A Comprehensive Guide to Using ElevenLabs API for Python

Name

Akira Sakamoto

Published on 8/19/2023

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ElevenLabs API is an essential tool for developers and creators, enabling Python users to incorporate convincing, natural voices into their applications in a matter of few code lines. This detailed guide will walk you through the installation, utilization, multilingual support, voice customization, real-time streaming features, and the API key setup of the ElevenLabs API.

Setting Up ElevenLabs API

The ElevenLabs API is designed to be simple to install. All it takes is a command via pip, Python's built-in package installer:

pip install elevenlabs

With this command, ElevenLabs is readily available on your system for your Python scripts.

Utilizing the API

Once installed, the ElevenLabs API is as simple to use. Let's consider an example:

from elevenlabs import generate, play
 
audio = generate(
  text="Hello! I'm Robert, delighted to make your acquaintance!",
  voice="Robert",
  model="eleven_monolingual_v1"
)
 
play(audio)

This example uses 'Robert' voice from the 'eleven_monolingual_v1' model to generate and play the audio for the given text.

Embracing Multilingual Capabilities

A standout feature of ElevenLabs API is its robust support for multiple languages. The eleven_multilingual_v1 model offers developers the capability to create text-to-speech audio in various languages including English, German, Polish, Spanish, Italian, French, Portuguese, and Hindi. Let's look at a different example:

from elevenlabs import generate, play
 
audio = generate(
    text="Bonjour! Je m'appelle Marcel, ravi de vous rencontrer!",
    voice="Marcel",
    model='eleven_multilingual_v1'
)
 
play(audio)

This example generates and plays audio in French using the 'Marcel' voice from the 'eleven_multilingual_v1' model.

Experimenting with Different Voices

ElevenLabs API allows you to list all available voices with the voices() function:

from elevenlabs import voices, generate
 
available_voices = voices()
 
audio = generate(text="Greetings, Earthlings!", voice=available_voices[0])
 
print(available_voices)

This example generates and plays audio using the first voice from the available voices list.

Cloning Voices

With ElevenLabs API, you can clone any voice in an instant. Keep in mind that voice cloning requires an API key. Here's a demonstration of how to clone a voice:

from elevenlabs import clone, generate, play
 
voice = clone(
    name="Charlie",
    description="A British male voice with a deep and resonant tone. Ideal for audiobooks",
    files=["./sample_0.mp3", "./sample_1.mp3", "./sample_2.mp3"],
)
 
audio = generate(text="Greetings! I am a cloned voice!", voice=voice)
 
play(audio)

This example demonstrates the process of cloning a voice and generating audio with the cloned voice.

Streaming in Real-Time

ElevenLabs API enables streaming of audio in real-time as it is being generated. Here's a quick demonstration:

from elevenlabs import generate, stream
 
audio_stream = generate(
  text="Tune in... for a real-time streaming voice!",
  stream=True
)
 
stream(audio_stream)

Configuring API Key

The basic API has a limited character capacity. To extend this limit, you can obtain a free API key from ElevenLabs. This key can be configured as an environment variable ELEVEN_API_KEY, or you can provide it as a string argument to the generate function:

from elevenlabs import set_api_key
set_api_key("<YOUR_API_KEY>")

In this example, we set the API key in our script, extending the character limit of our text-to-speech functionality.

By integrating the ElevenLabs API into your Python scripts, you'll be able to make your applications speak with the most natural and appealing voices. It's time to enhance your projects with the power of lifelike speech.

Troubleshooting ElevenLabs API

Although ElevenLabs is still in beta, and the multilingual model is experimental, there are measures you can take to optimize your usage and experience. During generation, you might notice changes in tone, voice transitions, or noise intrusions. The prominence of these issues depends largely on the model and voice used. While we continuously work on these models for improvement, we have some advice on how to mitigate these problems.

We recommend breaking down the text into shorter sections, preferably below 800 characters. This can help maintain better audio quality. Additionally, for English voices, the monolingual model tends to provide more stability.

There are a few key factors to consider while troubleshooting:

1. Text Chunk Length: Voices may degrade over time, and the degradation is faster in the experimental multilingual model. Our team is actively working on addressing this issue.

2. Monolingual or Multilingual: The monolingual model is more stable but only officially supports English. The multilingual model is experimental and may exhibit quirks we're continuously working on.

3. Type of Voice: Some pre-made voices and voice-designed voices may start whispering during longer generations. If using cloned voices, the quality of the samples used is critical to the final output.

4. Settings Used: Stability and similarity settings can affect voice performance and artifact prominence. The multilingual model may mispronounce numbers and symbols, so writing them out might be beneficial.

While these are temporary solutions, we hope they can improve your experience with ElevenLabs API. Our team is actively developing new technology, such as our upcoming “projects” update, to facilitate extremely long generations.

Conclusion

The ElevenLabs API for Python is a powerful tool that brings the most realistic voices to creators and developers. Its installation is a breeze, and usage is simplified by clear and concise code. Despite being in the beta phase, it provides robust multilingual support, various voice options, real-time streaming, and a configurable API key for increased character limit. With the guidance provided in this article, you are now equipped to navigate the API, troubleshoot potential issues, and enrich your applications with lifelike speech. Embrace the future of text-to-speech with ElevenLabs API.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Q: How can I install ElevenLabs API? A: You can install the ElevenLabs API using pip with the command pip install elevenlabs.

Q: How can I generate audio using ElevenLabs API? A: You can generate audio using the generate function, specifying the text, voice, and model. Then, use the play function to play the generated audio.

Q: Does ElevenLabs API support multiple languages? A: Yes, the eleven_multilingual_v1 model supports multiple languages, including English, German, Polish, Spanish, Italian, French, Portuguese, and Hindi.

Q: What issues may I face while using ElevenLabs API? A: As the ElevenLabs API is still in beta, you may face changes in tone, voice transitions, or noise during audio generation. Shortening the text length, using the monolingual model for English, and considering the type of voice and settings used can mitigate these issues.

Q: How can I extend the character limit of the ElevenLabs API? A: You can extend the character limit by obtaining a free API key from ElevenLabs and configuring it as an environment variable ELEVEN_API_KEY, or by providing it as a string argument to the generate function.