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Suno AI Prompts: A Comprehensive Guide

· 7 min read

Suno AI has revolutionized music creation, allowing anyone to generate unique songs with just a few clicks. But to truly unlock its potential and transform your creative vision into compelling audio, mastering the art of prompting is key. Your prompts are the instructions you give the AI, guiding everything from genre and mood to song structure and specific sounds.

Whether you're a beginner taking your first steps or an experienced user looking to refine your results, this comprehensive guide will walk you through everything you need to know about crafting effective Suno AI prompts.

Concerned about copyright? Check out our Suno AI Music Copyright Guide to ensure you understand the legal aspects of AI-generated music.

1. The Foundation: Basic Prompting​

Every Suno creation starts with a prompt. You have two main ways to begin:

  • Simple Mode (Song Description): This is the quickest way to start. Simply type a natural language description into the "Song Description" field (e.g., "upbeat 80s synth-pop song about summer vacation"). Suno will interpret this and generate lyrics and music. You can also toggle "Instrumental" if you don't want vocals. Great for fast ideas!
  • Custom Mode: For more control, toggle "Custom" mode On. This reveals separate fields:
    • Lyrics: Input your own lyrics or use Suno's AI lyric generators (including the ReMi model for potentially edgier results).
    • Style of Music: Define the genre, mood, instrumentation, and overall sound.
    • Title: Give your song a name.

Custom mode is where the real power of detailed prompting lies.

New to Suno? Check out our Creating Your First Suno AI Song: A Beginner's Guide for detailed getting started instructions.

2. Crafting the Perfect "Style of Music" Prompt​

This field is crucial for defining the sonic identity of your song. Be descriptive!

  • Combine Elements: Don't just list one genre. Mix genres, moods, instruments, and descriptive terms. Use commas to separate distinct ideas (e.g., Gothic, Alternative Metal, Ethereal Female Voice, atmospheric synths).
  • Be Specific: Instead of just Rock, try 90s grunge rock, distorted guitars, heavy drums, angst-filled male vocals.
  • Consider Tempo & Key (Experimental): While not officially guaranteed, users sometimes include tempo (e.g., 120 BPM) or key (e.g., in A minor) in the style prompt, though results may vary.

3. Unleashing Control with Metatags in Lyrics​

Metatags are powerful directives, usually placed within square brackets [ ] inside the Lyrics field (in Custom Mode), that give Suno specific instructions about song structure, instrumentation, vocals, dynamics, and even sound effects.

  • Structure: Define sections clearly.
    • Examples: [Intro], [Verse], [Pre-Chorus], [Chorus], [Bridge], [Guitar Solo], [Outro]
  • Vocals & Instruments: Specify what should be heard and how.
    • Examples: [Female Vocal], [Whispering Vocals], [Screaming Vocals], [Male Gospel Choir], [Acoustic Guitar Strumming], [Heavy Drum Fill], [Synth Lead]
  • Dynamics & Intensity: Guide the energy level.
    • Examples: [Starts Quietly], [Increase Intensity], [Crescendo], [Drop], [Fade Out], [End]
  • Sound Effects (Experimental): Add non-musical sounds. Place these within the lyrics where you want them.
    • Examples: [Applause], [Birds Chirping], [Phone Ringing], [Thunder Clap], [Gunshots] (Use asterisks like *gunshots* sometimes works too, experiment!).

Want to extend your Suno songs? Check out our How to Extend Suno AI Songs guide to learn how to use structure tags to create longer pieces.

Example Structure using Metatags in Lyrics:

[Intro]
[soft piano melody]

[Verse 1]
[gentle female vocals]
Rainy days and lonely nights...
Watching shadows dance in pale moonlight...

[Chorus]
[powerful vocals, full band enters]
But I'll find my way through the storm!
Yeah, I'll keep my spirit warm!

[Guitar Solo]
[epic distorted guitar]

[Outro]
[Fade Out]
[Piano melody returns softly]

4. Advanced Prompt Optimization Techniques​

Take your prompts to the next level with these community-discovered strategies:

  • Letter Case Matters: Experiment with capitalization in the Style of Music prompt. A common approach:
    • ALL CAPS for primary genres (e.g., ROCK)
    • Title Case for descriptors (e.g., High Energy, Melancholic Mood)
    • lower case for specific instruments (e.g., acoustic guitar, synth bass) This hierarchy can influence how Suno prioritizes elements.
  • Detailed Prompts via Lyrics: If the "Style of Music" field feels limiting, put a detailed breakdown in the Lyrics field using a structure like <SONG_DETAILS> [...] </SONG_DETAILS> and reference it in the Style prompt (e.g., SEE <SONG_DETAILS> IN LYRICS).
  • Excluding Elements: Use the official "Exclude Styles" feature (in Custom Mode) or try negative prompts within brackets like [no drums] or [no male vocals] to prevent unwanted elements.
  • Specifying Chords (Experimental): Some users try adding chord names like (Am) or [Am] before lyric lines to influence the harmony, though results can be unpredictable (the AI might sing the chord name!).
  • Keywords for Specific Effects: For genres like Trap, placing keywords (e.g., Jack Spratts Trap) at the very top of the lyrics box before any structural tags might cause the AI to creatively weave them throughout the track.

Need to process vocals and instruments separately? Learn more about Suno AI Stems Guide for professional tips on isolating and optimizing tracks.

5. Prompting for Specific Models & Genres​

  • Model Variations: Different Suno models (v2, v3, v3.5, v4) respond differently. V3 might handle complex genre blends well, while v3.5 and v4 might be more responsive to structural metatags and offer higher fidelity. Experiment to see which model best suits your prompt style.
  • Genre Challenges: Suno excels at some genres (like Trap, Lo-fi, Pop) but can struggle with others (complex EDM, specific metal subgenres, certain non-English languages). If you're tackling a challenging genre, be extra specific, repeat key terms (e.g., Drum and Bass, Drum and Bass), and experiment heavily. For Hip Hop/Rap, try specifying regional styles (Memphis trap, West Coast gangsta rap) or accents, though success varies.

Exploring more music genres? Check out our Suno Music Genre Guide for detailed prompts for specific styles.

6. Troubleshooting Common Prompt Issues​

  • Ignored Prompts: If Suno seems to ignore parts of your prompt, try rephrasing, simplifying, or changing the model. Ensure tags are correctly formatted [like this].
  • Lyrical Clichés: AI can overuse phrases ("echoes," "whispers," "rise above"). While prompting can't entirely eliminate this (it's tied to training data), being specific about themes and explicitly asking not to use certain clichés in your instructions (if using an external tool like ChatGPT to generate lyrics first) might help.
  • Weird Endings / Looping: Use [End], [Fade Out], or [Outro] tags explicitly to signal the desired conclusion. If looping occurs, manually trim the audio or try extending from an earlier point.

Encountering weird endings? Check out our How to Fix Suno AI Weird Endings and Transitions guide to solve common music quality issues.

Experimentation is Key​

Mastering Suno AI prompts is an ongoing journey, not a fixed formula. The AI is constantly evolving, and what works best can change. The most important advice is to experiment constantly.

Try different structures, combine techniques, use detailed descriptions, leverage metatags, and don't be afraid to generate multiple versions. By carefully crafting your prompts, you move from being a passive user to an active collaborator with the AI, guiding it to create music that truly resonates with your artistic intent. Now go forth and prompt your next masterpiece!

Ready to publish your music? Learn about How to Monetize Suno AI Songs and Suno Music Distribution Guide to start your music career.

Want to improve audio quality? Explore our Improve Suno AI Music Quality with Free Tools guide to learn professional post-processing techniques.