Suno, an AI-Powered Music Generation Tool

Explore ways that Suno can be used to create AI-generated music in the classroom.

Teaching in a Tech-Empowered Classroom
Grades K-12 8 min Resource by:
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While generative AI tools that produce text, images, and video tend to get the most attention in the media, AI audio generation is quickly developing popularity as well. Suno is one of the current leaders in this area, and it’s evolved significantly in the past year.

What is Suno, and how does it work?

In short, Suno is an AI music generation tool. You can access it online at suno.com or by downloading the phone app. On both platforms, users can generate fully produced songs that sound very professional. The songs can be instrumental only or accompanied with music and vocals. There are three plan tiers: Basic, Pro, and Premier. Currently, the Basic plan—which is free—lets you create 10 songs per day using standard features of the older version of Suno, and songs generated with this plan cannot be used commercially. For most school applications, the Basic plan should suffice.

How do I get started?

First, set up a free account at suno.com. Users must be at least 13 years of age, and those under 18 must also have parental permission. Be sure to check with, and adhere to, federal, state, and local guidelines before having students set up an account.

Once you’re signed up, you can begin to explore the two main modes: Simple and Custom.

Simple Mode

In this mode, you type in a description of the song that you want to create and click “Create.” It works well to type in both a topic and a description of the music style you desire. For instance, you might type, “Rock song about how great teachers are,” and then click “Create.” Suno will generate two versions of a full song for you, which you can either download or share with a link.

The more detail you add, the more influence you’ll have over the final production.

Because it’s so quick and easy, you can create songs at any time with very little effort. These songs could be used as rewards or for classroom celebrations.

This screen shot shows the simple generation interface where users type in a song description and then click "create."Custom Mode

While the songs produced in Simple Mode are fun, quick, and easy, using Custom mode allows you to bring more of your personal creativity into the mix. You can cowrite lyrics with the AI or even type in complete lyrics of your own.

Custom mode also lets you provide input about the music and melody of your song. You can upload an audio recording that you’ve made with another program, or you can click the record option and hum, sing, or play your idea directly into the program. This type of input provides you with much more control over your song and gives you more ownership in the process. With the Basic plan, you can upload or record a 1-minute clip.

Tapping on the “Create a Cover” option will create an AI-generated version of your idea that is fleshed out with a full musical production, including vocals.

Additional options in Custom mode allow you to describe a style and give the song a title. After you click “Create,” you’ll again receive two versions.

Custom mode can be great for student projects or for you, as the teacher, to generate songs about specific events in your classroom, curricular content, or even personalized birthday tributes for each student.

This screenshot shows Sunos custom input fields. At the top, you can select audio or persona. beneath that there are fields for lyrics and styles. The create button is at the bottom.

How might students use Suno?

While you can use Suno as a teacher, the tool becomes more impactful when students are allowed to use it. Below are a few ideas to get you thinking about potential student applications:

  • Language Arts: Students could turn poetry or creative writing into songs.
  • History/Social Studies: Students might create musical summaries of historical events or figures.
  • Science: You could have students write and generate songs explaining scientific concepts.
  • World Languages: Students might reinforce vocabulary and pronunciation through song creation in target languages.
  • School Projects: Suno could be used to create relevant background tracks for class videos or presentations.

One concern with AI is that it may promote laziness in students by making it too easy to produce something without meaningful effort. Here are five ways to make sure that Suno doesn’t do all the critical thinking for your students:

  • Original Lyrics: Have students write their own lyrics and let Suno become that band that brings those lyrics to life.
  • Experimentation: Have students experiment with style and tone by generating the same lyrics in multiple genres and compare how mood and meaning shift.
  • Iteration and Remixing: Have students treat Suno outputs as rough drafts, and then have them revise lyrics, rerecord the AI vocals with their own voice, and maybe mix in live instruments with the AI-generated ones.
  • Curricular Focus: The content can be curricular in nature and student-curated. While Suno creates the music, the academic heavy lifting comes from the students.
  • Critical Reflection: After generating a song, have students discuss what Suno added, how their choices shaped the project, and perhaps what is missing without human input. This reflection process can help deepen their awareness of AI as a tool, rather than a substitute for artistry.

What if I want to do more?

If you love the idea of an AI music generator like Suno and want to take the application further, you can sign up for an upgraded, paid version. Here are some of the benefits with the paid plans:

  • Longer Recordings: You can input longer recordings and have Suno generate cover versions of your own work in different styles. You might use what it produces, or you could use the AI version as inspiration to help shape your own future performances or versions of the song. It’s a way to preview how your song might translate to various genres and voices.
  • More Recordings: The paid plans allow you to create more songs per month.
  • Download Stems: This feature lets you take a Suno song that you like and download all the individual instrument and voice parts as separate files. This allows you to reedit and reproduce the song in different ways using your own recording software, like Audacity or GarageBand. You could also use this option to strip out the AI vocals and sing the part yourself.
  • Commercial Use: With the paid version, you retain rights to your creations and may even use them commercially.

AVID Connections

This resource connects with the following components of the AVID College and Career Readiness Framework:

  • Instruction
  • Opportunity Knowledge
  • Student Agency
  • Insist on Rigor
  • Break Down Barriers
  • Align the Work

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Topic Collections

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AI in the K-12 Classroom

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