Here are some best free online SSML editors to get more natural text to speech. With the websites that I have added here, you can prepare text that you want to feed into some text to speech converters. The SSML editor of these websites let you configure speech parameters like voice, pitch, loudness, speed, breaks, emphasis, etc., to make the final audio sound more natural. In most of the SSML editors below, you can edit SSML in WYSIWYG manner too. You can also opt to start from scratch and then get the final SSML code to do whatever you want.
SSML stands for Speech Synthesis Markup Language and it helps to carry out a natural text to speech conversion. The default voices used in TTS doesn’t sound like natural unless you are using some popular and paid services like Amazon Polly. For TTS with any tool, you can use SSML to customize the speech and get natural sound. Here you basically use HTML like tags to specify breaks, pauses, low pitch, soft sound, loud sound, etc., like parameters to customize each and every line in your text that you want to convert to speech.
After creating the SSML, you can feed that into any TTS converter that supports SSML. A few months ago I wrote about Chrome extension which was using Google’s Cloud Text to Speech and there was SSML support. So, the SSML created here can be used in that extension and tools like that. After getting the audio, you are free to do what you want.
4 Free Online SSML Editors to Get More Natural Text to Speech:
Contoba
Contoba is one of the best free online SSML editors you can use. Here this online SSML editor comes with a WYSIWYG interface and a lot of options. The editor of Contoba is very intuitive and you just select text in the editor and then add any speech parameter. It offers you an audio preview as well so that you can listen to the final audio every time you make some change source text.
This SSML editor supports a lot of English locales along with Chinese, French, Russian, etc. You can choose any language from these options and then simply enter the text you want to convert. All the SSML options are already there and you just have to select text from the editor and then simply use any SSML parameters from the toolbar. This way, you can keep editing the text and then use the play button from the bottom right side to preview the audio.
Different voices can be chosen from the drop-down and you can use unlimited previews. You can pause the audio and then start it again. You can keep creating the SSML in this way and in the end, simply use the code button from the bottom to see the final SSML code that you can copy and use that wherever you want. The editor also supports undo operation and if you can remove SSML formatting as well.
Verby
Verby is another free SSML editor you can try online. Here it is pretty much like the website I have mentioned above but it lets you export the speech as MP3 as well. It has SSML parameters like emphasis, breaks, slow speed, fast speed, etc. You can use these options to create SSML and even use the playback preview. However, exporting the speech as MP3 is kinda paid but you get 1000 characters allowance in the beginning.
The SSML editor of the website is free and supports all the main SSML parameters. You just go to the homepage and then create a free account. After that, just access the editor and paste the text that you want to process. Next, use the SSML parameters given in the toolbar to shape the text. You can use the audio preview time to time and then when you are done, simply get the SSML code copied and save it on your PC.
SSML Editor by Top Voice Apps
This is another SSML editor(homepage) you can try online for free and comes with Alexa integration. But you can create or edit SSML here and then copy that to use somewhere else as well. Here it offers you a dual-pane interface to customize the text for the final speech. This is only an SSML editor and audio preview is not included here.
Here it offers you a code editor like interface where you can add SSML parameters like break, emphasis, rate, volume, whisper, voice, pitch, and some others. Here it hasn’t included an audio player but if you have an Alexa device then you can hear the audio in that by pairing the device with the websites through Alexa pin.
To use this SSML editor, you don’t need to create an account or sign up. You just access this using the given link and then erase the sample text from the editor and add your own. All the SSML components are listed on the right side and you can select any one from them and then use it in your text. Below is an option that you can use to hear what you have created in Alexa device. For that, you will need Alexa pin to pair your device.
Simple SSML Editor
Simple SSML Editor as the name suggests is the simplest SSML editor in this list that you can use. Here this SSML editor comes without any audio preview and TTS conversion. Here it provides almost all the SSML features with an option to undo an operation. Create or edit the SSML in any way you want and then reveal the final SSML code in the end in one click. The interface of the tool is simple you don’t need any sign-up or account to use it.
Access this SSML editor using the link above and then simply start using it. Since the audio preview feature is not possible so I think this tool will be more suited for experienced SSML professionals. To get the audio output or play the SSML, you can use the Chrome extension that I mentioned at the beginning of this post. Finally, after you have created the SSML, simply copy code by clicking on the “Show SSML” button.
Final thoughts
These are the best free SSML editors you can use for free online. On some of them, you have to create an account but on some of them you don’t. Once you go to the online editor, you just start writing the text and then use the SSML parameters to customize the speech. In the end, you can copy the SSML code and use that wherever you want. Personally, I will recommend you to use Contoba. But you are free to give a try to other SSML editors mentioned in the above post.
