Whisper uses deep learning in hearing aids to amplify only the voices and sounds of interest - the #1 need for 360MM+ folks with hearing loss

Whisper.ai

In our increasingly digital world, the need for transcribing speech to text is just getting more important. Whether it's for accessibility, content creation, data analysis, or something else, converting spoken language into written form is a problem that demands an efficient solution. Enter , an AI model by OpenAI that does exactly that: turning the spoken word into easily digestible text. Whisper This guide will walk you through what Whisper is, how it functions, and how to effectively use it. Currently ranked 19th on AIModels.fyi, Whisper is a powerful tool that can be of great use in various applications. We'll also explore how you can use to find similar models to suit your unique requirements. So, without further ado, let's delve into the world of AI-powered speech-to-text transcription. AIModels.fyi About the Whisper Model Whisper, an AI model created by , is designed to convert speech in audio files into text. Its applications are extensive, ranging from generating subtitles for videos to or meetings. With more than 2M runs, Whisper stands out as a reliable and in its category. OpenAI transcribing interviews popular model The model takes an audio input and transcribes it into the written word, effectively bridging the gap between spoken and written language. Furthermore, it supports a vast number of languages, making it an excellent tool for multilingual projects. More detailed information about the model can be found on its . detail page Understanding the Inputs and Outputs of the Whisper Model Before diving into the usage of the Whisper model, it's important to understand what goes in and what comes out - that is, the inputs and outputs of the model. Inputs The primary input for Whisper is an audio file, which it processes and transcribes into text. Additional input parameters allow you to customize how the model operates: : Allows you to select from different versions of the Whisper model. model string : Lets you choose the format for the transcription, with options for plain text, srt, or vtt. transcription string : Gives you the ability to translate the text to English. translate boolean : Allows you to specify the language spoken in the audio. language string : This parameter controls the 'creativity' of the model's output. temperature number : A list of token ids that you don't want the model to output. suppress_tokens string Outputs The model outputs an object containing the transcribed text with several fields: : The transcriptions are broken into segments. segments & : Transcription results can be obtained in these formats. srt_file txt_file : If the translation option is enabled, the translated text is provided here. translation : This is the final transcribed text. transcription : The language detected by the model. detected_language Now that we understand what the model takes in and puts out, let's see how we can use it to solve our transcription problems! Using the Whisper Model to Transcribe Speech to Text Whether you're a coder who likes to get hands-on or prefer a more interactive demo approach, using the Whisper model is simple and straightforward. Step 1: Authentication First, you'll need to install the Replicate Node.js client and authenticate using your API token. This allows you to interact with the Whisper model programmatically. npm install replicate

export REPLICATE_API_TOKEN=your_api_token_here Step 2: Running the Model After authenticating, you can run the model with your audio input: import Replicate from "replicate";

const replicate = new Replicate({
  auth: process.env.REPLICATE_API_TOKEN,
});

const output = await replicate.run(
  "openai/whisper:91ee9c0c3df30478510ff8c8a3a545add1ad0259ad3a9f78fba57fbc05ee64f7",
  {
    input: {
      audio: "your_audio_here"
    }
  }
); You can also set a webhook to be called when the prediction is complete, which can be useful for asynchronous processing: const prediction = await replicate.predictions.create({
  version: "91ee9c0c3df30478510ff8c8a3a545add1ad0259ad3a9f78fba57fbc05ee64f7",
  input: {
    audio: "your_audio_here"
  },
  webhook: "https://example.com/your-webhook",
  webhook_events_filter: ["completed"]
}); Taking it Further - Finding Other Audio-to-Text Models with AIModels.fyi Perhaps you'd like to compare Whisper with other models or explore other models in the same problem space. How can you find them? Well, AIModels.fyi is a fantastic resource for this purpose, featuring a fully searchable and filterable database of AI models from various platforms. Step 1: Visit AIModels.fyi Head over to AIModels.fyi to start your search for similar models. Step 2: Use the Search Bar Use the search bar at the top of the page to search for models with specific keywords, such as "audio-to-text" or "transcription.” This will display a list of relevant models. Step 3: Filter the Results After using the search bar, you can further narrow down the results by using the filters on the left side of the page. You can filter and search models based on various criteria, including: : The platform the model is hosted on, such as OpenAI, Hugging Face, etc. Platforms : The creator or organization behind the model. Creator : The price range for using the model. Cost : What the model does and what it's used for. Description Step 4: Explore Model Details Once you've found a model that catches your interest, click on it to view more details. You'll be able to see a comprehensive breakdown of the model's features, including its inputs and outputs, performance metrics, and use cases. Conclusion Whether you're a seasoned developer or a newcomer to the world of AI, OpenAI's Whisper is an accessible and powerful tool for converting speech into text. Coupled with resources like , it's easier than ever to find the perfect model for your unique project needs. Dive in and start exploring the possibilities today! AIModels.fyi Subscribe or follow me on Twitter for more content like this! Also published . here

