You typed a full song description into Lyria 3 and got back a 30-second clip. Or you heard Lyria 3 Pro does "full songs" and wondered why your track still cut off at 3 minutes. Song length is the most confusing spec in the Lyria family because there isn't one answer — there are three, depending on which model tier you're actually using. This guide settles it: exact lengths, how to control them, and which tier fits which job.
The length figures below come from Google's official announcements, the DeepMind model pages, and model cards — linked in Sources so you can verify.
The Short Answer
- Lyria 3 (base) generates clips up to roughly 30 seconds.
- Lyria 3 Pro generates structured songs up to 3 minutes — with intros, verses, choruses, and bridges.
- Lyria 3.5 supports prompt-controlled durations — Google's own page describes "a quick 60-second clip, a half-length track, or a full 3-minute song" — with exact caps still rolling out (verify current limits).
If your output was shorter than you expected, you were almost certainly on the base clip tier, not Pro.
The Length Breakdown
| Tier | Max length | Structure | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lyria 3 (clip) | ~30 seconds | Single texture | Sketches, social clips, testing |
| Lyria 3 Pro | Up to 3 minutes | Intro, verse, chorus, bridge | Full songs, soundtracks, releases |
| Lyria 3.5 | Prompt-controlled (60s / half / 3 min per Google) | Musicality-focused | Latest-model early adopters in Flow Music |
Why Your Song Stopped at 30 Seconds
The most common cause: you were using the base model (or a surface defaulting to it) rather than Pro. The base Lyria 3 tier caps output around 30 seconds — that's by design, not a bug. It's the sketch tier.
If you need longer tracks, switch to a Lyria 3 Pro access path: the Gemini app, Gemini API, Vertex AI, Google Vids, YouTube Dream Track, ProducerAI, or a credit-based studio like the Lyria 3 Pro generator on this site.
How to Control Duration in Your Prompt
Google's Lyria product page frames length as a prompt-level choice: "Prompt for the length you need — whether you need a quick 60-second clip, a half-length track, or a full 3-minute song." Practical ways to signal length:
- State the target duration explicitly: "a full 3-minute song," "a 60-second clip," "a 90-second track."
- Describe the arc: for a full song, specify sections — "intro, verse, chorus, bridge, outro."
- Use BPM and feel to shape density: a slower BPM over the same section count produces a longer-feeling track.
- On Pro, use the timestamp technique Google documents in its official prompting guide — script cues like
[00:00]and[02:30]so sections land exactly where you want them.
Rule of thumb: describe the length you want in the prompt itself — "30-second loop," "3-minute ballad" — and if the model still truncates, check which tier your surface is using.
When 30 Seconds Is the Right Choice
- Social video backgrounds (Shorts, Reels) — 30 seconds is plenty.
- Testing an idea cheaply before committing credits to a full song.
- Loops, stingers, and transitions.
- Vibe validation — does this genre/mood/vocal direction work at all?
When You Need the Full 3 Minutes
- Songs with real structure — verses and a chorus.
- Client deliverables and releases.
- Soundtrack drafts where the arrangement carries the narrative.
- Anything you'll edit later — you need section material to work with.
What About Lyria 3.5 Lengths?
Lyria 3.5 (July 29, 2026) introduces prompt-controlled durations — Google describes generating "a quick 60-second clip, a half-length track, or a full 3-minute song" from the same model. Note the caveat: 3.5's model card lists only Google Flow Music as its distribution channel, and its exact length caps are still rolling out. If you need a documented length guarantee today, Lyria 3 Pro's 3-minute spec is the safe bet. See our Lyria 3.5 vs Lyria 3 Pro comparison for what's confirmed.
FAQ
How long is a Lyria 3 song? Base Lyria 3 generates clips up to ~30 seconds. Lyria 3 Pro generates structured songs up to 3 minutes. Lyria 3.5 supports prompt-controlled lengths (60 seconds to 3 minutes per Google's page), with exact caps still rolling out.
Why is my Lyria 3 output only 30 seconds? You're on the base clip tier or a surface defaulting to it. Switch to a Lyria 3 Pro access path for up to 3-minute structured songs.
Can I extend a Lyria 3 clip? There's no direct clip-to-song extension; instead, promote the same prompt to Lyria 3 Pro and generate the full structured song.
How do I tell Lyria 3 to make a longer song? State the duration and arc in the prompt ("full 3-minute song, intro/verse/chorus/bridge"), and on Pro use Google's documented timestamp technique to lock section positions.
Does Lyria 3 Pro really do 3 minutes? Yes — up to 3 minutes per generation per Google's official announcement, with song structure control (intros, verses, choruses, bridges).
The Bottom Line
Lyria 3 song length is a tier question, not a bug: ~30-second clips on base, up to 3-minute structured songs on Pro, and prompt-controlled lengths on the newest 3.5 in Flow Music. If you need full songs, make sure you're on a Pro access path — like the credit-based Lyria 3 Pro generator here, which runs the model pay-as-you-go with no Google Cloud setup. Our Lyria 3 Pro guide covers the tier differences in full.
Sources
- Google — Lyria 3 Pro announcement: https://blog.google/innovation-and-ai/technology/ai/lyria-3-pro/
- DeepMind — Lyria model page: https://deepmind.google/models/lyria/
- DeepMind — Lyria 3 model card: https://deepmind.google/models/model-cards/lyria-3/
- DeepMind — Lyria 3.5 model card: https://deepmind.google/models/model-cards/lyria-3-5/
- Google Cloud — Ultimate prompting guide for Lyria 3 Pro: https://cloud.google.com/blog/products/ai-machine-learning/ultimate-prompting-guide-for-lyria-3-pro
Update note: Lyria 3.5's length controls are new and its exact caps are still rolling out — verify current limits on Google's official pages before relying on them.
