After generating thousands of AI music tracks, I've learned something that most people miss: the prompt is 90% of the result. The same AI model can produce a forgettable loop or a track that gives you chills—it all depends on how you ask.
Here are the 10 techniques that have consistently produced the best results for me.
1. Lead with Genre and Mood
Always start your prompt with the genre and emotional tone. This anchors the entire generation.
Weak:
Music with guitars and drums
Strong:
Melancholic indie folk with fingerpicked acoustic guitar
and brushed snare drum
The AI needs to know the emotional landscape before it can place instruments properly.
2. Describe Instruments with Adjectives
Don't just list instruments—describe how they sound. "Piano" is generic. "Warm, reverb-heavy piano with gentle sustain" paints a picture.
Compare these:
- "Drums" → "Tight, punchy drums with crisp hi-hats and a deep kick"
- "Synth" → "Shimmering analog synth pad with slow filter sweep"
- "Bass" → "Deep sub-bass with subtle distortion and rhythmic pulse"
Every adjective narrows the AI's creative space in a good way.
3. Reference Tempo Without Being Rigid
Instead of exact BPM (which some models ignore), use descriptive tempo words:
| Description | Approximate BPM |
|---|---|
| Slow, meditative | 60-70 |
| Relaxed, laid-back | 75-90 |
| Moderate groove | 95-110 |
| Upbeat, energetic | 120-135 |
| Fast, driving | 140-160 |
| Intense, aggressive | 165+ |
A relaxed, laid-back R&B groove with smooth vocals
and a gentle head-nodding tempo
4. Set the Scene
One of my favorite tricks: describe a scene and let the AI create the soundtrack.
Music for driving alone on an empty highway at 2 AM.
Nocturnal electronic vibes with distant pads, subtle
bass pulses, and a sense of solitary peace.
This works because the AI can map visual/emotional concepts to musical ones.
5. Use the "Era + Style" Formula
Combining a time period with a genre creates remarkably specific results:
- "1970s psychedelic rock" → fuzzed guitars, analog warmth
- "Late 90s trip-hop" → Portishead-esque atmosphere
- "Modern cinematic orchestral" → Hans Zimmer-style epicness
- "80s synthwave" → retro synths, gated reverb drums
Late 80s synthwave with pulsing arpeggiated synths,
gated reverb snare, and nostalgic neon-lit energy
6. Describe Musical Structure
Tell the AI how the track should progress:
Start with a soft piano intro for 10 seconds,
then build gradually with strings and light percussion,
reaching an emotional climax with full orchestral arrangement
before fading back to solo piano
Words like "build," "drop," "transition," "fade," and "climax" give the AI structural direction.
7. Use Negative Prompting
Specify what you DON'T want. This is surprisingly effective:
Warm acoustic folk song with fingerpicked guitar and
gentle harmonies. No electric instruments, no drums,
no heavy bass. Keep it organic and intimate.
8. Reference Cultural Context
Instead of technical descriptions, reference cultural touchstones:
Background music for a Japanese zen garden documentary.
Peaceful, contemplative, with traditional instruments
blended with ambient electronic textures.
Or:
Epic trailer music for a fantasy adventure film.
Massive orchestral hits, choir, and thundering
percussion building to a heroic climax.
9. Layer Your Description
Think in layers—like a music producer would:
Foundation: Deep, warm sub-bass with a four-on-the-floor kick
Rhythm: Crisp hi-hats with syncopated shaker patterns
Melody: Dreamy electric piano riff with subtle chorus effect
Atmosphere: Spacious reverb with occasional vinyl crackle
Mood: Late-night deep house, intimate and groove-driven
This layered approach gives the AI a complete mix to work with.
10. Keep It Focused (The 40-Word Rule)
After all these techniques, here's the most important one: don't overdo it. The sweet spot for most AI music models is 30-50 words. Beyond that, the model starts ignoring or conflicting on details.
Pick 3-4 of these techniques per prompt, not all 10.
The Perfect Prompt Formula:
[Genre + Mood] + [2-3 Key Instruments with Adjectives] +
[Tempo/Energy] + [One Scene or Structure Detail]
Example:
Dreamy ambient electronic with shimmering synth pads
and gentle arpeggios, soft distant vocals as texture,
slow meditative pace, like floating through clouds
at golden hour
Practice Makes Perfect
The best prompt writers develop their skill through iteration. Generate a track, listen critically, adjust your prompt, and generate again. Within a dozen tries, you'll develop an intuition for what language maps to what sounds.
Start with a genre you know well—you'll have a better ear for whether the AI nailed it. Then branch out into new territory.
Your prompt is your instrument. Learn to play it well.
