> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://docs.chatvideopro.com/llms.txt). Markdown versions of documentation pages are available by appending `.md` to page URLs; this page is available as [Markdown](https://docs.chatvideopro.com/features/studio/voiceover-lab.md).

# Voiceover Lab

{% hint style="info" %}
**Audio Expansion.** Voiceover Lab is part of Chat Video Pro’s **Audio Expansion**. It is included with the **Creator Bundle** and **Creator Pass**, and available as a DLC add-on for **Base**. Generations bill to your own fal.ai account at wholesale rates — same as the rest of Studio.
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<figure><img src="/files/y9OQj77koVj0zHuzY9vv" alt=""><figcaption></figcaption></figure>

Voiceover Lab turns a script into spoken narration without leaving Premiere. Write (or paste) copy, pick a catalog voice or one of **My Voices**, generate, then **Add to Chat** and drop the take onto your timeline.

**When to Use Voiceover Lab**

* **Narration and explainers** — product demos, tutorials, ads, social VO
* **Temp VO for picture lock** — placeholder reads before a talent session
* **Consistent brand voice** — reuse a cloned voice across projects
* **Avatar pairing** — the same voice layer powers Avatar Studio when you need a talking head on camera

{% hint style="warning" %}
**Voiceover Lab is chat-first.** Results go to **Add to Chat** — there is no Place on timeline button in this workflow. Drag the audio from chat into Premiere (or place from Library) when you’re ready.
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**Getting Started**

**Step 1: Open Voiceover Lab**

1. Open Chat Video Pro (**Window → Extensions → Chat Video Pro**)
2. Click **Studio** → **Audio** department
3. Click the **Voiceover Lab** card

You’ll see three steps: **Script** · **Voice** · **Generate**.

***

#### Step: Script — Write your script

* Type or paste your narration into the script editor.
* The Script step allows up to about **10,000 characters** for drafting.
* Tap the sparkle (**Optimize script…**) to tighten pacing, clarity, or delivery notes, then review and keep or dismiss the suggestion.
* Click **Continue**.

{% hint style="info" %}
Write the way you want it spoken. Short sentences and explicit pauses (“…”) read more naturally than dense paragraphs.
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***

#### Step: Voice — Choose a voice

* Browse the voice catalog (filter by gender, accent, tone, use-case, or provider).
* Preview a voice before you commit.
* For MiniMax voices, choose **HD** or **Turbo** quality when offered.
* Open **My Voices** to use a cloned voice, or create one from a recording / upload (aim for a clean sample of about **10+ seconds**).

**Character limits at generate time** (enforced for the selected voice’s provider):

<table><thead><tr><th width="174.54547119140625">Provider</th><th>Max characters</th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td><strong>ElevenLabs</strong></td><td><strong>5,000</strong></td></tr><tr><td><strong>MiniMax</strong></td><td><strong>10,000</strong></td></tr></tbody></table>

If Generate is blocked, shorten the script or switch to a provider with a higher cap.

{% hint style="info" %}
**Cloned voices can expire** on the provider side after roughly a week of inactivity. If a custom voice fails with a “not found” style error, Voiceover Lab can refresh/reclone automatically when you regenerate — keep your original sample handy.
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Click **Generate Voiceover** when the script and voice are set.

***

#### Voice cloning (My Voices)

Clone a custom voice from a short sample, then use it like any catalog voice in Voiceover Lab (and in Avatar Studio — they share the same voice layer).

{% hint style="info" %}
**Requirements:** a clean audio sample of at least **10 seconds**, and a connected **fal.ai** key (Settings). Cloning and speech generations bill to your fal.ai account at wholesale rates.
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**When to clone a voice**

* You want narration that sounds like **you** (or a client / talent) instead of a preset
* You need the **same voice** across Voiceover Lab takes and Avatar Studio talking heads
* You’re building a reusable brand VO without booking a booth every time

**How to clone a voice**

**Step 1: Open the clone flow**

1. Open **Voiceover Lab** → go to the **Voice** step
2. Click **Clone Voice** (primary green button), **or** open **Manage Voices** and switch to the add/clone flow

The **Manage Voices** modal title explains the rules: clone from a **10s+** sample; cloned voices **expire after 7 days** and **auto-reclone on use**.

