Working with artificial intelligence tools starts with a prompt. It doesn’t matter whether you are using ChatGPT to create a business plan, Midjourney to make a poster or Suno to generate the most epic song of the year — it all starts with a carefully worded instruction.
Some tools like ChatGPT and Gemini thrive on follow-up, being able to build up your request over multiple prompts but for tools like Midjourney and Suno its all done in one shot.
With the upcoming solar eclipse across large parts of North America I decided to create nine prompts for Suno that would generate the ultimate ‘sun-themed’ driving mixtape.
If you are headed out to watch the eclipse on Monday check out this guide to taking photos of the show using a smartphone from Tom’s Guide’s John Velasco.
Creating prompts for Suno
There are a range of genres but the main focus is upbeat or inspirational tracks to get the blood pumping and the mind ready to watch the stellar phenomenon, after all the next one won’t be visible in North America until 2045.
Suno has a fairly limited character limit for prompts, at least if you are using it in simple mode — which I have for all of these prompts. So its best to keep it simple and get to the point. You need to specify the genre an theme, a rough speed and ideally a couple of lyrics.
There is a lot of controversy surrounding Suno and other AI music generators as musicians, industry insiders and labels question what music was used in training the model and whether any commercial music should be licensed and paid for before being used.
I’ve tried to keep the prompts relatively generic and Suno doesn’t allow you to specify an artist or style of artist. Each track is roughly a minute to a minute and a half.
1. Eclipse of the Heart
Not to be confused with the Total Eclipse of the Heart by Bonnie Tyler — and nothing like that 80s pop rock classic, this is a pure pop tune.
The prompt for Suno AI I used to create the track was: “Uplifting pop. Anticipation and excitement of witnessing once-in-a-lifetime solar eclipse.”
If you want Suno to keep it upbeat you need to avoid certain words such as dreamy, atmospheric or smooth as they all lead to a slow beat.
Favorite lyric: “A solar eclipse, the ultimate show. Let the wonder and awe start to grow.”
2. Eclipse Rhapsody
You don’t always need a long prompt to get a great track. Sometimes you can achieve a tune with a few words. This one used the prompt: “Lo-fi hip hop. Unique experience during solar eclipse.” which generated a track called Eclipse Rhapsody.
This isn’t your typical hard driving song but the beat is a great chill response to the first track while still pushing forward. The chorus is also faster and more immersive.
Favorite lyric: “Soft crackles, vinyl spinning as the world turns gray. Warm chords embrace me, in this celestial display.”
3. Celestial Opera
Lets take a shift with the next track as we embrace rock. The prompt: “Energetic rock. Awe-inspiring power of sun and moon during eclipse.” It gave us Celestial Opera.
It created an epic rock ballad with driving guitars and heavy drums. Not quiet mosh-music but certainly something to get the juices going during the long drive.
Favorite lyric: “The sky ablaze with ethereal fire. The world in awe of nature’s lyre.”
4. Eclipse of our love
Country music is all about storytelling. So for this next track I created a prompt about a couple watching the eclipse. We’ve been inspired, chilled out and been driving fast. Now lets sit in awe with our significant other and enjoy the spectacle.
The prompt: “Cheerful country. Couple’s journey to watch solar eclipse together.” This gave us the painfully cheesy title “Eclipse of our love” and is typical of a Suno-specific ultra sappy genre.
Favorite lyric: “Hand in hand, we found our way. Through fields of gold, the sun’s warm rays.”
5. Celestial Transcendence
After the sappy nature of the country love song I think we need some pusling electronica, specifically a track that evokes the feeling of being transformed by an experience.
The prompt: “Pulsing electronic. Fast, energetic, trippy, Transformative feeling during solar eclipse.” This gave us the title “Celestial Transcendence” and a song that starts slowly but builds after a drop with an underlying riff that keeps you focused.
Favorite lyric: “Colors swirling, electric energy cascades. Heartbeats synchronize, in this mystical parade.”
6. Eclipse Funk
Suno created a title for this that was a bit on the nose. Eclipse Funk for a groovy funk sunk about the eclipse. But it is possibly my favorite of all the tracks in this playlist.
The prompt: “Groovy funk. Unity and connection people feel witnessing solar eclipse.” It generated a goold old fashioned 70s-style funky groove.
Favorite lyric: “As the sky turns to dark and the stars start to gleam. We’re gonna dance and shout, it’s an eclipse dream.”
7. Celestial Eclipse
I wanted one instrumental track to appreciate the incredible spectacle that is a total solar eclipse. Something to evoke awe and wonder while watching (safely) as the Sun moves behind the Moon and turns daylight into night.
The prompt: “Epic orchestral. Grandeur and cosmic significance of solar eclipse.” For this I ticked the instrumental box and it gave us the title “Celestial Eclipse.” I think Suno needs to make its name-giving AI a little more creative freedom but the song is amazing.
I can’t give a favorite lyric for this as it is instrumental but my favorite moment was after the drop when things get quiet and the piano takes over, suggesting the moment of totality when the world becomes still.
8. Eclipse of Love
We need to get back to the beat and what better than some lively R&B. I didn’t want to go full intensity after the slowdown moment of the last track, so I included the word fleeting which caused it to start more slowly than it otherwise would have.
The prompt: “Lively R&B. Fleeting nature of time and cherishing moments like solar eclipse.” This gave us the title Eclipse of Love. It starts slow and builds quickly into a more upbeat and cheerful track about love and light.
Favorite lyric: “Life’s a fleeting dance, don’t blink or it’s gone. Just like the moon and sun, they move on.”
9. Eclipse de Salsa
Let’s round of the mixtape with a bit of Latin flare as we celebrate the return of the Sun and the wonder of watching a generational event.
The prompt: “Lively Latin dance. Joy and festivity of gathering to watch solar eclipse.” This gave us the title “Eclipse de Salsa” and lyrics in Spanish. I don’t speak or read Spanish so had to run it through Google Translate and it did not disappoint.
Favorite lyric: “The moon moves, the sun fades. In this dance, the universe is enriched.”
More from Tom’s Guide
If you enjoyed these prompts I’d love to see how you made use of them. Feel free to leave a comment or drop me an email. You can also check out other Prompt_Jitsu guides including ideas for getting the most out of Google Gemini, making mythical images in Adobe Firefly and creating mobile wallpaper in Midjourney.
