Text-to-audio

30Prompting the AI model

What is text-to-audio?

31Overview

1Text-to-audio is how you communicate with the Stable Audio models via text.

2The generative AI model will output audio based on the natural language instructions you give it.

3The Stable Audio model performs best when you give it musical descriptions based on genre, sub-genre, mood and instrument type.

4 The input text is called a ‘prompt’.

Text prompt

32Prompts

Below are a few basic tips on how to prompt Stable Audio. We’ve broken the prompt down into four sections.

With Stable Audio, you describe the audio you want with your text prompt, and the generative model creates an audio output for you. This is what works for us - we encourage you to experiment and find out what works for you!

Essential Elements

If you have something specific in mind, include it. Adding genre, style, tempo (BPM), overall mood and a title (if desired) works particularly well.

For example, a detailed prompt might look something like this:

A Deep House festival anthem at 125 BPM, titled Dream Walker, with euphoric and uplifting mood

Set the mood

When including detail on the mood you want, try using a combination of musical and emotional terms. Use clear, descriptive emotional terms:

Primary emotion: euphoric instead of happy

Secondary emotions: melancholic instead of sad

Energy level: soaring instead of energetic

Atmosphere: mystical instead of weird

For example:

The mood is euphoric and beautiful, with melancholic undertones creating emotional depth

Choose instruments and sounds

Primary Sound Sources

Describe the key instruments or sounds. Adding main instruments and sounds, supporting elements, texture elements and rhythm components works well

For example:

Featuring lush synthesizers, textured percussion, atmospheric pads, deep bass

Set the BPM

Setting the beats per minute is a great way to ensure your output is the tempo you want, and can help keep it in time. The key here is to try to stick to BPM settings that are appropriate to the genre you’re generating.

For example, if you were generating a Drum and Bass track, you might want to add 170 BPM to your prompt.

Text-to-audio examples:
Full instrumentals

33Audio examples

Use Stable Audio to generate full musical audio encompassing a range of instruments. Include as much detail as you can!

Soulful Boom Bap Hip Hop instrumental, Solemn effected Piano, SP-1200, low-key swing drums, sine wave bass, Characterful, Peaceful, Interesting, well-arranged composition, 90 BPM

Trance, Ibiza, Beach, Sun, 4 AM, Progressive, Synthesizer, 909, Dramatic chords, Choir, Euphoric, Nostalgic, Dynamic, Flowing

Post Rock, echoing electric guitars with chorus, well recorded drum-kit, Electric Bass, occasional soaring harmonies, Moving, Epic, Climactic, 125 BPM

Nu-Disco, funky emotional Piano, lush string quartet, well layered Drum Machine, well-arranged composition, funky G-Funk bass, Synthersizers, Modern, Club-orientated, 115 BPM

Synthpop, Big Reverbed Synthesizer Pad Chords, Driving Gated Drum Machine, Atmospheric, Moody, Nostalgic, Cool, Club, Striped-back, Pop Instrumental, 100 BPM

Post-Rock, Guitars, Drum Kit, Bass, Strings, Euphoric, Up-Lifting, Moody, Flowing, Raw, Epic, Sentimental, 125 BPM

Ambient Techno, meditation, Scandinavian Forest, 808 drum machine, 808 kick, claps, shaker, synthesizer, synth bass, Synth Drones, beautiful, peaceful, Ethereal, Natural, 122 BPM, Instrumental

Warm soft hug, comfort, low synths, twinkle, wind and leaves, ambient, peace, relaxed, water

Lofi hip hop beat, chillhop

Disco, Driving Drum Machine, Synthesizer, Bass, Piano, Guitars, Instrumental, Clubby, Euphoric, Chicago, New York, 115 BPM

Cyberpunk, Country Instrumental, Synthwave

Ambient house, 808 drum machine, 808 kick, claps, shaker, synthesizer, synth bass, modern, futuristic, Dancy, Euphoric, 125 BPM

Calm meditation music to play in a spa lobby

3/4, in 3, 3 beat, guitar, drums, bright, happy, claps

Cinematic synthwave

Trip Hop, drum kit, bass, electric guitar, bass guitar, synthesizer, cool, moody, atmospheric, dreamy, groovy, introspective, thoughtful, beautiful, well-arranged composition, expansive, epic, 85 BPM

Pop, pop-electronic, ballad, billboard, drum machine, bass, lush synthesizer pads, synthesizer arp, synth bass, percussion, honest, heart-felt, melancholic, vibe, cool, modern, atmospheric, well-arranged composition, 115 BPM