# Feature Research

**Domain:** AI Virtual Music Artist Creation & Production Workflow System (Markdown-based, Claude-executed)
**Researched:** 2026-04-10
**Confidence:** HIGH (domain well-understood through existing base files, Suno ecosystem documented, competitor bitwize-music-studio analyzed)

## Feature Landscape

### Table Stakes (Users Expect These)

Features users assume exist. Missing these = product feels incomplete.

| Feature | Why Expected | Complexity | Notes |
|---------|--------------|------------|-------|
| **Artist Bible Generation** | Core identity document; without it nothing else works. The existing `base/project.md` already defines this as mandatory | MEDIUM | Must produce structured markdown with all identity fields: name, age, languages, genre/subgenres, vocal type/style, emotion palette, tempo, themes, visual identity, personality, lore |
| **Interactive Wizard for Artist Creation** | Step-by-step is the only UX that works for a no-code markdown system — dumping all fields at once overwhelms users | MEDIUM | Each step should offer sensible defaults with the option to customize. Must validate completeness before saving |
| **Artist Folder Structure** | Users need a predictable, navigable place to find everything about an artist (`artists/[name]/`) | LOW | Convention: `artists/[name]/bible.md`, `artists/[name]/tracks/`, `artists/[name]/discography.md` |
| **Track Production Brief** | The system's primary output — a Suno-ready document with title, style prompt, lyrics, and metatags | HIGH | Must respect Suno's limits: 1,000 chars for style prompt (V4.5+/V5), 3,000 chars for lyrics field. Tags ordered: Genre > Mood > Instruments > Vocals > Production |
| **Complete Lyrics Generation** | Users expect full, singable lyrics — not fragments or placeholders | MEDIUM | Must include proper section structure: [Intro], [Verse 1], [Pre-Chorus], [Chorus], [Verse 2], [Chorus], [Bridge], [Chorus], [Outro]. Each section tag on its own line |
| **Suno Metatag Integration** | Without proper metatags, Suno produces chaotic, unstructured output. Metatags are the control layer that makes AI music usable | MEDIUM | Structure tags (25+), vocal delivery tags (30+), instrument tags (60+), mood tags (50+). Combinable: `[Chorus] [Belted]`. Must be embedded in lyrics at correct positions |
| **Style Prompt Construction** | The style prompt determines 60-70% of Suno's output character. Getting this wrong ruins everything | MEDIUM | Optimal: 5-8 tags. Format: comma-separated. Order: genre first (highest weight), mood second, instruments, vocals, production. Subgenres outperform broad genres |
| **Artist-Track Coherence Check** | Every track must align with the artist's bible — genre, vocal style, emotion palette, themes. This is the project's stated core value | HIGH | Must verify: genre alignment, vocal style match, emotion palette compatibility, theme relevance, tempo range compliance |
| **Multilingual Lyrics (FR/EN)** | Stated as minimum requirement. French and English are the target languages | MEDIUM | Language affects rhyme rules, syllable counting, and song structure conventions. Must handle code-switching within tracks |
| **Discography Tracking** | Without knowing what tracks exist, coherence checking against "previous tracks" is impossible | LOW | Simple markdown log per artist: track title, date, themes covered, emotions used, narrative position |

### Differentiators (Competitive Advantage)

Features that set the product apart. Not required, but valuable.

