mcp-say

@blacktop

About mcp-say

MCP Server for Text to Speech

#golang #text-to-speech #mcp #tts #say #elevenlabs #mcp-server

Config

Add this server to your MCP-compatible client using the configuration below.

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "mcp-say": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": [
        "skills",
        "add",
        "https://github.com/blacktop/mcp-tts",
        "--skill",
        "speak"
      ]
    }
  }
}

Tools

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Fetch the live tool list by running this server in a temporary sandbox using the button above.

Overview

What is mcp-say?

mcp-say is an MCP server that adds text-to-speech capabilities to AI assistants like Claude Desktop and Cursor IDE. It provides four tools: say_tts (macOS built-in), elevenlabs_tts, google_tts, and openai_tts, each offering different voices and options.

How to use mcp-say?

Install via go install github.com/blacktop/mcp-tts@latest. Configure in Claude Desktop's claude_desktop_config.json or via command line for Claude Code, Codex CLI, or Gemini CLI. Set required API keys as environment variables. Invoke by calling the appropriate TTS tool (e.g., say_tts, openai_tts) through the MCP protocol.

Key features of mcp-say

Four TTS providers: macOS say, ElevenLabs, Google Gemini, OpenAI
Sequential (default) or concurrent speech via --sequential-tts flag
Save audio to disk with MCP_TTS_OUTPUT_DIR and optional --no-play
Suppress "Speaking:" output with MCP_TTS_SUPPRESS_SPEAKING_OUTPUT
OpenAI TTS supports speed control (0.25x–4.0x) and custom voice instructions
Multi-instance protection prevents overlapping speech across Claude Desktop instances

Use cases of mcp-say

Enable an AI assistant to read responses aloud for accessibility
Add voice feedback to automated workflows or agents
Generate audio files programmatically from text
Test and compare different TTS providers in one tool

FAQ from mcp-say

Which API keys are required?

ElevenLabs API key for elevenlabs_tts, Google AI API key for google_tts, and OpenAI API key for openai_tts. The say_tts tool uses macOS built-in and requires no API key.

Can I use mcp-say on Windows or Linux?

The say_tts tool relies on the macOS say binary and works only on macOS. The other three cloud-based tools (ElevenLabs, Google, OpenAI) are platform-independent.

How do I prevent overlapping speech?

By default, TTS requests are sequential—only one plays at a time. Set MCP_TTS_ALLOW_CONCURRENT=true or use --sequential-tts=false to allow concurrent speech.

Can I save the audio to a file instead of playing it?

Yes. Set MCP_TTS_OUTPUT_DIR to a directory path. Optionally set MCP_TTS_NO_PLAY=true to skip playback and only save the file. Files are named tts_{timestamp}_{hash}.{ext} with formats AIFF (say), MP3 (ElevenLabs/OpenAI), WAV (Google).

What is the behavior for free-tier ElevenLabs API keys?

Free-tier ElevenLabs API keys can only use premade voices. Voice Library (community/professional) voices will return a 402 paid_plan_required error.

Frequently asked questions

Which API keys are required?

ElevenLabs API key for `elevenlabs_tts`, Google AI API key for `google_tts`, and OpenAI API key for `openai_tts`. The `say_tts` tool uses macOS built-in and requires no API key.

Can I use mcp-say on Windows or Linux?

The `say_tts` tool relies on the macOS `say` binary and works only on macOS. The other three cloud-based tools (ElevenLabs, Google, OpenAI) are platform-independent.

How do I prevent overlapping speech?

By default, TTS requests are sequential—only one plays at a time. Set `MCP_TTS_ALLOW_CONCURRENT=true` or use `--sequential-tts=false` to allow concurrent speech.

Can I save the audio to a file instead of playing it?

Yes. Set `MCP_TTS_OUTPUT_DIR` to a directory path. Optionally set `MCP_TTS_NO_PLAY=true` to skip playback and only save the file. Files are named `tts_{timestamp}_{hash}.{ext}` with formats AIFF (say), MP3 (ElevenLabs/OpenAI), WAV (Google).

What is the behavior for free-tier ElevenLabs API keys?

Free-tier ElevenLabs API keys can only use premade voices. Voice Library (community/professional) voices will return a `402 paid_plan_required` error.

Comments

Basic information

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