6 tips for prompting Lyria 3 in the Gemini app

With Lyria 3, Google DeepMind’s latest generative music model, creativity is simpler. You can use Lyria to come up with your own original 30-second tracks using text, photos or even videos. To try Lyria 3, select the “create music” option when you’re in the Gemini app, then enter your prompt. You can choose from a template, ask for specific lyrics, genres, instruments and beyond. Here are a few tips for prompting Lyria 3.

1. Begin with text

You can write a prompt to create unique tracks with lyrics or instrumentals, like: “Create a track about my favorite meal my mom used to make. It was made of rice, plantains and beans. Use an Afrobeats vibe and the singer should sound West African.” Or turn any moment, topic or inside joke into tracks. For example: “Create a '90s skate punk rock track to tell my roommate Ryan to wash the dishes; high energy, fast drums.”

2. Upload an image or video

With Lyria, you can also upload a visual as inspiration. Try holiday snaps, photos of your dog or even your own artwork. Depending on who or what’s in the image or video, what they’re wearing, what’s in the background and so on, Lyria will generate a musical match.

3. Define the genre and era

If you don't know where to begin, start with something basic. Lyria can cover plenty of genres and eras, like ‘90s hip-hop or 2000s pop. You can even blend different genres within one song. Do you want a catchy K-pop tune with a Motown edge? Or should you merge classical violins into a funk track? It’s up to you.

4. Add details like instruments, song dynamics and vocals

If you start with a genre and era like “1950s jazz,” your track will likely feature saxophones and trumpets. But you can add other instruments, like an ‘80s synth, to round out your sound. If you don’t specify instruments, Lyria will automatically choose instruments to suit the genre. You can also determine how music flows between sections. Maybe a quiet piano builds into an explosive chorus; perhaps there’s a purely instrumental section. Lyria can generate vocals, too: You can specify whether the vocalist is male or female, whether they’re a baritone or soprano — or maybe you have a full choir. Try adding vocal descriptions, like rich, gravelly, soulful or breathy. Or see how you can layer different vocal styles together. Maybe the vocals get calmer and quieter as the track progresses, or split into harmonies.

5. Write your own lyrics — or ask Lyria to handle it

Share your own lyrics by using the code “Lyrics:” before the lines you’d like to hear (since tracks are 30 seconds, try keeping your lyrics short and sweet!). If you want background singers to echo the main vocals, add that in parentheses, like this: “Lyrics: Let’s go (go).” Or if you want Lyria 3 to generate lyrics for you, choose a clear theme with your prompt. You might want “a love song” or “a song about success.” Or perhaps you want to write a “new happy birthday song” for your best friend.

6. Share your tracks

You can easily share whatever you create with Lyria 3: Just download your track as an MP3 or MP4, then share it to social media sites or send via text. It’s sure to bring a new element to the group chat — try it today.