| Feature | Value Proposition | Complexity | Notes |
|---------|-------------------|------------|-------|
| **Linguistic Verification Engine** | The stated key differentiator. Most AI lyric generators produce text without verifying it's actually singable or well-crafted. Checking rhyme quality, syllable counts, and structure validity produces professional-grade lyrics | HIGH | Must handle: French rhyme classification (rime pauvre = 1 shared sound, rime suffisante = 2, rime riche = 3+), English rhyme types (perfect, near, slant), syllable counting per language, stress pattern analysis |
| **French Rhyme Quality Scoring** | No competitor does this. French has formalized rhyme quality tiers (pauvre/suffisante/riche) that are objective and verifiable. Scoring lyrics against these tiers is a concrete, measurable quality signal | MEDIUM | Based on phonetic analysis of final syllables. French rules: consonant sounds alone don't count, visual agreement historically required. Can grade each rhyme pair and report overall quality |
| **Cross-Track Narrative Coherence** | Prevents thematic repetition and enables narrative progression across an artist's catalog — like a concept album's worldbuilding applied to every release | HIGH | Must track: themes already explored, emotional arcs completed, narrative threads open, vocabulary/imagery already used. Flags repetition and suggests progression |
| **Emotion Palette Enforcement** | Ensures tracks stay within the artist's defined emotional range while encouraging variety within that range. Prevents every track from hitting the same emotional note | MEDIUM | Maps track lyrics/mood to the artist's emotion_palette. Warns if a track uses emotions outside palette or if recent tracks over-index on one emotion |
| **Suno Prompt Optimization** | Research shows most users waste their style prompt with generic or conflicting tags. Auto-generating optimized prompts from the artist bible, using proven tag effectiveness data, produces better Suno output | MEDIUM | Apply research findings: subgenres > broad genres, specific mood words > generic ones ("melancholic" > "sad"), avoid conflicting tags, front-load genre, stay under 8 tags, include production quality descriptors |
| **Vocal Delivery Metatag Suggestions** | Suno V5 supports rich vocal delivery control ([Whispered], [Belted], [Raspy], [Breathy]) but most users don't know these exist. Auto-suggesting delivery tags based on artist vocal style and section emotional arc is high-value, low-effort | LOW | Map artist vocal_style to Suno delivery metatags. Suggest per-section: verses might be [Breathy], choruses [Belted], bridges [Whispered]. Based on emotion_palette and section function |
| **Structure Template Library** | Pre-built song structures optimized for different genres (pop ABABCB, rap AABA, ballad ABACDC) with metatag placement. Reduces cognitive load and increases structural variety | LOW | 5-10 templates covering major structures. Each template specifies section order, approximate line counts per section, and suggested metatag placements |
| **Lore-Lyrics Integration** | The artist's backstory/lore should subtly inform lyric content — references to their fictional world, consistent metaphor systems, recurring imagery. This is what makes virtual artists feel like real creative entities | MEDIUM | Extract key elements from lore (settings, events, symbols, relationships). Suggest lyric imagery/metaphors that reference lore without being heavy-handed. Track which lore elements have been referenced across the discography |
| **Production Brief Versioning** | When a user generates multiple versions of a track, tracking what changed between versions and why helps iterate toward the best result | LOW | Simple diff tracking in the track folder: v1, v2, v3 with notes on what was adjusted |

### Anti-Features (Commonly Requested, Often Problematic)

Features that seem good but create problems.

| Feature | Why Requested | Why Problematic | Alternative |
|---------|---------------|-----------------|-------------|
| **Audio generation / Suno API integration** | "Why not generate the audio directly?" | Out of scope by design — this is a markdown workflow system, not an audio platform. Adding API calls introduces code dependencies, API key management, rate limits, and cost tracking. Breaks the zero-code constraint | Generate perfect copy-paste-ready production briefs. The human step of pasting into Suno is intentional — it's a quality gate |
| **Visual prompt generation (Midjourney/DALL-E)** | "The artist needs a face!" | Explicitly deferred to v2 in PROJECT.md. Visual identity is a separate domain with its own consistency challenges (face consistency across images). Adding it now dilutes focus from the core music/lyrics value | Store visual identity keywords in the bible for future use. Don't generate visual prompts yet |
| **Video workflow integration** | "Complete the pipeline!" | Massive scope expansion (Runway, HeyGen, Hedra, CapCut). Each tool has different prompt formats, limitations, and workflows. The production.md base file shows 6+ pipeline steps for video alone | Defer entirely to v2. The bible's visual fields are sufficient preparation |
| **Real-time collaboration** | "Multiple people working on the same artist" | Markdown files + Claude execution = single-user by design. Adding collaboration means file locking, merge conflicts, version control complexity — all problems for a no-code user | Single-user workflow. Artists are personal creative projects. Share the folder if needed |
| **Automatic rhyme suggestion / autocomplete** | "Suggest rhyming words as I write" | This system generates complete lyrics, not assists manual writing. Auto-suggest during generation is the wrong paradigm — verification after generation is the right one | Generate full lyrics, then verify rhyme quality. Report weak rhymes with suggested alternatives in the verification step |
| **Genre/style recommendation engine** | "What genre should my artist be?" | The artist creation wizard should help users explore and choose, not choose for them. AI-recommended genres feel generic and remove creative ownership | Present genre options with descriptions during the wizard. Let the user pick. Offer subgenre suggestions once the main genre is chosen |
| **Mood-based auto-generation** | "Generate a track based on just a mood" | Bypasses the artist's bible entirely. Produces generic output disconnected from the artist's identity. Undermines the coherence system | Always require an artist context. The mood can be an input alongside the artist, but never a replacement for artist identity |
| **Complex JSON output format** | "Store the bible as JSON for machine readability" | The existing base/project.md uses JSON but the project is markdown-first. JSON is harder for users to read/edit manually, and Claude handles markdown natively. JSON in markdown codeblocks is a hybrid mess | Pure markdown with clear headers and structured fields. Claude can parse this perfectly. Users can read and edit it directly |

