Suno AI Prompts: Metatags and Terms for Music

Effective Prompts for Suno AI: Structure and Terms for Pro Music Generation

Suno AI uses two separate fields for track creation: Style for genre, tempo, and instruments, and Lyrics for text with structure markup. Style sets the arrangement, while Lyrics controls vocals and composition. Mixing content between fields leads to unpredictable results.

In Style, list terms separated by commas: genre, tempo, vocals. Example: upbeat allegro pop, female vocals, summer vibe. This lays the foundation for the sound.

Metatags in Lyrics: Basic Structure

Square brackets [] act as commands to divide the track into sections. Without them, Suno generates a chaotic mess.

Core sections:

• [Intro] — intro
• [Verse] — verse
• [Pre-Chorus] — pre-chorus
• [Chorus] — chorus
• [Bridge] — bridge
• [Hook] — hook
• [Outro] — outro

Instrumental breaks:

• [Instrumental Interlude] — instrumental break
• [Break] — rhythmic pause
• [Guitar Solo] — guitar solo
• [Synth Solo] — synth solo
• [Drop] — EDM drop
• [Build Up] — build-up

Vocal controls:

• [Rap Verse] — rap verse
• [Spoken Word] — spoken word
• [Whisper] — whisper
• [Choir] — choir

Round brackets () are for backing vocals or instructions: (O-o-o) or (fade out with piano).

Full Prompt Example

Style:

upbeat allegro pop, female vocals, summer vibe

Lyrics:

[Intro]
(soft piano melody starts, building up)

[Verse 1]
Sun on my skin, I feel so free,
Cruising the coast in a convertible.

[Pre-Chorus]
The ocean calls to me...

[Chorus]
We're dancing till dawn!
(O-o-o)
Everything's gonna be alright!

[Guitar Solo]

[Bridge]
Slow down... take a breath...

[Outro]
(fade out with piano)

This structure delivers predictable generation with smooth transitions.

Style Terms: Tempo and Dynamics

Suno responds better to classical music terms than raw BPM numbers.

Tempo:

• Adagio (66–76 BPM) — slow
• Andante (76–108 BPM) — moderate
• Allegro (120–168 BPM) — fast
• Presto (168–200 BPM) — very fast

Dynamics:

• Crescendo — building intensity
• Diminuendo — fading out
• Forte — loud
• Piano — soft
• Staccato — sharp and detached
• Legato — smooth and connected

Example: crescendo into powerful chorus — chorus starts soft and builds to full power.

Stable Genres and Instruments

Reliable genres:

• Pop, Rock, Metal
• R&B, Soul
• EDM, House, Techno
• Lo-fi, Ambient
• Acoustic, Cinematic, Funk

Instruments and effects:

• Acoustic guitar
• Synthesizer, Synthwave
• Strings, Brass
• Heavy bass, Distortion
• Reverb, Echo, Vinyl Crackle

Vocals:

• Falsetto, Belting
• Autotune, Melismatic
• A Cappella

Stick to 3–4 terms in Style. More reduces accuracy.

Proven combos:

• slow adagio ballad, male vocals, piano, emotional
• cyberpunk synthwave, dark, heavy bass, presto
• lo-fi chill hop, vinyl crackle, sparse, mellow
• cinematic orchestral, crescendo, epic, strings and brass

Suno AI Limitations

The model doesn't support:

• Precise chord progressions (e.g., Am → F → C → G)
• Section timing (solo length)
• Consistent voice across generations
• Professional mastering (needs post-processing: normalization, EQ)

For pro use, pair with a DAW.

Key Takeaways

• Use [] metatags for structure and () for backups — that's your control key.
• Limit Style to 3–4 terms: genre + tempo + vocals/instruments.
• Favor terms like allegro over BPM for better results.
• Test stable genres (pop, EDM); skip jazz/classical.
• Polish output in an audio editor for final polish.

— Editorial Team