# Text To Speech

> >

- **Type:** Skill
- **Install:** `agentstack add skill-claude-world-claude-agent-text-to-speech`
- **Verified:** Yes — security-reviewed for prompt injection and unsafe behavior
- **Seller:** [claude-world](https://agentstack.voostack.com/s/claude-world)
- **Installs:** 0
- **Category:** [Agent Skills](https://agentstack.voostack.com/c/agent-skills)
- **Latest version:** 0.1.0
- **License:** MIT
- **Upstream author:** [claude-world](https://github.com/claude-world)
- **Source:** https://github.com/claude-world/claude-agent/tree/main/.claude/skills/text-to-speech

## Install

```sh
agentstack add skill-claude-world-claude-agent-text-to-speech
```

Requires the [AgentStack CLI](https://agentstack.voostack.com/docs/cli). Works with Claude Code, Cursor, and any MCP-compatible agent.

## About

# Text to Speech

Convert text to audio. Three engine options from instant offline to high-quality cloud.

## Engines Overview

| Engine | Quality | Speed | Cost | Install |
|--------|---------|-------|------|---------|
| `say` (macOS) | Decent | Instant | Free | Built-in |
| `sherpa-onnx-tts` | Good | Fast | Free | pip install |
| ElevenLabs API | Excellent | ~2s | Paid | API key |

Default: use `say` for quick playback, save to file with `-o`.

## Engine 1: macOS `say` (Built-in, No Install)

```bash
# Speak immediately
say "Hello, world!"

# Save to audio file
say "Your message here" -o output.aiff

# Convert to MP3 (requires ffmpeg)
say "Your message here" -o /tmp/tts.aiff && ffmpeg -y -i /tmp/tts.aiff output.mp3

# List available voices
say -v ?

# Use specific voice
say -v Samantha "Hello from Samantha"
say -v Daniel "Hello from Daniel"
say -v Mei-Jia "你好，這是中文語音"
say -v Kyoko "こんにちは、日本語です"

# Control speed (default 200 wpm)
say -r 150 "Slower speech"
say -r 250 "Faster speech"

# Read from file
say -f input.txt -o output.aiff
```

### Popular macOS Voices
| Language | Voice | Note |
|----------|-------|------|
| English | Samantha | Default US |
| English | Daniel | UK accent |
| Chinese | Mei-Jia | Traditional Chinese |
| Chinese | Ting-Ting | Simplified Chinese |
| Japanese | Kyoko | Japanese |

## Engine 2: sherpa-onnx-tts (Local Neural TTS)

```bash
# Install
pip install sherpa-onnx

# Download a model (example: VITS English)
# See: https://k2-fsa.github.io/sherpa/onnx/tts/index.html
sherpa-onnx-tts --help

# Generate audio
sherpa-onnx-tts \
  --vits-model=./model.onnx \
  --vits-lexicon=./lexicon.txt \
  --vits-tokens=./tokens.txt \
  --output-filename=output.wav \
  "Text to convert to speech"
```

## Engine 3: ElevenLabs API (Highest Quality)

```bash
# Requires: export ELEVENLABS_API_KEY=your_key_here

# List voices
curl -s https://api.elevenlabs.io/v1/voices \
  -H "xi-api-key: $ELEVENLABS_API_KEY" | jq '.voices[].name'

# Generate audio (Rachel voice)
curl -s -X POST \
  "https://api.elevenlabs.io/v1/text-to-speech/21m00Tcm4TlvDq8ikWAM" \
  -H "xi-api-key: $ELEVENLABS_API_KEY" \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -d '{"text": "Your text here", "model_id": "eleven_monolingual_v1"}' \
  -o output.mp3
```

## Usage Examples

**"Read this out loud: Good morning"** (immediate playback)
```bash
say "Good morning"
```

**"Save 'Meeting starts in 5 minutes' to audio"**
```bash
say "Meeting starts in 5 minutes" -o ~/Desktop/reminder.aiff
```

**"Generate MP3 from this text"**
```bash
say "Your text here" -o /tmp/tts_out.aiff
ffmpeg -y -i /tmp/tts_out.aiff ~/Desktop/output.mp3 2>/dev/null
echo "Saved: ~/Desktop/output.mp3"
```

**"What voices are available?"**
```bash
say -v ? | head -20
```

**"Read this in Chinese"**
```bash
say -v Mei-Jia "你好，歡迎使用語音服務"
```

## Rules
- `say` is always available on macOS — use it as default, no install check needed
- For file output: default save to `~/Desktop/tts_output_.aiff`
- Convert to MP3 only if user requests it and ffmpeg is available
- If user wants higher quality, suggest sherpa-onnx or ElevenLabs
- For ElevenLabs, check ELEVENLABS_API_KEY is set before attempting API call
- Never hardcode API keys — always read from environment variable
- Long text (>500 words): warn user it may take a moment, especially for sherpa/ElevenLabs
- For non-English, default to the appropriate system voice (Mei-Jia for ZH, Kyoko for JA)

## Source & license

This open-source skill is cataloged on AgentStack and links to its original source — we do not rehost the code.

- **Author:** [claude-world](https://github.com/claude-world)
- **Source:** [claude-world/claude-agent](https://github.com/claude-world/claude-agent)
- **License:** MIT

Install and usage instructions live in the source repository linked above.

## Pricing

- **Free** — Free

## Security capabilities

Automated source analysis of v0.1.0 — what this tool can access:

- **Network access:** yes
- **Filesystem access:** no
- **Shell / process execution:** no
- **Environment & secrets:** no
- **Dynamic code execution:** no

*"Yes" means the capability is present in the source — more access means more to trust, not that it is unsafe.*


## Versions

- **0.1.0** — security scan: passed — Imported from the upstream source.

## Links

- Listing page: https://agentstack.voostack.com/l/skill-claude-world-claude-agent-text-to-speech
- Seller: https://agentstack.voostack.com/s/claude-world
- Browse the marketplace: https://agentstack.voostack.com/browse

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