## Feature Dependencies

```
[Artist Bible Generation]
    └──requires──> [Interactive Wizard] (wizard produces the bible)
    └──enables───> [Track Production Brief] (brief reads from bible)
    └──enables───> [Artist-Track Coherence Check] (checks against bible)
    └──enables───> [Emotion Palette Enforcement] (references bible palette)
    └──enables───> [Lore-Lyrics Integration] (references bible lore)

[Track Production Brief]
    └──requires──> [Artist Bible Generation] (needs artist context)
    └──requires──> [Complete Lyrics Generation] (lyrics are core content)
    └──requires──> [Style Prompt Construction] (style prompt is required field)
    └──requires──> [Suno Metatag Integration] (metatags control structure)
    └──enables───> [Discography Tracking] (each brief becomes a track record)

[Complete Lyrics Generation]
    └──requires──> [Multilingual Lyrics Support] (must know target language)
    └──enables───> [Linguistic Verification Engine] (verifies generated lyrics)
    └──enables───> [French Rhyme Quality Scoring] (scores French lyrics)

[Linguistic Verification Engine]
    └──requires──> [Complete Lyrics Generation] (needs lyrics to verify)
    └──requires──> [Multilingual Lyrics Support] (rules differ per language)
    └──enhances──> [Track Production Brief] (verification results included in brief)

[Discography Tracking]
    └──requires──> [Artist Folder Structure] (stored in artist folder)
    └──enables───> [Cross-Track Narrative Coherence] (needs history to check against)

[Cross-Track Narrative Coherence]
    └──requires──> [Discography Tracking] (needs track history)
    └──requires──> [Artist-Track Coherence Check] (extends single-track checks)

[Suno Prompt Optimization]
    └──requires──> [Style Prompt Construction] (optimizes the base capability)
    └──enhances──> [Track Production Brief] (better prompts in briefs)

[Vocal Delivery Metatag Suggestions]
    └──requires──> [Suno Metatag Integration] (extends base metatag capability)
    └──requires──> [Artist Bible Generation] (reads vocal_style from bible)
```

### Dependency Notes

- **Artist Bible is the foundation:** Nearly everything depends on having a complete artist bible. This must be the first workflow built and must be rock-solid.
- **Lyrics generation enables verification:** The linguistic engine can only run after lyrics exist. These are sequential steps in the track workflow, not parallel features.
- **Discography tracking enables cross-track features:** Without history, cross-track coherence is impossible. The tracking mechanism (simple as it may be) must exist before narrative coherence can work.
- **Suno metatags and style prompts are intertwined:** They serve different Suno input fields (lyrics vs. style) but must be designed together for consistency.
- **Cross-Track Narrative Coherence requires the most prerequisites:** It sits at the top of the dependency chain and should be one of the last features built.

## MVP Definition

### Launch With (v1)

Minimum viable product — what's needed to validate that the markdown workflow concept works end-to-end.

- [ ] **Interactive Artist Creation Wizard** — The entry point. Without this, there's no artist to work with. Step-by-step: name > genre/subgenres > vocal identity > emotion palette > themes > personality > lore > visual keywords > review + save
- [ ] **Artist Bible in Markdown** — The wizard's output. Structured markdown file with all identity fields. Stored in `artists/[name]/bible.md`
- [ ] **Artist Folder Structure** — Convention for `artists/[name]/` with bible, tracks subfolder, and discography log
- [ ] **Track Creation Workflow** — Second workflow. Input: artist name + track concept/mood. Output: complete production brief
- [ ] **Complete Lyrics Generation** — Full lyrics with proper Suno section tags ([Verse], [Chorus], etc.), respecting artist identity
- [ ] **Style Prompt Construction** — Auto-generated from artist bible. 5-8 tags, proper ordering, within 1,000 char limit
- [ ] **Suno Metatag Integration** — Correct metatag placement in lyrics for structure and vocal delivery
- [ ] **Basic Artist-Track Coherence Check** — Verify genre, vocal style, emotion, and theme alignment between track and bible
- [ ] **Basic Discography Tracking** — Append each generated track to `artists/[name]/discography.md`
- [ ] **Multilingual Support (FR/EN)** — Language selection in both wizards. Lyrics generated in chosen language

### Add After Validation (v1.x)

Features to add once core workflows are confirmed working and useful.

