 different languages, including Russian.

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The first song generation method in Suno AI is so simple that anyone can handle it, but that approach doesn't fully unlock the potential of the model. You probably want more control.

That's why we'll focus on custom mode in this article. It allows you to tune every element, including lyrics, genre, vibe, and instruments. We'll talk about creating a real musical masterpiece.

How long generation takes

Waiting time in Suno is minimal. After a few seconds, you can start listening to the generated track, even if the process hasn't finished yet. However, downloading a song takes a little longer - a few minutes. If playback stutters while the song is generated, it's because of step-by-step processing. Suno writes audio in chunks using the beginning that has already been created as context.

When generation is complete, you can move on to the next track:

Three dots → Download → MP3 Audio

Users with a paid subscription can download WAV files. An extra WAV audio option will appear for further work on audio editors. It's definitely the best option if you're making something serious.

The Discord version of Suno

Who would've thought - Suno also exists on Discord, just like the famous MidJourney. Just follow this link - and you're in. The interface isn't as user-friendly as the GUI: commands are manually entered via a console, but if you prefer minimalism, Discord can also be a cozy creative space.

Setting the Music Style: Genres, Instruments, Voice, Mood

The key to creating a masterpiece is to choose the right keywords. Let's break down the basics.

Choose the genre

Genre is the foundation. It sets the overall character of a song, including the instruments, tempo and vocals. Ensure that it is the first (or, at most, second) element of the style(s) in the music field.

If you want a distinctive era sound, consider adding a time period such as the 1980's for an '80s feel or the 2000's to create a 2,000 style.

Suno recognizes a huge number of genres — you can browse an approximate list in the Suno Explore section on the official website

You can also choose one at random. Open Suno Explore and scroll your mouse wheel - and voila! You've got an idea! Alternatively, click on the dice button in the centre. A set of songs will start playing immediately, showing the chosen genre. This is great if inspiration has not struck yet.

The top line of the player interface shows the selected genre, and the lower line shows the names of five demo songs that Suno has generated in advance.

Notably, there are even broader genre lists: for example, Spotify counts at least 6,300 music genres, and the list is available at Every Noise at Once.

Combining genres

Don't hesitate to specify multiple genres. It won't cause errors - each subsequent one has less weight in the generation process. So, place the most important parameters at the beginning of the "Style of music" field.

Here is an example of a genre combination - alternative rock, reggae and grunge.

Specifying instruments

Want to surprise listeners? You can specify the instruments that must be used in a particular style of music. For example, violin, synthesizer and acoustic guitar are all possible choices. You don't need to list all the instruments that are typical for a given genre, but they will appear more often if you do.

It’s worth checking Wikipedia’s List of musical instruments. It covers many instruments - from traditional to modern and exotic, opening wide horizons for creative discoveries and original musical solutions.

General keywords

These keywords can be applied to the entire composition (separated by commas) or to the voice or individual instruments.

Of course, this is not exhaustive - English has many other adjectives and nouns that describe the mood of sound.

• pianissimo (very quiet), piano (quiet), mezzo piano (moderately quiet), mezzo forte (moderately loud), forte (loud), fortissimo (very loud) — musical terms describing loudness;

• country-specific descriptors, e.g. Russian female vocal;

• descriptors tied to a genre, e.g. rock piano; deep house drums; cinematic strings;

• vintage

• happy

• joyful

• uplifting

• wistful

• mournful

• euphoric

• muted

• subtle

• clear

• high airy

• whispering

• ethereal

• angelic

• powerful

• robust

• raspy

• guttural

• deep

• slow

• downtempo

• relaxing

• serene

• calming

• chilled

• melodic

• soothing

• breathy

• dulcet

• resonant

• piercing

• intense

• aggressive

• energetic

• tense

• loud

• atmospheric

• lush

• dreamy

• ghostly

• ominous

• eerie

• reflective

• contemplative

• introspective

• mellow

• calm

• peaceful

• tranquil

• nostalgic

• smooth

• light

• sonorous

• mellifluous

• crystal-clear

• expressive

• sad

• melancholic

• angry

• hopeful

• regretful

• vulnerable

• gravelly

• brassy

• lyrical

Ways of Playing Instruments

Have you ever thought that music is not only about the notes but also about how they sound? With Suno AI, you can not only define an instrument's mood but also its tuning or even the playing technique. Let's see how we can make our songs sound unusual!

For example, almost any instrument can be tuned. You can choose: low-pitched tuning, tuned down, flat tuning - to "retune" an instrument to play lower notes. High-pitched tuned, tuned up, sharp tuning - to move it upwards. And here's the fun part - these settings can even apply to instruments that can't physically produce such sounds.

