Suno V5 Prompts

2. BPM

Always include a specific number. Suno respects BPM fairly well.

3. Key (optional but useful)

Specify if you care about harmonic content or plan to layer/stitch multiple generations. Use standard notation: "C minor", "Eb major", "F# minor".

Minor keys = darker, more tense. Major keys = brighter, more euphoric.

4. Instruments

Name 3-5 specific instruments. This is one of the most powerful levers. Don't say "synths" — say which synths.

• Generic: "synths, drums, bass"
• Specific: "analog Juno pads, 303 acid bassline, chopped amen breaks, sub bass"

Suno responds to instrument-specific vocabulary:

• "Rhodes piano" ≠ "grand piano" ≠ "honky-tonk piano"
• "reese bass" ≠ "sub bass" ≠ "303 acid bass" ≠ "fuzz bass"
• "gated reverb snare" ≠ "tight dry snare" ≠ "brushed snare"

5. Mood / Emotion

Use 2-3 adjectives that describe the feeling, not the sound.

• "melancholic but hopeful"
• "tense, building, cathartic release"
• "playful, irreverent, slightly chaotic"

Avoid vague superlatives: "epic", "amazing", "cool" mean nothing to the model.

6. Production / Mix Cues

• "clean mix, clear instrument separation"
• "lo-fi, warm tape saturation, vinyl crackle"
• "wide stereo, heavy reverb, spacious"
• "dry, punchy, in-your-face, compressed"

7. Exclusions (Negative Prompts)

Use "no [element]" format. Keep to 2-3 max — too many can hollow out the arrangement.

• "no vocals, no singing, no humming, no choir"
• "no autotune"
• "no EDM drops"

Consult references/genre-examples.md for full style prompt examples across genres.

Structure Field: Section Tags

Place tags in square brackets on their own line. These define the arrangement.

Standard Tags

[Intro], [Verse], [Pre-Chorus], [Chorus], [Bridge],
[Instrumental Break], [Outro]

Extended Tags

[Build], [Drop], [Breakdown], [Ambient Break], [Climax],
[Fade Out], [Hook], [Solo], [Half-time], [Double-time]

Performance Tags (placed before or within sections)

[Whispered], [Belted], [Spoken Word], [Building], [Powerful], [Gentle]

Structure Field: Instrumental Tracks

For instrumentals, replace lyrics with either parenthetical descriptions or punctuation patterns.

Parenthetical descriptions (more reliable)

[Intro]
(sparse piano, single notes, large reverb, building tension)

[Chorus]
(full arrangement, all instruments, maximum energy, anthemic)

[Outro]
(instruments drop out one by one, ending on sustained piano chord)

Punctuation patterns (less predictable, can force instrumental passages)

[Build]
.. .! . .. ! .
. ! .. .

[Drop]
!! .! !! .! !! .! !! .!

Dynamic Arcs

The biggest difference between a forgettable AI track and a compelling one is dynamic arc — the track needs to go somewhere.

In the Style Prompt

Describe the journey: "Dynamic arc: quiet ambient intro building to full-intensity peak, then graceful breakdown"

In the Structure Field

Think in energy percentages:

[Intro]        — 10% energy
[Verse 1]      — 30% energy
[Pre-Chorus]   — 50% energy
[Chorus]        — 80% energy
[Bridge]       — 20% energy (contrast!)
[Final Chorus] — 100% energy
[Outro]        — 15% energy

Reinforce with parenthetical cues:

[Bridge]
(strip everything back, just vocals and a single instrument, quiet, vulnerable)

Vocal Prompting

In the Style Prompt

Specify register, tone, and delivery:

• "Male baritone, warm, slightly raspy, restrained emotion"
• "Female alto, breathy, intimate, close-mic feel"

In the Structure Field

[Verse 1]
[Whispered] In the silence of the night
[Building] I feel you pulling me close
[Belted] AND I WON'T LET GO

Tips:

• ALL CAPS text tends to be sung louder/more intensely
• Short lines = punchier delivery, longer lines = more flowing
• Hyphens extend words: "lo-ove", "sooo-long"

Multi-Section Stitching

For longer or more complex pieces, generate each section separately and stitch in Suno Studio or a DAW.

Keep consistent across all prompts:

• BPM (exact same number)
• Key
• Core instrument list
• Production style descriptors

Change between sections:

• Energy descriptors
• Which instruments are active
• Mood adjectives

Iteration Strategy

1. Start rough. Short style prompt, basic structure. Generate 3-4 takes. Listen for the right feel.
2. Identify what's working. Note which elements sound right.
3. Refine one variable at a time. "dark" → "ominous" → "foreboding" each give different shadings.
4. Use negative prompts to fix problems. If unwanted elements appear, add targeted exclusions.
5. Generate 4-6 takes of your final prompt. Pick the best.
6. Use Suno Studio for surgery. Region editing to regenerate just a bad section.

Common Pitfalls

• Too many words. Crisp phrases beat long prose. "Warm analog synth pads, wide stereo" > "I want the synth pads to sound warm and analog, spread across the stereo field."
• Contradictory instructions. "Aggressive, calm" confuses the model. Put contrast in the arc, not a single descriptor.
• Overloading exclusions. More than 3-4 negatives can hollow out the output.
• Ignoring structure. A style prompt alone gives formless sound. Section tags give it shape.
• Expecting exact reproduction. Suno interprets, it doesn't execute literally. Curate from multiple takes.
• Using artist names. Suno blocks them. Instead describe the sonic qualities: "Radiohead" → "experimental art-rock, complex time signatures, atmospheric guitars, falsetto vocals, melancholic beauty."