text-to-speech git:20260816.3161ba8A

Immutable. This exact content is served forever at /api/v1/blob/b883480bebba32f7.

---
name: text-to-speech
description: Convert text to speech using ElevenLabs voice AI. Use when generating audio from text, creating voiceovers, building voice apps, or synthesizing speech in 70+ languages.
---

> Requires internet access and an ElevenLabs API key (`ELEVENLABS_API_KEY`). Adapted from the upstream ElevenLabs skill (MIT).

# ElevenLabs Text-to-Speech

## Brand context (read first)

Before generating narration or voiceover for a project, read `brand/voice-profile.md`
(injected by `mktg run text-to-speech --with-context`). Use its tone, pacing, and
vocabulary rules to choose the voice, model, and stability/style settings, and to
rewrite the script so it sounds like the brand. Close the loop with
`mktg run text-to-speech --complete --writes <audio paths> --result success --json`.

Generate natural speech from text - supports 70+ languages, multiple models for quality vs latency tradeoffs.

> **Setup:** See [Installation Guide](references/installation.md). For JavaScript, use `@elevenlabs/*` packages only.

## Quick Start

### Python

```python
from elevenlabs import ElevenLabs

client = ElevenLabs()

audio = client.text_to_speech.convert(
    text="Hello, welcome to ElevenLabs!",
    voice_id="JBFqnCBsd6RMkjVDRZzb",  # George
    model_id="eleven_multilingual_v2"
)

with open("output.mp3", "wb") as f:
    for chunk in audio:
        f.write(chunk)
```

### JavaScript

```javascript
import { ElevenLabsClient } from "@elevenlabs/elevenlabs-js";
import { createWriteStream } from "fs";

const client = new ElevenLabsClient();
const audio = await client.textToSpeech.convert("JBFqnCBsd6RMkjVDRZzb", {
  text: "Hello, welcome to ElevenLabs!",
  modelId: "eleven_multilingual_v2",
});
audio.pipe(createWriteStream("output.mp3"));
```

### cURL

```bash
curl -X POST "https://api.elevenlabs.io/v1/text-to-speech/JBFqnCBsd6RMkjVDRZzb" \
  -H "xi-api-key: $ELEVENLABS_API_KEY" -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -d '{"text": "Hello!", "model_id": "eleven_multilingual_v2"}' --output output.mp3
```

## Models

| Model ID | Languages | Latency | Best For |
|----------|-----------|---------|----------|
| `eleven_v3` | 70+ | Standard | Highest quality, emotional range |
| `eleven_multilingual_v2` | 29 | Standard | High quality, long-form content |
| `eleven_flash_v2_5` | 32 | ~75ms | Ultra-low latency, real-time |
| `eleven_flash_v2` | English | ~75ms | English-only, fastest |
| `eleven_turbo_v2_5` | 32 | ~250-300ms | Balanced quality/speed |
| `eleven_turbo_v2` | English | ~250-300ms | English-only, balanced |

## Voice IDs

Use pre-made voices or create custom voices in the dashboard.

**Popular voices:**
- `JBFqnCBsd6RMkjVDRZzb` - George (male, narrative)
- `EXAVITQu4vr4xnSDxMaL` - Sarah (female, soft)
- `onwK4e9ZLuTAKqWW03F9` - Daniel (male, authoritative)
- `XB0fDUnXU5powFXDhCwa` - Charlotte (female, conversational)

```python
voices = client.voices.get_all()
for voice in voices.voices:
    print(f"{voice.voice_id}: {voice.name}")
```

## Voice Settings

Fine-tune how the voice sounds:

- **Stability**: How consistent the voice stays. Lower values = more emotional range and variation, but can sound unstable. Higher = steady, predictable delivery.
- **Similarity boost**: How closely to match the original voice sample. Higher values sound more like the original but may amplify audio artifacts.
- **Style**: Exaggerates the voice's unique style characteristics (only works with v2+ models).
- **Speaker boost**: Post-processing that enhances clarity and voice similarity.

```python
from elevenlabs import VoiceSettings

audio = client.text_to_speech.convert(
    text="Customize my voice settings.",
    voice_id="JBFqnCBsd6RMkjVDRZzb",
    voice_settings=VoiceSettings(
        stability=0.5,
        similarity_boost=0.75,
        style=0.5,
        speed=1.0,             # 0.25 to 4.0 (default 1.0)
        use_speaker_boost=True
    )
)
```