Examples of keywords for more detailed sound design:

• palm-muted guitar

• fingerpicked guitar

• slapped bass

• tremolo picking

• bow tapping

• pizzicato

• col legno

• brushes drums

• drum rolls, percussion rolls

• muted

• dampened cymbals

• guitar tap, guitar tapping

• glissando

• arpeggiated harp

• slide on

• tremolo

• staccato

These parameters are your way to a unique texture. Try using them in your next project and see how they change the final result.

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Sound processing keywords

These adjectives help to specify a particular sound processing style. Effects can be applied to both instruments and vocals.

• reverbed

• chopped

• phased

• flanged

• distorted

• filtered

• compressed

• side-chained

• gated

• pitch-shifted

• time-stretched

• layered

• delayed

• overdriven

• bitcrushed

• resampled

• stereo-widened

• ring-modulated

• glitched

• subharmonized

• reversed

• granulated

• eq-ed

• stereo-panned

• modulated

• saturated

• chorused

• harmonized

• crunchy

• thumpy

• echoing

• sweeping

• evolving

• enveloped

• processed

• resonant

• noisy

• gritty

• shimmering

Song tempo

In most cases, the genre itself suggests a suitable tempo range for the model. However, if you want to step outside the usual framework, experiment. For example, create a hip-hop track with a tempo of 60 bpm instead of the usual 85-95 bpm.

Tags for marking song structure

Tags are markers inside lyrics that indicate the structure of a song (and sometimes sound effects - but more on that later). They're usually written in brackets. In fact, you don't even need to use them - Suno can usually figure out where parts go based on the lyrics themselves.

• Intro — intro before the first verse. You can place Spokenwords next to it so the performer delivers the following lines in a spoken style rather than singing.

• Verse or VerseN (Verse1, Verse2, etc.). Put it on a separate line before each verse.

• Bridge or Pre−chorus — a section between verse and chorus, something in-between. Not every song has one. It prepares the listener for the chorus. Also often appears closer to the end, between repeated choruses.

• Chorus or ChorusN — chorus, the song’s climax.

• Post−chorus — immediately after the chorus.

• Drop or Break — most instruments quiet down here, then the music returns at normal intensity. Adds a transition, for example after a chorus.

• Outro — ending section. Useful if you want to signal an outro-verse; the model tends to add a “falling” tone that prepares the song to finish.

• Fadeout — gradual fade-out.

• Instrumental and synonyms like Instrumentalsolo, Instrumentalinterlude, Solo — creates an instrumental passage. Specifying a particular instrument is mostly pointless (e.g., Pianosolo), because the model will likely replace it with something more typical for the chosen genre.

• End — helps prevent an abrupt cut-off.

Ending the song

Now imagine: your song reaches its end, but instead of a smooth ending, it abruptly cuts off in the middle. Not great! To avoid this, add a tag at the very end of your lyrics.

That said, there are some benefits to not adding the tag: the song may surprise you with unexpected repetitions of verses and chorus (which often happen in real life performances), or there might be something completely unexpected, like a long interlude at the end.

Ways to add musical emphasis

The text you enter in the Lyrics field can do more than you think. Thanks to different vocal articulations, you can add an interesting variation to your performance. Let's explore which "internet-described" techniques work reliably.

Stress / emphasis inside words

Sometimes one letter is enough. If a word is pronounced with the wrong stress, capitalize the vowel that should be stressed. For example, in Russian: зАмок (castle) vs замОк (lock).

Emphasis on certain words

Want a word to sound more expressive? Use all caps. For example, "Thoughts run away leaving only shadows." Louder delivery guaranteed attention.

The letter “Ё” (for Russian lyrics)

Using Ё in Sunо lyrics is not optional—it's necessary. If you rely on luck, the reader may read it как Е even in words where it seems obvious

The power of punctuation

Regular punctuation marks — …, !, ? !.., ?, ?!, etc. — placed at the end of a sentence, influence intonation in a predictable way, like in writing

To “sing out” vowels (melisma)

Just increase the number of vowels. For example: le-to, le-ee-to. It's better to use hyphens when writing; otherwise, there's a high chance that the model will interpret it as a new non-existent word, leading to distorted pronunciation.

The number of vowels can vary from 2 up to infinity, and it affects how long a vowel is held. However, it is not possible to accurately predict the exact length in seconds. Five vowels in succession, especially at the end of a line or chorus, can create a long sustained note or even an intense shout.

The vowel sequence does not need to be consistent: mixing different vowels creates smooth transitions between them, which can occur anywhere in a word.

Vocalises

Another vocal special effect: if you want the song to sound deeper and more emotional, you can add vocalises such as "Oo-oo-ooo" or "Aa-a-aa!" You can also use vowel combinations such as O-O-U-UU. Vocalises can be inserted into a line of text or placed on a separate line.

