Dialogue Audio
Create realistic multi-speaker dialogue with Dia TTS via inference.sh CLI.
Quick Start
Requires inference.sh CLI (belt). Install instructionsbelt login
# Two-speaker conversation
belt app run falai/dia-tts --input '{
"prompt": "[S1] Have you tried the new feature yet? [S2] Not yet, but I heard it saves a ton of time. [S1] It really does. I cut my workflow in half. [S2] Okay, I am definitely trying it today."
}'Speaker Tags
Dia TTS uses [S1] and [S2] to distinguish two speakers.
| Tag | Role | Voice |
|---|---|---|
[S1] | Speaker 1 | Automatically assigned voice A |
[S2] | Speaker 2 | Automatically assigned voice B |
Rules:
- Always start each speaker turn with the tag
- Tags must be uppercase:
[S1]not[s1] - Maximum 2 speakers per generation
- Each speaker maintains consistent voice within a session
Emotion & Expression Control
Dia TTS interprets punctuation and non-speech cues for emotional delivery.
Punctuation Effects
| Punctuation | Effect | Example |
|---|---|---|
. | Neutral, declarative, medium pause | "This is important." |
! | Emphasis, excitement, energy | "This is amazing!" |
? | Rising intonation, questioning | "Are you sure about that?" |
... | Hesitation, trailing off, long pause | "I thought it would work... but it didn't." |
, | Short breath pause | "First, we analyze. Then, we act." |
— or -- | Interruption or pivot | "I was going to say — never mind." |
Non-Speech Sounds
Dia TTS supports parenthetical sound descriptions:
(laughs) — laughter
(sighs) — exasperation or relief
(clears throat) — attention-getting pause
(whispers) — softer delivery
(gasps) — surpriseExamples with Emotion
# Excited conversation
belt app run falai/dia-tts --input '{
"prompt": "[S1] Guess what happened today! [S2] What? Tell me! [S1] We hit ten thousand users! [S2] (gasps) No way! That is incredible! [S1] I know... I still cannot believe it."
}'
# Serious/thoughtful dialogue
belt app run falai/dia-tts --input '{
"prompt": "[S1] We need to talk about the timeline. [S2] (sighs) I know. It is tight. [S1] Can we cut anything from the scope? [S2] Maybe... but it would mean dropping the analytics dashboard. [S1] That is a tough trade-off."
}'
# Teaching/explaining
belt app run falai/dia-tts --input '{
"prompt": "[S1] So how does it actually work? [S2] Great question. Think of it like a pipeline. Data comes in on one end, gets processed in the middle, and comes out transformed on the other side. [S1] Like an assembly line? [S2] Exactly! Each step adds something."
}'Pacing Control
Pause Hierarchy
| Technique | Pause Length | Use For |
|---|---|---|
Comma , | ~0.3 seconds | Between clauses, list items |
Period . | ~0.5 seconds | Between sentences |
Ellipsis ... | ~1.0 seconds | Dramatic pause, thinking, hesitation |
| New speaker tag | ~0.3 seconds | Natural turn-taking gap |
Speed Control
- Shorter sentences = faster perceived pace
- Longer sentences with commas = measured, thoughtful pace
- Questions followed by answers = engaging back-and-forth rhythm
# Fast-paced, energetic
belt app run falai/dia-tts --input '{
"prompt": "[S1] Ready? [S2] Ready. [S1] Let us go! Three features. Five minutes. [S2] Hit it! [S1] Feature one: real-time sync."
}'
# Slow, contemplative
belt app run falai/dia-tts --input '{
"prompt": "[S1] I have been thinking about this for a while... and I think we need to change direction. [S2] What do you mean? [S1] The market has shifted. What worked last year... is not working now."
}'Conversation Structure Patterns
Interview Format
belt app run falai/dia-tts --input '{
"prompt": "[S1] Welcome to the show. Today we have a special guest. Tell us about yourself. [S2] Thanks for having me! I am a product designer, and I have been building tools for creators for about ten years. [S1] What got you started in design? [S2] Honestly? I was terrible at coding but loved making things look good. (laughs) So design was the natural path."
}'Tutorial / Explainer
belt app run falai/dia-tts --input '{
"prompt": "[S1] Can you walk me through the setup process? [S2] Sure. Step one, install the CLI. It takes about thirty seconds. [S1] And then? [S2] Step two, run the login command. It will open your browser for authentication. [S1] That sounds simple. [S2] It is! Step three, you are ready to run your first app."
}'Debate / Discussion
belt app run falai/dia-tts --input '{
"prompt": "[S1] I think we should go with option A. It is faster to implement. [S2] But option B scales better long-term. [S1] Sure, but we need something shipping this quarter. [S2] Fair point... what if we do A now with a migration path to B? [S1] That could work. Let us prototype it."
}'Post-Production Tips
Volume Normalization
Both speakers should be at consistent volume. If one is louder:
# Merge with balanced audio
belt app run infsh/video-audio-merger --input '{
"video": "talking-head.mp4",
"audio": "dialogue.mp3",
"audio_volume": 1.0
}'Adding Background/Music
# Merge dialogue with background music
belt app run infsh/media-merger --input '{
"media": ["dialogue.mp3", "background-music.mp3"]
}'Segmenting Long Conversations
For conversations longer than ~30 seconds, generate in segments:
# Segment 1: Introduction
belt app run falai/dia-tts --input '{
"prompt": "[S1] Welcome back to another episode..."
}'
# Segment 2: Main content
belt app run falai/dia-tts --input '{
"prompt": "[S1] So let us dive into today s topic..."
}'
# Segment 3: Wrap-up
belt app run falai/dia-tts --input '{
"prompt": "[S1] Great conversation today..."
}'
# Merge all segments
belt app run infsh/media-merger --input '{
"media": ["segment1.mp3", "segment2.mp3", "segment3.mp3"]
}'Script Writing Tips
| Do | Don't |
|---|---|
| Write how people talk | Write how people write |
| Short sentences (< 15 words) | Long academic sentences |
| Contractions ("can't", "won't") | Formal ("cannot", "will not") |
| Natural fillers ("So,", "Well,") | Every sentence perfectly formed |
| Vary sentence length | All sentences same length |
| Include reactions ("Exactly!", "Hmm.") | One-sided monologues |
| Read it aloud before generating | Assume it sounds right |
Common Mistakes
| Mistake | Problem | Fix |
|---|---|---|
| Monologues longer than 3 sentences | Sounds like a lecture, not conversation | Break into exchanges |
| No emotional variation | Flat, robotic delivery | Use punctuation and non-speech cues |
| Missing speaker tags | Voices don't alternate | Start every turn with [S1] or [S2] |
| Formal written language | Sounds unnatural spoken | Use contractions, short sentences |
| No pauses between topics | Feels rushed | Use ... or scene breaks |
| All same energy level | Monotonous | Vary between high/low energy moments |
Related Skills
# ElevenLabs dialogue (22+ voices, voice direction)
npx skills add inference-sh/skills@elevenlabs-dialogue
npx skills add inference-sh/skills@text-to-speech
npx skills add inference-sh/skills@ai-podcast-creation
npx skills add inference-sh/skills@ai-avatar-videoBrowse all apps: belt app list