Using OpenAI's Whisper Model to Convert Speech into Text

A Journey to the Center of the Earth by Jules Verne, is part of the HackerNoon Books Series. You can jump to any chapter in this book . THE WHISPERING GALLERY here CHAPTER XXV - THE WHISPERING GALLERY When at last I came back to a sense of life and being, my face was wet, but wet, as I soon knew, with tears. How long this state of insensibility lasted, it is quite impossible for me now to say. I had no means left to me of taking any account of time. Never since the creation of the world had such a solitude as mine existed. I was completely abandoned. After my fall I lost much blood. I felt myself flooded with the life-giving liquid. My first sensation was perhaps a natural one. Why was I not dead? Because I was alive, there was something left to do. I tried to make up my mind to think no longer. As far as I was able, I drove away all ideas, and utterly overcome by pain and grief, I crouched against the granite wall. I just commenced to feel the fainting coming on again, and the sensation that this was the last struggle before complete annihilation—when, on a sudden, a violent uproar reached my ears. It had some resemblance to the prolonged rumbling voice of thunder, and I clearly distinguished sonorous voices, lost one after the other, in the distant depths of the gulf. Whence came this noise? Naturally, it was to be supposed from new phenomena which were taking place in the bosom of the solid mass of Mother Earth! The explosion of some gaseous vapors, or the fall of some solid, of the granitic or other rock. Again I listened with deep attention. I was extremely anxious to hear if this strange and inexplicable sound was likely to be renewed! A whole quarter of an hour elapsed in painful expectation. Deep and solemn silence reigned in the tunnel. So still that I could hear the beatings of my own heart! I waited, waited with a strange kind of hopefulness. Suddenly my ear, which leaned accidentally against the wall, appeared to catch, as it were, the faintest echo of a sound. I thought that I heard vague, incoherent and distant voices. I quivered all over with excitement and hope! "It must be hallucination," I cried. "It cannot be! it is not true!" But no! By listening more attentively, I really did convince myself that what I heard was truly the sound of human voices. To make any meaning out of the sound, however, was beyond my power. I was too weak even to hear distinctly. Still it was a positive fact that someone was speaking. Of that I was quite certain. There was a moment of fear. A dread fell upon my soul that it might be my own words brought back to me by a distant echo. Perhaps without knowing it, I might have been crying aloud. I resolutely closed my lips, and once more placed my ear to the huge granite wall. Yes, for certain. It was in truth the sound of human voices. I now by the exercise of great determination dragged myself along the sides of the cavern, until I reached a point where I could hear more distinctly. But though I could detect the sound, I could only make out uncertain, strange, and incomprehensible words. They reached my ear as if they had been spoken in a low tone—murmured, as it were, afar off. At last, I made out the word forlorad repeated several times in a tone betokening great mental anguish and sorrow. What could this word mean, and who was speaking it? It must be either my uncle or the guide Hans! If, therefore, I could hear them, they must surely be able to hear me. "Help," I cried at the top of my voice; "help, I am dying!" I then listened with scarcely a breath; I panted for the slightest sound in the darkness—a cry, a sigh, a question! But silence reigned supreme. No answer came! In this way some minutes passed. A whole flood of ideas flashed through my mind. I began to fear that my voice, weakened by sickness and suffering, could not reach my companions who were in search of me. "It must be they," I cried; "who else could by any possibility be buried a hundred miles below the level of the earth?" The mere supposition was preposterous. I began, therefore, to listen again with the most breathless attention. As I moved my ears along the side of the place I was in, I found a mathematical point as it were, where the voices appeared to attain their maximum of intensity. The word forlorad again distinctly reached my ear. Then came again that rolling noise like thunder which had awakened me out of torpor. "I begin to understand," I said to myself after some little time devoted to reflection; "it is not through the solid mass that the sound reaches my ears. The walls of my cavernous retreat are of solid granite, and the most fearful explosion would not make uproar enough to penetrate them. The sound must come along the gallery itself. The place I was in must possess some peculiar acoustic properties of its own." Again I listened; and this time—yes, this time—I heard my name distinctly pronounced: cast as it were into space. It was my uncle, the Professor, who was speaking. He was in conversation with the guide, and the word which had so often reached my ears, forlorad, was a Danish expression. Then I understood it all. In order to make myself heard, I too must speak as it were along the side of the gallery, which would carry the sound of my voice just as the wire carries the electric fluid from point to point. But there was no time to lose. If my companions were only to remove a few feet from where they stood, the acoustic effect would be over, my Whispering Gallery would be destroyed. I again therefore crawled towards the wall, and said as clearly and distinctly as I could: "Uncle Hardwigg." I then awaited a reply. Sound does not possess the property of traveling with such extreme rapidity. Besides the density of the air at that depth from light and motion was very far from adding to the rapidity of circulation. Several seconds elapsed, which to my excited imagination, appeared ages; and these words reached my eager ears, and moved my wildly beating heart: "Harry, my boy, is that you?" A short delay between question and answer. "Yes—yes." .......... "Where are you?" .......... "Lost!" .......... "And your lamp?" .......... "Out." .......... "But the guiding stream?" .......... "Is lost!" .......... "Keep your courage, Harry. We will do our best." .......... "One moment, my uncle," I cried; "I have no longer strength to answer your questions. But—for heaven's sake—do you—continue—to speak—to me!" Absolute silence, I felt, would be annihilation. "Keep up your courage," said my uncle. "As you are so weak, do not speak. We have been searching for you in all directions, both by going upwards and downwards in the gallery. My dear boy, I had begun to give over all hope—and you can never know what bitter tears of sorrow and regret I have shed. At last, supposing you to be still on the road beside the Hansbach, we again descended, firing off guns as signals. Now, however, that we have found you, and that our voices reach each other, it may be a long time before we actually meet. We are conversing by means of some extraordinary acoustic arrangement of the labyrinth. But do not despair, my dear boy. It is something gained even to hear each other." While he was speaking, my brain was at work reflecting. A certain undefined hope, vague and shapeless as yet, made my heart beat wildly. In the first place, it was absolutely necessary for me to know one thing. I once more, therefore, leaned my head against the wall, which I almost touched with my lips, and again spoke. "Uncle." .......... "My boy?" was his answer after a few moments. .......... "It is of the utmost consequence that we should know how far we are asunder." .......... "That is not difficult." .......... "You have your chronometer at hand?" I asked. .......... "Certainly." .......... "Well, take it into your hand. Pronounce my name, noting exactly the second at which you speak. I will reply as soon as I hear your words—and you will then note exactly the moment at which my reply reaches you." .......... "Very good; and the mean time between my question and your answer will be the time occupied by my voice in reaching you." .......... "That is exactly what I mean, Uncle," was my eager reply. .......... "Are you ready?" .......... "Yes." .......... "Well, make ready, I am about to pronounce your name," said the Professor. I applied my ear close to the sides of the cavernous gallery, and as soon as the word "Harry" reached my ear, I turned round and, placing my lips to the wall, repeated the sound. .......... "Forty seconds," said my uncle. "There has elapsed forty seconds between the two words. The sound, therefore, takes twenty seconds to ascend. Now, allowing a thousand and twenty feet for every second—we have twenty thousand four hundred feet—a league and a half and one-eighth." These words fell on my soul like a kind of death knell. "A league and a half," I muttered in a low and despairing voice. .......... "It shall be got over, my boy," cried my uncle in a cheery tone; "depend on us." .......... "But do you know whether to ascend or descend?" I asked faintly enough. .......... "We have to descend, and I will tell you why. You have reached a vast open space, a kind of bare crossroad, from which galleries diverge in every direction. That in which you are now lying must necessarily bring you to this point, for it appears that all these mighty fissures, these fractures of the globe's interior, radiate from the vast cavern which we at this moment occupy. Rouse yourself, then, have courage and continue your route. Walk if you can, if not drag yourself along—slide, if nothing else is possible. The slope must be rather rapid—and you will find strong arms to receive you at the end of your journey. Make a start, like a good fellow." These words served to rouse some kind of courage in my sinking frame. "Farewell for the present, good uncle, I am about to take my departure. As soon as I start, our voices will cease to commingle. Farewell, then, until we meet again." .......... "Adieu, Harry—until we say Welcome." Such were the last words which reached my anxious ears before I commenced my weary and almost hopeless journey. This wonderful and surprising conversation which took place through the vast mass of the earth's labyrinth, these words exchanged, the speakers being about five miles apart—ended with hopeful and pleasant expressions. I breathed one more prayer to Heaven, I sent up words of thanksgiving—believing in my inmost heart that He had led me to the only place where the voices of my friends could reach my ears. This apparently astounding acoustic mystery is easily explainable by simple natural laws; it arose from the conductibility of the rock. There are many instances of this singular propagation of sound which are not perceptible in its less mediate positions. In the interior gallery of St. Paul's, and amid the curious caverns in Sicily, these phenomena are observable. The most marvelous of them all is known as the Ear of Dionysius. These memories of the past, of my early reading and studies, came fresh to my thoughts. Moreover, I began to reason that if my uncle and I could communicate at so great a distance, no serious obstacle could exist between us. All I had to do was to follow the direction whence the sound had reached me; and logically putting it, I must reach him if my strength did not fail. I accordingly rose to my feet. I soon found, however, that I could not walk; that I must drag myself along. The slope as I expected was very rapid; but I allowed myself to slip down. Soon the rapidity of the descent began to assume frightful proportions; and menaced a fearful fall. I clutched at the sides; I grasped at projections of rocks; I threw myself backwards. All in vain. My weakness was so great I could do nothing to save myself. Suddenly earth failed me. I was first launched into a dark and gloomy void. I then struck against the projecting asperities of a vertical gallery, a perfect well. My head bounded against a pointed rock, and I lost all knowledge of existence. As far as I was concerned, death had claimed me for his own. About HackerNoon Book Series: We bring you the most important technical, scientific, and insightful public domain books. This book is part of the public domain. Jules Verne (2006). A Journey to the Center of the Earth. Urbana, Illinois: Project Gutenberg. Retrieved October 2022 https://www.gutenberg.org/files/18857/18857-h/18857-h.htm This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included with this eBook or online at , located at . www.gutenberg.org https://www.gutenberg.org/policy/license.html