- [ ] **Linguistic Verification Engine** — Add rhyme checking (per language rules), syllable counting, and structure validation as a post-generation verification step. Trigger: users report wanting better lyric quality
- [ ] **French Rhyme Quality Scoring** — Classify French rhymes as pauvre/suffisante/riche. Trigger: French lyrics are being generated regularly
- [ ] **Emotion Palette Enforcement** — Track emotion distribution across discography, warn about over-indexing. Trigger: artists have 3+ tracks
- [ ] **Suno Prompt Optimization** — Apply tag effectiveness research (subgenre specificity, conflict detection, production descriptors). Trigger: users report Suno output quality issues
- [ ] **Vocal Delivery Metatag Suggestions** — Auto-suggest [Whispered], [Belted], etc. per section based on vocal style and emotion. Trigger: users want more vocal control
- [ ] **Structure Template Library** — Pre-built song structures by genre. Trigger: users want more variety in song structures

### Future Consideration (v2+)

Features to defer until product-market fit is established.

- [ ] **Cross-Track Narrative Coherence** — Full narrative arc tracking across discography. Why defer: requires significant discography history to be meaningful
- [ ] **Lore-Lyrics Integration** — Subtle lore references in lyrics with tracking. Why defer: complex creative feature that benefits from a mature bible system
- [ ] **Production Brief Versioning** — Track iterations of a single track. Why defer: nice-to-have, manual folder management works initially
- [ ] **Visual Prompt Generation** — Midjourney/image prompts from visual identity. Why defer: explicitly out of scope per PROJECT.md
- [ ] **Album/EP Planning Workflow** — Plan multi-track releases with thematic arcs. Why defer: requires single-track workflow to be mature first
- [ ] **Artist Evolution System** — Controlled style evolution over time (new era, genre shift). Why defer: requires deep discography and mature coherence system

## Feature Prioritization Matrix

| Feature | User Value | Implementation Cost | Priority |
|---------|------------|---------------------|----------|
| Interactive Artist Creation Wizard | HIGH | MEDIUM | P1 |
| Artist Bible in Markdown | HIGH | LOW | P1 |
| Artist Folder Structure | HIGH | LOW | P1 |
| Track Creation Workflow | HIGH | MEDIUM | P1 |
| Complete Lyrics Generation | HIGH | MEDIUM | P1 |
| Style Prompt Construction | HIGH | MEDIUM | P1 |
| Suno Metatag Integration | HIGH | MEDIUM | P1 |
| Basic Artist-Track Coherence Check | HIGH | MEDIUM | P1 |
| Multilingual Support (FR/EN) | HIGH | MEDIUM | P1 |
| Basic Discography Tracking | MEDIUM | LOW | P1 |
| Linguistic Verification Engine | HIGH | HIGH | P2 |
| French Rhyme Quality Scoring | MEDIUM | MEDIUM | P2 |
| Emotion Palette Enforcement | MEDIUM | MEDIUM | P2 |
| Suno Prompt Optimization | MEDIUM | LOW | P2 |
| Vocal Delivery Metatag Suggestions | MEDIUM | LOW | P2 |
| Structure Template Library | MEDIUM | LOW | P2 |
| Cross-Track Narrative Coherence | MEDIUM | HIGH | P3 |
| Lore-Lyrics Integration | MEDIUM | HIGH | P3 |
| Production Brief Versioning | LOW | LOW | P3 |
| Album/EP Planning Workflow | MEDIUM | MEDIUM | P3 |
| Artist Evolution System | LOW | HIGH | P3 |

**Priority key:**
- P1: Must have for launch — the two core workflows (create artist + create track) with basic quality checks
- P2: Should have, add when possible — linguistic verification and Suno optimization that elevate quality
- P3: Nice to have, future consideration — advanced cross-track features and expansion workflows

