[tubemonkey]

New developer options now allow Alexa to whisper, change pitch, and more

Amazon is making Alexa sound more human with new options for developers to vary its speaking speed, volume, bleep out words, and even whisper. This is an extension of the Speech Synthesis Markup Language (SSML) that Amazon recently adopted. A couple of months ago, Alexa skill developers gain the option to use expressive words to give Alexa more personality. The new SSML options will allow Alexa users to have a “more natural voice experience.”

New SSML Features Give Alexa a Wider Range of Natural Expression

Speech Synthesis Markup Language, or SSML, is a standardized markup language that allows developers to control pronunciation, intonation, timing, and emotion. SSML support on Alexa allows you to control how Alexa generates speech from your skill’s text responses. You can add pauses, change pronunciation, spell out a word, add short audio snippets, and insert speechcons (special words and phrases) into your skill. These SSML features provide a more natural voice experience.

Today, we are excited to announce five new SSML tags in the US, UK, and Germany that you can use with Alexa, including whispers, expletive bleeps, and more.

In addition, today we also rolled out speechcons in the UK and Germany. Let me explain what they are and how to use them.

Five New SSML Tags

1. Whispers – Convey a softer dialog with <amazon:effect name="whispered">.
2. Expletive beeps – Bleep out words with <say-as interpret-as="expletive">.
3. Sub – Use <sub> tag when you want Alexa to say something other than what’s written.
4. Emphasis – Add <emphasis> to change the rate and volume at which Alexa speaks.
5. Prosody – Use this tage to control the volume, pitch, and rate of speech.