THE WHISPERING GALLERY

The fight between OpenAI and Google to win the generative AI arms race has all the intensity of the war between Kendrick Lamar and Drake but without the low-blow trash talk. This week, both companies unleashed a dizzying array of updates that say a lot about their strategies: OpenAI: A More Human Gen AI On May 13, OpenAI announced several improvements to ChatGPT including multimodal capabilities. https://www.youtube.com/live/DQacCB9tDaw?si=RyXrifz6jnHbYWCW&embedable=true One feature that has captured the imagination of industry watchers is how ChatGPT is becoming more human. OpenAI demonstrated how the latest iteration of ChatGPT (GPT-4o) can detect emotions in users’ voices, analyze their facial expressions, and adjust its own tone and cadence to match user preferences. For instance, if you request a bedtime story, it can adopt a gentle, whispering tone. It can respond in a playful, sarcastic manner if you want it to. It even has the capability to sing when asked. https://youtu.be/D9byh4MAsUQ?si=DnmC0PteXYgj833j&embedable=true The demonstration immediately drew comparisons to Her, the 2013 movie in which a virtual assistant seduces an introvert… But making OpenAI more human is not in and of itself nothing new. There is a growing trend, especially among Gen Z, to turn to AI for personal companionship. Apps such as Pi offer life coaching in a helpful and conversational manner. Replika is a virtual friend and mental health lifeline. Blush is an AI-generated dating simulator. And there are many, many more examples. OpenAI knows that humanlike AI is the future, especially with Gen Z. Recently, Npj Mental Health Research studied how college students use Replika. The study observed, “Many used Replika in multiple, overlapping ways—as a friend, a therapist, and an intellectual mirror. Many also held overlapping and often conflicting beliefs about Replika—calling it a machine, an intelligence, and a human. Critically, 3% reported that Replika halted their suicidal ideation.” The significance of how ChatGPT is evolving is that OpenAI is making an incredibly popular everyday utility more human. There is no turning back now. Google: Doubling Down on AI-Powered Search At Google’s annual I/O conference on May 14, Google showed that it is leaning into its core strengths with gen AI-powered search. For instance, the AI Overview feature provides a brief, AI-generated answer to searches, along with a series of links to the sources cited in the response. Google is also introducing multistep reasoning (refining search results without requiring multiple searches in the same search session). Let’s say you are searching for a new yoga or pilates studio that is popular, conveniently located for your daily commute, and also offers a discount for new members. Soon, you will be able to ask Google Search to “find the best yoga or pilates studios in Boston and show details on their intro offers and walking time from Beacon Hill.” https://youtu.be/s4InWsd-J6g?si=X429BeoiivA6taTQ&embedable=true If you are an avid user of Google search for wayfinding, you can appreciate how important and valuable multistep reasoning will be when rolled out. The company is also introducing updates to its Gemini gen AI chatbot, including the ability to respond to longer prompts, engage in audio-based conversations, and provide more powerful functionality, including a tool summarizing 1,500 pages of the text uploaded by a user. These are important updates to a tool that I personally find more useful than ChatGPT in many ways. But for Google’s business, it is more critical that the company inject gen AI across its powerful search ecosystem, including Google Search, YouTube, and Email. Search is Google’s bread-and-butter business. And Google is fortifying its moat. Photo by Mohamed Nohassi via Unsplash The fight between OpenAI and Google to win the generative AI arms race has all the intensity of the war between Kendrick Lamar and Drake but without the low-blow trash talk. This week, both companies unleashed a dizzying array of updates that say a lot about their strategies: OpenAI: A More Human Gen AI On May 13, OpenAI announced several improvements to ChatGPT including multimodal capabilities. https://www.youtube.com/live/DQacCB9tDaw?si=RyXrifz6jnHbYWCW&embedable=true https://www.youtube.com/live/DQacCB9tDaw?si=RyXrifz6jnHbYWCW&embedable=true One feature that has captured the imagination of industry watchers is how ChatGPT is becoming more human. OpenAI demonstrated how the latest iteration of ChatGPT (GPT-4o) can detect emotions in users’ voices, analyze their facial expressions, and adjust its own tone and cadence to match user preferences. For instance, if you request a bedtime story, it can adopt a gentle, whispering tone. It can respond in a playful, sarcastic manner if you want it to. It even has the capability to sing when asked. https://youtu.be/D9byh4MAsUQ?si=DnmC0PteXYgj833j&embedable=true https://youtu.be/D9byh4MAsUQ?si=DnmC0PteXYgj833j&embedable=true The demonstration immediately drew comparisons to Her , the 2013 movie in which a virtual assistant seduces an introvert… But making OpenAI more human is not in and of itself nothing new. There is a growing trend, especially among Gen Z, to turn to AI for personal companionship. Apps such as Pi offer life coaching in a helpful and conversational manner. Replika is a virtual friend and mental health lifeline. Blush is an AI-generated dating simulator. And there are many, many more examples. The demonstration immediately drew comparisons to Her Her OpenAI knows that humanlike AI is the future, especially with Gen Z. Recently, Npj Mental Health Research studied how college students use Replika. The study observed , “Many used Replika in multiple, overlapping ways—as a friend, a therapist, and an intellectual mirror. Many also held overlapping and often conflicting beliefs about Replika—calling it a machine, an intelligence, and a human. Critically, 3% reported that Replika halted their suicidal ideation.” The study observed The significance of how ChatGPT is evolving is that OpenAI is making an incredibly popular everyday utility more human. There is no turning back now. Google: Doubling Down on AI-Powered Search At Google’s annual I/O conference on May 14, Google showed that it is leaning into its core strengths with gen AI-powered search . For instance, the AI Overview feature provides a brief, AI-generated answer to searches, along with a series of links to the sources cited in the response. Google is also introducing multistep reasoning (refining search results without requiring multiple searches in the same search session). Google showed that it is leaning into its core strengths with gen AI-powered search Let’s say you are searching for a new yoga or pilates studio that is popular, conveniently located for your daily commute, and also offers a discount for new members. Soon, you will be able to ask Google Search to “find the best yoga or pilates studios in Boston and show details on their intro offers and walking time from Beacon Hill.” https://youtu.be/s4InWsd-J6g?si=X429BeoiivA6taTQ&embedable=true https://youtu.be/s4InWsd-J6g?si=X429BeoiivA6taTQ&embedable=true If you are an avid user of Google search for wayfinding, you can appreciate how important and valuable multistep reasoning will be when rolled out. The company is also introducing updates to its Gemini gen AI chatbot, including the ability to respond to longer prompts, engage in audio-based conversations, and provide more powerful functionality, including a tool summarizing 1,500 pages of the text uploaded by a user. These are important updates to a tool that I personally find more useful than ChatGPT in many ways. But for Google’s business, it is more critical that the company inject gen AI across its powerful search ecosystem, including Google Search, YouTube, and Email. Search is Google’s bread-and-butter business. And Google is fortifying its moat. Photo by Mohamed Nohassi via Unsplash Photo by Mohamed Nohassi via Unsplash

