Article 1 — Plan, Prompt & First Draft with Suno V4.5 Plus

Why Start Here?
Every song begins with an idea you can describe in words. Suno V4.5 Plus transforms those words into music. But AI music is only as good as the instructions you feed it. If your input is vague, the result will sound vague. If your input is clear, you’ll be amazed at how precise and professional the output feels.

This first article is about laying the foundation. By the end, you’ll know:

• How to plan your song like a producer.
• How to write your first prompt and paste it into the right field.
• How to choose Freestyle vs. Custom lyrics depending on where you’re starting from.
• How to generate and use your first draft so it becomes the clay you’ll sculpt into a finished song.
• How to attach a theme (Christmas, Halloween, Thanksgiving, or otherwise).
• How to build from inspiration when you don’t yet know exactly what you want.

Step 1 — Plan Your Song (The Foundation)

Before typing anything into Suno, you need to decide the shape of your song. This step separates beginners from builders. Think of it as drawing the map before you start the journey.

1. Start With Emotion

Music is emotion turned into sound. If you don’t define the emotion, Suno has no compass.

• Ask: What do I want the listener to feel?
• Examples: joy, nostalgia, reverence, peace, excitement, fear, courage.
• Pick one or two emotions only. More than that will dilute the focus.

2. Choose a Genre (and Sub-Genre)

Suno follows genre cues extremely well — but only if you’re specific.

• Weak: "pop" → Strong: "acoustic reggae-folk with gospel choir"
• Weak: "EDM" → Strong: "uplifting house EDM with tropical percussion"

The more specific the label, the more accurate the result.

3. Pick Core Instruments

Don’t overwhelm the system with every instrument you can think of. Choose 2–4 signature instruments that define your style. Suno will fill in the rest.

• Example: acoustic guitar, upright bass, soft strings
• Example: 808 drums, piano, sleigh bells

4. Outline the Structure

Songs need movement. Tell Suno how you want it to flow.

• Standard map: Intro → Verse → Chorus → Verse → Chorus → Bridge → Chorus → Outro
• If that feels like too much, simplify: a calm intro, a high-energy chorus, and a smooth ending.

Teaching takeaway: Plan with emotion, genre, instruments, and structure. These four choices are the producer’s blueprint. Without them, Suno is guessing. With them, it’s collaborating.

Step 2 — Write Your Prompt (Style of Music)

In the Suno interface, you’ll see a field called "Style of Music." That’s where your blueprint goes. Think of it as your producer’s note to the AI.

Fill-in template:

Create a [genre + subgenre] track with [core instruments].
The mood should be [emotion].
Start with [intro idea], build to [chorus idea], include [bridge/solo idea].
Vocal style should feel [tone/persona].
Keep the structure [dynamic/minimal/anthemic/etc.].

Example prompt:

Create a pop ballad with piano and soft strings.
The mood should be nostalgic and uplifting.
Start with a gentle piano intro, build to a bright chorus with layered vocals, include a string bridge.
Vocal style should feel warm and sincere.
Keep the structure dynamic.

This is exactly what you paste into Style of Music. When you click Generate, Suno will create two versions based on this prompt.

Demo Song Example: Listen to my Jack Righteous instructional track. I built this demo using the same 4-step process you’re learning now. It proves that a simple, well-written prompt is enough to spark a usable draft.

Jack Righteous Theme Song (Teaching Style)

Prompt (for Style of Music field):

Create an acoustic reggae-folk track with acoustic guitar, deep basslines, and thumping 808s.
The mood should be empowering, warm, and faith-driven.
Start with a gentle acoustic intro, build to a chorus that teaches 4 clear steps, add a bridge that reminds the listener to put God’s love first.
Vocal style should feel inclusive and soulful, blending reggae storytelling with gospel warmth.
Keep the structure uplifting and easy to follow.

Lyrics (teaching the 4 steps):

[Verse 1]
Step one — feel the spirit, choose the sound you need,
Step two — write your vision, let the prompt plant the seed.
Step three — bring your lyrics, make the story true,
Step four — hear the draft, let God’s love shine through.

[Chorus]
We plan it, we write it,
We sing it, ignite it,
From the first draft’s fire,
To the song that inspires.

[Bridge]
Don’t fear the rough beginning, every seed must grow,
God’s love in the rhythm, let the whole world know.

Step 3 — Freestyle or Custom Lyrics?

Now you decide how words enter the song. Suno gives you two paths:

• Freestyle Mode
  • You only provide the Style of Music prompt.
  • Suno generates both music and placeholder lyrics.
  • Great if you’re testing vibes or don’t have lyrics ready.
• Custom Mode
  • You paste your own lyrics into the lyrics field.
  • Suno fits them into the melody.
  • Essential if you want ownership, personal storytelling, or theme-specific lines.

How to Format Custom Lyrics

Always mark sections clearly and keep lines 6–12 syllables for natural pacing.

[Verse 1]
Words here...

[Chorus]
Words here...

Need help writing lyrics? Use my Righteous Lyrics Lab. You can also use your own GPTs or write by hand — writing manually is best if you plan to file for copyright.

Step 4 — Generate and Use Your First Draft

Here’s the most important mindset shift: Your first draft is not the finished song. It’s your clay.

