A little reflection. A few words. Your own song.
A phrase you text yourself. A thought you can’t quite shake. A feeling looking for words. Give it a place to go—and a sound of its own.
No instruments. No music theory. Move at your own pace.
“Widen the aperture.
What do you see?”
WHY PUT FEELINGS INTO A SONG?
A journal holds an experience. A lyric gives it shape. Music lets you hear it in a different way.
This is an invitation to explore your feelings through creative expression. Turning words into something you can listen to may offer a new perspective. Your response is personal: you don’t need to reach a conclusion or feel better on command.
The therapeutic explanation behind this approach is presented in David’s GAATS framework: write, choose a sound, listen, explore alternatives, and reflect.
Explore the narrated therapeutic explanation →An educational reflection activity. This specific AI-assisted framework has not been established as a clinical treatment and does not replace mental health care.
DAVID’S REAL EXAMPLE · NOVEMBER 12, 2026
Ordinary fragments. Saved as they arrived.
Later, a thread began to appear.
“When I hear an idea that catches my attention, I text it to myself. When I have enough, I organize them and paste them into Google Deep Research, then work through the generation steps to create a song.”
— David D. McElroy
FINDING THE THREAD
These are the phrases David used to create today’s song. They don’t begin as polished lyrics, and they don’t have to.
The screenshots preserve the original wording, including dictation errors. The examples below lightly edit wording for readability; the song adds connecting lines.
Hear what these ideas became ↓The “everyday sight” wording is an interpretation of the dictated “everyday Site.” Check intended wording before using your own dictated notes.
THE FINISHED EXAMPLE
A personal song built from the phrases above. Notice how a few saved thoughts become verses, a chorus, and a sound.
2 minutes 48 seconds · Press play when you’re ready.
Saved phrase: “Widen the apertures what do you see?”
In the song:
Widen the aperture—
Tell me, what do you see?
Connecting the pieces,
Between you and me.
YOUR FIRST SONG · SEVEN GENTLE STEPS
You supply the meaning.
AI can help with the structure and the sound.
CAPTURE
Use your phone’s messages, a notes app, or paper. Save a sentence, image, memory, or question when it catches your attention. A few fragments are enough to begin.
ORGANIZE
Read your phrases. Group the ones that seem connected. Choose the feeling or question you want this song to explore. Save unrelated ideas for another song.
Correct dictation mistakes and remove names or details you don’t want to upload. Choose one line you want to repeat: that can become your chorus.
SHAPE THE LYRICS
Open Gemini and paste your phrases with the prompt below. A regular chat can help shape a lyric. David also uses Deep Research to explore ideas before drafting.
In Gemini, open the tools or Add Files menu and select Deep Research. Describe the theme you want to explore, paste your non-identifying phrases, review the proposed plan, then start the research. Afterwards, ask Gemini to use the ideas and your phrases to draft lyrics. Review factual claims and keep language that sounds like you. Menu labels and availability can change.
Example: “Explore the image of widening an aperture as a metaphor for perspective. Offer three songwriting directions, using my phrases as the starting point. Do not diagnose me or invent personal history.”
Google’s Deep Research instructions →Help me turn my phrases into a personal song for reflection. First identify the main theme. Then suggest a title, two short verses, a repeating chorus, and an optional bridge. Keep my strongest phrases and my natural voice. Suggest rather than assume what I mean. Do not diagnose me, invent events, or force a happy ending. Mark sections with [Verse 1], [Chorus], [Verse 2], and [Bridge]. Ask me about any unclear wording. Here are my phrases: [paste my phrases here].
A verse tells part of the story. A chorus repeats the central feeling. A bridge offers a different angle. Read everything aloud and edit until it feels like yours.
CHOOSE A SOUND
You don’t need musical terms. Choose a mood, a pace, and one or two instruments. Do you want the sound to match the feeling, or offer a gentler way to hear it?
GENERATE
Use the Express Music walkthrough below as a guide: paste your structured lyrics, choose a length where offered, select a style, and create. Different music tools have different controls.
One available route: in Suno Create, choose Custom to enter your own lyrics. See the official instructions →
This guide does not generate music itself. External tools may require an account, credits, or a paid plan. Check privacy, sharing, and usage terms before uploading or publishing.
LISTEN
Listen at a comfortable volume, when you feel ready. Notice a word, image, or feeling that stands out. You can pause, skip a section, or leave the song for another day.
If you want, try a second arrangement and compare. There is no required emotional response. Stop if the experience feels overwhelming.
KEEP & REFLECT
Write a few words about the experience. Save the lyrics and an audio download if your tool permits. Keep it private, revise it, or share it with someone you choose.
Use your own writing, or material you have permission to use. Review the music provider’s license before public or commercial sharing. For trauma treatment or persistent distress, work with a qualified mental health professional.
PRESS PLAY · 2 MINUTES 18 SECONDS
See the production sequence: paste lyrics, choose a length, select a style, create, then listen and download.
Presented by David D. McElroy. This supplied tutorial illustrates the workflow; your chosen tool’s screen may differ. The same process is written in steps 4 and 5 above.
YOUR SPACE TO BEGIN
Use this worksheet to prepare your next step.
There’s no need to finish it all at once.
Your entries stay in this page’s memory. They are not submitted or automatically saved. Download before closing or refreshing. Copying into an external AI service shares them with that service.
A PROMPT BUILT FROM YOUR WORDS
Write a few phrases, then prepare a prompt to copy into Gemini. You review and edit the result before generating music.
THE GOAL IS PERSONAL MEANING