SUNO V4 BETA: FIRST IMPRESSIONS
As we dive deeper into the age of AI-driven creativity, SUNO has been leading the charge in the world of music generation. Their latest model, V4, is on the horizon, and although an official release date hasn’t been announced, I’ve been lucky enough to get early access. If you were impressed by Version 3.5, brace yourself—V4 is the closest we’ve come to a truly polished music AI, packed with improvements and innovative new features.
What is SUNO, and Why is Version 4 So Exciting?
SUNO has established itself as a pioneer in AI music generation, allowing artists, creators, and curious listeners to bring new music to life with just a few prompts. For those unfamiliar, previous SUNO versions enabled users to generate songs across a variety of genres, styles, and moods. But Version 4 is a game changer, taking everything we loved about its predecessors and making it sharper, clearer, and more versatile.
With a significant leap in sound clarity and control—especially in heavy music genres like metal and hard rock—V4 clears up the muddiness that sometimes plagued previous versions. Where Version 3.5 could leave metal tracks unintentionally distorted, V4 sharpens the sound of each instrument, allowing them to stand out clearly alongside vocals. It’s an impressive edge that gives this AI’s sound a near-professional quality.
One of the most remarkable aspects of V4 is its improvement in sound clarity across genres. For many genres, the music feels tight, bold, and crystal clear—a welcome shift from the “almost there but not quite” sound of V3.5. Each instrument has a distinct presence, enhancing the listening experience and adding depth to each track. Vocals feel more intentional, less blurred, and finally ready for their spotlight.
Remastering
A standout new feature in V4 is the “Remaster” button. For those who’ve been crafting with SUNO for a while, this tool allows you to bring your older tracks into the future. Remastering keeps the core melody intact but upgrades the sound with better instrumentals and vocals, delivering your beloved songs with newfound polish. As I found while testing, if you attempt to remaster an already remastered track, things get a bit… hallucination-inducing. But really, who’s testing the limits like that besides me?
Too Good?
Generating multiple tracks with V4 has left me with a new dilemma: I’m faced with track after track of strong contenders. Where earlier versions made it easy to separate “keepers” from “rejects,” V4 consistently churns out high-quality songs, making it genuinely challenging to pick a favorite. Each track feels well-rounded, with vocal performances that are surprisingly nuanced, lending an element of difficulty to the selection process.
Experimentation
V4 shines when you throw it a musical curveball. Ever wondered what happens when you blend electro-swing, French classical, electronic, jazz fusion, phonk, and breakbeat? Spoiler: it’s unexpectedly brilliant. The AI seems to revel in the challenge, churning out creative combinations that are wild, genre-blending, and often delightful. With this in mind, I foresee new musical styles emerging thanks to V4’s flexibility. It’s a tool that invites experimentation on another level.
The Not-So-Perfect: A Few Glitches in the Matrix
As with any cutting-edge tool, there are still a few bugs to squash and quirks to navigate.
Tonal Control
One area V4 could improve is in dialing in specific vocal tones. On a recent track called Casanova, I aimed for smooth, sultry vocals reminiscent of Sade. But no matter how I worded my prompt, the result was closer to chirpy cheerleader than smoky lounge singer. For artists aiming for highly specific vocal moods, the learning curve may be steep, and some prompts might feel like shots in the dark until the model fully dials in on tonal specificity.
Track Extension Hiccups
Extending tracks is another area where V4 is still finding its feet. I usually use the feature to rewrite sections of the song, For example, I tested extending a track at 7 seconds, then 15 seconds. Each time, the song’s tone shifted noticeably, and sometimes entire lines were skipped altogether. I’m sure SUNO’s developers are ironing out these details, but users looking for seamless extensions might need a bit of patience in the meantime.
Maybe Too Perfect?
Interestingly, feedback from early users who listened to the V4 tracks I posted on Twitter echoes a sentiment I’ve felt as well: V4 might be a little too polished. It’s almost as if, in perfecting the music, the AI loses a bit of its character—its “roughness”—and smooths over the edges that can make music exciting. Don’t get me wrong; polished is usually a good thing. But there’s something to be said for the unexpected—the twist, the tension, the element of surprise. AI music, for all its beauty, can sometimes feel like it takes the path of least resistance, smoothing over rough edges and making the unexpected… expected. There’s nothing wrong with a song that flows effortlessly, but every now and then, you crave a little imperfection, a rawness that defies predictability.
Final Thoughts
SUNO V4 is a powerhouse of an update. It’s polished, sophisticated, and armed with features that allow for a wide range of creative expression. The new clarity and control, especially in heavier genres, bring a quality that will elevate the work of many artists and open the door to new styles and sounds.
This model is so close to “perfect” it’s exciting—and perhaps a little frightening. The seamless vocals, the clear instrumentation, the “Remaster” feature that reimagines past creations, and the model’s tendency toward harmony all point toward a future where AI music might be just as celebrated as human compositions.
But as with any tool, especially one on the cutting edge, it’s about how you use it. SUNO V4 might lean toward the polished, but its potential for experimentation is huge. For those who crave the unexpected, it still holds the power to create something out of this world. Whether you’re a curious first-time user or a seasoned SUNO veteran, V4 is worth exploring—not only for what it can create now but for the doors it opens to the music of tomorrow.
So, go ahead and test it out when it’s released. Throw it the quirkiest prompts, the strangest genres, and see where it takes you. SUNO V4 is not just an upgrade; it’s an invitation to play, to experiment, and to push the boundaries of what AI music can be.
