Comments

SP. wrote on 8/2/2023, 6:05 PM

@GSK It definitely works with more than three voices. Have you installed the voices through the Windows system settings (CTRL + WIN + N)?

But it seems like it's only compatible with voices which are available as a DESKTOP version.

GSK wrote on 8/2/2023, 8:34 PM

Many thanks. I installed the voices with the "Settings - Time and Language - Speech". The CTRL+Win+N takes me to the "Narrator" page which is different, but does show about a dozen available voices, only three of which say "DESKTOP" in the description, and I think those are the three I see in "Music Maker's" Text To Speech window.

So ... where do I find more DESKTOP version voices? The link below shows many voices available, but does not indicate which are DESKTOP versions:

https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/appendix-a-supported-languages-and-voices-4486e345-7730-53da-fcfe-55cc64300f01

SP. wrote on 8/3/2023, 2:34 AM

@GSK If you open the settings with CTRL + WIN + N you can click on the link below the Narrator selection

and on the next page you can install additional voice packages with the plus icon.

I would guess that each language package might give you one additional desktop voice.

GSK wrote on 8/3/2023, 10:06 AM

Thanks again. That seems to be what happened with my installation of the British English package. Again, this was from the "Settings/Time & Language/Speech" menu, not the Narrator menu. I got only one voice in Music Maker, the one showing as "DESKTOP" format. Not sure about another package that gave me no voices. But I'll try some more and see what happens.

SP. wrote on 8/3/2023, 10:31 AM

@GSK Technically it should be possible to simply use the Microsoft voices to read out text in Notepad and record that into Music Maker via the Stereo Mix record option. Then it should work with all voices not only with the voices compatible with the internal Music Maker tool.

You can enable and disable text-to-speech with CTRL + WIN + ENTER

GSK wrote on 8/3/2023, 10:36 AM

Good idea, thanks. The "Stereo Mix Record" option is part of Music Maker? It can capture audio from Notepad?

SP. wrote on 8/3/2023, 10:46 AM

@GSK Most computer mainboards use Realtek audio chipsets. These often have a Stereo Mix option which allows you to record the sounds of the computer. Instead of your microphone signal Music Maker will then record the computer sound.

  1. Click on the Sound icon at the right corner of Windows taskbar and click on Sounds option.
  2. Click on the Recording tab.
  3. Right-click inside the area with all the devices in it and choose Show Disabled Devices.
  4. Right-click on the Stereo Mix device and click on Enable.
johnebaker wrote on 8/3/2023, 12:07 PM

@GSK

Hi

To add to @SP. last comment above when using the Stereo Mixer for recording from, ensure that the computer system sounds and notifications sounds are turned off.

John EB
Forum Moderator

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GSK wrote on 8/3/2023, 6:39 PM

OK, thank you both, that rings a vague bell but I needed the reminder. I am working on a project now that the three voices I have are probably enough. I will get back to getting more voices working, but it may be a while. I was naively hoping for a button I could hit that made all my downloaded voices show up in Music Maker.

Again, thanks for the prompt responses. Kind of irritating that a search on "DESKTOP format voices" and similar did not return much useful. 😕