How to Make an AI Music Video from a Song Link

SendShort can turn a song into a vertical lyric video for TikTok, YouTube Shorts and Reels. You give it a music link or an audio file. It returns a 9:16 video with lyric captions, a sound-wave overlay, beat-reactive bars and a background clip.

Important: there is no music-video screen in the SendShort app. You make music videos from an AI agent, the SendShort API or n8n. This guide shows all three ways.

What You Get

The lyrics come from speech-to-text. Sung lyrics can be misheard, so check the captions before you post.

Method 1: Make a Music Video with an AI Agent

This is the easiest way. Connect SendShort to Claude, ChatGPT or Grok Bot first. The steps are in how to make shorts with Claude and SendShort in ChatGPT.

Then ask:

Make a SendShort music video from this song: https://soundcloud.com/ARTIST/TRACK
Use the aesthetic background and the title "Late Night Drive".
Tell me when it is ready.

The agent uses two tools:

• create_music_video starts the video (9:16, up to 60 seconds).
• get_music_video_status checks the job until the video is done.

To pick a caption style, ask “Show me the caption themes” first (list_themes).

Method 2: Make a Music Video with the API

Use the REST API when you want to make music videos from your own code. Create an API key in Settings → Preferences → API keys.

1. Start the music video.

curl -X POST https://app.sendshort.ai/api/v1/music-video \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer ss_sk_…" \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -d '{ … }'

Put the music link, the background, the caption theme and the title in the JSON body. The field names are in the API reference.

2. Upload your own audio or background video (optional). Call POST /api/v1/music-video/upload. It returns a signed upload URL for the file.

3. Check the status.

curl https://app.sendshort.ai/api/v1/music-video/JOB_ID \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer ss_sk_…"

4. Or get a webhook. Subscribe to music_video.completed and music_video.failed with POST /api/v1/webhooks, or in Settings → Preferences → Webhooks.

The API allows 3 music-video starts a minute and 120 requests a minute per key. Over the limit, it answers 429 with a Retry-After header. All endpoints are on the SendShort API page.

Method 3: Make a Music Video with n8n

The SendShort community node for n8n has two music-video actions:

• Music Video → Create starts a music video.
• Music Video → Get checks it.

Use the SendShort Trigger with the Music Video Completed event to start the next step, for example a post or a message to your team. Use Music Video Failed to catch errors. The setup is in how to automate shorts with n8n and on the n8n integration page.

Music Rights

You must have the rights to the track that you use. SendShort does not give you a music license. Use your own music, music that you have a license for, or tracks that allow this use. See our guide to royalty-free music.

Limits and Credits

• Past the monthly limit, each music video costs 30 Credits.
• Tracks longer than 7 minutes are rejected.
• The video uses the first 60 seconds of the track.

For an overview of the feature, see the AI music video generator.

Get started with SendShort

FAQ: AI Music Videos

Can I make a music video in the SendShort app?

No. There is no music-video screen in the app. Make music videos from an AI agent (Claude, ChatGPT or Grok Bot), the SendShort API or n8n.

How long is the music video?

It uses the first 60 seconds of the track, in 9:16. Tracks longer than 7 minutes are rejected.

Which music links work?

Links from YouTube, SoundCloud, Vimeo and similar sites work. You can also upload an audio file.

Are the lyrics correct?

The lyric captions come from speech-to-text. Sung lyrics can be misheard, so check the captions before you post the video.

Do I need the rights to the song?

Yes. You must have the rights to the track. SendShort does not give you a music license.

How many music videos can I make?

Professional includes 10 a month and Business is unlimited. Starter does not include music videos. Past the limit, each video costs 30 Credits.

Thanks a lot for reading this,
David Ch
Head of the Editing Team at SendShort