Generative AI Clash: OpenAI’s Emotional AI vs. Google’s Enhanced Search

Really? So you're just going to open anyway? I really wanted you to skip this one. I was busy travelling, and I had nothing to write. Came back from an 18 hour flight and kept thinking of what to write, but I couldn’t. So I figured I would ask for a favor and have you pass this one. Yet here we are.. So thanks for that.. What I am supposed to do now? Let me think. Oh— You know what? I have a quick story to tell. I was visiting my brother on a small and (very) remote island of French Polynesia called Nuku Hiva. So small, in fact, that it doesn’t even appear on the map unless you zoom wayyy in. Don’t believe me? The point is, it’s a small airport, and you have to walk yourself to the terminal. They have cones that tell you where to walk, but most importantly, where they don’t want you to walk past. On the way in, I was tired from my long journey there. I just followed the line. On the way out, I was feeling a little more like myself. I saw these cones again. And they saw me. They were lined up like soldiers, proudly wearing bright orange. Probably to show off, and also form a contrast to the tarmac. The cones seemed to stare back at me with a challenge. I am pretty sure they were whispering “Go ahead, step over. We dare you.” Wait. What? I looked at them. My pulse quickened immediately. I was being challenged. “What do you mean you dare me to step over? Do you even know me? I can do whatever I want.” I glance around. Everyone else is obediently tracing the path to the plane. Not me. The impulse takes over. I step over the cone barrier, and my foot lands on the other side.. I suddenly feel like a moonwalker claiming uncharted territory. The hot Polynesian air crackled with tension. I could feel the cones' silent outrage at my audacity. The thrill of the forbidden surges through me. My heart thumps in exhilaration. I am euphoric. But then, as if on cue, “Excuse me, sir, please return to the path,” a voice cut through my daydream. A staff member waved her hands with a mix of fear and anger. And just like that—I was caught. My quest was over. I had to wave my white flag, and step back over. Although they reclaimed my newly acquired territory, they did not take away my victory. I stepped back into line, but I had a smirk on my lips. The thrill of defiance had sent a jolt of excitement through my veins. It was a potent mixture of satisfaction and adrenaline. A simple act of rebellion that felt disproportionately exhilarating. Anyway.. I make my way to my seat on the plane. And then I start thinking.. Why do these feelings emerge so strongly when we push against boundaries? You see, it wasn't about the cones or the airport—it was a snapshot of a deeper, almost instinctual drive within us all. This urge to defy the norm. The urge to resist restrictions. It taps into something fundamental about human nature. The intrinsic desire for autonomy and freedom. This instinct inspired today's letter. It's about the allure of the forbidden and the resistance to being told what not to do. As it turns out, it plays in various facets of our lives. The small acts of rebellion when we pick the road less traveled The significant decisions that define our individuality The way we make decisions in general How we are influenced by people, companies, and marketing 1. Why We Chase the Forbidden Reflecting on that moment of rebellion at the airport. It’s clear this isn't just personal. It's universal. This instinct to challenge the boundaries is deeply embedded in us all. Just look at how Apple used this trait with their "Think Different" campaign. Apple didn’t sell products—they sold an idea. You know how? They aligned their brand with Einstein, Dylan, and MLK. Apple celebrated those who defy norms. They joined those who tap our desire to be part of something different. The Genius of "Think Different" Apple's strategy was a cultural statement more than it was pure marketing. These icons weren’t just talented; they were revolutionaries. Their simple message? It's cool to be different; and it's powerful to think outside the box. This strategy wasn't about selling; it was about igniting a cultural shift. Think about it—how often do we gravitate towards things just because they offer us a taste of defiance? That’s what Apple mastered. It’s almost like they marketed a rebellion. 2. The Neuroscience Behind the Temptation When we're told not to do something, our brain's instinct isn't just to listen—it's often to rebel. This rebellion is powered by our brain's reward system. Neurotransmitters, like dopamine, play a crucial role in it. We often pair dopamine with pleasure. But it's also about motivation, learning, and seeking rewards. When faced with a prohibition, our brain perceives it as a challenge. Engaging in the forbidden act and succeeding triggers a release of dopamine, which feels rewarding. Then there’s the prefrontal cortex—our brain’s rational part that tries to keep us in check. Dopamine signals pleasure and potential reward. The prefrontal cortex calculates the consequences. It tries to apply the brakes, weighing long-term outcomes against immediate gratification. Fun fact. This part of the brain is still developing in young adults. This explains why teenagers often take more risks. And boy was mine still developing during my teenage years. When you and I were barely walking on two feet and had hair to make Chewbacca jealous, our survival relied on curiosity and exploration. Survival depended on exploring the unknown and overcoming obstacles. This required questioning and testing the environment all the time. It was not about liking to try new things; it's about the neurological reward systems that encouraged those traits. It was necessary for survival, and it was neural, too. I was necessary for things like discovering what to eat. Imagine our ancestors venturing into new territories in search of something to eat. They come across a mushroom, bright red with white spots—pretty much screaming, "Don't touch me bro". But, curiosity and defiance? It's built-in. So, someone had to take the first bite, right? And you can bet they regretted it right after. That’s the kind of trial and error that taught everyone else to steer clear of the fancy fungi. But not all explorations ended badly. Sometimes, they found new, nourishing foods. These foods became staples in their diet. It makes me wonder about the first person who discovered fire—what an intense moment that must have been. Anyway, just some food for thought on your own terms. Fast forward to today. This system still urges us to push boundaries and explore new possibilities. This is true even when we’re safe from saber-toothed tigers. This legacy influences everything. It affects how we approach challenges. It explains why a simple "Do not push" button becomes almost irresistible. It explains why you felt compelled to open this letter even when explicitly told not to. Understanding these impulses allows us to channel them well. We can use them to motivate ourselves, manage others, and craft messages that resonate on a gut level. By acknowledging and embracing this innate curiosity, we can turn a simple urge into a powerful tool for engagement. 3. Defying Conventions: My Path to Independence Thinking back on where I am today, a lot of it came from just not fitting the mold. I wanted to go to an architecture school, but never could. Why? Well, I just didn't vibe with the whole school scene. My grades weren't great—not because I couldn't handle the work of because or below average intelligence. It was because I couldn't stand the way they taught things. So, I'd end up doodling and distracting others instead of paying attention. My jobs? I've always had a bit of a tough time with authority. Starting my company was my way out. I did not like having to obey my superiors at work simply because they were my superiors. When they were wrong, I made sure they knew. They did not like it, and I rarely kept a job for more than 6 months. Looking back, each of those defiant steps led me right here, to doing my own thing my own way. This journey isn't just mine. It's a testament to the power of questioning norms. This power can redefine personal paths and how we approach marketing and social engagement. Speaking of Marketing.. 4. Impact on Marketing and Social Behavior My journey away from traditional roles mirrors the tactics businesses use to captivate consumers. Here's the thing about marketing—it thrives on our natural urge to reach for the forbidden. Take "limited edition" products or "members-only" sales. This is about scarcity, but not only. It’s makes us feel like we're part of an exclusive club, stepping past the rope where others can't go. In video games, they hide Easter eggs you can only find by not following the usual paths. It turns players into insiders, sharing secrets that feel almost rebellious. Fashion plays with this, too. Look at those unannounced drops—they create a buzz by being elusive, sparking a mad dash to grab something unique before it disappears. This marketing savvy taps directly into our love for the elusive and the exclusive, turning simple buying decisions into moments of personal triumph against the norm. After stepping back into line at the airport, smirking from my small act of rebellion, I realized something crucial: the same thrill of defiance that fuels our personal choices can powerfully drive our business strategies. This realization isn't just about me—it's about how any business can tap into these universal instincts to craft compelling marketing strategies and create unforgettable customer experiences. Let's explore how this instinct for defiance can be strategically harnessed in your business to captivate and engage your audience. 5. How to Use This in Your Business - Framework and ideas Understanding Reactance in Marketing Let's talk about using reactance in a way that really resonates with people. How about we make our marketing a bit rebellious? Imagine you own a boutique coffee shop that prides itself on unique, ethically sourced beans. To use reactance, you could launch a campaign called "Not your grandma’s Bustelo." It would say that your coffee is for those who dare to taste the unique and bold. This resonates with consumers' desire to rebel. Each purchase is an act of defiance. Scarcity and Exclusivity Ever noticed how a 'limited-time offer' makes us want to buy something right now? That's scarcity at work. It's like telling people, "Hey, these gems won’t last." It makes whatever you're selling seem more valuable. It has everyone rushing to make sure they don’t miss out. Imagine this. You are a business coach. You're offering an elite retreat named " " to your top-tier clients. Figure It Out, or Die It starts with a tough, three-day jungle trek. The trek pushes clients to their physical and mental limits. This adventure sets the stage for the climax. It's a coaching session in total darkness, deep in a secluded jungle cabin. There are no distractions. This compels clients to rely only on their sharp instincts and introspective insights. Limit it to just three clients annually. This exclusive setup not only ensures a transformative experience but also plays on the scarcity effect. How much would a thrill-seeking CEO pay for such a unique challenge if marketed just right? We offer products for a limited time. This taps into a consumer's urge to defy the fear of missing out. It turns the purchase into a rebellion against the market's scarcity. Storytelling Techniques Craft your brand's story to resonate with the spirit of independence. Narratives that highlight overcoming adversity or defying odds can inspire customers to align with your brand as a statement of their values. You are the founder and can’t find a story? Call the business coach above and attend his retreat. You’ll have one 🙂 Such stories can inspire customers. They show them how to align with your brand as a statement of their values. : Contrarian Content Engage your audience with content that challenges mainstream ideas. This could be through thought leadership pieces. They take a new stance on common issues. This attracts those who appreciate a fresh perspective. Do you run a financial advisory firm? Do you want to challenge normal retirement planning? You could create a series of blog posts or videos titled “ ”. You Might Lose It All, But Your Grandkids Will Be Proud Ok, that might be a little bold. But you get the idea. And you’ll certainly get their attention. Our content challenges mainstream thoughts. It appeals to those who pride themselves on questioning the norm and valuing independent thought. In the end, whether it's stepping over a line of cones at a Polynesian airport or defying conventional marketing tactics, the allure of the forbidden runs deep within us. We have primal instincts for survival. They drive our decisions and actions. From them to the strategies of modern businesses, the urge to challenge boundaries shapes us. As you reflect on this newsletter (that you were kindly asked not to open), remember this. The most intriguing adventures start with a simple act of defiance. Embracing the spirit of rebellion can lead to unexpected discoveries and transformative experiences. As you navigate your own journey, may you find joy in pushing boundaries. Until next time, keep defying expectations and embracing the thrill of the forbidden. Strategizingly yours, Ben

