Synthesize Speech
Generate speech from text using the Kokoro TTS CLI tool. Supports single WAV output or chunked streaming for long text.
Self-Evolving Skill: This skill improves through use. If instructions are wrong, parameters drifted, or a workaround was needed — fix this file immediately, don't defer. Only update for real, reproducible issues.
Quick Usage
# Single WAV
~/.local/share/kokoro/.venv/bin/python ~/.local/share/kokoro/tts_generate.py \
--text "Hello from Kokoro TTS" --voice af_heart --lang en-us --speed 1.0 \
--output /tmp/kokoro-tts-$$.wav
# Play it
afplay /tmp/kokoro-tts-$$.wav
Parameters
| Parameter | Default | Description |
|---|---|---|
--text | (required) | Text to synthesize |
--voice | af_heart | Voice name (see voice catalog) |
--lang | en-us | Language code (en-us, zh, ja, etc.) |
--speed | 1.0 | Speech speed multiplier |
--output | (required) | Output WAV path |
--chunk | off | Chunked streaming mode for long text |
Voice Catalog
See Voice Catalog for all available voices with quality grades.
Top voices:
| Voice ID | Name | Grade | Gender |
|---|---|---|---|
| af_heart | Heart | A | Female |
| af_bella | Bella | A- | Female |
| af_nicole | Nicole | B- | Female |
Chunked Streaming
For long text, use --chunk to get progressive playback:
~/.local/share/kokoro/.venv/bin/python ~/.local/share/kokoro/tts_generate.py \
--text "Long text here..." --voice af_heart --lang en-us --speed 1.0 \
--output /tmp/kokoro-tts-$$.wav --chunk
Each chunk WAV path is printed to stdout as it becomes ready. The final line is DONE <ms>.
Troubleshooting
| Issue | Cause | Solution |
|---|---|---|
| No audio output | Model not loaded | Run /kokoro-tts:install first |
| Empty text error | Input was blank | Provide non-empty --text |
| Slow generation | First-run warmup | Normal — subsequent runs faster |
Post-Execution Reflection
After this skill completes, check before closing:
- Did the command succeed? — If not, fix the instruction or error table that caused the failure.
- Did parameters or output change? — If the underlying tool's interface drifted, update Usage examples and Parameters table to match.
- Was a workaround needed? — If you had to improvise (different flags, extra steps), update this SKILL.md so the next invocation doesn't need the same workaround.
Only update if the issue is real and reproducible — not speculative.