Backing vocals (“backs”)

Those background voices that add depth and space. To create these, put words in parentheses. These can be repetitions from the line or entirely new insertions. For example:

Suno can interpret these accents not only at the end of a line, but also in the middle. To back up vocalises, try something like:

Great - you'll get a background layer that sounds like an echo, or even a different voice.

Line length

Long lines fit better with recitative genres such as rap or deep house, while short lines are more suitable for melodic songs. If you prefer more drawn-out vocals, keep the lines shorter and add more vowel holds and vocalisations.

Syllabic pronunciation

If you split words into syllables, you'll get choppy and segmented pronunciation, like separate "mini-sentences". You can separate the chunks with different punctuation marks, for example:

If a word is pronounced incorrectly

Sometimes a word just doesn't sound the way you want it to. A simple trick can help: write the word as it's pronounced, even if this breaks spelling rules. This is particularly useful for rare words, new slang or foreign expressions. Even a small deviation from the orthography can make the pronunciation correct.

Minute of fame

Now is the perfect time to challenge myself and create a song that demonstrates most of these techniques.

But instead of writing lyrics from scratch, I have decided to pay homage to the classics. Why not look to the great Russian poet Zinaida Hippius? Her poems are music in themselves.

After browsing through many of her poems, I selected three which fit a song well: "Love Is One," "To A. Block," and "Electricity." (There was another one, but perhaps next time.)

After that, I collected the most expressive phrases and arranged them in order - the text was almost finished. Then, I sent the text in one message to ChatGPT-4o (available here even without VPN) and asked him to add musical elements: vowel hold, vocalise, and backing repeat so the text sounds more melodic. He did it on the first attempt.

Request and response from the neural network:

To give the composition a professional feeling, I set the following key generation parameters: a progressive rock sound with elements of jazz and swing; a powerful female voice; and polyphonic backing, including violins, pianos, and slide guitars. However, in the final version, the slide guitar either was absent or was replaced by a generic electric guitar, which sounded even better in the end.

By the way, Suno AI is quite consistent. Regenerating with the same keyword produces very similar results. This makes it possible to experiment with lyrics or browse different sounds produced with other seeds.

There were mistakes too. I didn't take care in the first version to use the Ё letter, which is really necessary to include every time. And the word stress goes off in strange, random places too.

That's how the song "Indivisible and Imperishable" was created - combining Gippius's sensitive lyrics with modern musical arrangements. I tried ten different variations on model 4.0, and out of those, I really liked three:

• https://suno.com/song/ec9e715f-1514-480d-a37b-63f2131638b9

• https://suno.com/song/bad26600-582a-4cfc-ae03-5f3e208fd65a

• https://suno.com/song/d35147bd-2881-4869-ac5a-c91b79a7f995

“Indivisible, Imperishable”

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Where to find ideas for prompts and keywords (and why not all tags work)

Coming up with prompts and keywords for Suno is art. But naturally, you want to know which keywords or tags are sure to work and why some behave differently from expected. Let's think about it.

The "secret," apparently, lies in the source of Suno's skills. Most likely, the original lyric datasets are similar to those found on websites like Genius and AZLyrics, which explains why the tags commonly used on those platforms work so well.

If you do a mini-investigation and search for things like: (site:genius.com or site:azlyrics.com), you will find "[spoken voice]", "[solo]", "[instrumental]", "[phone ringing]", "[gunshots]" and "[bleep]".

…you’ll see those tags appear frequently. And in those cases, Suno tends to know what to do with them. Coincidence? Who cares!

For example, the [bleep] tag appears very often — used to mark censored swear words. This tag is always recognized by the Suno generation.

The same applies to spoken voice, phone ringing, gunshots. They're commonly used in song lyrics online, so their success rate of generation is high.

Of course, the main structural tags are also similar: [Intro], [Outro], [Verse], [Chorus] and [Instrumental]. These are difficult to write in another way, so there is rarely confusion.

This also explains why sometimes Suno duplicates verses and choruses, or places them in a slightly different way than in the original text.

If you read lyrics online, they often take liberties and don't fully match the original audio. Some choruses are missing and a verse is skipped. The model has absorbed this as a "conversion pattern": the text says one thing but the audio is slightly different.

On forums and guides such as Suno AI Wiki and r/SunoAI, people often post lists of tags they think are usable. However, the truth is that most of these tags either don't work at all, or only work partially. For instance, a tag might suddenly "play" in an unexpected part of a song, or it might appear somewhere other than where you intended it to be.

So, if you want to add sound effects to a track, you should do it during the production process. Use a digital audio workstation (DAW) - there you can add the sounds exactly where they are needed, without any surprises.

