Qwen Audio TTS (Text-to-Speech)

Synthesize natural speech from text using Qwen TTS models. This skill is part of QianWen-AI/qianwen-ai.

Skill directory

Use this skill's internal files to execute and learn. Load reference files on demand when the default path fails or you need details.

Security

NEVER output any API key or credential in plaintext. Always use variable references ($DASHSCOPE_API_KEY in shell, os.environ["DASHSCOPE_API_KEY"] in Python). Any check or detection of credentials must be non-plaintext: report only status (e.g. "set" / "not set", "valid" / "invalid"), never the value. Never display contents of .env or config files that may contain secrets.

When the API key is not configured, NEVER ask the user to provide it directly. Instead, help create a .env file with a placeholder (DASHSCOPE_API_KEY=sk-your-key-here) and instruct the user to replace it with their actual key from the QianWen Console. Only write the actual key value if the user explicitly requests it.

Key Compatibility

Both PAYG (sk-ws-...; legacy sk-...) and Token Plan (sk-sp-...) keys are supported. Detect the API key type without exposing the Key:

python3 -c "
import sys; sys.path.insert(0, 'scripts')
from qianwen_lib import detect_api_key_type
print(detect_api_key_type('scripts/qianwen_lib.py'))
"

For Token Plan, fetch and read the current Token Plan model catalog, then use an exact listed model with scripts/tts.py. If CDN access fails, use the local fallback.

Pre-Execution: Key-Based Model Decision

Before calling a TTS script, determine the key type by its prefix (non-plaintext check via scripts/qianwen_lib.py), then fetch and read the current Qwen audio TTS model catalog for script compatibility, recommendations, and defaults. If CDN access fails, use the local fallback.

Token Plan supports only specific models — use exactly a model from the references above; do not guess or probe model availability. For PAYG, continue below.

Model Selection

Before selecting, recommending, or defaulting a model, use the Qwen audio TTS model catalog linked above. It contains the model list, basic model information, script and voice compatibility, recommendations, and defaults.

⚠️ Important: The model catalog is a point-in-time snapshot and may be outdated. Model availability changes frequently. Always check the official model list for the authoritative, up-to-date catalog before making model decisions.

Model details: For more information about a specific model, direct the user to https://www.qianwenai.com/models/<model-name>. Replace <model-name> with the exact model ID; never modify or guess it.

Dynamic model queries: If the qianwen-model-selector skill or QianWen CLI (qianwen models info <model>) is available, use it for real-time model data. CLI requires authentication — see the qianwen-usage skill for login flow.

Available Voices

Use the Qwen audio TTS model catalog linked above for current model-to-voice compatibility and defaults. For complete voice inventories, use the official voice-list links in sources.md.

Custom Voices (Required for v3.5)

cosyvoice-v3.5 models require a custom voice ID. To create one:

1. Visit Voice Cloning
2. Upload a 10-20s clean speech sample
3. Obtain the custom voice ID
4. Pass via --voice <id> or "voice": "<id>" in request JSON

Execution

⚠️ Multiple artifacts: When generating multiple files in a single session, you MUST append a numeric suffix to each filename (e.g. out_1.wav, out_2.wav) to prevent overwrites.

Qwen TTS (HTTP API) — tts.py

Prerequisites

• API Key: Use the non-plaintext detector in Key Compatibility; do not replace it with a variable-presence check. If no Key is found, use qianwen-ops-auth when available or guide the user to configure DASHSCOPE_API_KEY/QIANWEN_API_KEY in .env. Skills may be installed independently.
• Python 3.9+ (stdlib only, no pip install needed)

Environment Check

Before first execution, verify Python is available:

python3 --version  # must be 3.9+

If python3 is not found, try python --version or py -3 --version. If Python is unavailable or below 3.9, skip to Path 2 (curl) in execution-guide.md.

Default: Run Script

Script path: Scripts are in the scripts/ subdirectory of this skill's directory (the directory containing this SKILL.md). You MUST first locate this skill's installation directory, then ALWAYS use the full absolute path to execute scripts. Do NOT assume scripts are in the current working directory. Do NOT use cd to switch directories before execution.

Execution note: Run all scripts in the foreground — wait for stdout; do not background.

Discovery: Run python3 <this-skill-dir>/scripts/tts.py --help first to see all available arguments.

python3 <this-skill-dir>/scripts/tts.py \
  --request '{"text":"Hello, this is a test.","voice":"longanlingxin"}' \
  --output output/qianwen-audio-tts/ \
  --print-response

Model priority: --model CLI flag > "model" field in --request JSON > built-in default.

