# Phase 1: Foundation - Context

**Gathered:** 2026-04-10
**Status:** Ready for planning

<domain>
## Phase Boundary

Set up the complete project skeleton that all future workflows depend on: CLAUDE.md behavioral instructions, reference file structure (Suno specs, linguistic rules, templates), folder conventions for artists and tracks, and a top-level STRUCTURE.md. No artist creation, no track production — infrastructure only.

</domain>

<decisions>
## Implementation Decisions

### CLAUDE.md Behavioral Rules
- **Language:** All interactions in French by default
- **Reference authority:** Reference files always win over Claude's training data — no substitutions
- **Workflow rules:** CLAUDE.md includes behavioral rules for artist creation, track production, and verification workflows (not just project-level rules)
- **Quality gates:** Strict — Claude must verify Suno constraints and linguistic quality before outputting final content. Never skip verification
- **Verification bundling:** Every lyrics output automatically includes syllable counts, rhyme analysis, and Suno constraint checks inline — not a separate step
- **Production brief format:** CLAUDE.md specifies exact sections and order for production briefs (style prompt, lyrics, verification report, notes)
- **Lore handling:** Artist lore informs tone and themes as guidance but doesn't need explicit references in every track
- **File naming:** CLAUDE.md defines naming conventions for all project outputs (artists, tracks, briefs)
- **Bilingual policy:** One language per track, no mixing. Language is chosen at track creation
- **Creativity:** Bible is law — Claude strictly follows the artist bible for genre, themes, emotions with no deviation
- **Persona:** Creative collaborator — enthusiastic, suggests ideas, engages with the creative vision
- **Auto-save:** Claude writes files and user reviews after — no confirmation prompt before saving
- **Auto-log discography:** Every finalized track is automatically added to the artist's discography.md
- **Explicit don'ts:** Include a clear list of prohibited behaviors, derived from the established rules
- **Update policy:** CLAUDE.md defines how to handle updates to external tools like Suno (reference files are updated, CLAUDE.md stays stable)
- **Feedback handling:** Revise lyrics in place based on feedback, preserving the rest
- **Creative reasoning:** Always provide brief reasoning alongside creative output explaining choices
- **Next steps:** Always suggest what to do next after completing a workflow step
- **Edge cases:** Cover non-standard track types (intros, interludes, spoken word, freestyle) with adapted verification criteria
- **Non-standard verification:** Verification still runs for non-standard formats but criteria adapt (e.g., flow/cadence for spoken word instead of strict rhyme)
- **Verse progression:** Each verse must advance the narrative or explore a new angle — no repetitive content across verses
- **Chorus rules:** Chorus must be memorable, concise, and capture the track's emotional core
- **Track finality:** Once saved, a track is part of the discography — no draft state
- **Explicit content:** No restrictions — Claude generates content matching the artist's style. Explicit language allowed when it fits genre and identity
- **Suno details:** Technical Suno constraints live in reference files, CLAUDE.md just instructs to check them

### Suno Format Specs
- **Depth:** Full reference guide — constraints, examples, best practices, tips. Research from internet
- **Version:** Suno V5.5 (latest)
- **Scope:** Custom Mode only
- **Tag library:** Include a curated list of style tags, genres, vocal descriptors that produce good results
- **Style prompt formula:** Document the recommended formula/ordering from Suno's official guidance (research from internet)
- **Spec focus:** Just the spec — no anecdotal quirks or limitations section
- **Tag organization:** Claude's discretion on how to organize the tag library for maximum usability
- **Section tag mapping:** List every valid Suno section tag with its purpose and mapping to standard song structure
- **Personas:** Note that the feature exists (each artist has one Persona voice) — brief mention, not detailed documentation
- **Sweet spots:** Document recommended style prompt length ranges and their effect on output quality
- **Paste template:** Include a visual example of the final copy-paste format for Custom Mode
- **Language handling:** Document how Suno detects/handles language and what prompt additions ensure correct pronunciation
- **Vocal metatags:** Compile a complete list of working vocal delivery metatags ([Whispered], [Raspy], [Belted], etc.)
- **Tempo guidance:** Document how BPM/tempo can be influenced through style prompts and genre selection
- **Duration control:** Document how track length is influenced by lyrics/sections and any Suno limits

