Create a Text-to-Speech App in Node.js with say.js npm Module

Table of Contents

1. Introduction
2. Installing the Text-to-Speech Module
3. Using the Speak Method
4. Stopping the Speech
5. Adding Options to the Voice
6. Implementing Callback Functions
7. Exporting Audio to a WAV File
8. Installing Custom Voices
9. Conclusion
10. References

Article

Introduction

👉 What is a Text-to-Speech Application?

A text-to-speech application is a useful tool that converts written text into spoken words. In this Tutorial, we will learn how to create a text-to-speech application using Node.js.

1. Installing the Text-to-Speech Module

🔧 Installation Steps

To begin, we need to install the 'say' module, which is a popular Node.js Package for text-to-speech functionality. Follow these steps to install it:

1. Open the command Prompt of your Node.js application.
2. Execute the following command:

   npm install say

   Wait for a few seconds until the installation completes.

2. Using the Speak Method

🔊 Speaking Words

Once the 'say' module is installed, we can start using its features. The core function of this module is the speak method, which allows us to convert text into speech. Here's an example:

const say = require('say');

say.speak("Hello world! My name is Kaatham");

Executing the above code will make the computer speak the provided text.

3. Stopping the Speech

⏹️ Stopping the Words

If you want to stop the speech before it finishes, you can use the stop method. Simply invoke the say.stop() function after calling the speak method. Here's an example:

const say = require('say');

say.speak("Hello world! My name is Gotham");
say.stop();

Once the say.stop() function is called, the speech will be interrupted and stopped.

⭐️ Pros:

• Allows you to control the speech output effectively.
• Handy when you need to interrupt long phrases or sentences.

⭐️ Cons:

• May result in incomplete speech, depending on when the stop method is called.

4. Adding Options to the Voice

🎙️ Customizing the Voice

The 'say' module also provides options to customize the voice. You can specify the voice, delay, and even use callbacks. Here's an example:

const say = require('say');

say.speak("Hello world! My name is John", 'Alex', 0.5, (error) => {
  if (error) {
    console.log(error);
  } else {
    console.log("Text has been spoken!");
  }
});

In the above code, we set the voice to 'Alex', provide a delay of 0.5 seconds, and implement a callback function to handle errors or success messages.

5. Implementing Callback Functions

📞 Handling Callback Functions

The 'say' module allows us to implement callback functions for handling errors or other necessary actions. Here's an example:

const say = require('say');

say.speak("What's up, dog?", (error) => {
  if (error) {
    console.log(error);
  } else {
    console.log("Text has been spoken!");
  }
});

In this example, the callback function is triggered after the speech is completed. It can be used to log messages or handle any errors that may occur.

6. Exporting Audio to a WAV File

📁 Exporting Speech to a WAV File

Apart from speaking out the text, the 'say' module also allows us to export the speech to a WAV file. Here's an example:

const say = require('say');

say.export("Hello, Dave!", 'HAL.wav', (error) => {
  if (error) {
    console.log(error);
  } else {
    console.log("Audio exported successfully!");
  }
});

By executing the above code, the speech will be saved as a WAV file named 'HAL.wav'. You can play the exported file using any audio player.

7. Installing Custom Voices

🎤 Installing Additional Voices

The 'say' module allows installing custom voices to enhance the quality and variety of the speech output. These voices can be installed using the 'say-tour-cherries' module. To install custom voices, follow the instructions provided by the 'say-tour-cherries' module.

8. Conclusion

🎉 Wrapping Up

In this tutorial, we learned how to create a text-to-speech application using Node.js. We discussed installing the 'say' module, utilizing the speak, stop, and export methods, adding options to the voice, implementing callback functions, and even installing custom voices. Now you can leverage this powerful feature to enhance the user experience in your Node.js applications.

9. References

🔗 Useful Resources

• Node.js
• Say Module
• Say Tour Cherries Module

Highlights

• Learn how to create a text-to-speech application using Node.js
• Install the 'say' module and utilize its features
• Convert text to speech with the speak method
• Control speech output and stop words with the stop method
• Customize the voice, delay, and use callback functions
• Export speech to a WAV file
• Enhance the speech quality with custom voices
• Wrapping up and resources for further learning

FAQs

Q: Can I use the 'say' module in browser-based JavaScript? A: No, the 'say' module is specifically designed for server-side Node.js applications.

Q: How can I install custom voices using the 'say-tour-cherries' module? A: You can find the installation instructions in the documentation of the 'say-tour-cherries' module.

Q: Are there any limitations on the length of the text that can be spoken? A: While there are no hardcoded limitations, excessively long Texts may result in truncated or incomplete speech output. It is recommended to split long texts into smaller segments for optimal results.

Q: Can I use the 'say' module for multiple languages and accents? A: Yes, the 'say' module supports multiple languages and different voice accents. Refer to the documentation for available options and language support.

Q: Is it possible to change the pitch or volume of the voice? A: The 'say' module does not provide direct control over the pitch or volume of the voice. However, you can adjust these parameters by using external audio processing tools or libraries.

Q: How can I remove the 'say' module from my Node.js application? A: To uninstall the 'say' module, use the following command in the command prompt:

npm uninstall say

Remember to remove any related code that references the 'say' module from your application.