Speech Studio "Text to Speech" not respecting <break> markup

Question

Speech Studio "Text to Speech" not respecting <break> markup

Roy Jensen 45

The text to speech renderer fails to apply the "break" markup in the Audio Content Creation interface of the Speech Studio. I haven't tried other markup.

Yesterday, it didn't work with RyanMultinationalNeural, but worked with AndrewNeural. Now it doesn't work with either.

<speak xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2001/10/synthesis" xmlns:mstts="http://www.w3.org/2001/mstts" xmlns:emo="http://www.w3.org/2009/10/emotionml" version="1.0" xml:lang="en-US"><voice name="en-US-AndrewNeural">

<break time="2s" />

<p>Hello everyone. My nam0e is John Doe.</p>

<break time="2s" />

<p>I’m a security professional working in the security industry since 1990. I started my career at the Bay in loss prevention and investigations.</p>

<break time="2s" />

<p>I obtained a degree in Security Risk Management from the University of Portsmouth in 2017. </p>

<break time="3s" />

</voice></speak>

VasaviLankipalle-MSFT 18,736 Reputation points Moderator

2024-06-05T21:50:43.8266667+00:00

Hello @Roy Jensen , Thanks for using Microsoft Q&A Platform.

Have you tried adding the same break in between the words rather than at the end of each sentence?
Roy Jensen 45 Reputation points

2024-06-06T03:25:06.9566667+00:00
@VasaviLankipalle-MSFT

Putting break ON IT'S OWN LINE inside the paragraph tag or inside the paragraph fails. Both of these below fail.

<break time="2s" /> Hello everyone. My name is John Doe. <break time="2s" /> I’m a security professional working in the security industry since 1990. I started my career at the Bay in loss prevention and investigations.

Putting break IN LINE works. This works

Hello everyone. My name is John Doe. <break time="2s" /> I’m a security professional working in the security industry since 1990. I started my career at the Bay in loss prevention and investigations.

This is a SIGNIFICANT change in functionality. I created hours of audio with the original SSML syntax. Now the same syntax fails.

And to emphasize, people regularly want extended breaks between paragraphs, not between sentences in paragraphs. In my case, I am creating instructional material and want to give learners time to consider what was just said. This comes after a complete concept is presented --- after the paragraph. I also want breaks between slides. Again this comes between paragraphs.

Considering the following code, the break in the paragraph (after Doe.) is rendered. The break at the end of the paragraph (after investigations.) is not.

Hello everyone. My name is John Doe. <break time="2s" /> I’m a security professional working in the security industry since 1990. I started my career at the Bay in loss prevention and investigations.<break time="2s" /> I obtained a degree in Security Risk Management from the University of Portsmouth in 2017.

How do I get a break between paragraphs???

The functionality change is buggy and NOT an improvement.

3 answers

Your answer

VasaviLankipalle-MSFT 18,736 Reputation points Moderator

2024-06-05T21:50:43.8266667+00:00

Hello @Roy Jensen , Thanks for using Microsoft Q&A Platform.

Have you tried adding the same break in between the words rather than at the end of each sentence?
Roy Jensen 45 Reputation points

2024-06-06T03:25:06.9566667+00:00

@VasaviLankipalle-MSFT

Putting break ON IT'S OWN LINE inside the paragraph tag or inside the paragraph fails. Both of these below fail.

<break time="2s" /> Hello everyone. My name is John Doe. <break time="2s" /> I’m a security professional working in the security industry since 1990. I started my career at the Bay in loss prevention and investigations.

Putting break IN LINE works. This works

Hello everyone. My name is John Doe. <break time="2s" /> I’m a security professional working in the security industry since 1990. I started my career at the Bay in loss prevention and investigations.

This is a SIGNIFICANT change in functionality. I created hours of audio with the original SSML syntax. Now the same syntax fails.

And to emphasize, people regularly want extended breaks between paragraphs, not between sentences in paragraphs. In my case, I am creating instructional material and want to give learners time to consider what was just said. This comes after a complete concept is presented --- after the paragraph. I also want breaks between slides. Again this comes between paragraphs.

Considering the following code, the break in the paragraph (after Doe.) is rendered. The break at the end of the paragraph (after investigations.) is not.

Hello everyone. My name is John Doe. <break time="2s" /> I’m a security professional working in the security industry since 1990. I started my career at the Bay in loss prevention and investigations.<break time="2s" /> I obtained a degree in Security Risk Management from the University of Portsmouth in 2017.

How do I get a break between paragraphs???

The functionality change is buggy and NOT an improvement.

Answer 1

Data Juggler 181

My issue is with the latest Dragon voices. The pause works on the old voices, but the new Dragon voices do not pause.

0 comments

Answer 2

Roy Jensen 45

Exceedingly frustrated that Microsoft broke their code and won't fix it.

Workaround: put a period after the break tag:

<break time="2s" />.

0 comments

Answer 3

Roy Jensen 45

Exceedingly frustrated that Microsoft broke their code and won't fix it.

Workaround: put a period after the break tag.

<break time="2s" />.

0 comments

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Speech Studio "Text to Speech" not respecting <break> markup

3 answers

Your answer