What is it?
Aiva is an AI music composition platform that launched in 2016, making it one of the original AI music tools and significantly older than most of its current competitors. It specialises in instrumental and orchestral music: think film scores, game soundtracks, and classical-adjacent composition. You can generate tracks by selecting a style and mood, or upload a musical influence for it to draw from. On paid plans, you own the copyright to what you create.
Who is it for?
- Indie game developers who need a soundtrack without a composer budget
- YouTubers and filmmakers who need original instrumental background music
- Educators and presenters who want original music under their content
- Composers who want a quick sketching tool for cinematic ideas
- Beginners: the style-based interface doesn't require music theory knowledge
The magic moment
Select the "Epic Orchestral" style, choose a minor key and a mid-tempo pace, and hit generate. Within a minute you have a two-minute track that sounds like it belongs under a cinematic trailer. The strings swell, the timpani comes in. It's structurally coherent in a way that pure prompt-based tools don't always achieve. For film-style music, it's hard to beat.
Step-by-step setup
- Go to aiva.ai and create a free account
- Click Create Track from the dashboard
- Choose a Style from the presets (Epic Orchestral, Piano Solo, Electronic, Jazz, etc.)
- Set the duration, tempo, and key if you have preferences, or leave them on auto
- Click Generate: Aiva will produce a full track in about 30–60 seconds
- Listen back and use the Influences feature if you want to nudge the style toward a specific sound
- Download your track (on the free plan it will be licensed for non-commercial use; on paid plans you own it)
Tip: if you need music for a commercial project, the Standard plan ($11/month) gives you copyright ownership and is well worth it compared to stock music licensing fees.
Compare with similar tools
- Suno: much stronger for vocal pop and genre music; Aiva wins for instrumental and orchestral work
- Udio: better production quality for songs with vocals; Aiva wins when you need structured, score-like instrumental composition
