Session Notation — Song Prompting

Core Rules

Separation

• Direction goes in [...]
• Lyrics/spoken text goes as plain lines — never inside brackets

Vocal Direction vs Lyrics

• Good: [Vocal: lead, spoken, close mic, intimate] followed by a lyrics line
• Bad: [Lead (spoken...)] ("Lyric text here...") — lyrics hidden in brackets

Bars Are the Backbone

• Use 1–2 bar phases per section (e.g. Bars 1–4, Bars 5–8)
• Place targeted hits: bar 8 tape-stop
• Default is 4/4; bars count per section unless marked "Song bars …"

Hit Points (Exact Sync)

For precise synchronization (instrument starts exactly on a beat / FX hits exactly on a word):

• Beat anchors: "downbeat 1", "& of 3", "beat 4", "bar 8"
• Word anchors: "on word: ..." (the word appears in lyrics, not in [...])

Priorities Over Overload

Per section, aim for:

• 1 pocket/drum rule
• 1 layer change
• 1 transition/FX accent
• (optional) 1 hit point

User Inputs to Gather

If not provided, ask briefly:

• Style direction: 1–2 lines — subgenre, vibe, references, instrument colors
• Lyrics: complete lyrics or at least hook + themes/keywords
• Target platform (Suno / Udio / other) and desired prompt density (minimal / mid / full)
• Genre, tempo (BPM), optional key, meter, swing/groove
• Song structure: Intro / Verse / Pre / Hook / Bridge / Outro + repeat counts
• Vocal: language, persona/voice, proximity, delivery (spoken/sung/rap), harmony plan
• Sound world: room/texture, width, energy curve
• Motifs: 1–3 recurring signatures (reverse vox tail, 808 glide, fill pattern)
• Content boundaries: clean/explicit, themes, no-gos

Output Format (Always the Same)

Produce a copy-paste-ready prompt:

1. Header (Song DNA) as [...] tags
2. Timeline: per section 2–6 tag lines + lyrics
3. Motifs block (optional but recommended)

One tag per line for stability. Use | for parallel info.

Accuracy Note

Numbers like −12 dB, 120% width, retune 15 ms express intention/feeling, not guaranteed engine precision. When unsure, prompt relatively: "very quiet", "wider", "subtle pump".

Prompt Length Budget

Intensity Vocabulary

Instead of measurements, use this scale:

• subtle: barely audible, "just a feeling"
• medium: clearly audible but not dominant
• hard: obvious effect/move

Workflow

1. Define core DNA in 8–15 header tags (genre, BPM, drums, bass, instruments, vocal, space/texture, feel)
2. Create sections (Intro / Verse / Pre / Hook / Bridge / Outro)
3. Per section:
   • Pocket/drums rule + bar phases
   • Layer change (e.g. Rhodes in, hats out)
   • Transition/FX (e.g. riser, tape-stop, reverse tail)
   • Vocal direction (e.g. close mic, mantra hook, harmony stack)
   • Hit points (optional): "on-the-beat" events via beat/word anchors
4. Define motifs (what recurs each hook)
5. Write/format lyrics: clear hook phrasing, intentional repetition, never in [...]
6. Sanity check: no contradictory mix instructions, bar refs make sense per section, max 3–5 priorities per section

Common Mistakes

• Lyrics in [...] → interpreted as direction. Always write lyrics as plain text.
• Unclear bar counting → mark "Bars 7–8 (of this section)" when ambiguous.
• Too many simultaneous goals → stick to 1–2 dominant moves per section.

Templates

Minimal (fast but controlled)

[Title: "..."]
[Style: ... | Tempo: ... BPM | Key: ...]
[Drums: ...]
[Bass: ...]
[Vocal: ...]
[Space/Texture: ...]
[Motif: ...]

[Intro — set tone]
[Bars 1–4: ...]

[Verse 1 — restrained]
[Bars 1–4: ...]
[Bars 5–8: ...]
<LYRICS>

[Hook — mantra]
[small lift | harmony note]
<LYRICS>

[Bridge — breakdown]
[4 bars: ...]
<LYRICS>

[Final Hook — lift]
[fuller stack | subtle fills]
<LYRICS>

[Outro — fade]
[drums mute last 2 bars | tail]

Mid-Detail (Sweet Spot)

• 2–4 tag lines + 1 vocal line + 1 FX/transition line per section
• Bar phases: typically Bars 1–4 / Bars 5–8

Full-Detail (Maximum Direction)

• Precise header (BPM, swing, kit character, atmosphere level)
• Hooks with repeatable micro-rules (kick busy bars, ghost notes, bar-8 hit)
• Dedicated motifs block at the end

Building Blocks

For concrete copy-paste blocks, see references/LIBRARY.md — covers drums, bass, instruments, vocals, mix, FX, automation, negative space, hit points, mixing basics, and ready-made recipe blocks.