Advanced Songwriting: A Guide to Custom Mode

Ready to take the director's chair? "Custom" mode is for creators who want fine-grained control over their music. Unlike "Basic" mode, where you provide a single idea, "Custom" mode lets you separate the musical instructions from the lyrical instructions.

This is perfect if you have a specific sound in mind but want the AI to write lyrics, or if you've already written lyrics and need the perfect instrumental to match.

This mode has two key components: The Music Prompt and The Lyric Prompt.

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Part 1: Crafting the Perfect Music Prompt

The Music Prompt is your technical brief to the AI composer. It should be a comma-separated list of tags that describes the genre, mood, instrumentation, and overall sound. The more specific your tags, the better.

Music Prompt Tag Examples:

> Genre & Style Blends

> - `indie-pop, synthwave, dream-pop`

> - `folk-rock, blues-inspired, 70s rock`

> - `neo-soul, lo-fi hip-hop, jazz fusion`

> - `death metal, orchestral, symphonic metal`

> - `bossa nova, lounge, electronic`

> Instrumentation & Arrangement

> - `fingerpicked acoustic guitar, cello, light percussion`

> - `distorted 808 bass, triplet hi-hats, synth pads`

> - `string quartet, harpsichord, minimalist`

> - `wah-wah guitar, Hammond organ, groovy bassline`

> - `instrumental only, piano solo, orchestral swells`

> Vocal Style & Delivery

> - `breathy female vocal, ethereal, reverb-heavy`

> - `deep male spoken word, baritone, narrative`

> - `aggressive rap, fast flow, group ad-libs`

> - `operatic soprano, powerful, dramatic`

> - `whispered vocals, ASMR, close-mic'd`

> Production & Mix

> - `lo-fi production, vinyl crackle, tape hiss`

> - `heavily compressed, modern pop, polished`

> - `spacious reverb, wide stereo field, atmospheric`

> - `minimalist mix, dry vocals, sparse`

> - `wall of sound, layered guitars, dense arrangement`

Complete Music Prompt Examples:

- `power metal, 160 bpm, soaring male tenor vocal, fast guitar solos, double-bass drums, epic, fantasy theme`

- `lo-fi hip-hop, 90 bpm, instrumental, mellow, sampled vinyl crackle, jazz piano loop, rainy day vibe`

- `darkwave, post-punk, 130 bpm, baritone male vocal, chorus-effected bass, cavernous reverb, melancholic`

- `afrobeat, 110 bpm, danceable, upbeat, groovy, male vocal, horns section, intricate drum patterns, call-and-response`

- `industrial rock, 140 bpm, aggressive female vocal, distorted guitars, heavy bass, machine-like drums, dystopian theme`

- `orchestral ballad, 60 bpm, soaring female operatic vocal, grand piano, lush strings, emotional, dramatic build-up`

- `vintage jazz, 80 bpm, female scat vocal, upright bass, brushed drums, smoky saxophone solo, intimate club atmosphere`

- `orchestral fantasy, 100 bpm, no vocals, sweeping strings, heroic brass, driving percussion, epic, battle scene, cinematic`

- `reggae fusion, 90 bpm, male vocal, off-beat guitar, prominent bassline, bubbly synths, positive vibe, island feel`

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Part 2: Crafting the Lyric Prompt

Once your sound is defined, you have two ways to handle the lyrics.

Option A: Provide Full Lyrics

This is for when you are the lyricist. Write out your full song and use structural tags to guide the AI's arrangement. The AI will follow your map.

Key Tags: `[intro]`, `[verse]`, `[chorus]`, `[pre-chorus]`, `[bridge]`, `[outro]`. You can even add instrumental cues like `[guitar solo]` or `[drum break]`.

> Example:

>

> Music Prompt: `90s alternative rock, mid-tempo, angsty male vocal, distorted guitars, loud-quiet-loud dynamic`

>

> Lyric Prompt:

> ```

> [verse]

> The rain is tapping on the glass again

> Fills the silence, but I don't know when

> It all got so quiet in this room

> A garden of static in full bloom

>

> [chorus]

> And I'm fading out, in shades of gray

> Just a ghost in the noise of yesterday

> Yeah, I'm fading out, nothing left to say

>

> [guitar solo]

>

> [verse]

> Tracing patterns on a dusty screen

> Living life in a forgotten scene

> The colors bleed until they're all gone

> Trying to remember the break of dawn

>

> [chorus]

> And I'm fading out, in shades of gray

> Just a ghost in the noise of yesterday

> Yeah, I'm fading out, nothing left to say

>

> [outro]

> Fading out...

> In the static...

> Gone...

> ```

> Another Example:

>

> Music Prompt: `folk-rock, blues-inspired, 95 bpm, gravelly male vocal, harmonica solo, acoustic guitar dominant, campfire vibe`

>

> Lyric Prompt:

> ```

> [verse]

> Dust on my boots, miles on the road

> Every sunset, a story untold

> Headin' west, with the wind in my hair

> Leavin' behind, every worry and care

>

> [chorus]

> Oh, the highway calls, a siren's song

> Where I belong, where I belong

> Just me and my guitar, beneath the open sky

> Chasing the horizon, watchin' the world fly by

>

> [harmonica solo]

>

> [verse]

> Met a stranger, shared a warm fire

> Tales of old, fueled by the heart's desire

> We spoke of freedom, and the paths we chose

> Like desert flowers, where the wild wind blows

>

> [chorus]

> Oh, the highway calls, a siren's song

> Where I belong, where I belong

> Just me and my guitar, beneath the open sky

> Chasing the horizon, watchin' the world fly by

>

> [outro]

> Yeah, the world flies by...

> I'm home, on the road...

> ```

> Yet Another Example:

>

> Music Prompt: `industrial rock, 130 bpm, aggressive male vocal, distorted bass, heavy guitar riffs, tribal drums, dystopian`

>

> Lyric Prompt:

> ```

> [intro]

> (Sound of static and distant sirens)

>

> [verse]

> Walls of steel, skies of rust

> Another day, another turn to dust

> They feed us lies, they numb our minds

> Left the truth far, far behind

>

> [chorus]

> Break the chains, ignite the fire

> Resist the machine, reach ever higher

> No more shadows, no more fear

> The revolution starts right here

>

> [bridge]

> They built their towers, thought they were strong

> But a single spark can right what's wrong

> Hear the whispers, growing to a roar

> We won't be silent anymore

>

> [chorus]

> Break the chains, ignite the fire

> Resist the machine, reach ever higher

> No more shadows, no more fear

> The revolution starts right here

>

> [outro]

> (Feedback, crashing sounds, fading)

> ```

Option B: Describe the Lyrics

This is for when you're the composer/producer and want the AI to be your songwriter. Provide a clear, concise description of the lyrical theme.

> Example:

>

> Music Prompt: `upbeat synth-pop, 125 bpm, female vocal, retro 80s synths, danceable`

>

> Lyric Prompt: `Write optimistic and slightly nostalgic lyrics about the feeling of freedom during a summer night drive with friends.`

> Another Example:

>

> Music Prompt: `upbeat, tropical house, 120 bpm, male vocal, steel drums, gentle synth bass, beach party atmosphere`

>

> Lyric Prompt: `Write lighthearted lyrics about a spontaneous beach vacation, unexpected encounters, and enjoying the simple moments under the sun.`

>

> Yet Another Example:

>

> Music Prompt: `ambient electronic, 70 bpm, no vocals, shimmering synths, deep bass drone, subtle arpeggios, cosmic, ethereal`

>

> Lyric Prompt: `Describe a journey through deep space, focusing on the awe and solitude of exploring distant galaxies, with a sense of wonder and slight melancholy.`

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Final Tip: The Power of Combination

Custom mode shines when you combine a detailed music prompt with a well-defined lyric prompt. This level of control allows you to move beyond simple ideas and start producing truly unique and intentional art. Experiment with different combinations and happy creating!

Ready to begin your AI music generation journey? Sign up for a free trial and discover how TyTyAi can transform your creative processes.