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03/28 Crypto Market Update Let's face it: the crypto market's been about as exciting as watching paint dry lately. But then, in walks Litecoin, the rebellious teenager of the world, defying the odds and skyrocketing to a two-week high of around $99. Now, this 9.25% jump in 24 hours has us scratching our heads – what's going on here? crypto Sleeping Giants Awake (and Maybe Cause a Little Trouble First) Here's the first plot twist: a bunch of dormant Litecoin tokens worth over $60 million decided to wake up from their slumber and rejoin the party on March 5th. It was the biggest daily jump for these sleepyheads on record. Now, this reunion wasn't exactly smooth sailing. The market initially freaked out, causing a 19% price drop. But hey, maybe it was just a case of first-day jitters? Because guess what? The market quickly absorbed these revived tokens, leading to a 37.25% rebound. This whole scenario feels eerily similar to what happened before Litecoin's 2017 bull run, where a similar awakening of dormant tokens paved the way for a massive price surge. So, is history repeating itself? Buckle up, folks, it's getting interesting. Coinbase Futures: The Shiny New Toy That Might Lure the Big Guys Adding fuel to the fire is a rumor that Coinbase will launch cash-settled Litecoin futures contracts in April. Now, this might sound like financial jargon overload, but here's the gist: it could attract a whole new crowd – the big institutional investors. Remember what happened when CME launched Bitcoin futures in 2017? The market went nuts! Could this be the secret sauce for Litecoin's future success? We don't have a crystal ball (yet!), but it's definitely something to keep an eye on. Strong Foundations: Not Just About Price But it's not all about price jumps. Litecoin's network itself seems to be in tip-top shape. The hash rate, which basically measures how secure the network is, is hitting record highs. This suggests that miners, the folks who keep the whole thing running, are feeling pretty confident. Maybe it's because of the upcoming Bitcoin halving event (where the rewards for mining Bitcoin get cut in half). This often leads to a price increase for Bitcoin, and sometimes, its ripple effect reaches other cryptocurrencies like Litecoin. So, even if you're not a techie, understand this: strong network = happy miners = potentially good news for Litecoin. The Chart Whisperers and Their Predictions Now, for those who like to analyze charts and lines more than we do, here's some good news. Litecoin's recent price action suggests it might have broken free from a long downtrend. In financial speak, that's a bullish signal. Plus, there's strong support from traders (think of it like having a bunch of people cheering for Litecoin) and a positive indicator called the RSI. The bottom line? The charts seem to be whispering that Litecoin might keep climbing, potentially reaching around $127.25 by April. But hey, remember, the crypto market can be as unpredictable as a teenager's mood. There's always a chance it could retreat and test support levels at $75.50. Oh, and Don't Forget About the Rest of the Crypto Zoo While Litecoin steals the show, there's other drama unfolding in the crypto world: A judge said "no way" to Coinbase's attempt to ditch a lawsuit from the SEC. This legal battle could have a major impact on crypto exchanges and regulations. Coinbase vs. SEC: Rumors are swirling about a potential mega-merger between some big names in AI – SingularityNet, , and Ocean Protocol. This could create a $7.5 billion giant in the AI-powered blockchain space. Talk about a power couple! AI Token Merger? Fetch.ai The NFT game Munchables got hacked, resulting in a massive loss of ETH. This serves as a stark reminder that security in the NFT space is crucial. NFT Security Breach: The Final Word: Don't Be a Blind Follower Remember, the crypto market is exciting, but it's also risky. Don't just blindly follow the latest trends. Do your own research, understand the risks, and maybe consult with someone who isn't as easily swayed by shiny objects (like, ahem, some of us). This article is just a glimpse into the ever-changing world of crypto, but hopefully, it keeps you entertained (and maybe a little informed) along the way.

Crypto Market Update: Litecoin Soars Like a Rocket While Cryptoland Sleeps 

-𝙷𝚘𝚠 𝚍𝚘 𝚢𝚘𝚞 𝚝𝚎𝚊𝚌𝚑 𝚊 𝚋𝚘𝚢 𝚑𝚘𝚠 𝚝𝚘 𝚍𝚛𝚘𝚠𝚗? There are mismatched socks everywhere you step; it’s like a pandemic of socks. You walk on your toes, careful not to step on any. Today is the day you learn how to swim. You are excited; it shows in your demeanor. “Oga, hurry up, na. We go leave you o.” You hear the voice of your bosom friend and classmate since the beginning of JSS1, the boy who sticks by you like glue. “No dey rush me, I dey come.” You thunder back as he sighs and tells you to hurry it up. Your room is a mess; it always is. You never remember where the ballpoint pens you so dearly love are kept; you never remember if your bag is on the top of a pile of unwashed clothes. You never remember anything, or rather, you choose to forget. “Oboi, this one goes mad o. Shey, you fit swim?” One of your friends asks, and you are tempted to roll your eyes. It is not a question you grace with a response, so you keep mute. The others come to your rescue in a flash. “No dey do like beans na, you know say we wan teach am how to swim. Sometimes this Otis dey do like person wey him brain dey glitch.” Ayo says, looking at Otis with a look of contempt. Ayo is the boy you look up to, the one most girls would kill to talk to. He looks like a cross between an American and a Nigerian, even though he keeps reminding everyone who decides to listen that he’s a full-fledged Yoruba boy. Otis is the guy everybody ignores, even you. He keeps repeating irrelevant details to fill up the silence. “No mind Otis. Na why him dey do like Otu. E no sabi anything. I go teach you how to swim, no worry.” You nod in acceptance, staring at the boy who speaks with such confidence you can’t help being shell-shocked. He’s another guy, you rever, who’s somehow good at whatever he does. Kanye is his name—the boy who does it all. It doesn’t matter what; he’s good at it. The girls used to like him until they got annoyed with him since they consider him a 𝑘𝑛𝑜𝑤-𝑖𝑡-𝑎𝑙𝑙 or rather, 𝐼𝑇𝐾. So, he sticks with the boys now. “I no mind am before na. Na so he dey do. We don know am. No worry, we get him password for hand.” You say with a laugh, as the others chorus. Four boys go to the swimming pool on a blistering hot day. Even the gods of misfortune could see nothing wrong with that idea. Or so you thought. The pool is a large one; even standing at 5’8, you can tell there are parts of the pool you absolutely must not enter. Girls are squealing like ducks out of the water, but you ignore them. It’s how girls are: noisemakers. Even in your school, it’s no different. In a bid to be seen, they often try to outshine the boys who do whatever they do with no regard for who’s watching. You do not like girls. You used to, but now you don’t. You are startled out of your reverie when Otis jostles you forward with a casual smirk on his face. He looks at you and winks while Ayo and Kanye watch you and Otis fool yourselves. The pool looks inviting as some girls leave it, clapping hands and whispering into their ears. You know how they are—gossip, all of them. You cannot remember where your hatred of women stems from, but you do know that it is from a valid place. You hear it’s called misogyny nowadays. Humans have names for everything, even inconsequential things. “So, how we go do am? Who goes in first?” Ayo asks, one of his hands raised. “Who cares? Make everybody enter jare.” Otis enters the conversation, using his body to push you aside from where you were standing. You stand at the pool's edge before you fall, your hands flailing in the air. The thought that you were just 5’8 feet tall in a pool over 7 feet deep strikes you as ironic. Nature does have a sense of humor, a wicked one. You smile, and you plunge into the water. The water cradles your head as you begin to see the beauty in the darkness of the water. The scenery changes; you lie in the arms of the one who broke you, staring into those deep brown eyes that seem to house all the pain in the universe. “I never taught you how to swim, did I?” She says, a sad smile on the edge of her lips. “You? How are you here?” You ask, fighting back tears. She looks as beautiful as you remember from the past, a phantom with no place to call home. “Does it matter? I guess they call this a place between worlds, right? So, you’re dying. How does that make you feel?” She speaks, and you close your eyes momentarily, wondering why she keeps picking you apart. “Why must you be the last thing I see before I die? Haven’t you done enough? You’re not even dead!” You scream at her face, but the only thing that comes out of your mouth are bubbles. “Dead or alive, I’m the one you love above all others. How does it feel to have your last moments with the only girl your family and friends abhor?” She grins at you, and you begin to see how messed up everything is. She isn’t your friend, she isn’t your family. She’s nothing. Yet, she’s everything. “Haven’t you done enough? Why do you keep doing this?” You say, knowing the fight has been drained out of you. “Because I can.” You can hear voices through the depths, but you refuse to heed them. You want to talk to her a little bit longer. “Wake up, dammit!” You hear a voice pulling you out of your private world with her, a voice that seems to break with pain. You don’t ask; you follow. “Thank God. Yes, that’s it. Breathe in, breathe out. Don’t worry about it. You’ll be fine, you’ll be fine…” The voice gets a little more transparent, and you open your eyes groggily to see the panic-stricken faces of Ayo and Kanye hovering over you. They fuss over you as you cough, water coming from your mouth. Your tiredness is overwhelming; your whole being begs you to go back to sleep. But in a haze, you notice that Otis is nowhere to be found. “Where is Otis?” You ask, looking around. “He’s fine. He was the one who went after you.” Ayo replies as though it is obvious. “Okay, where is he?” You ask again, and Ayo and Kanye exchange nervous glances before they try to find Otis. But you don’t say anything because you know more than anyone else. The same way you know you can never be with 𝑉𝑒𝑟𝑎, 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑤𝑖𝑡𝑐ℎ as most of your friends call her. You know where Otis is, and your conversation with him once rings loudly in your head. “Omo me, I just dey o. I no sabi swim. I remember when we go bar beach sef. I just dey play with sand. Me wey get that phobia for water. Wetin be the name again, sef?” Otis asks you as you hold back a laugh before replying. “Hydrophobia. The fear of water.” “Yes! Na im be that. Omo, no tell anybody sha. I wan get over am my way.” “No wahala. Nobody go hear.” You remember; you remember it all. You remember the promise you made not to tell anyone. You don’t have to look for Otis; nobody does. You know where he is. He has become one with the water. You do not remember 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑤𝑖𝑡𝑐ℎ anymore; everything else flies by in a haze. Did you attend Otis’ funeral? You do not remember. Your friends try to comfort you, but it is a wasted effort. You didn’t exactly love Otis; he was more like a pesky annoying fly that buzzes around and makes a fuss. You do not care about the death of a fly, yet your heart fills up so much that you fear it’s going to burst. You do not cry; crying is for babies. You stare dry-eyed at the future of the boy who never saw 16. They say the state of a person’s room reflects the state of that person’s mind. That’s why yours is squeaky clean, not a pair of socks in sight. Perhaps you do it for Otis, or maybe it’s for yourself. Maybe your room reflects your mental state, a world empty of who you once were. There are no mismatched socks anymore, just memories of the boy who learned to drown in the guise of swimming. “You can not swim. Why, then, did you do it?” You ask the empty air. But no response comes. Not one. You’re alone with the boy you taught how to drown. A fly, that’s all he was. A pesky fly. Why, then, do you cry?

