7 Suno Tips Every Beginner Should Know Right Now

Whether you just discovered Suno or you’ve made a handful of songs and want better results, you’re in the right place. Suno is one of the most powerful AI music tools available today — but like any creative tool, a little know-how goes a long way. Here are 7 tips that will help you make better songs faster, starting with your very next generation.

1. Switch to Custom Mode as Soon As Possible

   When you first open Suno, it offers a simple text box where you describe the song you want — this is called Simple Mode. It’s great for a quick first try, but Custom Mode is where the real magic happens. In Custom Mode, you get separate fields for your Style (the genre, instruments, and mood) and your Lyrics (the actual words of the song). This separation gives you far more control over how your song sounds and what it says. Most experienced Suno users live in Custom Mode — make it your home base.

2. Be Specific in Your Style Prompt

   One of the most common beginner mistakes is writing a vague style description like “pop song” or “something upbeat.” The more specific you are, the better your results will be. Instead of “pop song,” try something like: “upbeat indie pop, jangly electric guitar, female vocals, 120 BPM, 80s nostalgia feel.” Mention the genre, the instruments you want to hear, the vocal type, the mood, and even the tempo if you have one in mind. Think of it like giving directions — the more detail you provide, the more likely Suno is to take you exactly where you want to go.

3. Use Structure Tags in Your Lyrics

   Suno understands special labels called metatags — short tags you put in brackets inside your lyrics to tell it what each section should be. The most useful ones for beginners are [Intro], [Verse], [Chorus], [Bridge], [Guitar Solo], and [Outro]. Just place them on their own line before the lyrics for that section. Without these tags, Suno might produce something that feels disjointed or repetitive. With them, your songs will have the kind of structure you’d expect from a real, professionally arranged track.

4. Avoid Naming Specific Artists — Describe the Sound Instead

   It’s tempting to write “make it sound like Taylor Swift” or “in the style of The Beatles,” but Suno doesn’t respond well to artist names — and it can actually produce worse results when you use them. Instead, describe what you love about that artist’s sound. For example, instead of naming a country artist, try: “warm acoustic guitar, storytelling lyrics, soft female vocals, heartland country, gentle fiddle.” You’ll often get a result that captures the spirit of what you were imagining without the confusion.

5. Iterate — Your First Song Is Just the Starting Point

   Don’t expect your first generation to be perfect. Suno is designed for iteration — meaning you generate a song, listen, tweak your prompt, and generate again. Each version you create teaches you something about what works. Most users find that their third or fourth attempt is dramatically better than the first. You can also use Suno’s Extend feature to add new sections (like a bridge or outro) to a song you already like, or the Replace Section tool to fix just one part without regenerating the whole track. Think of it as sculpting, not printing.

6. Try the Covers Feature to Reimagine Your Songs

   One of Suno’s most exciting recent features is Covers — and it’s a game-changer for beginners and experienced users alike. You can take any song (including ones you created in Suno) and transform it into a completely different genre or style while keeping the original melody intact. Imagine your acoustic folk song reimagined as a cinematic orchestral piece, or your pop ballad turned into an 80s synth track. Covers cost the same as a standard song generation (10 credits), so it’s a great way to explore creative directions without starting from scratch.

7. Use the Free Plan Strategically

   Suno’s free plan gives you 50 credits per day, and each song generation costs 10 credits — so that’s 5 songs per day at no cost. That’s actually quite generous! To make the most of it, don’t spend all 5 generations on the same idea. Instead, try experimenting with different genres or styles across your daily credits. You’ll learn much faster by exploring variety than by repeatedly tweaking one prompt. And if you find a song you love, use the Extend feature (also 10 credits) to build it out further rather than generating something completely new.

Suno is one of those tools that rewards curiosity — the more you explore, the better your songs get. Try one or two of these tips on your next session and see what a difference they make. We’ll be back each week with more tips, tricks, and creative ideas to help you get the most out of AI music creation. Happy generating!