### Reference Organization
- **Structure:** By domain — `reference/suno/`, `reference/linguistic/`, `reference/templates/`
- **Linguistic files:** Split by topic per language — `reference/linguistic/french/syllables.md`, `french/rhymes.md`, `french/pronunciation.md`
- **Suno reference:** One comprehensive file — `reference/suno/format.md` contains everything
- **File format:** All reference files follow a consistent template: Purpose, Rules, Examples, Notes
- **Song templates:** Live in `reference/templates/`
- **Index:** `reference/README.md` listing every file with a one-line description
- **Artists README:** `artists/README.md` includes both folder structure conventions and a summary of the artist bible format
- **Output location:** Tracks live only in `artists/[name]/tracks/` — no separate output folder
- **Structure doc:** Top-level `STRUCTURE.md` mapping out the entire folder hierarchy
- **Metadata:** Each reference file includes YAML frontmatter or header with last-updated date and source
- **Glossary:** Music terms glossary lives in `reference/glossary.md` (separate from CLAUDE.md), using English terms universally

### Linguistic Rule Stubs
- **French depth:** Headers + core rules — include e muet rules, basic rhyme types, common dierese cases so Phase 5 extends rather than starts from scratch
- **English depth:** Headers + core rules — include basic syllable/rhyme rules (stress patterns, rhyme types)
- **French rhyme scale:** Define the full quality classification now: pauvre (1), suffisante (2), riche (3+), richissime (4+) with definitions and examples
- **French pronunciation pitfalls:** Include known French pronunciation issues affecting AI music generation (silent letters, nasal vowels)
- **E muet rules:** Include specific rules for when final 'e' counts as a syllable vs silent, with examples
- **Phonetic notation:** Use IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) for all pronunciation references
- **English rhyme types:** Define all types with examples: perfect, slant, near, and eye rhymes
- **Genre adjustments:** Note how linguistic rules flex by genre (rap allows more slant rhymes, pop requires stricter counts)
- **French quality thresholds:** Section-dependent — chorus requires riche (3+), verses allow suffisante (2+), bridge is flexible
- **English quality:** Near/slant rhymes allowed alongside perfect rhymes (modern songwriting standard)
- **Syllable targets:** Genre-dependent ranges (rap = more syllables/line, ballad = fewer)
- **Rhyme schemes:** Document common patterns (AABB, ABAB, ABCB) with genre/section guidance
- **Borrowed words:** Document rules for foreign words — apply French pronunciation for syllable counting in French lyrics
- **Poetic license:** No exceptions — all lines must meet quality thresholds. Rules are rules
- **Internal rhymes:** Document and encourage internal rhymes as a richness indicator
- **Full sonic toolkit:** Document assonance, alliteration, and consonance as additional quality indicators alongside rhyme

### Claude's Discretion
- Tag library organization (genre family hierarchy vs flat list vs categorized)
- Exact wording of CLAUDE.md don'ts section (derived from the rules above)

</decisions>

<specifics>
## Specific Ideas

- Suno V5.5 specs, style prompt formula, and metatag list should be researched from internet sources — user trusts the researcher to find comprehensive, up-to-date information
- Each artist has a Suno Persona voice — this is a key project concept that should be documented
- "Bible is law" — the artist bible is the absolute source of truth for all creative decisions
- Reference files always override Claude's training data — this is a hard rule, not a preference
- Music terminology uses English terms universally (Verse, Chorus, Bridge), even when writing in French

</specifics>

<deferred>
## Deferred Ideas

None — discussion stayed within phase scope

</deferred>

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*Phase: 01-foundation*
*Context gathered: 2026-04-10*
