Convert Text to Speech in Python with pyttsx3

Looking to Add Speech Capabilities to Your Python Application? Python's pyttsx3 library allows you to convert text into speech seamlessly, making your programs more accessible and engaging. Whether you want to read documents aloud, create audiobooks, or assist visually impaired users, pyttsx3 provides a powerful offline text-to-speech (TTS) solution.

What is Python pyttsx3?

The pyttsx3 library is a Python-based text-to-speech conversion library that works offline. Key features include:

• Offline Operation: Converts text to speech without relying on the internet.
• Voice Customization: Modify the speech rate, volume, and voice type to fit your requirements.
• Cross-Platform Compatibility: Supports voice engines like SAPI5 on Windows and NSSpeechSynthesizer on macOS.
• Audio File Output: Easily save speech output as reusable audio files.

While pyttsx3 is cross-platform, note that voice availability may vary based on your operating system.

Getting Started with Text to Speech in Python

Before diving into examples, install the pyttsx3 library. Open your terminal or command prompt and run:

pip install pyttsx3

Basic Text-to-Speech Example

Here's how you can get started with basic text-to-speech functionality:

import pyttsx3

def text_to_speech():
    try:
        # Initialize the text-to-speech engine
        engine = pyttsx3.init()

        # Text to speak
        text = "Hello! Welcome to the Python text-to-speech tutorial."

        # Queue the text for speaking
        engine.say(text)

        # Process and output the speech
        engine.runAndWait()
    except Exception as e:
        print(f"Error: {e}")

text_to_speech()

Customizing Speech Rate and Volume

You can adjust the speech rate (speed) and volume to suit your application's needs:

import pyttsx3

def customize_speech():
    try:
        engine = pyttsx3.init()

        # Custom text
        text = "You can adjust speech rate and volume in pyttsx3."

        # Modify rate and volume
        engine.setProperty('rate', 150)  # Speech speed (default ~200)
        engine.setProperty('volume', 0.8)  # Volume (0.0 to 1.0)

        engine.say(text)
        engine.runAndWait()
    except Exception as e:
        print(f"Error: {e}")

customize_speech()

This allows you to create speech that suits different contexts, whether it's fast-paced or a calming narration.

Switching Between Voices

The library also supports multiple voices, including male and female. You can switch between voices as shown below:

import pyttsx3

def list_and_use_voice():
    try:
        engine = pyttsx3.init()

        # List all voices
        voices = engine.getProperty('voices')
        print("Available Voices:")
        for index, voice in enumerate(voices):
            print(f"{index}: {voice.name} - {voice.id}")

        # Use a specific voice
        engine.setProperty('voice', voices[1].id)  # Example: second voice
        engine.say("This is an example using a different voice.")
        engine.runAndWait()
    except Exception as e:
        print(f"Error: {e}")

list_and_use_voice()

Voice availability depends on your operating system. On Windows, you can install additional voices via Settings > Time & Language > Speech.

Saving Speech as an Audio File

You can save speech output as audio files for offline playback:

import pyttsx3

def save_audio():
    try:
        engine = pyttsx3.init()

        # Text to save
        text = "This text will be saved as an audio file."

        # Save speech to a file
        engine.save_to_file(text, 'output.mp3')
        engine.runAndWait()

        print("Audio saved as output.mp3")
    except Exception as e:
        print(f"Error: {e}")

save_audio()

This is a handy feature for creating reusable audio content like podcasts or narration.

Controlling Speech Playback

Use controls like pause, resume, and stop for interactive applications:

import pyttsx3
import time

def control_speech():
    try:
        engine = pyttsx3.init()
        text = "Demonstrating speech playback control."

        # Start speaking
        engine.say(text)
        engine.runAndWait()

        print("Pausing for 2 seconds...")
        time.sleep(2)  # Pause simulation

        # Stop the engine
        engine.stop()
    except Exception as e:
        print(f"Error: {e}")

control_speech()

Error Handling Considerations

When working with pyttsx3, you may encounter:

1. Voice Availability: Ensure the required voices are installed.
2. Audio File Permissions: Verify write permissions when saving files.
3. Engine Initialization: Always handle errors during initialization.

Practical Use Cases

• Audiobooks: Convert large text documents into audio.
• Accessibility Tools: Read content aloud for visually impaired users.
• Voice Notifications: Add spoken alerts in automation scripts.
• Interactive Assistants: Build simple voice-based assistants.

Conclusion

In this tutorial, you learned how to use Python's pyttsx3 library to add text-to-speech capabilities. You explored basic speech generation, voice customization, saving audio files, and controlling playback. By leveraging pyttsx3, you can create dynamic and accessible applications for various use cases.