acestep-songwriting

# ACE-Step Songwriting Guide

Professional music creation knowledge for writing captions, lyrics, and choosing music parameters for ACE-Step.

## Output Format

After using this guide, produce two things for the acestep skill:
1. **Caption** (`-c`): Style/genre/instruments/emotion description
2. **Lyrics** (`-l`): Complete structured lyrics with tags
3. **Parameters**: `--duration`, `--bpm`, `--key`, `--time-signature`, `--language`

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## Caption: The Most Important Input

**Caption is the most important factor affecting generated music.**

Supports multiple formats: simple style words, comma-separated tags, complex natural language descriptions.

### Common Dimensions

| Dimension | Examples |
|-----------|----------|
| **Style/Genre** | pop, rock, jazz, electronic, hip-hop, R&B, folk, classical, lo-fi, synthwave |
| **Emotion/Atmosphere** | melancholic, uplifting, energetic, dreamy, dark, nostalgic, euphoric, intimate |
| **Instruments** | acoustic guitar, piano, synth pads, 808 drums, strings, brass, electric bass |
| **Timbre Texture** | warm, bright, crisp, muddy, airy, punchy, lush, raw, polished |
| **Era Reference** | 80s synth-pop, 90s grunge, 2010s EDM, vintage soul, modern trap |
| **Production Style** | lo-fi, high-fidelity, live recording, studio-polished, bedroom pop |
| **Vocal Characteristics** | female vocal, male vocal, breathy, powerful, falsetto, raspy, choir |
| **Speed/Rhythm** | slow tempo, mid-tempo, fast-paced, groovy, driving, laid-back |
| **Structure Hints** | building intro, catchy chorus, dramatic bridge, fade-out ending |

### Caption Writing Principles

1. **Specific beats vague** — "sad piano ballad with female breathy vocal" > "a sad song"
2. **Combine multiple dimensions** — style+emotion+instruments+timbre anchors direction precisely
3. **Use references well** — "in the style of 80s synthwave" conveys complex aesthetic quickly
4. **Texture words are useful** — warm, crisp, airy, punchy influence mixing and timbre
5. **Don't pur...