Step 4A — Pick Your Path

• If you already have lyrics and a style: use Custom Mode. Paste lyrics + prompt, and let Suno set them to music.
• If you’re starting blank: use Freestyle Mode. Suno will invent placeholder lyrics, giving you something to react to.

Step 4B — Listen with Purpose

• Does it carry the emotion you planned?
• Is the genre/instrumentation recognizable?
• Do the lyrics/vocals fit the mood, even if clumsy?

Choose the stronger of the two versions.

Step 4C — Capture & Label

1. Save it as SongName_V1.
2. Write notes:
   • "Intro strong, chorus weak."
   • "Bassline nailed, vocals unclear."
   • "Mood right, lyrics generic."
3. These notes become your map for editing in the next article.

Teaching takeaway: The value of the draft isn’t polish — it’s potential. Your job is to spot what to keep and what to fix.

Step 5 — Make It Your Theme

Now that you’ve built your first draft, it’s time to personalize it into your theme.

1. Revisit emotion: Does it match your theme? If not, rewrite your prompt with the right mood words (joyful, playful, thankful, reverent).
2. Add theme imagery to lyrics: Even in Freestyle, you can guide Suno by including words like "holiday choir," "harvest table," or "lantern-lit night."
3. Check your notes: If something feels generic, mark it down to replace with theme-specific language in later edits.

Example: If you’re aiming for a Christmas theme, you don’t need sleigh bells yet — but you do need to check whether the draft feels joyful, warm, and reverent. Later articles will show you how to add those seasonal colors.

Step 6 — Build from Inspiration (Tribute Example: Leonard Cohen)

What if you don’t know what your theme should be yet? Sometimes you only know: "I want it to feel like…" That’s enough. Suno can use influences as a launchpad — as long as you frame it as a tribute, not a copy.

My Leonard Cohen Tribute Example

For my Christmas season work, I wanted something in the spirit of Leonard Cohen’s "Hallelujah" — but I wasn’t going to do a cover. Instead, I built a tribute song that honors Cohen’s mood and storytelling while staying 100% original.

Style of Music prompt used:

Compose a heartfelt acoustic folk classic built around intimate baritone vocals, recorded close to the microphone so every breath feels confessional.
The delivery should be steady and reverent, carrying weight without over-singing, more like a prayer than a performance.
Acoustic guitar is fingerpicked in a gentle 12/8 sway, leaving open space between notes.
A soft piano supports with sparse chords, and an organ pad or subtle string layer blooms only in the choruses to lift the emotional weight.
The tempo is unhurried, around the pace of a hymn sung by candlelight, with dynamics that rise naturally from hushed verses into fuller but never overwhelming choruses.
Backing voices should be faint, almost like a distant choir, swelling at key moments to suggest communal reverence.
The overall mood is sacred and reflective, bittersweet yet tender, balancing doubt and devotion.
Production should feel raw, spacious, and timeless — like a hymn carried on winter air, meant for stillness and awe.
Important: This is an original tribute inspired by Leonard Cohen’s style, not a copy. Do not use any existing melodies or lyrics.

Lyrics (Acoustic Jack Persona):

[Verse 1]
I wrestled midnight by the stream
The frost was heavy, the stars were clear
I carried still a fractured dream
Yet felt a song draw faint and near

[Chorus]
Carry me, Mercy, through the night
Show me a hymn to guard the light
When all I have is silence near
Carry me, Mercy, carry me here

[Verse 2]
A table waits with bread and flame
The manger holds a fragile fire
Between devotion, doubt, and shame
I hear a carol climb the choir

[Chorus]
Carry me, Mercy, through the night
Show me a hymn to guard the light
When all I have is silence near
Carry me, Mercy, carry me here

[Bridge]
I do not ask the sky to part
A single star will be enough
Write Your command upon my heart
And teach these bones a patient love

[Chorus]
Carry me, Mercy, through the night
Show me a hymn to guard the light
When all I have is silence near
Carry me, Mercy, carry me here

Listen: Carry Me, Mercy (Jack Righteous tribute example)

Teaching takeaway: If you don’t know your theme yet:
1) Choose an artist or song that inspires you.
2) Describe its qualities (not its exact lyrics or melody).
3) Add your own theme or message.
4) Frame the prompt as a tribute, not a reproduction.
5) Use a Persona that supports the vocal mood.

Workspace Tip

Keep every project in a workspace folder:

• /Prompts for Style of Music text files
• /Lyrics for drafts and revisions
• /Audio for each version export

Label files clearly (for example, SongName_V1, SongName_Lyrics_V1.txt). Your creative trail stays intact.

Series Preview — What’s Next

1. Edit & Polish — Replace, In-Song Edit, Extend, and Remaster.
2. Lyrics Deep Dive — Structure, flow, and seasonal lyric packs.
3. Personas — Matching your song to the right voice.
4. Remix & Cover — Flip your track into new genres.
5. Instrumentals, Loops & Scenes — Create alternates for socials and mobile.
6. Organize & Release — Version control, naming, and publishing prep.

By the end, you’ll have a complete seasonal song toolkit: from raw draft to polished release.

Next: Article 2 — Edit & Polish. We’ll take that first draft and show you how to reshape it section by section, without ever starting over.