Bundling Completed Songs into an Album

Congratulations! If you've made it this far, you've probably created several songs.

But wouldn't it be a waste if those songs are scattered in folders? Today we'll learn how to complete your music into one beautiful album!

Just like organizing photos into an album, organizing music makes it much more special. Let's create a professional music collection!

Basic Concept of Album Production - Why Create Albums?

"Can't I just keep the songs separate?" you might ask.

Of course that's fine. But bundling into an album has much more powerful effects!

What is an Album?

• Multiple songs bundled with one theme (like a collection of short stories)
• Consistent story or atmosphere (has overall flow)
• Order and flow are important (feeling changes depending on which song you hear first)

Think about it. BTS albums, IU albums... they all have song order, right? There's a reason for that.

Types of Albums

Full Album

Song count: 8-15 songs
Length: 30-60 minutes
Features: Complete story

Mini Album (EP - Extended Play)

Song count: 4-7 songs
Length: 15-30 minutes
Features: Concept-focused

Single Album

Song count: 1-3 songs
Length: 5-15 minutes
Features: Title track-focused

Compilation

Song count: Varies
Length: Varies
Features: Best of, collection

Planning an Album

Step 1: Choose a Theme

Theme Examples:

Emotion-based:

"Emotions Journey"
- Joy, sadness, anger, peace, love
- Songs expressing each emotion

Time-based:

"24 Hours"
- Morning, afternoon, evening, night
- A day's flow in music

Genre Exploration:

"Genre Fusion"
- Jazz, hip-hop, classical, electronic
- Various genre experiments

Season Theme:

"Four Seasons"
- Spring, summer, fall, winter
- Feeling of each season

Storytelling:

"Journey Home"
- Beginning of journey
- Adventure and discovery
- Return and growth

Step 2: Construct Tracklist

Basic Structure (8-song album example):

1. Intro - Introduction (1-2 min)
   "Welcome"

2. Opening Track - First song (3-4 min)
   "New Beginnings"

3. Upbeat Track - Bright song (3-4 min)
   "Dancing in Sunlight"

4. Mid-tempo - Medium tempo (3-4 min)
   "Walking Through Memories"

5. Ballad - Ballad (4-5 min)
   "Heartfelt"

6. Energetic Track - Energetic (3-4 min)
   "Rise Up"

7. Emotional Climax - Emotional climax (4-5 min)
   "The Moment"

8. Outro - Ending (2-3 min)
   "Until We Meet Again"

Step 3: Song Order Laws

Energy Flow:

Start: Medium energy (draw listeners in)
Middle: Various energy changes
Climax: Most powerful song
Ending: Calm conclusion

Emotional Flow:

Introduction-Development-Turn-Conclusion structure:
Introduction - Introduction, setup
Development - Development, conflict
Turn - Turning point, change
Conclusion - Resolution, ending

Tempo Arrangement:

Good example:
Medium → Fast → Slow → Medium → Fast → Slow → Medium

Avoid:
Slow → Slow → Slow (boring)
Fast → Fast → Fast (tiring)

Real Album Production

Project: "Daily Moments" EP (5 songs)

Concept: Various emotions felt throughout the day

Tracklist:

Track 1: "Morning Light" (Morning start)

Theme: New beginning, hope
Genre: Acoustic Pop
Tempo: Medium
Mood: Bright and warm

Suno Prompt:
"Gentle morning acoustic pop, warm guitar, hopeful melody, fresh start, inspiring, medium tempo"

Track 2: "Coffee Break" (Rest)

Theme: Leisure, peace
Genre: Lofi Hip-Hop
Tempo: Slow
Mood: Comfortable

Suno Prompt:
"Chill lofi hip-hop, relaxed beat, jazzy piano, cafe vibes, peaceful, slow tempo"

Track 3: "Rush Hour" (Busy moments)

Theme: Energy, dynamics
Genre: Electronic
Tempo: Fast
Mood: Tension and excitement