Mismatched Socks

Do you ever find yourself whispering these excuses to yourself? "When I finally get this promotion, THEN I'll have time to start my side hustle." "When the kids are a little older, THEN I'll finally get back to painting." "When I have a bigger house, THEN I can start hosting those dinner parties I've dreamed of." "When I have more money saved, THEN I'll feel secure enough to travel." If you do, you're not alone. I've been there too.  We all get stuck in the trap of thinking the perfect conditions will appear like magic down the road. Only then, the stars aligning, will we somehow be ready to chase our dreams/do the thing. But here's the spoiler no one likes to admit: That perfect "X" moment will NEVER arrive. There will ALWAYS be something—a new project at work, a sick kid, an unexpected car repair—demanding your attention and energy. "Someday" is the biggest lie we tell ourselves. It's a fluffy pillow to soften the blow of our inaction.  We wrap ourselves in its comforting excuse, but deep down, we know that if we don't make a move , "someday" will fade into "never."  Worse, it'll fade into a nagging regret you carry with you for years to come. now The Truth About Readiness (And Why it's Not What You Think) Here comes the hard-to-swallow truth: Readiness, in the way we typically picture it, is a complete myth. You don't magically become infused with expertise, bulletproof confidence, and infinite resources after some external factor changes. Think about it this way: Did Beyoncé wake up one day feeling flawlessly ready to conquer the world, or did she build her skills, stage presence, and business savvy through countless hours of sweat and imperfect performances? Remember that kid in your high school class who seemed effortlessly good at everything? The one who aced tests without studying and charmed even the grouchiest teachers?  I bet if you dug deeper, you'd learn they were putting in work behind the scenes when no one was looking. Readiness isn't bestowed;  it's BUILT. Each imperfect step you take forges that readiness in the fire of action. The "Start Now" Mentality: A Personal Story Years ago, I desperately wanted to leave my corporate job and become a writer (start a newsletter… blog… anything).  But "someday" was my best friend. Someday, I'd have the perfect freelance client roster. Someday, I'd finally figure out this whole online marketing thing. Someday... Paralysis set in. All I did was watch videos, buy fancy courses, and dream.  One day, in a moment of frustration with myself, I decided to try something new. I forced myself to write a single blog post and hit publish...even though I thought it was terrible. YouTube The next day, I did it again. And again. Some were cringe-worthy, and some gained a bit of traction. But it didn't matter.  The act of doing, however messy, was chipping away at my fear and building my skills.  Within a year, I had enough momentum and income to make the leap into earning some income, selling ads on a newsletter (fast forward to today, the newsletter has 320,000 subscribers). That never happens if I keep waiting for the magic moment of readiness. Messy Action > Perfect Inaction Let's make this real. Let's say your dream is to get in shape finally. Here's the old mindset vs. the action-first mindset: Old "Someday" Mindset: I need to join the fancy gym. I need the perfect workout clothes. I need to find a trainer and get a program designed... Result:  You end up spending weeks comparing gym memberships and end up doing  nothing. Action-First Mindset: It's rainy out, and I'm tired, but my old sneakers are fine. I'll do one of those YouTube workout videos in my living room. It might be awkward, but I'm gonna get moving. Result: It's not glamorous, but it's a start! You're BUILDING the habit of moving your body regularly. Each day it gets a tiny bit easier. "But What About..." (Common Barriers Busted) I can hear the objections whispering in your head. So let's tackle some of the most common ones: Truth bomb: We ALL have the same 24 hours. Successful people aren't gifted extra time; they get ruthless about priorities.  Audit your day. Where does your time vanish on social media, mindless TV, or tasks that could be outsourced? Can you carve out even 15 minutes a day for your goal? You'll be shocked at what you can do with focused intention. "I don't have TIME!" Aren't you more afraid of never trying and living with regret? Failure is inevitable on the path to anything worthwhile. Embrace it as a teacher. Each stumble informs what to do differently –  that's growth happening. "I'm afraid of FAILING!" This is where creativity is your superpower. Can't afford a class? There's an insane amount of free knowledge online. Need equipment?  Look for secondhand options or see if a friend will loan it.  Remember, it's about your resourcefulness, not the size of your wallet. "I don't have the RESOURCES!" The Bottom Line: "Someday" Will Betray You Every day spent waiting for perfect conditions is a day you're not actively building the life you truly want. Imagine yourself five years from now. Do you want to look back and see a trail of "somedays" fading into the distance? Or do you want to see how far you've come because of those imperfect first steps you finally took? The "Start Now" Challenge (Take it Seriously!) I want to challenge you, and I mean challenge you, to take one small, uncomfortable step toward your goal today.  Not tomorrow, not after you research/plan/organize more – TODAY. Don't let yourself off the hook! really Here's how: What's the absolute smallest action that you've been avoiding? (Ex: write 50 words, send a sales email, register for that one class, do 10 pushups) The Tiny Task: Don't overcomplicate it. Clear your space, set a timer for 20 minutes, do whatever gets that task in front of you. Remove the Barriers: Don't judge the quality, just focus on getting it DONE. Prove to yourself you can follow through. DO IT (no matter how imperfectly): You Are Readier Than You Think You wouldn't be reading this if there wasn't a fire inside of you, a voice whispering that you're meant for more.  Don't betray that part of yourself. Take the leap today, even just a tiny one. One step leads to another and then another, and suddenly that "someday" dream is within your grasp. The choice is yours. Are you ready to ditch the excuses and finally start building a life filled with purpose and passion? Then it's time to stop waiting on "X" and create your readiness. Your future self will thank you. Have a great week! Scott Also published . here