## Competitor Feature Analysis

| Feature | bitwize-music-studio/claude-ai-music-skills | Suno Personas/Voices | Our Approach |
|---------|----------------------------------------------|----------------------|--------------|
| Artist Identity | 52 skills including artist setup, but focused on album production pipelines with MCP server | Saves vocal character from existing tracks. Now "Voices" in V5.5 — captures timbre, resonance, texture | Comprehensive markdown bible: musical + vocal + visual + personality + lore. No code dependencies. Richer identity model than either competitor |
| Lyrics Generation | 13-point quality checklist, prosody rules, rhyme scheme analysis, Suno pronunciation quirks | No lyrics assistance — user provides lyrics | Full lyrics generation with linguistic verification. French rhyme quality scoring (pauvre/suffisante/riche) is unique. Multilingual by design |
| Suno Integration | Deep Suno V5 expertise, 72 genre directories, production guides, metatag knowledge | Native platform — no integration needed | Style prompt auto-generation from artist bible, metatag placement in lyrics, respects all Suno limits (1K chars style, 3K chars lyrics) |
| Coherence System | Album-level concept coherence, research verification for documentary albums | Basic — Persona/Voice reuse keeps vocal style consistent but nothing else | Multi-dimensional coherence: genre + vocal + emotion + theme + lore + narrative. Checks against bible AND previous tracks |
| Tech Stack | Python MCP server, 80+ tools, database operations, audio processing | Web platform (SaaS) | Zero code. Pure markdown. Claude-native. No dependencies, no API keys, no runtime |
| Multilingual | Not specifically multilingual-focused | Supports multiple languages in lyrics | French + English with language-specific rhyme rules and syllable counting. French rhyme classification is a genuine differentiator |
| Complexity | 2,482 tests, 51 skills, MCP server — massive, code-heavy | Click-and-use SaaS | Deliberately simple. Markdown files a human can read and edit. Two workflows. Zero infrastructure |

## Sources

- [Suno AI Prompt Guide (2026)](https://musicsmith.ai/blog/ai-music-generation-prompts-best-practices) — Style prompt limits and best practices
- [Suno Metatags Complete List (2026)](https://hookgenius.app/learn/suno-metatags-complete-list/) — All metatag categories and usage
- [Suno Style Tag Research: 1,000+ Prompts Analyzed (2026)](https://hookgenius.app/learn/suno-style-tag-research/) — Tag effectiveness research, optimal count, ordering
- [Suno V5.5 Guide (2026)](https://hookgenius.app/learn/suno-v5-5-guide/) — Personas renamed to Voices, custom voice upload
- [Suno Character Limits (2026)](https://hookgenius.app/learn/suno-character-limits/) — 1,000 char style prompt, 3,000 char lyrics
- [Suno Personas Blog Post](https://suno.com/blog/personas) — How Personas/Voices work, what's saved
- [Suno Custom Mode Guide (2026)](https://hookgenius.app/learn/suno-custom-mode-guide/) — Style prompt format and templates
- [bitwize-music-studio/claude-ai-music-skills](https://github.com/bitwize-music-studio/claude-ai-music-skills) — Competitor: 52-skill Claude Code plugin for Suno production
- [Rime riche (Wikipedia)](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rime_riche) — French rhyme classification rules
- [Rime suffisante (Britannica)](https://www.britannica.com/art/rime-suffisante) — French sufficient rhyme definition
- [RhymeTagger / Multilingual Rhyme Detection](https://arxiv.org/abs/2604.08156) — Language-independent rhyme detection including French
- [Character Bible Prompts for AI Consistency](https://medium.com/@SomethingaboutAI/character-bible-prompts-creating-consistency-anchors-for-ai-novel-generation-724ea9b91c8b) — Bible as consistency anchor pattern
- [Soundverse DNA vs Suno Persona](https://www.soundverse.ai/blog/article/soundverse-dna-vs-suno-persona-why-soundverse-built-a-better-ai-music-identity-system) — Competing approaches to AI music identity
- [Songs Tell a Story: Narrative Arc in Music (NIH/PLOS)](https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC11098490/) — Research on narrative structure in song lyrics

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*Feature research for: AI Virtual Music Artist Creation & Production Workflow System*
*Researched: 2026-04-10*
