Guide for generating AI music with ElevenLabs. Genres, moods, duration, prompt techniques.
Use /pocket-knife:elevenlabs-music to generate original music from text descriptions.
The skill sends a text prompt to ElevenLabs and returns an MP3 file. Duration range is 3–600 seconds. The model interprets musical intent from natural language — genre, tempo, mood, instrumentation, and energy all affect the result.
[Genre] + [Instrumentation] + [Tempo] + [Mood/Energy] + [Optional: context or era]
Examples:
| Goal | Prompt |
|---|---|
| Background for a product video | "ambient electronic, soft synth pads, slow tempo, calm and professional" |
| Podcast intro | "upbeat jazz piano trio, medium tempo, friendly and warm, short intro feel" |
| Action scene |
"orchestral cinematic, full brass and strings, fast tempo, intense and dramatic" |
| Lofi study music | "lofi hip hop, mellow piano, dusty drums, slow BPM, relaxed and nostalgic" |
| Retail/background | "acoustic pop, light guitar strumming, cheerful, moderate tempo, no lyrics" |
| Genre | Key descriptors to include |
|---|---|
| Classical | orchestral, strings, piano, chamber, symphonic |
| Electronic | synth, EDM, house, techno, ambient, bass |
| Jazz | piano trio, upright bass, brushed drums, swing, bebop |
| Cinematic | orchestral, emotional, score, epic, tension, swell |
| Folk/Acoustic | acoustic guitar, fingerpicking, warm, storytelling |
| Hip Hop | drums, bass, lofi, sample-based, beat |
Low energy: calm, peaceful, ambient, meditative, soft, quiet, relaxed
Medium energy: friendly, warm, uplifting, moderate, balanced, professional
High energy: intense, epic, dramatic, powerful, driving, fast-paced, urgent
| Use case | Recommended duration |
|---|---|
| Social media clip | 15–30 seconds |
| Podcast intro/outro | 10–20 seconds |
| Short video background | 30–60 seconds |
| Full background track | 60–180 seconds |
| Extended ambient loop | 180–600 seconds |
Set duration with the DURATION parameter (in seconds). The API accepts 3–600 seconds.
Marketing video background:
Prompt: "corporate pop, light electric guitar, upbeat, moderate tempo, optimistic, no lyrics"
Duration: 60 seconds
Podcast intro:
Prompt: "jazzy piano, short intro stab, energetic, 5 seconds, punchy"
Duration: 10 seconds
Horror/suspense:
Prompt: "dark ambient, dissonant strings, slow build, tense, eerie atmosphere"
Duration: 30 seconds
Children's content:
Prompt: "playful ukulele, xylophone, happy and fun, bouncy tempo, kids music"
Duration: 30 seconds
"piano, upright bass, brushed snare" beats just "jazz""fast tempo, high energy" is clearer than "fast""70s funk", "80s synth pop", "90s grunge""seamless loop" or "circular ending" to the promptAfter generating music, combine with:
/pocket-knife:elevenlabs-tts — add narration over the music track in your editing software/pocket-knife:elevenlabs-dialogue — produce a podcast script with music as background