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Welcome to the Out of The Box Series — where I test how far curiosity and AI can take you in 30, 60, or 90 minutes using today’s best no-code and low-code tools. No studio. No production team. No advance training. Just exploration to see what we can do — right out of the box. 🎧 Finished Song*: I Got Your Six Little Girl 🎬 This Episode: Suno.com – AI Song Creation 🕒 Time Limit: 90 Minutes 📂 Category: AI Music & Personal Creativity 🎶 What Is Suno? Suno is an AI music generation tool that can create songs from prompts, lyrics, and style direction. In this case, Suno did the musical composition. I uploaded my original lyrics. 🎧 Finished Song*: I Got Your Six Little Girl Because rights and ownership matter, I started with lyrics I had written myself and kept the words original. With Suno Pro, you can publish what you create, so I wanted to be thoughtful about what I uploaded and refined. 📝 Backstory In February 2020, I wrote a poem for my daughter called I Got Your Six Little Girl. It was written from the perspective of a father looking back on all the firsts: - first heartbeat - first breath - first steps - first bike ride and moments in between The poem was already written. But I cannot sing. I cannot play instruments very well. I was never in the band. So I wanted to see if I could use AI to help turn the poem into a song to give her as a graduation present. ⏳ What I Built in 90 Minutes: Within one focused session, I: 🎼 Uploaded my original lyrics into Suno 📝 Converted the poem format into a song lyric format 🎚️ Used Suno’s interface presets to guide the style 🔁 Generated multiple versions 🎧 Listened for tempo, transitions, hooks, and continuity 🎵 Created a strong working version of the song 🎧 Finished Song*: I Got Your Six Little Girl The prompt was less of a traditional instruction and more of a music style descriptor.

Day: 129 Level: Intermediate Edition: Claude Code Category: Costs & Usage AI Learning Path: Real-World Usage API Use refers to the specific interactions with Claude Code that trigger charges through Anthropic's API. Every time Claude Code processes your requests, generates responses, or accesses models, it's making API calls that count toward your usage and billing. AI Terms in Series: Tokens → Models → Subscription Level → API Use → Extra Usage 🪄 Simple Definition: The specific Claude Code actions that trigger charges through Anthropic's API.→ "What you do that costs money." 🌟 Expanded Definition: API Use encompasses all the billable interactions between Claude Code and Anthropic's servers. Each time you interact with Claude Code, it makes API calls that consume your subscription allowance or generate charges. 🔨 What Counts as API Use: Direct Interactions • Sending prompts to Claude Code • Receiving responses and generated code • Asking for code explanations or reviews • Requesting file modifications or creations Context Processing • Claude Code reading your project files for context • Processing large codebases or documentation • Analyzing existing code before making changes Model Operations • Switching between different Claude models • Using higher-capability models (Opus vs Sonnet vs Haiku) • Accessing new features or advanced capabilities 🔨 Why API Use Matters Understanding API use helps you: • Predict costs before starting large projects • Choose appropriate models for different tasks • Optimize your workflow to minimize unnecessary calls • Stay within your subscription limits • Avoid surprise charges from heavy usage API Use is essential for: • Budgeting Claude Code projects accurately • Understanding what drives your costs • Making informed decisions about model selection • Optimizing your development workflow • Tracking and controlling your spending ⚡ In Action: "You ask Claude Code to refactor a large Python file. This triggers multiple API calls: reading the existing file (input tokens), analyzing the code structure (processing), generating the improved version (output tokens), and showing you the diff (additional processing). A simple request becomes several billable API operations."

Most automation problems I see trace back to a fuzzy mental model of what an API actually is. So here's the frame I use with clients. An API is a remote control for software. Your app presses a button (sends a request). Another app does something and sends back a result (a response). You don't see how the other app works inside. You just follow the rules printed on the buttons (the docs). That's it. That's the whole concept. Two analogies that work in client calls: Restaurant menu. The menu lists what you can order and how to ask for it. Kitchen is hidden. Meal is the response. Light switch. Flip the switch (request). Wiring, grid, power plant are hidden. Light turns on (response). Same idea either way: clear inputs, clear outputs, hidden complexity. The actual call pattern: 1. Client asks (your app, browser, script) 2. Request goes out with a URL, a method (GET, POST, etc.), and any data the server needs 3. Server does the thing 4. Response comes back, usually JSON Break any of those rules and you get an error, not data. Why this matters for builders: - Reuse beats rebuild. Use Stripe's API instead of building payments from scratch. - Complexity stays hidden. You don't need to know how Twitter stores tweets to pull the last 20. - Access is controlled. APIs decide what's exposed, who can call it, and how often. Security still depends on the implementation, but the boundary exists by design. - Apps mix APIs like ingredients. Maps, payments, email, auth, all stitched together. When two pieces of software talk in a structured, agreed way, they're using an API. Every n8n node, every Claude Code tool call, every trigger. All APIs under the hood. What analogy do you use when a non-technical client asks what an API is? Curious what lands for other builders. Highly recommended related information: Check out @Michael Wacht's Daily Dose: https://www.skool.com/ai-automation-society-plus/ai-terms-daily-dose-api-use?p=5c08d0bf

Day: 128 Level: Intermediate Edition: Claude Code Category: Costs & Usage AI Learning Path: Real-World Usage Subscription Level determines what Claude Code features you can access, how much usage you get, and which models are available to you. Your subscription level is the foundation of your Claude Code experience and directly impacts your spending patterns. AI Terms in Series: Tokens → Models → Subscription Level → API Use → Extra Usage 🪄 Simple Definition: Your billing plan that determines Claude Code access, usage limits, and available features.→ "What you pay for determines what you can build." 🌟 Expanded Definition: Your subscription level is your service tier with Anthropic that controls your Claude Code experience. Different levels provide different amounts of usage, access to different models, and various features. Current Subscription Levels: Free • Basic Claude Code access • Limited usage per month • Access to standard models • Good for learning and light experimentation Pro ($20/month) • 5x more usage than Free • Access to all current models • Priority during high-demand periods • Best for regular developers Max ($100 or $200/month) • Highest usage limits • Early access to new features • Maximum model access • Best for power users and businesses Team/Enterprise • Multiple user management • Enhanced security features • Custom usage limits • Collaboration tools Why Subscription Level Matters Your subscription determines: • Which models you can use with Claude Code • How much you can build before hitting limits • Whether you get charged extra for high usage • Access to premium features and early releases Subscription levels are essential for: • Planning your Claude Code budget • Understanding your usage constraints • Choosing the right plan for your needs • Avoiding unexpected charges • Accessing the models you need for your projects ⚡ In Action: "You're on the Pro plan and consistently hit your monthly limits. Instead of paying extra usage fees, upgrading to Max gives you more included usage and often costs less than Pro + overages for heavy users." As an alternative idea, refer to Pro Tip.