How to
The song is half the gift. The other half is the second they hear it, and you get to decide what that looks like.
How to gift a song so the moment matches the song
The song is half the gift; how they first hear it is the other half. Here are the ways people give a custom song, what each one needs, and how to keep it a surprise until you press play.
Hear the second a name lands
Maya and Sam, my heart is yours to hold
You wrote“We met queuing for the same sold-out concert in Austin and neither of us got in.”
The song singsBut standing in that queue was not in vain
From a real song made here: “Down the Middle”, for Maya and Sam, from what the couple typed.
The moment you give it
You send a short teaser before the full song is theirs. It builds a day of curiosity, and when the moment comes, they are already somewhere quiet with headphones in, waiting.
Planned to the minute
a song is on its way. tomorrow, 8 pm. be somewhere quiet
Read
what?? ok I am intrigued
Start with one memory
Pick a question. The form opens with your first line already started.
Songs that were given as gifts
Real songs from this site. Press play to hear how a first listen feels.
What you get for $12.99
You hear it first, free. You pay once, only if you keep it.
- Free preview
- The first 60 seconds, ready in about two minutes after you enter your email. No card.
- The song
- The full song, about two minutes long, as an MP3 to download and keep.
- Lyrics
- Every line is on the preview page before you pay. Unlocking adds the lyric sheet, to print or save as a PDF.
- Their link
- A private link that plays the whole song without an account, with your name and a short note. Switch it off any time.
- Photo video
- Free: a vertical 9:16 photo video of your photos with the lyrics on screen, plus 15- and 30-second cuts. Made in your browser.
- The name
- Unusual name? Type how to say it (SEER-sha for Saoirse) and the singer says it that way.
- Re-record
- One free re-record per song: change a line, the style or the voice and record it again.
- Name sung wrong?
- After you pay, a free remake with the name fixed, once per song.
- Languages
- Sung in English, German, French, Spanish or Japanese.
- Teaser
- Before you pay, a 15-second teaser link that tells them a song is on its way.
- For this song
- Nothing ships: the preview, the unlock and their link all happen here, so it works the same day.
Five ways to give it
| Way | Best for | What you need |
|---|---|---|
| In person, from your phone | Partners, parents | A small speaker and a quiet minute |
| A text with the MP3 | Friends far away | The downloaded file and a one-line message |
| Under a photo slideshow | Big birthdays, anniversaries | A TV, photos, the MP3 as the soundtrack |
| In the car | Someone shy about attention | Bluetooth or a cable, and a long enough drive |
| On a video call | Grandparents, long distance | Share your screen or your speaker |
Keeping the surprise
- Write the lines when they are not looking over your shoulder; the wizard works on a phone in a few minutes.
- Use the email you check, not the shared family one, so the "your song is ready" message stays private.
- Download the MP3 ahead of time so you are not waiting on a signal at the restaurant.
- Do not tell them the title; let the chorus give it away.
Little things that make it better
- Turn the volume up more than you think; words get lost on quiet phone speakers.
- Have the lyric sheet open so they can read along the second time.
- Let it play to the end before anyone talks.
- Add one handwritten line on a card about why you made it.
- Film the reaction only if they would want that.
More song ideas
Questions
Make it, then plan the moment.
The song takes minutes; the moment is yours.