Chatterbox: FREE voice cloning BEATS Elevenlabs! (100% Local)

Key Concepts

• Chatterbox: An open-source voice cloning AI model.
• Text-to-speech (TTS): Converting text into spoken audio.
• Voice cloning: Replicating a specific person's voice.
• Gradio: A Python library for creating user interfaces.
• Zero-shot voice cloning: Cloning a voice from a single audio sample without training.
• On-premise deployment: Hosting the model on your own server.
• Emotion control: Adjusting the emotional tone of the generated speech.

Installation and Setup

1. Prerequisites: Python version 3.10 is recommended.
2. Installation:
   • Open your terminal or command prompt.
   • Run the command: pip install chatterbox-tts gradio
     • chatterbox-tts is the main package for text-to-speech.
     • gradio is for the user interface.
3. Running the User Interface:
   • Save the provided code (available in the video description and GitHub repo) to a Python file (e.g., app.py).
   • Navigate to the directory where you saved the file in your terminal.
   • Run the command: python app.py
   • Open the URL provided in the terminal in your web browser. This will launch the Gradio user interface.

Using the User Interface

1. Text-to-Speech Generation:
   • Enter the text you want to convert to speech in the text prompt box.
   • Adjust the emotion controls (e.g., neutral, adding more emotions), speed, and temperature as desired.
   • Click the "Generate" button.
   • The generated audio will appear on the right-hand side.
   • Click the play button to listen to the generated audio.
2. Voice Cloning:
   • Upload a reference audio file (e.g., .mp3) containing the voice you want to clone.
   • Enter the text you want the cloned voice to speak in the text prompt box.
   • Click the "Generate" button.
   • The generated audio with the cloned voice will appear.

Using the Code Directly

1. Example Code: The video provides example code for Mac (available in the GitHub repo).
2. Reference Audio: Ensure the reference audio file (e.g., audio.mp3) is named correctly and located in the same directory as the code.
3. Running the Code:
   • Open your terminal.
   • Navigate to the directory containing the code and the audio file.
   • Run the command: python example_for_mac.py (or the appropriate file name for your operating system).
4. Output: The generated audio file will be saved in the same directory.

Key Arguments and Features

• Open-Source and Free: Chatterbox is MIT licensed, making it free to use for commercial purposes.
• Performance: It outperforms 11 Labs in blind evaluations.
• Emotion Control: Users can adjust the emotional tone of the generated speech.
• Low Latency: Designed for real-time voice synthesis.
• On-Premise Deployment: Can be hosted locally on your own server.
• Zero-Shot Voice Cloning: Clones voices from a single audio sample without requiring training.
• Developer-First: Built for developers, creators, and enterprises.

Examples and Demonstrations

• Text-to-Speech Example: The video demonstrates generating speech from the text "Now let's make my mom's favorite So three Mars bars into the pan Then we add the tuna and just stir for a bit."
• Voice Cloning Example: The video demonstrates cloning a voice from a reference audio file and using it to generate speech from the same text. The results are compared to the original audio.

Technical Details

• Python Version: 3.10 is recommended.
• Dependencies: chatterbox-tts and gradio.
• GitHub Repo: Contains example code for Mac, text-to-speech, voice cloning, and Gradio.

Synthesis/Conclusion

Chatterbox is presented as a compelling open-source alternative to commercial voice cloning services like 11 Labs. Its key advantages include its free and open-source nature, superior performance, emotion control, low latency, and on-premise deployment capabilities. The video provides a step-by-step guide to installing and using Chatterbox, both through the user interface and directly through code, showcasing its text-to-speech and voice cloning functionalities. The zero-shot voice cloning capability is particularly impressive, allowing users to clone voices from a single audio sample. The presenter encourages viewers to experiment with the tool and share their feedback in the comments.