Skywork Music Maker

Skywork Music Maker (Mureka API)

Generate professional-quality music using the Mureka API at https://api.mureka.ai. This skill covers the complete music production workflow: lyrics writing → song/instrumental generation.

First-Time Setup

Before running any API command, check if MUREKA_API_KEY is set. If not, guide the user to get an API key at https://platform.mureka.ai/ (register → API Keys → generate key → export MUREKA_API_KEY="..."), then STOP — do not attempt any API calls until the key is configured.

Smart Prompt Conversion (CRITICAL WORKFLOW)

Default behavior: When the user doesn't specify song type, always generate a song with lyrics (use mureka.py song). Only use mureka.py instrumental when the user explicitly asks for instrumental, BGM, background music, or "no vocals".

Output defaults: Use mp3 format unless the user requests otherwise. The --output flag specifies a directory — the script creates it and saves all results inside (audio files + lyrics.txt for songs). If the user doesn't specify a location, choose a user-friendly path with a descriptive folder name based on the song theme (e.g., summer_pop_song/).

When users provide music descriptions in natural language (in any language), you MUST convert them to structured Mureka API prompts using this workflow:

Conversion Process

User Input Examples:

• "upbeat pop song, female vocals, guitar, perfect for summer"
• "sad piano ballad about lost love"
• "epic orchestral music for a fantasy game"
• "traditional Chinese music with bamboo flute and zither, misty atmosphere"

Your Task:

• Extract structured parameters using the extraction rules below
• Validate the prompt meets quality standards (see Quality Checklist)
• Present to user for confirmation before generating
• Run the generation command with the structured prompt

Parameter Extraction Rules

When users provide natural language music descriptions, directly extract and structure the following parameters:

Required Parameters:

• genres: music genres including fusion styles (e.g., Pop, Rock, Jazz, Pop Rap Fusion, Alternative Rock, Guofeng)
• moods: emotional tones (e.g., Happy, Melancholic, Energetic, Nostalgic, Bright)
• instruments: specific instruments (e.g., Piano, Guitar, Drums, Erhu, Guzheng, Synth Pads, Dizi)
• rhythms: rhythm characteristics (e.g., 4/4, Slow, Syncopated, Driving, Flowing)
• vocals: vocal attributes (e.g., Female, Husky, Whispered, Male, Soft, Clear) or "instrumental only"
• key: musical key if specified (e.g., C Major, A Minor, C# Major)
• bpm: beats per minute (e.g., 120) or tempo descriptor (e.g., "slow groove", "uptempo")
• description: concise summary (under 50 words) capturing mood progression, melody, harmony, timbre, texture, dynamics

Extraction Instructions:

• Translate non-English terms: Convert ALL non-English musical terms to English while preserving cultural and musical meaning
• Preserve specificity: Keep detailed information including specific styles, subgenres, and cultural context (e.g., "Chinese traditional guofeng" not just "Chinese music")
• Design dynamic arc: Include mood progression where appropriate (e.g., "sparse opening → building tension → cathartic chorus")
• Infer intelligently: Make reasonable assumptions based on genre conventions when parameters are not explicitly stated
• English output: Final prompt string MUST be entirely in English

Generate Structured Prompt:

Combine all extracted parameters into a comprehensive, natural-flowing description that captures the essence of the user's vision.

Quality Checklist (Validate BEFORE Generation)

Before running the generation command, verify the prompt meets these criteria:

MUST HAVE:

• [ ] Specific genre (NOT "pop song" but "synth-pop, 2020s")
• [ ] BPM or tempo descriptor (e.g., "120 BPM" or "slow groove")
• [ ] 3-5 instruments explicitly named
• [ ] Mood/emotion descriptors (2-3 words)
• [ ] Vocal style (or "instrumental only")
• [ ] Structure tags in lyrics: [Verse], [Chorus], [Bridge], [Outro]

WATCH OUT FOR:

• Vague terms: "nice", "good", "beautiful" → replace with specific descriptors
• Contradictions: "slow" + "energetic", "sad" + "uplifting" → pick one direction
• Too short: <50 chars → add more detail
• Long lyric lines: >10 words per line → split into shorter lines
• No dynamic arc: add mood progression (e.g., "sparse → building → full")

AVOID:

• Command verbs: "create a song" → use descriptions "upbeat pop song"
• Famous artist names: "sounds like Taylor Swift" → describe qualities instead
• Unrealistic combos: melody_id cannot combine with other control options

After validation, present the generated prompt to the user for confirmation before proceeding.

Core Workflow: Production Pipeline

1. Conceptualize → User describes in natural language → YOU convert to structured prompt
2. Validate → Check prompt quality against Quality Checklist (see above)
3. Write Lyrics → Use lyrics/generate or write manually
4. Upload References → Optional: reference track, vocal sample, melody
5. Generate → Submit song/instrumental task (async) with validated prompt
6. Evaluate → Listen to all N choices, pick best
7. Iterate → Refine prompt based on what you heard

Critical Steps:

• Step 1 is mandatory when user provides natural language input (especially non-English)
• Step 2 validation prevents 80% of common generation failures
• Step 3: Read references/prompt_guide.md for prompt crafting examples, lyrics structure rules (line length, syllable count, rhyme patterns, hook writing), and iteration best practices
• Do NOT skip conceptualization — jumping straight to generation without a clear concept is the #1 reason for generic results

Your Role as AI Assistant:

• Convert user's natural language → structured Mureka prompt (using Smart Prompt Conversion)
• Validate prompt quality → flag issues → suggest fixes
• Write or generate lyrics with proper structure
• Present prompt to user for confirmation
• Execute generation command with validated prompt
• Help iterate and refine based on generation results

CLI Tool

All operations go through a single script: scripts/mureka.py

mureka.py song           Generate a song with lyrics and vocals
mureka.py instrumental   Generate an instrumental track
mureka.py lyrics         Generate or extend lyrics
mureka.py upload         Upload reference audio, vocals, melodies

Run python scripts/mureka.py --help for full usage. Note: use -n 2 (single dash) to generate multiple choices, not --n.