Choosing Messy Action Over Perfect Inaction

Table of Contents A Deep Dive into Voice Cloning with SoftVC VITS and Bert-VITS2 Prepare Dataset Extract from a Song UVR Workflows Preparation for vocal recording Cheapskate’s Audio Equipment Audacity workflows audio-slicer Cleaning dataset Match loudness so-vits-svc Set up environment Initialization Download pre-trained models Dataset Preparation Edit Configs Training Inference Audio Editing so-vits-svc-fork Installation Preparation Training Inference DDSP-SVC Preparation Training Inference Bert-vits2-V2.3 Initialization Preparation Transcription Training and Inference vits-simple-api Tweaks Share models In the , I tried a little bit of and found it interesting. So, I decided to train a usable model with my own voice. previous post TTS Generation WebUI This voice cloning project explores both SVC for Voice Changing and for Text-to-Speech. There is no one tool that does all jobs. VITS I have tested several tools for this project. Many of the good guides, like , , and , are in Chinese. So, I thought it would be useful to post my notes in English. this this this Although has been archived for a few months, probably due to oppression, it is still the tool for the best result. so-vits-svc Other related tools such as , , , and provide either faster/liter optimization, more features, or better interfaces. so-vits-svc-fork so-vits-svc-5.0 DDSP-SVC RVC But with enough time and resources, none of these alternatives can compete with the superior result generated by the original so-vits-svc. For TTS, a new tool called works fantastically and has already matured with its final release last month. It has some very different use cases, for example, audio content creation. Bert-VITS2 Prepare Dataset The audio files of the dataset should be in WAV format, 44100 Hz, 16bit, mono, 1-2 hours ideally. Extract From a Song is the easiest tool for this job. There is a that explains everything in detail. Ultimate Vocal Remover thread UVR Workflows Remove and extract Instrumental Model: VR - UVR(4_HP-Vocal-UVR) Settings: 512 - 10 - GPU Output and unclean vocal Instrumental Remove and extract background vocals. Model: VR - UVR(5_HP-Karaoke-UVR) Settings: 512 - 10 - GPU Output and unclean main vocal background vocal Remove reverb and noise. Model: VR - UVR-DeEcho-DeReverb & UVR-DeNoise Settings: 512 - 10 - GPU - No Other Only Output clean main vocal (Optional) Using RipX (non-free) to perform a manual fine-cleaning. Preparation for Vocal Recording It’s better to record in a treated room with a condenser microphone, otherwise, use a directional or dynamic microphone to reduce noise. Cheapskate’s Audio Equipment The very first time I got into music was during high school, with the blue Sennheiser MX500 and Koss Porta Pro. I still remember the first time I was recording a song that was on a Sony VAIO with Cool Edit Pro. Nowadays, I still resist spending a lot of money on audio hardware as an amateur because it is literally a money-sucking black hole. Nonetheless, I really appreciate the reliability of those cheap production equipment. The core part of my setup is a Behringer UCA202, and it’s perfect for my use cases. I bought it for $10 during a price drop. It is a so-called “Audio Interface” but basically just a sound card with multiple ports. I used RCA to 3.5mm TRS cables for my headphones, a semi-open K240s for regular output, and a closed-back HD669/MDR7506 for monitor output. All three mentioned headphones are under $100 for the normal price. And there are clones from Samson, Tascam, Knox Gear, and more out there for less than $50. For the input device, I’m using a dynamic microphone for the sake of my environmental noises. It is an SM58 copy (Pyle) + a Tascam DR-05 recorder (as an amplifier). Other clones such as SL84c or wm58 would do it too. I use an XLR to 3.5mm TRS cable to connect the microphone to the MIC/External-input of the recorder, and then use an AUX cable to connect between the line-out of the recorder and the input of the UCA202. It’s not recommended to buy an “audio interface” and a dedicated amplifier to replicate my setup. A $10 c-media USB sound card should be good enough. The Syba model that I owned is capable of “pre-amping” dynamic microphones directly and even some lower-end phantom-powered microphones. The setup can go extremely cheap ($40~60), but with UCA202 and DR-05, the sound is much cleaner. And I really like the physical controls, versatility, and portability of my old good digital recorder. Audacity Workflows Although when I was getting paid as a designer, I was pretty happy with Audition. But for personal use on a fun project, Audacity is the way to avoid the chaotic evil of Adobe. Noise Reduction Dereverb Truncate Silence Normalize audio-slicer Use or to slice the audio file into small pieces for later use. audio-slicer audio-slicer (gui) The default setting works great. Cleaning Dataset Remove those very short ones and re-slice those that are still over 10 seconds. In case of a large dataset, remove all that are less than 4 sec. In the case of a small dataset, remove those only under 2 sec. If necessary, perform a manual inspection for every single file. Match Loudness Use Audacity again with ; 0db should do it. Loudness Normalization so-vits-svc Set Up the Environment Virtual environment is essential to run multiple Python tools inside one system. I used to use VMs and Docker, but now, I found that is way quicker and handier than the others. anaconda Create a new environment for so-vits-svc, and activate it. conda create -n so-vits-svc python=3.8
conda activate so-vits-svc Then, install requirements. git clone https://github.com/svc-develop-team/so-vits-svc
cd so-vits-svc

pip3 install torch torchvision torchaudio --index-url https://download.pytorch.org/whl/cu118

#for linux
pip install -r requirements.txt

#for windows
pip install -r requirements_win.txt
pip install --upgrade fastapi==0.84.0
pip install --upgrade gradio==3.41.2
pip install --upgrade pydantic==1.10.12
pip install fastapi uvicorn Initialization Download pre-trained models pre-train wget https://huggingface.co/WitchHuntTV/checkpoint_best_legacy_500.pt/resolve/main/checkpoint_best_legacy_500.pt wget https://huggingface.co/lj1995/VoiceConversionWebUI/resolve/main/rmvpe.pt logs/44k wget https://huggingface.co/datasets/ms903/sovits4.0-768vec-layer12/resolve/main/sovits_768l12_pre_large_320k/clean_D_320000.pth wget https://huggingface.co/datasets/ms903/sovits4.0-768vec-layer12/resolve/main/sovits_768l12_pre_large_320k/clean_G_320000.pth logs/44k/diffusion wget https://huggingface.co/datasets/ms903/Diff-SVC-refactor-pre-trained-model/resolve/main/fix_pitch_add_vctk_600k/model_0.pt (Alternative) wget https://huggingface.co/datasets/ms903/DDSP-SVC-4.0/resolve/main/pre-trained-model/model_0.pt (Alternative) wget https://huggingface.co/datasets/ms903/Diff-SVC-refactor-pre-trained-model/blob/main/hubertsoft_fix_pitch_add_vctk_500k/model_0.pt pre-train/nsf_hifigan wget -P pretrain/ https://github.com/openvpi/vocoders/releases/download/nsf-hifigan-v1/nsf_hifigan_20221211.zip unzip -od pretrain/nsf_hifigan pretrain/nsf_hifigan_20221211.zip Dataset Preparation Put all Prepared audio.wav files into dataset_raw/character cd so-vits-svc
python resample.py --skip_loudnorm
python preprocess_flist_config.py --speech_encoder vec768l12 --vol_aug
python preprocess_hubert_f0.py --use_diff Edit Configs The file is located at configs/config.json : the frequency of printing log : the frequency of saving checkpoints : total steps : numbers of saved checkpoints, 0 for unlimited. : fp32 In my case, : the smaller the faster (rougher), the larger the slower (better). log interval eval interval epochs keep ckpts half_type batch_size Recommended batch_size per VRAM: 4=6G；6=8G；10=12G；14=16G；20=24G Keep default for configs/diffusion.yaml Training python cluster/train_cluster.py --gpu
python train_index.py -c configs/config.json
python train.py -c configs/config.json -m 44k
python train_diff.py -c configs/diffusion.yaml On training steps: Use to train the main model; usually, 20k-30k would be usable, and 50k and up would be good enough. This can take a few days depending on the GPU speed. train.py Feel free to stop it by , and it will be continued training by re-run anytime. ctrl+c python train.py -c configs/config.json -m 44k Use to train the diffusion model; training steps is recommended at 1/3 of the main model. train_diff.py Be aware of over-training. Use to monitor the plots to see if it goes flat. tensorboard --logdir=./logs/44k Change the from 0.0001 to 0.00005 if necessary. learning rate When done, share/transport these files for inference. config/ config.json diffusion.yaml logs/44k feature_and_index.pkl kmeans_10000.pt model_0.pt G_xxxxx.pt Inference It’s time to try out the trained model. I’d prefer Webui for the convenience of tweaking the parameters. But before firing it up, edit the following lines in for LAN access: webUI.py os.system("start http://localhost:7860")
app.launch(server_name="0.0.0.0", server_port=7860) Run ; then access its from a web browser. python webUI.py ipaddress:7860 The webui has no English localization, but would be helpful. Immersive Translate Most parameters would work well with the default value. Refer to and to make changes. this this Upload these 5 files: and its main model.pt config.json and its diffusion model.pt diffusion.yaml Either cluster model for speaking or feature retrieval for singing. kmeans_10000.pt feature_and_index.pkl is for speaking only, not for singing. Recommend when using. F0 predictor RMVPE is useful when singing a feminine song using a model with a masculine voice, or vice versa. Pitch change is the way of controlling the tone. Use to get the clearest speech, and use to get the closest tone to the model. Clustering model/feature retrieval mixing ratio 0.1 0.9 should be set around , it enhances the result at steps. shallow diffusion steps 50 30-100 Audio Editing This procedure is optional. Just for the production of a better song. I won’t go into details about this since the audio editing software, or so-called DAW (digital audio workstation), that I’m using is non-free. I have no intention to advocate proprietary software even though the entire industry is paywalled and closed-source. Audacity supports multitrack, effects, and a lot more. It does load some advanced VST plugins as well. It’s not hard to find tutorials on mastering songs with Audacity. Typically, the mastering process should be mixing/balancing, EQ/compressing, reverb, and imaging. The more advanced the tool is, the easier the process will be. I’ll definitely spend more time on adopting Audacity for my mastering process in the future, and I recommend everyone do so. so-vits-svc-fork This is a so-vits-svc with real-time support, and the models are compatible. Easier to use but does not support the Diffusion model. For dedicated real-time voice changing, a is recommended. fork voice-changer Installation conda create -n so-vits-svc-fork python=3.10 pip
conda activate so-vits-svc-fork

