ACE-Step Songwriting Guide

Professional music creation knowledge for writing captions, lyrics, and choosing music parameters for ACE-Step.

Output Format

After using this guide, produce two things for the acestep skill:

Caption (-c): Style/genre/instruments/emotion description
Lyrics (-l): Complete structured lyrics with tags
Parameters: --duration, --bpm, --key, --time-signature, --language

Caption: The Most Important Input

Caption is the most important factor affecting generated music.

Supports multiple formats: simple style words, comma-separated tags, complex natural language descriptions.

Common Dimensions

Dimension	Examples
Style/Genre	pop, rock, jazz, electronic, hip-hop, R&B, folk, classical, lo-fi, synthwave
Emotion/Atmosphere	melancholic, uplifting, energetic, dreamy, dark, nostalgic, euphoric, intimate
Instruments	acoustic guitar, piano, synth pads, 808 drums, strings, brass, electric bass
Timbre Texture	warm, bright, crisp, muddy, airy, punchy, lush, raw, polished
Era Reference	80s synth-pop, 90s grunge, 2010s EDM, vintage soul, modern trap
Production Style	lo-fi, high-fidelity, live recording, studio-polished, bedroom pop
Vocal Characteristics	female vocal, male vocal, breathy, powerful, falsetto, raspy, choir
Speed/Rhythm	slow tempo, mid-tempo, fast-paced, groovy, driving, laid-back
Structure Hints	building intro, catchy chorus, dramatic bridge, fade-out ending

Caption Writing Principles

Specific beats vague — "sad piano ballad with female breathy vocal" > "a sad song"
Combine multiple dimensions — style+emotion+instruments+timbre anchors direction precisely
Use references well — "in the style of 80s synthwave" conveys complex aesthetic quickly
Texture words are useful — warm, crisp, airy, punchy influence mixing and timbre
Don't pursue perfection — Caption is a starting point, iterate based on results
Granularity determines freedom — Less detail = more model creativity; more detail = more control
Avoid conflicting words — "classical strings" + "hardcore metal" degrades output
- Fix: Repetition reinforcement — Repeat the elements you want more
- Fix: Conflict to evolution — "Start with soft strings, middle becomes metal rock, end turns to hip-hop"
Don't put BPM/key/tempo in Caption — Use dedicated parameters instead

Lyrics: The Temporal Script

Lyrics controls how music unfolds over time. It carries:

Lyric text itself
Structure tags ([Verse], [Chorus], [Bridge]...)
Vocal style hints ([raspy vocal], [whispered]...)
Instrumental sections ([guitar solo], [drum break]...)
Energy changes ([building energy], [explosive drop]...)

Structure Tags

Category	Tag	Description
Basic Structure	`[Intro]`	Opening, establish atmosphere
	`[Verse]` / `[Verse 1]`	Verse, narrative progression
	`[Pre-Chorus]`	Pre-chorus, build energy
	`[Chorus]`	Chorus, emotional climax
	`[Bridge]`	Bridge, transition or elevation
	`[Outro]`	Ending, conclusion
Dynamic Sections	`[Build]`	Energy gradually rising
	`[Drop]`	Electronic music energy release
	`[Breakdown]`	Reduced instrumentation, space
Instrumental	`[Instrumental]`	Pure instrumental, no vocals
	`[Guitar Solo]`	Guitar solo
	`[Piano Interlude]`	Piano interlude
Special	`[Fade Out]`	Fade out ending
	`[Silence]`	Silence

Combining Tags

Use - for finer control, but keep it concise:

✅ [Chorus - anthemic]
❌ [Chorus - anthemic - stacked harmonies - high energy - powerful - epic]

Put complex style descriptions in Caption, not in tags.

Caption-Lyrics Consistency

Models are not good at resolving conflicts. Checklist:

Instruments in Caption ↔ Instrumental section tags in Lyrics
Emotion in Caption ↔ Energy tags in Lyrics
Vocal description in Caption ↔ Vocal control tags in Lyrics

Vocal Control Tags

Tag	Effect
`[raspy vocal]`	Raspy, textured vocals
`[whispered]`	Whispered
`[falsetto]`	Falsetto
`[powerful belting]`	Powerful, high-pitched singing
`[spoken word]`	Rap/recitation
`[harmonies]`	Layered harmonies
`[call and response]`	Call and response
`[ad-lib]`	Improvised embellishments

Energy and Emotion Tags

Tag	Effect
`[high energy]`	High energy, passionate
`[low energy]`	Low energy, restrained
`[building energy]`	Increasing energy
`[explosive]`	Explosive energy
`[melancholic]`	Melancholic
`[euphoric]`	Euphoric
`[dreamy]`	Dreamy
`[aggressive]`	Aggressive

Lyric Writing Tips

6-10 syllables per line — Model aligns syllables to beats; keep similar counts for lines in same position (±1-2)
Uppercase = stronger intensity — WE ARE THE CHAMPIONS! (shouting) vs walking through the streets (normal)
Parentheses = background vocals — We rise together (together)
Extend vowels — Feeeling so aliiive (use cautiously, effects unstable)
Clear section separation — Blank lines between sections

Avoiding "AI-flavored" Lyrics

Red Flag	Description
Adjective stacking	"neon skies, electric hearts, endless dreams" — vague imagery filler
Rhyme chaos	Inconsistent patterns or forced rhymes breaking meaning
Blurred boundaries	Lyric content crosses structure tags
No breathing room	Lines too long to sing in one breath
Mixed metaphors	Water → fire → flying — listeners can't anchor

Metaphor discipline: One core metaphor per song, explore its multiple aspects.

Music Metadata

Most of the time, let LM auto-infer. Only set manually when you have clear requirements.

Parameter	Range	Description
`bpm`	30–300	Slow 60–80, mid 90–120, fast 130–180
`keyscale`	Key	e.g. `C Major`, `Am`. Common keys (C, G, D, Am, Em) most stable
`timesignature`	Time sig	`4/4` (most common), `3/4` (waltz), `6/8` (swing)
`vocal_language`	Language	Usually auto-detected from lyrics
`duration`	Seconds	See duration calculation below

When to Set Manually

Scenario	Set
Daily generation	Let LM auto-infer
Clear tempo requirement	`bpm`
Specific style (waltz)	`timesignature=3/4`
Match other material	`bpm` + `duration`
Specific key color	`keyscale`

Duration Calculation

Estimation Method

Intro/Outro: 5-10 seconds each
Instrumental sections: 5-15 seconds each
Typical structures:
- 2 verses + 2 choruses: 120-150s minimum
- 2 verses + 2 choruses + bridge: 180-240s minimum
- Full song with intro/outro: 210-270s (3.5-4.5 min)

BPM and Duration Relationship

Slower BPM (60-80): Need MORE duration for same lyrics
Medium BPM (100-130): Standard duration
Faster BPM (150-180): Can fit more lyrics, but still need breathing room

Rule of thumb: When in doubt, estimate longer. A song too short feels rushed.

Note: Lyrics tags (piano, powerful, whispered) are consistent with Caption (piano ballad, building to powerful chorus, intimate).

acestep-songwriting