This guide provides examples of the types of music and audio soundscapes that you can create using Lyria and shows you how to modify specific parts of a prompt to produce different results.
Prompt guide overview
To use Lyria, you must provide a prompt on of what you want Lyria to generate.
Lyria supports the following:
- Multimodal prompts, including support for image and text inputs
- Vocal generation for songs
- Audio generation
Safety filters
Lyria applies safety filters across Vertex AI to help ensure that generated audio doesn't contain offensive content or violate usage guidelines. For example, prompts that violate responsible AI guidelines are blocked. Lyria also includes recitation checking and artist intent checks.
If you suspect abuse of Lyria or any generated output that contains inappropriate material or inaccurate information, use the Report suspected abuse on Google Cloud form .
Basics for writing prompts
Good prompts are descriptive and clear. To get your generated music closer to what you want, start with identifying your core musical idea and then refine your idea by adding keywords and modifiers.
The following elements should be considered for your prompt:
- Genre & Style:The primary musical category (for example, electronic dance , classical , jazz , ambient ) and stylistic characteristics (for example, 8-bit , cinematic , lo-fi ).
- Mood & Emotion:The feeling that the music should evoke (for example, energetic , melancholy , peaceful , tense ).
- Instrumentation:Key instruments you want to hear (for example, piano , synthesizer , acoustic guitar , string orchestra , electronic drums ).
- Tempo & Rhythm:The pace (for example, fast tempo , slow ballad , 120 BPM ) and rhythmic character (for example, driving beat , syncopated rhythm , gentle waltz ).
- (Optional) Arrangement/Structure:How the music progresses or layers (for example, starts with a solo piano, then strings enter , crescendo into a powerful chorus ).
- (Optional) Soundscape/Ambiance:Background sounds or overall sonic environment (for example, rain falling , city nightlife , spacious reverb , underwater feel ).
- (Optional) Production Quality:Desired audio fidelity or recording style (for example, high-quality production , clean mix , vintage recording , raw demo feel ).
Examples of prompts and generated output
This section presents prompts and how the level of detail can affect the music.
Energetic electronic track
This example demonstrates using several elements in your prompt.
| Prompt | Generated output |
|---|---|
| An energetic (mood) electronic dance track (genre) with a fast tempo (tempo) and a driving beat (rhythm), featuring prominent synthesizers (instrumentation) and electronic drums (instrumentation). High-quality production (production quality). | Description: A 30-second instrumental track with a clear, punchy electronic sound, upbeat rhythm, and a focus on synth melodies and a strong drum presence. |
Evolving ambient soundscape
These examples demonstrate revising your prompt for more specific results.
| Prompt | Generated output | Analysis |
|---|---|---|
|
Ambient music with synthesizers.
|
Description: A basic ambient piece primarily using synth pads. The mood and structure are very general. |
This is the first generated audio based on a minimal prompt. |
|
A calm and dreamy (mood) ambient soundscape (genre/style) featuring layered
synthesizers (instrumentation) and soft, evolving pads
(instrumentation/arrangement). Slow tempo (tempo) with a spacious reverb
(ambiance/production). Starts with a simple synth melody, then adds layers
of atmospheric pads (arrangement).
|
Description: A more developed ambient track. The audio evokes a peaceful, dreamy state with clear synth layers building slowly. The spacious reverb enhances the atmospheric quality. |
A more detailed prompt results in music that is more focused, with a richer sonic environment and clear progression. |
More tips for writing prompts
The following tips help you write effective prompts for Lyria:
-
Be descriptive and specific:Use adjectives and adverbs to paint a clear sonic picture. The more detail, the better Lyria can understand your intent.
-
Reference genres, moods, and styles:Clearly state the musical category, desired feeling, and any stylistic characteristics.
-
Specify key instruments and rhythms:Mention important instruments and describe the desired pace and rhythmic feel.
-
Iterate and experiment:If the first result isn't perfect, modify your prompt by adding, removing, or changing keywords. See Introduction to prompting for general strategies.
Add more details to prompts
These examples show how to refine prompts by focusing on specific musical elements.
