Suno says you can start a song from a MIDI file by dropping a .mid or .midi file on Create and describing what it should do. Suno lists three uses: play the notes as written, develop the top-line motif, or play the material on different instruments. The prompts below are our own and untested at scale, so treat them as starting points. MIDI is for Pro and Premier subscribers.
Prepare the file
- Keep the idea short and clear: a melody or chord loop of 8 to 16 bars gives the model less to misread.
- Name the job in your prompt. Say whether the file is a melody, chords or a full arrangement.
- Decide how literal you want to be before you write the prompt.
Strict: keep my notes
Play the notes and chords in the MIDI exactly as written. Arrange for solo piano and soft strings, warm and slow, like a film end-credits piece.Loose: develop the motif
Use the top-line melody of the MIDI as a motif only. Develop it into a full song with a second section and a bridge. Upbeat indie pop, live drums, bright guitars.Reorchestrate
Keep the same melody but play it on a string quartet, then add a cello countermelody. Intimate, dry recording, no drums.Troubleshooting
- Too much changed: add “exactly as written” and name the instruments.
- Too stiff: switch to “use as a motif” and describe the mood and structure.
- Lyrics: add them separately if you want vocals; see how to write AI music prompts.
Also see Suno Studio Chat prompts and the Suno page.