What is MiniMax Music 3.0?
“MiniMax Music 3.0 is a high-performance music generation model that produces songs up to five minutes long. Add lyrics to create a song with vocals, and describe the instrumentation, vibe, and song structure to get exactly what you want to hear.”
Source: Pika’s MiniMax Music 3.0 page.
MiniMax announced Music 3.0 on August 13, 2026. In its words: “Given a creative concept and optional lyrics, the model composes, arranges, performs, and produces a complete song in a single generation.” MiniMax says it focuses on “understanding the creator’s expressive intent,” keeping that intent across “a complete song of up to five minutes,” rendering instruments with “clarity and physical realism,” and “generating vocals that sound performed rather than synthesized.”
Source: MiniMax, MiniMax Music 3.0 announcement.
MiniMax Music 3.0 or Pika Music?
Pika offers two music models. Their Pika pages describe them like this:
| MiniMax Music 3.0 | Pika Music | |
|---|---|---|
| Maximum length | Up to five minutes | Up to 6 minutes |
| Inputs | Description of instrumentation, vibe and structure, plus optional lyrics | Text, lyrics, voice references and music references, alone or combined |
| Vocals | Add lyrics for a song with vocals | Lyrics and voice references |
| Choose it when | You want a complete, arranged song from a written brief | You want to guide the sound with reference audio, or need a longer track |
Sources: Pika’s MiniMax Music 3.0 and Pika Music pages. “Choose it when” is our suggestion. See all audio tools in the AI audio hub.
How to make a song, step by step
- Open MiniMax Music 3.0 at create.pika.art/apps/minimax-music-3-0 and sign in through Pika’s login page.
- Decide: vocals or instrumental. Vocals need lyrics; instrumentals don’t.
- Write the prompt describing genre, mood, instruments, tempo and structure.
- Add lyrics if you want vocals, labelled by section.
- Check the credit cost the app shows, then generate.
- Listen all the way through: structure, vocals, transitions and ending.
- Adjust one thing (mood, tempo, instrument or a lyric line) and generate again.
Pika’s page doesn’t list a price for MiniMax Music 3.0; the app shows it. See Pika pricing.
Writing the music prompt
Pika’s page says to “describe the instrumentation, vibe, and song structure.” A useful prompt covers six things:
Example prompt: Warm indie folk song, nostalgic and hopeful, around 90 BPM. Fingerpicked acoustic guitar, soft piano and brushed drums, with a gentle string section in the final chorus. Intimate female vocal. Quiet verses that build to a fuller, uplifting chorus, ending with a soft outro.
MiniMax’s own examples read the same way. One begins: “Classic Shanghai jazz / soul with gentle lo-fi warmth,” and goes on to name the vocal style and each instrument.
Writing lyrics for vocals
MiniMax’s example lyrics label each part of the song in square brackets, such as
[Verse 1], [Chorus], [Bridge] and [Outro].
Labelling sections helps the song follow the structure you want.
Example lyrics:
[Verse 1]
Morning light on the kitchen floor,
coffee cold by the open door,
you left a note, just two words long,
“Keep going” — like an old, sweet song.
[Chorus]
So I keep going, keep going on,
through the rain and the early dawn,
every step, a little strong,
I keep going, keep going on.
[Outro]
Keep going on.
- Keep lines short and singable, with a steady rhythm.
- Repeat the chorus so the song has a hook.
- Match lyrics to mood: the prompt and the words should tell the same story.
- Write original lyrics, not lines from existing songs.
Example lyrics are our own.
Example prompts to try
These are our own. Copy one and adjust the details.
| Use | Prompt |
|---|---|
| Travel video | Bright acoustic pop, carefree and sunny, around 110 BPM. Ukulele, hand claps, light percussion, whistled melody. Instrumental. Upbeat from the start. |
| Product ad | Sleek minimal electronic track, confident and modern, around 100 BPM. Deep bass, crisp beats, airy synth pads. Instrumental. A clear build to a drop at the halfway point. |
| Short film drama | Emotional cinematic score, slow and tender. Solo piano opening, strings joining gradually, swelling to a powerful climax, then fading to silence. Instrumental. |
| Study playlist | Lo-fi hip-hop, calm and cosy, around 75 BPM. Dusty drums, mellow electric piano, vinyl crackle, soft bass. Instrumental, steady throughout. |
| Song with vocals | Upbeat synth-pop with an 80s feel, around 118 BPM. Bright synths, punchy drums, catchy bassline. Confident male vocal. Big singalong chorus. Add your lyrics with section labels. |
| Podcast intro | Short, friendly jazz-funk intro, warm and inviting. Muted trumpet, walking bass, light drums. Instrumental, ends cleanly. |
Adding your song to a video
Generate the music, then add it to a Pika video in your editor. For sound matched to the action automatically, use Pika Soundtrack, which “gives any footage native music, voiceover, and motion-aware sound effects.” To layer effects on top of your song, use Pika SFX; for narration, use Pika Speech.
- Match the length: ask for a structure that fits the video, like “short intro, one verse, one chorus, outro.”
- Match the mood: use the same words to describe the video and the music.
- Leave room for speech: choose an instrumental under narration.
Guides: short films, travel videos and product ads.
Music rights
- Write original lyrics. Don’t paste lyrics from existing songs.
- Don’t imitate real artists by name or voice in ways that could mislead.
- Check your plan for commercial use. Pika’s pricing page lists a commercial license on the Creator and Fancy plans.
- Check platform rules on AI-generated music before publishing or monetising.
Common problems and fixes
| Problem | Fix |
|---|---|
| Song ignores the structure | Label lyric sections and describe the structure in the prompt |
| Wrong mood or energy | Add a tempo and two or three mood words; remove conflicting ones |
| Vocals are unclear | Shorten lyric lines and simplify words |
| Instrument missing | Name fewer instruments, and say where each should appear |
| Song is too long for the video | Ask for a shorter structure, or trim in your editor |
MiniMax Music 3.0 FAQs
How long can songs be?
Up to five minutes, according to both Pika and MiniMax.
Can it make instrumental music?
Yes. Leave out lyrics and describe the instruments, vibe and structure.
Can I use a reference track or voice?
Pika’s MiniMax page doesn’t mention reference audio. Pika Music lists voice and music references as inputs.
Who makes MiniMax Music 3.0?
MiniMax. Pika offers it inside its audio apps.
Is this the official Pika or MiniMax website?
No. pikaais.com is an independent informational guide, not affiliated with Pika or MiniMax.
Make your first song
Copy the example prompt and lyrics, generate, and listen all the way through. Then change the tempo or the vocal and compare.
Open MiniMax Music 3.0 ↗Next: Pika Music · Audio models · AI audio hub
Sources: Pika’s MiniMax Music 3.0, Pika Music and Pika Soundtrack pages, MiniMax’s Music 3.0 announcement and Pika pricing, checked September 24, 2026. Image: Pika. Prompts, lyrics and tips are our own. Not affiliated with MiniMax.