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Another common question is what new descriptors and keywords can be used to describe the style of music. For example, if the syntactic structure of the lyrics matches the lyrics found on websites, then where can we look for examples of descriptive words and phrases?

Let's assume that Suno acquired some of its data during training from major audio libraries. Platforms like StockMusic, Shutterstock, and Adobe Stock have huge catalogs with carefully written tracks and descriptions. This approach is a time-saver and a quality guarantee for developers: they don't need to reinvent anything when they can use proven information.

These sites offer massive amounts of music for all kinds of media, including feature and documentary films, advertising, video games and more.

It's a shame that stock websites rarely provide complete keyword catalogues that you can browse.

However, there is a workaround: you can open a category that interests you and study the words that are used there. These keywords and descriptions are almost begging to be copied for use in the Style of music for your songs.

RipX: Analyzing a Generated Song in More Detail

If you're into music, you'll probably want to dive deeper and understand the components that make up your favorite songs.

For that, RipX is perfect - a tool that breaks a song down to its individual components. Do you want to hear each individual instrument or change the chords? It's all possible with RipX.

In RipX you can:

• Convert a composition into MIDI files by exporting individual instruments before saving. You can edit various parameters to make the conversion less sensitive, ignore very quiet notes and adjust note volumes, etc.

• Replace instruments and even turn your voice into one of them. From the box, there are only a few basic instruments available.

• Adjust notes and chords to time or pitch and optionally delete some.

• Study notes and chords, and find guitar fingering. The program shows not only notes played by each instrument but also for a guitar track, it can show finger placement on the fret board if you want to play the track live. A lifehack: rename an audio layer by adding "guitar" to its name - then guitar fingering will be displayed as well.

After conversion to MIDI, you can transfer the project to your favorite DAW and keep working. Assign Kontakt library to MIDI tracks and experiment with VST plugins - and you'll end up with an entirely unique track.

By default, RipX utilizes the GPU for note detection, but if the GPU is busy, it seamlessly switches to the CPU - convenient, right?

Tips for writing lyrics

If you decide to write your own lyrics instead of relying on a lyric generator like Suno's, here are some useful tips. These techniques can turn your idea into something really memorable and inspiring.

Have you ever wondered why some songs catch your attention instantly while others just pass by? It's often because of these techniques:

• Define the song's theme and target audience and which emotions it should evoke - joy, sadness, nostalgia etc.

• Find the “hook” — a bright lyrical phrase that captures attention from the very first listen. Often (but not always), the hook is the song's title.

• Add a dramatic arc: a development from a calm beginning, to a climax, and an emotional resolution.

• Symbolism and metaphors are important. They make lyrics more complex. Instead of "I'm sad," try "Rain taps on my window like a heartbeat." Do you feel the difference?

• Use repetition. It's a key ingredient to memorability. The repeated phrases reinforce the mood and help the listeners remember the core moments of the song.

• Develop elements. In repeated choruses or verses, add small changes to keep the listener engaged—each section tells a little bit more every time, as if it were a story.

• Add a bridge to intensify the emotion before the chorus.

• Use sonic texturing techniques, like alliteration and assonance, to make lyrics sound more musical and unified.

• Look at literature. Lists of literary devices and rhetorical figures always provide a source of fresh inspiration.

• Keep it believable. Even if it's fantasy, emotions should be genuine and understandable.

• Experiment with perspective. Tell a story from different points of view—first person, observer, or object's point of view.

• The first line is key. It should immediately pull the listener into the story.

• Seek inspiration in art. Films, paintings, books - even video games can spark great ideas.

If you follow these recommendations, who knows, maybe your song will be the next big hit. Now, open your laptop and start creating.

Use cases for songs and music created in Suno

Music for video games

Music made by Suno is great for indie game projects, including mobile games. Thanks to its fast generation, it's an irreplaceable source of original and high-quality work for indie developers.

Demo songs and lyric ideas for a band

The ReMi model is a gem for musicians. With the right prompts, it can generate lyrics that sound and look like real hits. Once you get a result, you can fine-tune it in the studio, and then include them in your album. The inspiration is always there.

Background music for videos

Planning to upload videos on Rutube and other platforms? SUNO can help you with creating ideal background music. Instrumental mode is particularly useful: it allows you to generate a lot of background tracks that are ready for editing.

Music for social media stories

The tracks generated by this neural network are perfect for musical accompaniment to your stories on social media platforms such as Telegram and VK. Simply specify in the prompt "Write a song / music for stories where..." and then describe the events in the video.

A song for a celebration

With Suno, you can create an original song for a holiday or celebration to highlight the event's mood. For example, you could ask the model to write a fun congratulatory song mentioning names and the special occasion. This is a perfect way to make your celebration even more memorable!

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Thank you very much for reading. See you in the comments! (‑: