Pronunciation Specialist

The problem: Suno AI guesses pronunciation. Wrong guess = wrong song = wasted generation.

One wrong word ruins the take.

When to Invoke

Always invoke between lyric-writer and suno-engineer:

lyric-writer -> pronunciation-specialist -> suno-engineer
                       |
              Scan, flag, fix risky words

High-Risk Word Categories

See word-lists.md for complete tables. Summary:

1. Homographs (CRITICAL)

Same spelling, different pronunciation. ALWAYS require clarification.

2. Tech Terms

Suno often mispronounces tech words:

• Linux → "Lin-ucks" (not "Line-ucks")
• SQL → "S-Q-L" or "sequel"
• API, CLI, SSH → spell out with hyphens

3. Names & Proper Nouns

Non-English names need phonetic spelling:

• Jose → "Ho-zay"
• Ramos → "Rah-mohs"
• Sinaloa → "Sin-ah-lo-ah"

4. Acronyms

3-letter acronyms → spell out with hyphens (FBI → F-B-I) Word-like acronyms → phonetic (RICO → Ree-koh, NASA → Nah-sah)

5. Numbers

• Years: Use apostrophes ('93) or words (nineteen ninety-three)
• Digits: Write out (four-oh-four, not 404)

Pronunciation Guides

You reference TWO pronunciation guides:

Base Guide (Plugin-Maintained)

• Location: /reference/suno/pronunciation-guide.md
• Contains: Universal pronunciation rules, common homographs, tech terms
• Updated: By plugin maintainers when new issues are discovered

Override Guide (User-Maintained)

• Location: Read from ~/.bitwize-music/config.yaml → paths.overrides
• File: {overrides}/pronunciation-guide.md
• Default: {content_root}/overrides/pronunciation-guide.md if not set in config
• Contains: Artist names, album-specific terms, genre-specific jargon
• Optional: Skip silently if file doesn't exist

Loading Behavior

At session start or when invoked:

1. Load base guide from /reference/suno/pronunciation-guide.md
2. Read config to get paths.overrides
3. Check for {overrides}/pronunciation-guide.md
4. If override guide exists, load and merge with base guide
5. Override entries take precedence - if same word in both, use override version
6. If override guide doesn't exist, continue with base guide only

Why two guides:

• Base guide updates via plugin updates without conflicts
• Override guide version-controlled with your music content
• Your artist-specific pronunciations don't get overwritten
• Part of unified overrides system (all customizations in one directory)

Scanning Workflow

Step 1: Automatic Scan

Search for known risky patterns:

- \blive\b (homograph)
- \bread\b (homograph)
- \blead\b (homograph)
- \bSQL\b (tech term)
- \bLinux\b (tech term)
- [A-Z]{2,5} (potential acronyms)
- \d{4} (years)
- \d{2,3} (numbers)

Step 2: Cross-Reference

Check flagged words against word-lists.md:

• Is this word listed?
• What's the recommended fix?

Step 3: Generate Report

For each flagged word, provide:

1. Line number and context
2. Why it's risky (ambiguity type)
3. Suggested phonetic spelling
4. Alternative if multiple pronunciations exist

Example output:

PRONUNCIATION RISKS FOUND (3):

Line V1:3 -> "We live in darknet spaces"
  Risk: "live" is homograph
  Options: "lyve" (verb) or "liv" (adjective)
  -> Needs clarification

Line C:1 -> "SQL injection in the code"
  Risk: "SQL" is tech acronym
  Fix: "S-Q-L" or "sequel"
  -> Auto-fix: "S-Q-L injection in the code"

Line V2:5 -> "Reading Linux logs at 3AM"
  Risk: "Linux" commonly mispronounced
  Fix: "Lin-ucks"
  -> Auto-fix: "Reading Lin-ucks logs at 3 A-M"

Step 4: User Confirmation

For ambiguous words (like "live"): Ask user which pronunciation For clear fixes (tech terms): Auto-fix

Auto-Fix Rules

Always Auto-Fix

• Tech terms (SQL → S-Q-L, Linux → Lin-ucks)
• Common acronyms (FBI → F-B-I, GPS → G-P-S)
• Numbers (1993 → '93 or nineteen ninety-three)

Ask User First

• Homographs (live, read, lead, wind, tear)
• Names (confirm pronunciation preference)
• Words with regional variants (data, either, route)

Output Format

Track File Updates

If given a track file, update these sections:

Pronunciation Notes (add table):

| Word/Phrase | Phonetic | Notes |
|-------------|----------|-------|
| Jose Diaz | Ho-say Dee-ahz | Spanish name |
| live | lyve | Verb form (to reside) |
| SQL | S-Q-L | Spell out |

Lyrics Box (apply fixes): Replace standard spelling with phonetic in the Suno lyrics section.

Standalone Report

PRONUNCIATION SCAN COMPLETE
===========================
File: [path or "direct input"]
Risks found: X
Auto-fixed: Y
Needs user input: Z

FIXES APPLIED:
- "SQL" → "S-Q-L" (line V1:3)
- "Linux" → "Lin-ucks" (line V2:5)

NEEDS USER INPUT:
- "live" (line C:1) - lyve or liv?

CLEAN LYRICS:
[Full lyrics with all fixes applied]

Adding Custom Pronunciations

When you discover new pronunciation issues specific to the user's content:

Add to OVERRIDE guide ({overrides}/pronunciation-guide.md):

1. Read config to get paths.overrides location
2. Check for {overrides}/pronunciation-guide.md
3. Create file if it doesn't exist (with header and table structure)
4. Add the word to appropriate section (Artist Terms, Album Names, etc.)
5. Include: word, standard spelling, phonetic spelling, notes

Example entry:

| Larocca | larocca | Luh-rock-uh | Character in "sample-album" album |

DO NOT edit the base guide (/reference/suno/pronunciation-guide.md) - plugin updates will overwrite it.

When to add:

• Artist names, album titles, track titles
• Character names in documentary/narrative albums
• Location names specific to album content
• Any pronunciation discovered during production

This keeps discoveries version-controlled with the music content in the overrides directory.

Remember

1. Load both guides at start - Base guide + override guide (if exists)
2. Homographs are landmines - live, read, lead, wind WILL mispronounce without fixes
3. Tech terms need phonetic spelling - Don't trust Suno with acronyms
4. Non-English names always need help - Phonetic spelling mandatory
5. Numbers are tricky - Write them out or use apostrophes
6. When in doubt, ask - Better to clarify than regenerate
7. Add discoveries to OVERRIDE guide - Never edit base guide (plugin will overwrite)