Getting Started

This page walks you through installing Voice Soundboard, choosing a voice, and hearing your first synthesized speech.

Prerequisites

• VS Code 1.85 or later
• Node.js (the extension spawns the MCP server via npx)
• Python 3 (for the default Kokoro TTS backend — the extension will guide you through setup if missing)

The MCP Voice Soundboard server starts automatically when the extension activates. If Python or the Kokoro TTS package is not installed, a setup wizard walks you through installation or lets you switch to a cloud or mock backend.

Installation

From the Marketplace

Search for “Voice Soundboard” in the VS Code Extensions panel, or install from the VS Code Marketplace.

From source

git clone https://github.com/mcp-tool-shop-org/vscode-voice-soundboard.git
cd vscode-voice-soundboard
npm ci
npm run build

Press F5 in VS Code to launch the Extension Development Host.

Speaking your first text

1. Click the microphone icon in the activity bar (left sidebar)
2. Type some text in the Speak tab input
3. Click Speak — audio plays through your default output device

Speak selected text

1. Select any text in an editor
2. Press Ctrl+Shift+S (or run Voice Soundboard: Speak Selection from the Command Palette)
3. The selected text is spoken using the current voice and speed settings

Choosing a voice

Click the Voices tab in the sidebar to browse all 48 voices. Voices are organized by language and gender. Click any voice to preview it, then set it as your default.

Using presets

Presets adjust the speaking style without changing the voice:

Preset	Style
Assistant	Clear, professional, moderate pace
Narrator	Warm, measured, documentary-style
Announcer	Energetic, emphasis on key words
Storyteller	Expressive, varied pacing
Whisper	Soft, intimate, lower volume

Select a preset from the buttons shown at the top of the Speak tab in the sidebar panel.

Next steps

See Reference for the full command list, voice inventory, dialogue scripting, and WebVTT export.