Creating a Lecture in Your Own Voice Using Text-to-speech Tools PDF2Audio and ElevenLabs

If you’re looking to generate an audio lecture from a text or PDF file at a low cost, here’s an efficient and straightforward method using PDF2Audio and ElevenLabs—including the ability to create it in your own voice.

Step-by-Step Guide

1. Submit Your File:
   Start by filling out the standard PDF2Audio request form. Upload your text or PDF file to convert it into an audio lecture. Choose the voice that best suits your needs.
2. Configure the Template:
   Clear all the prompts on the form. In the ‘Instruction Template’ field, input the following:
   “This source file is a lecture. I don’t want any modifications or comments, just deliver it as a lecture.”
   This approach ensures that the tool reads your text without making alterations or adding commentary, providing a basic audio version of your lecture.

Costs:

The only cost involved is using the OpenAI API, which is relatively affordable. A minimum of $5 gives you about 100 minutes of audio, with the cost for a 5-minute lecture being approximately 20 cents.

Limitations:

• The audio won’t be in your own voice.
• PDF2Audio offers a limited range of voices.

Want to Use Your Own Voice?

If you want to spend a bit more, consider subscribing to ElevenLabs. For just $5 per month, you get 30 minutes of audio and the ability to clone your voice. Paste your text into the ElevenLabs platform, hit generate, and you’ll have the lecture in your own voice within minutes.

Example Voices

• My Natural Voice:
• PDF2Audio (Voice: Onyx):
• ElevenLabs (Voice: Brian):
• ElevenLabs (My Artificial Voice):

For even more features, the Creator account at ElevenLabs ($11 per month) offers 100 minutes of audio and advanced voice cloning to create highly realistic replicas of your voice.

This approach provides a cost-effective and flexible way to create audio lectures, whether using stock voices or your own.