Prompt academy · free

Write song prompts that work

Six short lessons, about 16 minutes in all. Each one has a weak prompt, a strong prompt and why the strong one sounds better. Then try it in the song maker.

6 lessons76 languagesTry each one free

1. The 4-part song prompt

3 MIN

Who it is for: a name and how you know them.
The story: two or three real details only you know.
The feeling and the style: “warm acoustic”, “upbeat pop”.
The language, and a male or female voice if you care.

Weak

A birthday song for my sister

Strong

An upbeat pop birthday song for my sister Maya, who is turning 30, loves her cat Biscuit and still steals my hoodies. Fun and warm, female voice, English.

Why: Real names and small details are what make a song sound like it was written for one person.

Try the strong prompt

2. Describe a style without naming an artist

3 MIN

Name the genre and, if it matters, the era: “90s R&B”, “modern Afrobeats”.
Name two or three instruments: “fingerpicked guitar, soft strings”.
Give the tempo and energy: “slow and dreamy”, “fast, made for dancing”.
Describe the voice: “raspy male voice”, “bright female choir”.

Weak

A song that sounds like a famous singer

Strong

A slow 90s R&B love song with warm electric piano, soft drums and a smooth male voice, building to a big final chorus.

Why: Prompts that name real artists can be rejected, and a description gives the music model more to work with anyway.

Try the strong prompt

3. Songs in 76 languages

2 MIN

Pick the song language in the language menu, even if you write the prompt in English.
Write names and special words the way they are spelled in that language.
For your own lyrics, write them in the language’s own script: Arabic in Arabic script, Hindi in Devanagari.
Want two languages? Say which part is in which: “verses in Spanish, chorus in English”.

Weak

Make it in Urdu or something

Strong

A romantic Urdu song for my wife Ayesha on our 5th anniversary, about the rainy day we met in Lahore. Soft and slow, with a male voice.

Why: The language menu sets the singing language; the prompt sets the story.

Try the strong prompt

4. Writing your own lyrics

4 MIN

Label the parts: [Verse], [Chorus], [Bridge]. Put the chorus in twice.
Keep lines short, about 6 to 10 syllables, so they are easy to sing.
Make the chorus the simplest part: one idea, said in a few words.
Leave the lyrics box empty and SongUp AI writes them from your idea.

Weak

One long paragraph with no breaks and no chorus

Strong

[Verse] You kept the porch light on for me Through every late and lonely year [Chorus] Thank you, Mama, thank you For the light that brought me here

Why: Labels tell the music where the melody should lift. A repeated chorus is what people remember.

Try the strong prompt

5. Hum to Song: start from a melody

2 MIN

Hum or whistle one clear tune for 5 to 20 seconds, in a quiet room, close to the mic.
Humming with your lips closed (“mmm”) is heard most clearly.
Pick a music style: a band records a backing in your key and tempo, and your melody plays on top.

Weak

Humming quietly over music playing in the background

Strong

A clean 15-second “mmm” hum of your chorus, close to the phone, then the Pop or Acoustic style.

Why: The tool writes down the notes it can hear clearly; background music and long recordings confuse it.

Open Hum to Song

6. When a song comes out wrong

2 MIN

Wrong mood? Change one style word at a time, so you know what helped.
A name sung oddly? Spell it the way it sounds: “Sha-NEE-ka”.
Too busy? Ask for fewer instruments: “just piano and voice”.
A song that did not come out right is remade free once.

Weak

Changing everything at once and trying again

Strong

Same prompt, one change: “slower, just piano and a soft female voice”.

Why: Small, single changes teach you what each word does to the music.

Keep learning

Questions

What makes a good AI song prompt?

Four things: who the song is for, two or three real details, the feeling and style, and the language. Specific details make the song sound personal; style words shape how it sounds.

Can I name a famous singer in my prompt?

No. Prompts that name real artists or well-known songs can be rejected. Describe the genre, era, instruments, tempo and voice instead.

Do I have to write my own lyrics?

No. Leave the lyrics box empty and SongUp AI writes lyrics from your idea. If you write your own, label the parts with [Verse] and [Chorus].

Which languages can SongUp AI sing in?

76 languages, including English, Spanish, Arabic, Hindi, Urdu, Bengali, French, Portuguese, Indonesian, Turkish and Korean.

Put a lesson to work

Write your prompt with the 4 parts and hear the difference. Then enter it in this month’s song contest.

Open the song maker This month’s contest

Limited-time offer Commercial license included

Your song on every platform · Pro for $1

Make it today, release it on Spotify, Apple Music, YouTube and TikTok. Commercial license included.

Create a song

No track to work on? Make one from scratch.

Type an idea or your own lyrics and SongUp AI composes the whole song — music and vocals. Your first one is free.

Create a song