Getting Started with Muse4U - AI Music Prompt Generator

Your Music Prompt Companion

Welcome to Muse4U! This tool helps you generate detailed descriptions or "prompts" for music. Think of it as a creative partner for brainstorming musical ideas, whether you're looking for quick inspiration or meticulously crafting the perfect input for an AI music generator like Suno or Riffusion.

Muse4U organizes musical concepts into categories and presets based on vibes, activities, and genres. You can explore these ideas visually, search for specific elements, or browse through structured lists.

Understanding Context: Single vs. Multi-Select Mode

If you want to get the most of Muse4U continue reading. Before diving into the tabs and buttons, it's crucial to understand the application's context mode. This determines what data Muse4U uses for its main actions.

• Single Preset Context (Default): When you select a single preset (standard or custom) via the "Select" tab, or click a single result in the "Search" or "Circle" tabs, the application is in single context mode. Main action buttons operate based on this single preset's data. You can edit the Output area freely.
• Multi-Select Mode: When you select two or more tracks in the "Search" or "Circle" tabs (using Ctrl+Click or Cmd+Click), the application enters Multi-Select Mode. In this mode:
  • The action buttons operate on a merged context derived by combining elements from all selected tracks.
  • Specific actions are available: Full Preset (Preview), Generate (Preview), Improve (Preview), Translate (Preview), Smart Copy, and Save Preset.
  • Actions like Fine-tune, Custom Workflow, Switch, and Delete Preset are disabled.
  • The Output Area is read-only. You cannot manually edit the generated preview text.
  • Generating a preview (, ), improving (), or translating () shows the result in the Output/Translation Area but does not change the selected tracks.
  • You must use Save Preset to make the merged result persistent and usable with other actions. Saving uses the original merged definition based on the selected track IDs, **not** the potentially improved or translated preview text.
  • The Clear Selection button appears to exit this mode.

Why is it important? Because the available actions, the data they operate on, and whether you can edit the output depend entirely on whether you have a single preset selected or are in multi-select mode.

The Output Area (on the right) always shows details based on the current context. In Multi-Select Mode, it displays a read-only preview.

Ways to Explore and Set Your Context

Muse4U offers three main ways to interact with presets and set your active context, catering to different approaches:

1. Select Tab () - Browse & Manage Single Presets

This tab offers a structured way to browse and is the primary place to manage your custom presets:

• Choose Category: Select a broad category (like "Focus", "Genres", etc.).
• Choose Preset: Select a specific standard preset or one of *your* saved Custom Presets from the second dropdown.
• Set Single Context: Selecting any preset here makes it the active single preset context, loads its full description ("(Full Preset)") into the Output area, and exits Multi-Select Mode if it was active.
• Manage Custom Presets: This is where you Save ( Save Preset button below tabs, when *single* context/output is active), Update (by selecting and saving again), and Delete ( icon next to selector) your own presets. Requires login and an owned profile.
• Fixed Theme: Optionally enter specific lyrical themes here to override the preset's default themes during generation or when viewing the "(Full Preset)" description (only applies when a single preset is active).

Use the Select tab for systematic browsing, managing your saved custom prompts, and returning to a single preset context.

2. Search Tab () - Find Specific Ideas & Multi-Select

When you have specific keywords or tags in mind:

• Enter Terms: Type keywords (e.g., cinematic choir) or #tags (e.g., #80s #synthwave) into the search bar. Muse4U adds '#' if missing.
• Search: Click the button or press Enter.
• Explore the Tag Cloud: Click the button to open a visual map of tags. Related tags cluster together. Clicking a tag in the cloud adds it to your search input – a fun way to discover related concepts!
• Set Single Context: Click on a track in the search results list to make *that track* the active single preset context (exiting multi-select mode if active) and load its full description into the Output area.
• Enter/Modify Multi-Select Mode: Hold Ctrl (or Cmd on Mac) and click tracks in the results list. Selecting 2+ tracks enters Multi-Select Mode. Selected tracks are highlighted. Clicking a selected track again (with Ctrl/Cmd) deselects it.

Use the Search tab for targeted searching, exploring tag relationships, or selecting multiple tracks by keyword to enter Multi-Select Mode.

3. Circle Tab () - Explore by Vibe & Multi-Select

This is the most intuitive way to start if you know the *feeling* you want. The Vibe Circle visually represents musical mood:

• Click the Circle: Explore combinations of Energy (left-to-right) and Mood (bottom-to-top). The center is neutral.
• See the Vibe: The circle's color, the title, description, and emoji update instantly to reflect the selected vibe.
• Get Suggestions: Muse4U automatically finds and displays track suggestions matching the vibe you clicked (or click the emoji to refresh suggestions for the current vibe).
• Set Single Context: Clicking on a track suggestion makes *that track* the active single preset context (exiting multi-select mode if active) and loads its full description into the Output area.
• Enter/Modify Multi-Select Mode: Hold Ctrl (or Cmd on Mac) and click multiple tracks in the suggestions list. Selecting 2+ tracks enters Multi-Select Mode. Selected tracks are highlighted. Clicking a selected track again (with Ctrl/Cmd) deselects it.

Use the Circle tab for quick, mood-based discovery and inspiration, or selecting multiple tracks by vibe to enter Multi-Select Mode.

Acting on Your Context: The Buttons

Once you've set an active context (single preset or multiple tracks), the main action buttons (located below the tabs) come into play:

• Full Preset:
  • Single Context: Shows *all* data from the active preset in the Output Area.
  • Multi-Select Mode: Shows a read-only preview of the full merged definition in the Output Area (doesn't change selection).
• Generate:
  • Single Context: Creates a *randomized variation* based on the active preset and profile settings.
  • Multi-Select Mode: Creates a read-only preview of a randomized variation based on the merged context (doesn't change selection).
• Fine-tuning / Custom: Guided workflows for detailed prompt building (see Personalize). Disabled in Multi-Select Mode.
• Improve / Translate / Smart Copy:
  • Single Context: Actions process the editable text in the Output area (see Prompting Tips & Settings).
  • Multi-Select Mode: Actions process the read-only preview text in the Output/Translation area. Improve/Translate update the preview; Copy copies the preview.
• Save Preset:
  • Single Context: Saves the current editable Output text as a new custom preset or updates the selected custom preset.
  • Multi-Select Mode: Saves the merged definition (based on selected track IDs) as a new custom preset. You'll be prompted for a name. The app then exits multi-select mode and focuses on the newly saved preset.
  (Managed in Select Tab, requires login & owned profile).
• Clear Selection: Appears only in Multi-Select Mode. Click to exit the mode and clear the selection.

Additional actions like Switch (toggle output versions) are available in the context menu () near the Output area. Disabled in Multi-Select Mode.

The Output Area

This is where your final prompt appears, within the "Output" tab on the right. Pay attention to the label (e.g., "(Generated)", "(Full Preset)", "(Edited Generated)", "(Improved)", "(Preview: Merged Generated)", "(Preview: Merged Full)") as it tells you the state of the text. In Multi-Select Mode, it's read-only and displays previews. Use the Context Menu () for quick access to actions (available actions depend on the context mode) and the "Switch" () function (disabled in multi-select). Translated text appears in the separate "Translation" tab.

Next Steps

Now that you understand the basics of setting context and using the main actions, explore the other documentation sections:

• Personalize: Learn about the Fine-tuning and Custom workflows (single context only), and managing your Custom Presets (including saving merged results).
• Prompting Tips: Get advice on using Muse4U effectively, including the new multi-select workflow.
• Advanced: Dive deeper into Sound Prompt structure and Settings Profiles.