Common Scenarios

"I just want background music for my video"

python scripts/mureka.py instrumental \
  --prompt "ambient electronic, calm, 80 BPM, soft pads, no percussion, background music for tech product video" \
  --output ./bg_music

"I want a song but don't have lyrics"

# Step 1: Generate lyrics with proper structure
python scripts/mureka.py lyrics generate "a nostalgic summer love song, bittersweet, looking back at memories"

# Step 2: Copy/refine the output, then generate the song
python scripts/mureka.py song \
  --lyrics "[Verse]\n(paste lyrics here)\n[Chorus]\n(paste chorus here)" \
  --prompt "indie pop, warm, 110 BPM, acoustic guitar, soft drums, male vocal" \
  --output ./summer_song

Advanced Features

Reference-Based Generation

Upload a reference track (must be exactly 30s, mp3/m4a) to guide the style:

python scripts/mureka.py upload my_reference.mp3 --purpose reference
# → File ID: 542321
python scripts/mureka.py song --lyrics "[Verse]\n..." --reference-id 542321 --output ./song

Vocal Cloning

Upload a vocal sample (15-30s, mp3/m4a) to use a specific voice:

python scripts/mureka.py upload my_voice.mp3 --purpose vocal
# → File ID: 789012
python scripts/mureka.py song --lyrics "[Verse]\n..." --vocal-id 789012 --prompt "R&B, smooth, 90 BPM" --output ./song

Control Options & Rules

Song Generation Control Combos

When generating songs, these control options work together:

| Combo | prompt | reference_id | vocal_id | melody_id |

|-------|--------|-------------|----------|-----------|

| Style only | ✅ | | | |

| Reference only | | ✅ | | |

| Voice only | | | ✅ | |

| Melody only | | | | ✅ |

| Style + Voice | ✅ | | ✅ | |

| Reference + Voice | | ✅ | ✅ | |

Important:

• melody_id does NOT support any combination — use it alone
• prompt and reference_id are mutually exclusive — use one or the other

Instrumental Generation Rules

For instrumentals, prompt and instrumental_id are mutually exclusive — use one or the other.

File Upload Requirements

| Purpose | Format | Duration | Notes |

|---------|--------|----------|-------|

| reference | mp3/m4a | exactly 30s | Excess trimmed |

| vocal | mp3/m4a | 15-30s | Excess trimmed |

| melody | mp3/m4a/mid | 5-60s | MIDI recommended |

| instrumental | mp3/m4a | exactly 30s | For instrumental reference |

Model Selection

Always use mureka-8 — it is the latest and highest quality model.

Error Handling

Scripts raise RuntimeError or requests.HTTPError on failure. Handle common errors:

| Error | Cause | Action |

|-------|-------|--------|

| 401 Unauthorized | Invalid or expired API key | Ask user to verify MUREKA_API_KEY |

| 429 Too Many Requests | Rate limit exceeded | Wait 30-60 seconds, then retry |

| 402 / Insufficient balance | Account balance depleted | Direct user to https://platform.mureka.ai to top up |

| Task ended with status: failed | Generation failed (bad prompt, server error) | Check prompt against Quality Checklist, retry |

| Task ended with status: timeouted | Generation took too long | Retry; if persistent, simplify the prompt or try a different model |

| ConnectionError / Timeout | Network issue | Retry after a few seconds |

General strategy: Read the error message carefully. If it's a client error (4xx), fix the input. If it's a server error (5xx) or timeout, retry once before escalating to the user.

Troubleshooting Common Issues

| Problem | Solution |

|---------|----------|

| Task failed or timeouted | • Check prompt meets quality checklist<br>• Verify lyrics have structure tags<br>• Retry the generation |

| Vocals sound rushed | • Shorten lyric lines (≤10 words)<br>• Reduce syllables per line |

| Listed instruments not audible | • Verify each instrument named explicitly in prompt<br>• Add more specific descriptors (e.g., "acoustic guitar strumming") |

| Prompt doesn't match output | • Increase specificity (exact genre, BPM, instruments)<br>• Add mood progression ("sparse → full")<br>• Generate n=3 choices |

| melody_id error | • melody_id MUST be used alone<br>• Remove --prompt, --reference-id, --vocal-id |

| Invalid file_id | • File IDs only valid for account that uploaded<br>• Re-upload file if from another session |

For parameter help:

python scripts/mureka.py --help
python scripts/mureka.py song --help

Environment

• API Key: MUREKA_API_KEY environment variable (required)
• Base URL: https://api.mureka.ai
• Dependencies: Python 3, requests library
• Billing: Check balance with curl -H "Authorization: Bearer $MUREKA_API_KEY" https://api.mureka.ai/v1/account/billing