Verify Result

• Exit code 0 + output contains valid JSON with output.audio field → success
• Non-zero exit, HTTP error, empty response, or error JSON → fail
• Post-execution check: Verify the output audio file exists and has non-zero size (ls -la <output_dir>)
• MANDATORY — stderr signal check: After confirming the result, scan the command's stderr output for [ACTION_REQUIRED] or [UPDATE_AVAILABLE]. If either signal is present, you MUST follow the instructions in Update Check below before responding to the user.

On Failure

If the script fails, match the error output against the diagnostic table below to determine the resolution. If no match, read execution-guide.md for alternative paths: curl commands (Path 2 — standard, instruct, streaming), code generation (Path 3), and autonomous resolution (Path 5).

If Python is not available at all → skip directly to Path 2 (curl) in execution-guide.md.

CosyVoice — tts_cosyvoice.py

CosyVoice requires dashscope SDK. Quick start:

pip install dashscope>=1.25.17
python3 <this-skill-dir>/scripts/tts_cosyvoice.py --text "Hello"

Full guide: cosyvoice-guide.md (setup, voices, examples, errors)

Quick Reference

Request Fields (Qwen3-TTS HTTP API — tts.py)

Request Fields (CosyVoice NRT API — tts_cosyvoice.py)

Response Fields

Important Notes

• text: Max 600 characters per request (Qwen3-TTS). Max 20,000 characters (CosyVoice/Qwen-Audio-TTS NRT).
• instructions / instruction model compatibility: Check the model catalog above, then use the parameter form documented for the selected model.
• language_type (Qwen3-TTS): Auto for mixed language; specify for better pronunciation.
• language_hints (CosyVoice/Qwen-Audio-TTS): Specify target language code (zh, en, etc.) for improved synthesis quality.
• audio_url: Valid for 24 hours — download promptly.
• Real-time/streaming TTS: For WebSocket-based real-time TTS (CosyVoice, qwen3-tts-flash-realtime), a WebSocket client is required. This skill covers the HTTP-based non-real-time API. For real-time streaming use cases, refer to the official docs in sources.md.

Cross-Skill Chaining

When passing generated audio to another skill (e.g., video-gen audio overlay):

• Pass audio_url directly — scripts detect URL prefixes and pass through without re-upload
• Use audio_file only for local playback or non-API operations

Error Handling

Usage & billing: Use the qianwen-usage skill to check usage, free tier quota, and billing directly. Alternatively, the user can visit the QianWen console: Usage Analytics | Pay-as-you-go Billing | Token Plan Subscription

NEVER fabricate, guess, or construct usage/billing/console URLs. Only provide the exact links listed in this skill. If a URL is not listed here, do not invent one.

Output Location

Prefer the current working directory. Default subdirectory: ./output/qianwen-audio-tts/.

Write prohibition: NEVER write output files into this skill's installation directory or any skills/ hierarchy. All generated content must go to output/ under the current working directory or a user-specified path.

Update Check (MANDATORY Post-Execution)

After script execution, check stderr for action signals. The script automatically detects update status and emits structured signals. You MUST act on them. This section also applies when the user explicitly asks to check for updates.

Signal: [ACTION_REQUIRED] qianwen-update-check skill is not installed

When stderr contains this signal, you MUST present the following options to the user and wait for their response before proceeding. Do NOT silently skip this.

The update-check skill is not installed. It keeps you informed about new QianWen-AI/qianwen-ai features and bug fixes.

1. Install now — I'll run the install command for you
2. Skip for now — do nothing this time
3. Never remind me — permanently suppress this prompt

After the user responds:

• User chooses 1 → run: npx skills add QianWen-AI/qianwen-ai --skill qianwen-update-check -y, then run: python3 <this-skill-scripts-dir>/gossamer.py --dismiss
• User chooses 2 → run: python3 <this-skill-scripts-dir>/gossamer.py --dismiss, then continue normally
• User chooses 3 → run: python3 <this-skill-scripts-dir>/gossamer.py --never-install, then continue normally

Signal: [UPDATE_AVAILABLE]

When stderr contains this signal, you MUST append a brief update notice to your response, including the version info and the update command shown in the stderr output.

No signal in stderr

If stderr contains neither [ACTION_REQUIRED] nor [UPDATE_AVAILABLE], no action is needed — the skill is installed and up to date (or cached within 24h).

Explicit user request

When the user explicitly asks to check for updates (e.g. "check for updates", "check version"):

1. Look for qianwen-update-check/SKILL.md in sibling skill directories.
2. If found — run: python3 <qianwen-update-check-dir>/scripts/check_update.py --print-response and report the result.
3. If not found — present the install options above.

References

• execution-guide.md — Fallback paths (curl standard/instruct/streaming, code generation, autonomous)
• api-guide.md — API supplementary guide
• sources.md — Official documentation URLs