**Step 2: Name the voice**

* Give it a clear name (e.g. “Client Brand VO” or “Client – Sarah”)
* Optional tags help you find it later under **My Voices**

**Step 3: Provide a sample (pick one source)**

<table><thead><tr><th width="125.81817626953125">Source</th><th>How</th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td><strong>Record</strong></td><td>Use the in-panel recorder. A guided transcript appears so you have something natural to read — click <strong>Start recording</strong>, speak clearly, stop when you have <strong>10+ seconds</strong>.</td></tr><tr><td><strong>Upload</strong></td><td>Choose an audio file (common types: <strong>MP3, WAV, M4A, OGG</strong>).</td></tr></tbody></table>

{% hint style="warning" %}
**Sample must be at least 10 seconds.** Shorter clips are rejected with a message showing your duration. Prefer a quiet room, dry mic, no music bed, and no heavy reverb.
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**Step 4: Clone**

1. Confirm the sample looks ready (duration ≥ 10s)
2. Click **Clone Voice** (shows **Cloning…** while it runs)
3. When it finishes, the voice appears under **My Voices**

**Step 5: Use it**

1. On the Voice step, filter to **My Voices** (or find the card in the grid)
2. Select the cloned voice (preview if available)
3. Continue with your script and click **Generate Voiceover**

**Managing cloned voices**

In **Manage Voices** you can:

* Browse **My Voices (N)**
* Audition a sample (only one plays at a time)
* Delete a voice you no longer need (confirm in the panel — no system dialog)

**Expiry and auto-refresh**

Cloned voices are stored with the AI provider and typically **expire after about 7 days**.

* Chat Video Pro keeps your **local sample** so it can **auto-reclone** when you generate and the old voice id is gone
* If a custom voice fails with a “voice not found” style error, try **Generate** again — the panel should refresh the clone and retry
* Keep a backup of the original sample outside the panel if the voice matters for long-running projects

{% hint style="success" %}
**Best practice:** re-clone (or generate once) with an important voice every few days during active work so the provider copy stays fresh — or just rely on auto-reclone and keep the sample file.
{% endhint %}

**Tips for a good clone**

* Read in a natural speaking voice — not whispered, not shouted
* One speaker only; avoid background TV, fans, or music
* Phone voice memos are fine if the room is quiet and the level isn’t clipping
* Longer than 10s is OK; clarity matters more than length past the minimum
* Name voices by person + use case so you don’t mix “temp booth” with “final brand”

**Cloning troubleshooting**

<table><thead><tr><th width="318.54547119140625">Symptom</th><th>What to try</th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td>“Sample must be at least 10 seconds”</td><td>Record/upload a longer clip</td></tr><tr><td>Clone fails / can’t read media</td><td>Re-upload the file, or re-record in the panel (avoid broken paths)</td></tr><tr><td>Clone button stays disabled</td><td>Add a name, attach a valid sample ≥ 10s, confirm fal.ai key</td></tr><tr><td>My Voices is empty / filter hidden</td><td>You haven’t cloned yet — use <strong>Clone Voice</strong></td></tr><tr><td>Custom voice fails on Generate</td><td>Usually expiry — generate again to auto-reclone; keep the original sample</td></tr><tr><td>Clone sounds wrong / noisy</td><td>Re-record dry and quiet; don’t use music beds or heavy FX</td></tr></tbody></table>

**Using a clone in Avatar Studio**

Cloned voices live in the shared voice library. After you clone in Voiceover Lab (or Manage Voices), open **Avatar Studio**, pick **Script + voice**, and select the same voice from **My Voices** so the talking head matches your VO.

***

#### Step: Generate — Result

* Preview the take in the result player
* **Try Again** — same voice, new take
* **Try Different Voice** — jump back to Voice without losing the script
* **Add to Chat** — hand off into the conversation / Library for timeline use

There is **no Place on timeline** control in Voiceover Lab by design.

**Tips for Best Results**

* Optimize after you have a solid draft — not before you’ve decided what the VO must say.
* Match provider to length: long scripts often fit MiniMax’s higher cap; short ads fit either.
* Clone from quiet, dry recordings — music beds and heavy reverb confuse the clone.
* For Avatar Studio, generate or pick the voice here first, then reuse it in the talking-head workflow.
* After Add to Chat, place VO on a dedicated track and nudge to picture in Premiere.

**Troubleshooting**

<table><thead><tr><th width="270">Symptom</th><th>What to try</th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td>Generate disabled</td><td>Script over the provider cap (5k / 10k), empty script, or no voice selected</td></tr><tr><td>Clone rejected</td><td>Sample too short (&#x3C; ~10s), too noisy, or wrong file type — record/upload again</td></tr><tr><td>Custom voice suddenly fails</td><td>Provider expiry — regenerate to refresh; keep the original sample</td></tr><tr><td>No Place on timeline button</td><td>Expected — use <strong>Add to Chat</strong>, then drag into Premiere</td></tr><tr><td>Engine errors</td><td>Check fal.ai key + balance in Settings → Usage</td></tr></tbody></table>

**See also**

* Avatar Studio — talking-head video with the same voice layer
* Story Scribe — transcripts that can feed narration workflows
* Music Composer — underscore under your VO
* Pricing FAQ — Audio Expansion entitlement