MoodCast

Transform any text into emotionally expressive audio with ambient soundscapes. MoodCast analyzes your content, adds expressive delivery using ElevenLabs v3 audio tags, and layers matching ambient soundscapes.

When to Use This Skill

Use MoodCast when the user wants to:

• Hear text read with natural emotional expression
• Create audio versions of articles, stories, or scripts
• Generate expressive voiceovers with ambient atmosphere
• Listen to morning briefings that actually sound engaging
• Transform boring text into captivating audio content

Trigger phrases: "read this dramatically", "make this sound good", "create audio for", "moodcast this", "read with emotion", "narrate this"

Slash command: /moodcast

Core Capabilities

1. Emotion-Aware Text Enhancement

Automatically analyzes text and inserts appropriate v3 audio tags:

• Emotions: [excited], [nervous], [angry], [sorrowful], [calm], [happy]
• Delivery: [whispers], [shouts], [rushed], [slows down]
• Reactions: [laughs], [sighs], [gasps], [giggles], [crying]
• Pacing: [pause], [breathes], [stammers], [hesitates]

2. Ambient Soundscape Generation

Creates matching background audio using Sound Effects API:

• News → subtle office ambiance
• Story → atmospheric soundscape matching mood
• Motivational → uplifting background
• Scary → tense, eerie atmosphere

3. Multi-Voice Dialogue

For conversations/scripts, assigns different voices to speakers with appropriate emotional delivery.

Instructions

Quick Read (Single Command)

python3 {baseDir}/scripts/moodcast.py --text "Your text here"

With Ambient Sound

python3 {baseDir}/scripts/moodcast.py --text "Your text here" --ambient "coffee shop background noise"

Save to File

python3 {baseDir}/scripts/moodcast.py --text "Your text here" --output story.mp3

Different Moods

python3 {baseDir}/scripts/moodcast.py --text "Your text" --mood dramatic
python3 {baseDir}/scripts/moodcast.py --text "Your text" --mood calm
python3 {baseDir}/scripts/moodcast.py --text "Your text" --mood excited
python3 {baseDir}/scripts/moodcast.py --text "Your text" --mood scary

List Available Voices

python3 {baseDir}/scripts/moodcast.py --list-voices

Custom Configuration

python3 {baseDir}/scripts/moodcast.py --text "Your text" --voice VOICE_ID --model eleven_v3 --output-format mp3_44100_128

Emotion Detection Rules

The skill automatically detects and enhances:

Example Transformations

Input:

Breaking news! Scientists have discovered something incredible. 
This could change everything we know about the universe...
I can't believe it.

Enhanced Output:

[excited] Breaking news! Scientists have discovered something incredible.
[pause] This could change everything we know about the universe...
[gasps] [whispers] I can't believe it.

Input:

It was a dark night. The old house creaked. 
Something moved in the shadows...
"Who's there?" she whispered.

Enhanced Output:

[slows down] It was a dark night. [pause] The old house creaked.
[nervous] Something moved in the shadows...
[whispers] "Who's there?" she whispered.

Environment Variables

• ELEVENLABS_API_KEY (required) - Your ElevenLabs API key
• MOODCAST_DEFAULT_VOICE (optional) - Default voice ID (defaults to CwhRBWXzGAHq8TQ4Fs17)
• MOODCAST_MODEL (optional) - Default model ID (defaults to eleven_v3)
• MOODCAST_OUTPUT_FORMAT (optional) - Default output format (defaults to mp3_44100_128)
• MOODCAST_AUTO_AMBIENT (optional) - Set to "true" for automatic ambient sounds when using --mood

Configuration Priority: CLI arguments override environment variables, which override hardcoded defaults.

Technical Notes

• Uses ElevenLabs Eleven v3 model for audio tag support
• Sound Effects API for ambient generation (up to 30 seconds)
• Free tier: 10,000 credits/month (~10 min audio)
• Max 2,400 characters per chunk (v3 supports 5,000, but we split conservatively for reliability)
• Audio tags must be lowercase: [whispers] not [WHISPERS]

Tips for Best Results

1. Dramatic content works best - stories, news, scripts
2. Shorter segments (under 500 chars) sound more natural
3. Combine with ambient for immersive experience
4. Roger and Rachel voices are most expressive with v3

Credits

Built by ashutosh887
Using ElevenLabs Text-to-Speech v3 + Sound Effects API
Created for #ClawdEleven Hackathon