Udio Prompt:
"Energetic electronic music, driving beat, synth melody, urban energy, fast-paced, dynamic"

Track 4: "Sunset Dreams" (Evening reflection)

Theme: Longing, emotion
Genre: Piano Ballad
Tempo: Slow
Mood: Emotional

Udio Prompt:
"Emotional piano ballad, melancholic strings, sunset vibes, introspective, heartfelt, slow"

Track 5: "Night Peace" (Night peace)

Theme: Stability, conclusion
Genre: Ambient
Tempo: Very Slow
Mood: Tranquil

MusicGen Prompt:
"Peaceful ambient music, soft pads, night atmosphere, calming, serene"
Duration: 30 seconds (for repeat use)

Creating Album Unity

Musical Unity

1. Key Relationships

Use related keys:
C Major → A Minor (parallel keys)
C Major → G Major (5th relationship)
C Major → F Major (4th relationship)

2. Common Instruments

Include piano in all songs
or
Use consistent synth sounds

3. Tempo Range

Not too extreme:
60-80 BPM (slow songs)
100-120 BPM (medium songs)
140-160 BPM (fast songs)

Production Unity

1. Sound Quality Unity

All songs:
- Same volume level mastering
- Similar EQ balance
- Consistent reverb use

2. Style Consistency

Entire album:
- Similar production techniques
- Unified sound palette
- Consistent vocal style (if vocals)

Preparing Album Artwork

Cover Design

Essential Elements:

1. Album title
2. Artist name
3. Theme-appropriate image
4. Easy-to-read font

Using AI Image Generation:

DALL-E/Midjourney Prompt Example:

"Album cover art, minimalist design, warm colors, abstract shapes representing daily life moments, modern aesthetic, square format"

Using Canva:

1. Select album cover template
2. Apply color theme
3. Add text
4. Export as 3000x3000 pixels

Track Images

Create representative image for each song:

Track 1: Morning sunlight image
Track 2: Cup of coffee image
Track 3: City nightscape image
Track 4: Sunset image
Track 5: Starry night image

Organizing Metadata

Adding ID3 Tags

Essential Info:

Title: Song title
Artist: Artist name
Album: Album name
Track Number: Track number
Year: Release year
Genre: Genre

Additional Info:

Album Artist: Album artist
Composer: Composer
Comment: "Generated with AI"
Cover Art: Album cover image

Editing Tools:

• Mp3tag (Windows/Mac)
• Kid3 (Windows/Mac/Linux)
• iTunes/Music (default app)

File Naming Convention

Format: TrackNumber_SongTitle.mp3

Example:
01_Morning_Light.mp3
02_Coffee_Break.mp3
03_Rush_Hour.mp3
04_Sunset_Dreams.mp3
05_Night_Peace.mp3

Album Release Platforms

Music Streaming Services

Major Platforms:

1. SoundCloud

Pros:
- Free upload
- Easy sharing
- Active community

Upload:
1. Create account
2. Click Upload
3. Enter track info
4. Organize album as Playlist

2. Bandcamp

Pros:
- Can sell albums
- Professional
- Artist-friendly

Usage:
1. Create artist account
2. Create album page
3. Upload tracks
4. Set price (free/paid)

3. YouTube Music

Pros:
- With video
- Wide reach
- Monetization possible

Upload:
1. Create each song as video with image
2. Upload to YouTube
3. Organize album as playlist

4. Spotify/Apple Music

Use distributor:
- DistroKid
- TuneCore
- CD Baby

Note: Costs involved, copyright check needed

Personal Website

Free Options:

1. Linktree

All platform links in one place:
- SoundCloud link
- YouTube link
- Bandcamp link

2. Personal Blog

Album introduction page:
- Song descriptions
- Production process
- Download/streaming links

Album Promotion

SNS Promotion

Instagram:

- Post album cover
- Track introduction reels
- Behind-the-scenes of production
- Countdown on stories

Twitter/X:

