SSML

In the Ultra Transcenders books

AI-901AI-103

Each book explains SSML in context, with comparison tables and the common traps.

Terms in this definition

• XML

  A text-based format for data, used for instance in message bodies.

• Speech synthesis

  Turning text into spoken audio that sounds natural, for example to read messages out loud.

• Volume

  Holds non-tabular files sitting in cloud storage under Unity Catalog governance, addressed as /Volumes/<catalog>/<schema>/<volume>. A volume can be external or managed, and WRITE VOLUME or READ VOLUME decide who may use it.

Related terms

• Batch synthesis API

  Asynchronous text to speech REST API suited to big batches of SSML or plain text. Unlike the real-time REST API, which stops at 10 minutes of audio, it can generate longer output such as audiobooks.

• mstts:express-as

  SSML extension from Microsoft for choosing a speaking style for a voice, such as calm, gentle or advertisement_upbeat. If the style is not valid, the entire element is disregarded.

• speak_text_async()

  Method of SpeechSynthesizer that synthesises plain text without blocking, returning a future that resolves to a SpeechSynthesisResult. For SSML input, speak_ssml_async() is used.

• SSML emphasis element

  Element in SSML that increases or reduces stress on words (strong, moderate, none or reduced). Only a small number of neural voices support it.

• SSML prosody element

  Element in SSML for changing the volume, rate, range, contour and pitch of synthesised speech.

• SSML voice element

  Element in SSML that chooses, through its name attribute, which voice speaks the text inside it. Accent follows the voice's locale, so any two en-US voices sound alike in accent.

• Text to speech

  Speech synthesis in Azure Speech: text becomes natural-sounding audio using standard or custom neural voices, adjustable through SSML. Speech recognition works in the reverse direction.