Genre & style
| Element Focus | Prompt | Generated output |
|---|---|---|
|
Genre and Style
|
A cinematic orchestral piece in a heroic, fantasy adventure style, with a grand, sweeping melody. | Description: Expect a full-sounding orchestral track with dramatic swells and a strong, memorable theme, reminiscent of a film score. |
Mood & Instrumentation
| Element Focus | Prompt | Generated output |
|---|---|---|
|
Mood and Instrumentation
|
A peaceful and serene acoustic guitar piece, featuring a fingerpicked style, perfect for meditation. | Description: A gentle, calming instrumental track featuring a solo acoustic guitar playing a simple, soothing melody. |
Tempo & Rhythm
| Element Focus | Prompt | Generated output |
|---|---|---|
|
Tempo and Rhythm
|
A tense, suspenseful underscore with a very slow, creeping tempo and a sparse, irregular rhythm. Primarily uses low strings and subtle percussion. | Description: An atmospheric piece designed to build tension, characterized by its slow pace, unsettling rhythmic elements, and dark string textures. |
Negative prompts
Negative prompts help specify elements to exclude from the music. Describe what you want to discourage the model from generating.
-
The API parameter is
negative_prompt. -
List elements to exclude, for example,
negative_prompt: "vocals, excessive cymbal crashes, distorted guitar".
| Prompt Scenario | Generated output |
|---|---|
| Prompt: "A calm, relaxing piano piece for studying." (Without negative prompt) |
Description: The piano piece is generally calm, but might include some unexpected louder dynamics or complex runs that could be distracting for study. |
| Prompt: "A calm, relaxing piano piece for studying." Negative Prompt: "complex melodies, loud dynamics, sudden changes, drums, vocals" |
Description: The resulting piano piece is consistently calm and simple, avoiding distracting elements. The mood is more even and suitable for background focus. |
Detailed structure
You can provide detailed prompts that describe the structure of a song to guide the music over multiple parts.
The following are parameters that you can use to generate detailed music structures:
-
Timestamps: Provide timestamps in
[mm:ss - mm:ss]format to dictate events in a piece. -
Song key: Describe the key that a segment of a song is set in. For example, A major.
-
Beat rate: Describe the desired beats per minute. For example, 150 BPM.
-
Intensity: Describe the intensity of a song segment. For example, Intensity: 1/10 (Very low).
The following is an example of a prompt with detailed structure to create a multi-part song:
Create a 60-second instrumental track at 80 BPM. The feeling is nostalgic,
introspective, and atmospheric - a warm, comforting melancholy with a soft,
minor-key feel. The sound should be centered around a warm, slightly overdriven
Fender Rhodes and soft, ethereal synth pads. The rhythm is a minimalist,
laid-back drum beat with a relaxed, human feel. Weave subtle atmospheric
textures, like soft static or room tone, through the entire track for texture.
[0:00 - 0:12] Intro: Begin atmospherically with just the Fender Rhodes
playing soft, hazy chords. Drench it in warm reverb and introduce a light
atmospheric texture. The mood is like a memory coming into focus. Intensity:
1/10 (Very Low)
[0:12 - 0:24] Verse 1: The laid-back drum beat enters with a simple kick and
snare. A soft, ethereal synth pad swells in the background. A clean, subtle
sub-bass joins, adding depth. The Rhodes melody becomes slightly more defined,
following a simple, melancholic progression. Intensity: 3/10 (Low)
[0:24 - 0:36] Build: The groove deepens as a gentle, syncopated hi-hat is added.
A simple, memorable lead melody appears, played on a warm, rounded synth. This
section should feel like the gentle peak of the track's focus, with a chord
progression that builds a sense of hopeful tension. Intensity: 5/10 (Medium)
[0:36 - 0:48] Chorus: Gracefully pull back the intensity. The synth lead melody
fades out, returning focus to the core Rhodes groove and the drums. This gives
the track space to breathe, resolving the tension from the build. Intensity:
4/10 (Medium-Low)
[0:48 - 1:00] Outro: The drums and bass drop out completely. The track fades out
leaving only the Rhodes playing spacious chords, the lingering synth pad, and
the persistent atmospheric texture. Intensity: 2/10 (Very Low)