## Language Enforcement

Force specific language for pronunciation:

```python
audio = client.text_to_speech.convert(
    text="Bonjour, comment allez-vous?",
    voice_id="JBFqnCBsd6RMkjVDRZzb",
    model_id="eleven_multilingual_v2",
    language_code="fr"  # ISO 639-1 code
)
```

## Text Normalization

Controls how numbers, dates, and abbreviations are converted to spoken words. For example, "01/15/2026" becomes "January fifteenth, twenty twenty-six":

- `"auto"` (default): Model decides based on context
- `"on"`: Always normalize (use when you want natural speech)
- `"off"`: Speak literally (use when you want "zero one slash one five...")

```python
audio = client.text_to_speech.convert(
    text="Call 1-800-555-0123 on 01/15/2026",
    voice_id="JBFqnCBsd6RMkjVDRZzb",
    apply_text_normalization="on"
)
```

## Request Stitching

When generating long audio in multiple requests, the audio can have pops, unnatural pauses, or tone shifts at the boundaries. Request stitching solves this by letting each request know what comes before/after it:

```python
# First request
audio1 = client.text_to_speech.convert(
    text="This is the first part.",
    voice_id="JBFqnCBsd6RMkjVDRZzb",
    next_text="And this continues the story."
)

# Second request using previous context
audio2 = client.text_to_speech.convert(
    text="And this continues the story.",
    voice_id="JBFqnCBsd6RMkjVDRZzb",
    previous_text="This is the first part."
)
```

## Output Formats

| Format | Description |
|--------|-------------|
| `mp3_44100_128` | MP3 44.1kHz 128kbps (default) - compressed, good for web/apps |
| `mp3_44100_192` | MP3 44.1kHz 192kbps (Creator+) - higher quality compressed |
| `mp3_44100_64` | MP3 44.1kHz 64kbps - lower quality, smaller files |
| `mp3_22050_32` | MP3 22.05kHz 32kbps - smallest MP3 files |
| `pcm_16000` | Raw PCM 16kHz - use for real-time processing |
| `pcm_22050` | Raw PCM 22.05kHz |
| `pcm_24000` | Raw PCM 24kHz - good balance for streaming |
| `pcm_44100` | Raw PCM 44.1kHz (Pro+) - CD quality |
| `pcm_48000` | Raw PCM 48kHz (Pro+) - highest quality |
| `ulaw_8000` | μ-law 8kHz - standard for phone systems (Twilio, telephony) |
| `alaw_8000` | A-law 8kHz - telephony (alternative to μ-law) |
| `opus_48000_64` | Opus 48kHz 64kbps - efficient streaming codec |
| `wav_44100` | WAV 44.1kHz - uncompressed with headers |

## Streaming

For real-time applications, use the `stream` method (returns audio chunks as they're generated):

```python
audio_stream = client.text_to_speech.stream(
    text="This text will be streamed as audio.",
    voice_id="JBFqnCBsd6RMkjVDRZzb",
    model_id="eleven_flash_v2_5"  # Ultra-low latency
)

for chunk in audio_stream:
    play_audio(chunk)
```

See [references/streaming.md](references/streaming.md) for WebSocket streaming.

## Error Handling

```python
try:
    audio = client.text_to_speech.convert(
        text="Generate speech",
        voice_id="invalid-voice-id"
    )
except Exception as e:
    print(f"API error: {e}")
```

Common errors:
- **401**: Invalid API key
- **422**: Invalid parameters (check voice_id, model_id)
- **429**: Rate limit exceeded

## Tracking Costs

Monitor character usage via response headers (`x-character-count`, `request-id`):

```python
response = client.text_to_speech.convert.with_raw_response(
    text="Hello!", voice_id="JBFqnCBsd6RMkjVDRZzb", model_id="eleven_multilingual_v2"
)
audio = response.parse()
print(f"Characters used: {response.headers.get('x-character-count')}")
```

## Anti-Patterns

- **Generating narration without reading `brand/voice-profile.md`** — the voice, pacing, and vocabulary must match the brand; generic defaults sound off-brand.
- **Hardcoding one voice ID for every project** — pick the voice per brand tone; list voices first.
- **Skipping text normalization** — numbers, dates, and abbreviations get mispronounced; normalize before synthesis.
- **Not closing the loop** — run `mktg run text-to-speech --complete --writes <audio paths> --result success --json` so the audio counts as work in `mktg plan` / `mktg status`.

## References

- [Installation Guide](references/installation.md)
- [Streaming Audio](references/streaming.md)
- [Voice Settings](references/voice-settings.md)