git clone https://github.com/voicepaw/so-vits-svc-fork
cd so-vits-svc-fork

python -m pip install -U pip setuptools wheel
pip install -U torch torchaudio --index-url https://download.pytorch.org/whl/cu118
pip install -U so-vits-svc-fork
pip install click
sudo apt-get install libportaudio2 Preparation Put dataset .wav files into so-vits-svc-fork/dataset_raw svc pre-resample
svc pre-config Edit a in . This fork is a larger size than the original. batch_size configs/44k/config.json Training svc pre-hubert
svc train -t
svc train-cluster Inference Use GUI with . This requires a local desktop environment. svcg Or use CLI with for real time and for generating. svc vc svc infer -m "logs/44k/xxxxx.pth" -c "configs/config.json" raw/xxx.wav DDSP-SVC requires fewer hardware resources and runs faster than so-vits-svc. It supports both real-time and diffusion models (Diff-SVC). DDSP-SVC conda create -n DDSP-SVC python=3.8
conda activate DDSP-SVC

git clone https://github.com/yxlllc/DDSP-SVC
cd DDSP-SVC

pip3 install torch torchvision torchaudio --index-url https://download.pytorch.org/whl/cu118
pip install -r requirements.txt Refer to the for the two files: Initialization section pretrain/rmvpe/model.pt
pretrain/contentvec/checkpoint_best_legacy_500.pt Preparation python draw.py
python preprocess.py -c configs/combsub.yaml
python preprocess.py -c configs/diffusion-new.yaml Edit configs/ batch_size: 32  (16 for diffusion)
cache_all_data: false
cache_device: 'cuda'
cache_fp16: false Training conda activate DDSP-SVC
python train.py -c configs/combsub.yaml
python train_diff.py -c configs/diffusion-new.yaml

tensorboard --logdir=exp Inference It’s recommended to use since it includes both DDSP and diffusion model. main_diff.py python main_diff.py -i "input.wav" -diff "model_xxxxxx.pt" -o "output.wav" Real-time GUI for voice cloning: python gui_diff.py Bert-vits2-V2.3 This is a TTS tool that is completely different from everything above. By using it, I have already created several audiobooks with my voice for my parents, and they really enjoy it. Instead of using the , I used the fork by for an easier setup. original v3u Initialization conda create -n bert-vits2 python=3.9
conda activate bert-vits2

git clone https://github.com/v3ucn/Bert-vits2-V2.3.git
cd Bert-vits2-V2.3

pip install torch==2.0.1+cu118 torchvision==0.15.2+cu118 torchaudio==2.0.2+cu118 --index-url https://download.pytorch.org/whl/cu118
pip install -r requirements.txt Download pre-trained models (includes Chinese, Japanese, and English): wget -P slm/wavlm-base-plus/ https://huggingface.co/microsoft/wavlm-base-plus/resolve/main/pytorch_model.bin
wget -P emotional/clap-htsat-fused/ https://huggingface.co/laion/clap-htsat-fused/resolve/main/pytorch_model.bin
wget -P emotional/wav2vec2-large-robust-12-ft-emotion-msp-dim/ https://huggingface.co/audeering/wav2vec2-large-robust-12-ft-emotion-msp-dim/resolve/main/pytorch_model.bin
wget -P bert/chinese-roberta-wwm-ext-large/ https://huggingface.co/hfl/chinese-roberta-wwm-ext-large/resolve/main/pytorch_model.bin
wget -P bert/bert-base-japanese-v3/ https://huggingface.co/cl-tohoku/bert-base-japanese-v3/resolve/main/pytorch_model.bin
wget -P bert/deberta-v3-large/ https://huggingface.co/microsoft/deberta-v3-large/resolve/main/pytorch_model.bin
wget -P bert/deberta-v3-large/ https://huggingface.co/microsoft/deberta-v3-large/resolve/main/pytorch_model.generator.bin
wget -P bert/deberta-v2-large-japanese/ https://huggingface.co/ku-nlp/deberta-v2-large-japanese/resolve/main/pytorch_model.bin Create a character model folder mkdir -p Data/xxx/models/ Download base models: !wget -P Data/xxx/models/ https://huggingface.co/OedoSoldier/Bert-VITS2-2.3/resolve/main/DUR_0.pth
!wget -P Data/xxx/models/ https://huggingface.co/OedoSoldier/Bert-VITS2-2.3/resolve/main/D_0.pth
!wget -P Data/xxx/models/ https://huggingface.co/OedoSoldier/Bert-VITS2-2.3/resolve/main/G_0.pth
!wget -P Data/xxx/models/ https://huggingface.co/OedoSoldier/Bert-VITS2-2.3/resolve/main/WD_0.pth

#More options
https://openi.pcl.ac.cn/Stardust_minus/Bert-VITS2/modelmanage/model_filelist_tmpl?name=Bert-VITS2_2.3%E5%BA%95%E6%A8%A1
https://huggingface.co/Erythrocyte/bert-vits2_base_model/tree/main
https://huggingface.co/OedoSoldier/Bert-VITS2-2.3/tree/main Edit by replacing all to train_ms.py bfloat16 float16 Edit for LAN access: webui.py webbrowser.open(f"start http://localhost:7860")
app.launch(server_name="0.0.0.0", server_port=7860) Edit for and Data/xxx/config.json batch_size spk2id Preparation Similar workflow as in the . previous section Remove noise and silence, normalization, then put the un-sliced WAV file into . Data/xxx/raw Edit for , , and . config.yml dataset_path num_workers keep_ckpts Run to slice the WAV file. python3 audio_slicer.py Clean the dataset ( ) by removing small files that are under 2 sec. Data/xxx/raw Transcription Install whisper pip install git+https://github.com/openai/whisper.git To turn off language auto-detection, set it to English only, and use model; edit as below: large short_audio_transcribe.py # set the spoken language to english
    print('language: en')
    lang = 'en'
    options = whisper.DecodingOptions(language='en')
    result = whisper.decode(model, mel, options)
	
    # set to use large model
    parser.add_argument("--whisper_size", default="large")

    #Solve error "Given groups=1, weight of size [1280, 128, 3], expected input[1, 80, 3000] to have 128 channels, but got 80 channels instead" while using large model
    mel = whisper.log_mel_spectrogram(audio,n_mels = 128).to(model.device) Run to start the transcription. python3 short_audio_transcribe.py Re-sample the sliced dataset: python3 resample.py --sr 44100 --in_dir ./Data/zizek/raw/ --out_dir ./Data/zizek/wavs/ Preprocess transcription: python3 preprocess_text.py --transcription-path ./Data/zizek/esd.list Generate BERT feature config: python3 bert_gen.py --config-path ./Data/zizek/configs/config.json Training and Inference Run to start training python3 train_ms.py Edit for model path: config.yml model: "models/G_20900.pth" Run to start webui for inference python3 webui.py vits-simple-api is a web frontend for using trained models. I use this mainly for its long text support which the original project doesn’t have. vits-simple-api git clone https://github.com/Artrajz/vits-simple-api
git pull https://github.com/Artrajz/vits-simple-api
cd vits-simple-api

conda create -n vits-simple-api python=3.10 pip
conda activate vits-simple-api && 

pip install -r requirements.txt (Optional) Copy pre-trained model files from to Bert-vits2-V2.3/ vits-simple-api/bert_vits2/ Copy and to Bert-vits2-V2.3/Data/xxx/models/G_xxxxx.pth Bert-vits2-V2.3/Data/xxx/config.json vits-simple-api/Model/xxx/ Edit for and as preferred config.py MODEL_LIST Default parameter Edit as below: Model/xxx/config.json "data": {
    "training_files": "Data/train.list",
    "validation_files": "Data/val.list",
	
  "version": "2.3" Check/Edit in as model_list config.yml [xxx/G_xxxxx.pth, xxx/config.json] Run python app.py Tweaks for tone, for randomness, for pronunciation, and for speed. and are self-explanatory SDP Ratio Noise Noise_W Length emotion style Share Models In its , there are a lot of VITS models shared by others. You can try it out first, and then download the desired models from . Hugging Face repo Files The is widely used in some content creation communities because of its high quality. It contains hundreds of characters, although only Chinese and Japanese are supported. Genshin model In , there are a lot of Bert-vits2 models that are made from popular Chinese streamers and VTubers. another repo There are already projects making AI Vtubers like and . I’m looking forward to how this technology can change the industry in the near future. this this https://techshinobi.org/posts/voice-vits/https://techshinobi.org/posts/voice-vits/

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