- Release announcement
- Share track samples
- Use hashtags: #NewMusic #AIMusic #IndieMusic

YouTube:

- Upload Full Album video
- Individual track videos
- Making-of video

Community Sharing

Reddit:

Related subreddits:
- r/WeAreTheMusicMakers
- r/ThisIsOurMusic
- r/IndieMusicFeedback

Discord:

Music production communities:
- Get feedback
- Interact with other artists

Portfolio Composition

Online Portfolio

What to Include:

1. Album introduction
   - Concept explanation
   - Creation motivation

2. Tracklist
   - Each song description
   - Playback links

3. Production process
   - Tools used
   - Prompt examples
   - Lessons learned

4. Contact
   - Email
   - SNS links

PDF Portfolio

Structure:

Page 1: Cover (album cover)
Page 2: Artist introduction
Page 3: Album concept
Page 4-5: Tracklist and descriptions
Page 6: Production process
Page 7: QR code (streaming links)

Legal Considerations

Copyright

AI-Generated Music:

Check:
- Platform terms of service
- Commercial use rights
- Copyright ownership

Credit Attribution:

Example:
"All tracks generated using AI technology (Suno/Udio/MusicGen)
Arranged and produced by [Your Name]"

License Selection

Creative Commons:

Options:
- CC BY: Attribution only
- CC BY-NC: Non-commercial use
- CC BY-SA: Share-alike

All Rights Reserved:

Full copyright protection
Required for commercial use

Practice Assignments

Assignment 1: Create Mini Album (5 songs)

Requirements:

1. Set clear theme
2. Create 5 songs
3. Arrange track order
4. Design album cover
5. Organize metadata

Checklist:

• Is theme consistent?
• Is song order natural?
• Is sound quality unified?
• Is metadata complete?
• Is cover art ready?

Assignment 2: Online Release

Steps:

1. Create SoundCloud account
2. Upload album
3. Create Playlist
4. Share on SNS
5. Collect feedback

Assignment 3: Portfolio Document

Create:

1. 1-page album introduction
2. Detailed track descriptions
3. Production process record
4. Lessons learned and reflections

Next Steps: Continue Your Musical Journey

Continuous Growth

1. Regular Releases

Schedule example:
- Monthly single release
- Quarterly EP release
- Annual full album

2. Community Participation

Activities:
- Collaborate with other artists
- Participate in music challenges
- Give and receive feedback

3. Technical Improvement

Learning areas:
- Music theory
- Audio editing
- Mixing/mastering
- New AI tools

Monetization Considerations

Possible Methods:

1. Streaming revenue
2. License sales
3. Commission work
4. Educational content
5. Sample pack sales

Conclusion

Review of 10-Step AI Composition Journey

1. AI music tool introduction ✓
2. Melody generation practice ✓
3. Mood control ✓
4. Genre exploration ✓
5. Lyric composition ✓
6. BGM creation ✓
7. Intro music ✓
8. Vocal utilization ✓
9. Tool comparison ✓
10. Album completion ✓

Your Achievements

What You Learned:

• Mastered 3 AI music generation tools
• Experimented with various genres and styles
• Full process from lyrics to complete songs
• Album planning and release

What You Created:

• Dozens of music tracks
• At least 1 completed album
• Your own music portfolio

Final Advice

1. Create consistently
   - Even a little every day
   - Don't fear experimentation

2. Get feedback
   - Share with others
   - Find areas for improvement

3. Enjoy it
   - Enjoy the process over perfection
   - Find your own style

4. Keep learning
   - Explore new tools
   - Study music theory
   - Learn from other artists

Congratulations!

You are now a composer who creates music with AI. Continue making wonderful music based on what you've learned in this series.

There's no right answer in music. Find your unique voice and express it through music. AI is just a tool—the real creator is you.

Happy composing!

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Final TIP: Finishing this series isn't the end, it's the beginning. Your real musical journey starts now. Share your music with the world and keep trying new things. Someday your music might touch someone's heart!