Eleven Labs Text-to-Speech
Generate high-quality audio from text using the Eleven Labs API. Ideal for podcast-style summaries, narration, and voice-overs.
Quick Start
# Generate audio with default voice (Rachel)
uv run scripts/generate_audio.py --text "Hello, this is a test."
# Generate from a text file
uv run scripts/generate_audio.py --file report.txt --output ~/Desktop/report.mp3
# Use a specific voice
uv run scripts/generate_audio.py --text "Breaking news..." --voice Josh
# List available voices
uv run scripts/list_voices.py
Scripts
generate_audio.py
Main script for TTS generation.
Arguments:
| Argument | Description | Default |
|---|---|---|
--text | Text content to convert | - |
--file | Path to text file | - |
--voice | Voice name or ID | Rachel |
--model | Model ID | eleven_multilingual_v2 |
--output | Output file path | ~/Desktop/audio_TIMESTAMP.mp3 |
Features:
- Auto-chunks text >10k characters at sentence boundaries
- Concatenates chunks into single MP3
- Returns JSON with metadata (file path, voice, model, char count, chunks)
list_voices.py
Fetch and display available voices.
Arguments:
| Argument | Description | Default |
|---|---|---|
--all | Show all voices (not just premade) | false |
--json | Output as JSON | false |
Curated Voices
Six voices selected for variety (see references/voices.md for details):
| Voice | Style | Best For |
|---|---|---|
| Rachel | Calm, clear | Narration, podcasts (default) |
| Bella | Soft, gentle | Storytelling, meditation |
| Elli | Young, expressive | Casual content, tutorials |
| Josh | Deep, authoritative | News, professional content |
| Adam | Middle-aged, clear | Business, documentaries |
| Antoni | Warm, versatile | General purpose |
Use list_voices.py to discover additional voices.
Models
| Model | ID | Best For | Char Limit |
|---|---|---|---|
| Multilingual v2 | eleven_multilingual_v2 | Long-form (default) | 10,000 |
| Flash v2.5 | eleven_flash_v2_5 | Quick, real-time | 40,000 |
| Turbo v2.5 | eleven_turbo_v2_5 | Balanced | 40,000 |
| Eleven v3 | eleven_v3 | Maximum expression | 3,000 |
Environment Setup
Requires ELEVENLABS_API_KEY in:
~/Library/Mobile Documents/com~apple~CloudDocs/Geoffrey/secrets/.env
Examples
Daily Summary Podcast
# Generate individual segments
uv run scripts/generate_audio.py --file weather.txt --voice Rachel --output ~/Desktop/weather.mp3
uv run scripts/generate_audio.py --file news.txt --voice Josh --output ~/Desktop/news.mp3
uv run scripts/generate_audio.py --file calendar.txt --voice Bella --output ~/Desktop/calendar.mp3
Long Report
# Auto-chunks long text, concatenates into single file
uv run scripts/generate_audio.py --file quarterly_report.txt --model eleven_turbo_v2_5 --output report.mp3
Quick Test
uv run scripts/generate_audio.py --text "Testing one two three" --voice Adam
Output
Default: ~/Desktop/audio_YYYY-MM-DD_HHMMSS.mp3
Script returns JSON:
{
"success": true,
"file": "/Users/user/Desktop/audio_2026-01-23_143022.mp3",
"voice": "Rachel",
"model": "eleven_multilingual_v2",
"characters": 1234,
"chunks": 1
}
Limitations
- Character limits vary by model (see table above)
- One voice per generation (multi-voice requires separate files)
- Output format: MP3 only