In the post, The Framed Theme Song: Three Versions and the Inspiration behind It, I talked about how I used the AI music platform Suno to create an original song. In this post, I want to describe the process I used for creating twelve original music tracks for the score.
Before I started writing books and making podcasts, I started a company to make interactive CD-ROMs. Our first and only product was a CD-ROM about the Apollo13 space flight. You can read about that venture on the Apollo 13 page on this site. There was a short section in that story where the astronauts played the theme song to 2001 A Space Odyssey during one of their televised broadcasts on the way to the moon. I was the project manager on the CD-ROM, so I did some research on what it would cost to use about twenty seconds of that song on our CD-ROM. The answer: about $50,000. That was partly because besides the publishing rights you had to pay each individual member of the orchestra. We decided to use something else, just like they did in the movie.
Before there was AI music, content creators like me would use stock music. There are websites where for a subscription you can browse hundreds of music samples and download what you need without fear of a copyright violation. Before I discovered Suno, this is where all of my music came from. For Framed, I listened to hours of music before selecting about a dozen tracks. Here is one that I had planned to use.
It’s not bad, but I needed music throughout each episode that had some consistency. My subscription to Adobe stock is $30 a month. A Suno subscription is $10 a month. Adobe stock has thousands of music tracks, but many of them are one minute or less, or, if longer, they often repeat the same melody over and over.
I was working on episode five when I discovered Suno. I had been using AI in every aspect of the Framed project. To get the most out of Suno, I decided to use Microsoft Co-Pilot to help me write prompts for Suno. I found the whole process so interesting that after a few songs I decided to save the AI communication between me, Co-Pilot, and Suno to share later as a behind the scenes post.
In order to have some consistency between episodes, I decided on using a motif. A motif can be a melody line that is played with different instruments. A melody motif would not work for Framed. Instead, I went with an instrument motif using three primary instruments: piano, violin, and cello, with occasional full orchestration. What follows is the exact back and forth I had with Co-Pilot when creating just one track.
I want to stick with the piano, cello, and occasional full orchestration that was set up in episode 1. In episode 1, most tracks started with a gentle piano and the strings came in. Let’s start with strings and then add piano . Maybe we could try a track that alternates between violin and cello playing the same melody, then the two instruments play together, have full orchestration, and maybe end with the piano.
I want to keep the dramatic mood set in episode 1. No soapy romance type music. I need softer sounds for the image sequences, and maybe a more up-tempo track for the security camera footage.
Co-pilot responded with this prompt for Suno.
Instrumental score for a serious documentary. Begin with a solo violin playing a tense, minimal motif. Cello answers with the same motif. The two instruments then play together in a soft unison with subtle orchestral pads underneath. Keep the mood dramatic, solemn, and atmospheric, never romantic. Introduce gentle piano only in the second half as a reflective element. No percussion. Slow tempo, evolving tension, emotional restraint.
Suno would take about twenty seconds and pump out two full music tracks. But the music it created wasn’t always what I was looking for. So, I would go back to Co-Pilot.
The first prompt did not result in what I was looking for. Neither track had a recognizable melody. They were choppy, chaotic, lacked rhythm. The music needs to flow. It should not be hard pounding and sharp. More melodic.
Co-pilot rewrote the Suno prompt based on my feedback.
Instrumental score with a clear, flowing melody. Begin with a solo violin playing a long, legato melodic line—smooth, connected, emotional, and solemn. Cello answers with the same melody in a warm, lyrical style. Then both instruments play together in gentle harmony with soft orchestral pads underneath. Keep the rhythm steady and smooth, never choppy or chaotic. No sharp accents, no pounding, no tension pulses. Introduce a soft piano only in the second half, playing simple supportive chords. Dramatic, serious, and melodic, with a calm, continuous flow.
After several iterations I ended up with this:
After about six hours of this back and forth, I had twelve original music tracks that I could not only use in the Podcast, but I was able to release as an album on music streaming sites like Spotify and Apple Music. If you haven’t added the Framed score to your playlist, I encourage you to consider doing so. You can find it on your preferred streaming platform by searching Framed (Original Score) by Emilio Corsetti III.