I not sure what the problem is I can get other voices to work but not Ballad I have access to the correct models.
Can people actually use the ballad voice ?
Just tested the Ballad voice using the gpt-4o-mini-TTS API.
English text
- 8,549,760 byte MP3 (128 bps) was sucessfully created.
- Playback works just fine.
- Used the MP3 for SST gpt-4o-Transcribe
- Transcription also works just fine.
Please Note: A common error occurs (Error code 400) when the text exceeds 4096 characters. This can vary depending on the language of the text. For example, English text that does not exceed 4096 characters may be exceeded if translated into Japanese text.
Try reducing the length of the text. Or, try testing here: https://www.openai.fm/
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It may be useful to report:
- what model name you are using
- what endpoint method or code
- what the actual symptom is that you see or observe besides “not work”.
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import base64
from openai import OpenAI
import config
client = OpenAI(api_key=config.OPENAI_API_KEY)
text_to_read = "This is a test of the Ballad voice, using the GPT-4o audio preview model."
try:
response = client.responses.create(
model="gpt-4o-audio-preview",
input=text_to_read,
# this is where you specify audio output
audio={"voice": "ballad", "format": "mp3"}
)
# the audio comes back as base64 in the output
audio_base64 = None
for item in response.output:
for content in item.content:
if content.get("type") == "output_audio":
audio_base64 = content["audio"]["data"]
if audio_base64:
audio_bytes = base64.b64decode(audio_base64)
with open("ballad_test.mp3", "wb") as f:
f.write(audio_bytes)
print("Saved ballad_test.mp3")
else:
print("No audio returned. Your key might not have Ballad access yet.")
except Exception as e:
print(f"Error generating Ballad audio: {e}")
I ran the check for available models and have access
gpt-4o-mini-audio-preview-2024-12-17 o1-2024-12-17 o1 gpt-4o-mini-realtime-preview
gpt-4o-mini-audio-preview
o3-mini o3-mini-2025-01-31 gpt-4o-2024-11-20 gpt-4o-search-preview-2025-03-11 gpt-4o-search-preview gpt-4o-mini-search-preview-2025-03-11 gpt-4o-mini-search-preview gpt-4o-transcribe gpt-4o-mini-transcribe o1-pro-2025-03-19 o1-pro gpt-4o-mini-tts
=================================
I’ve ended up with one error
Error generating Ballad audio: Responses.create() got an unexpected keyword argument ‘audio’
Thanks for your help
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Why can’t you use the the gpt-4o-mini-TTS API?
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It sends back the same error
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I don’t use more then 240 characters per sample
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Hi would you share your test script please ?
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Here is an example:
Input:
8 Leading Restaurants In Los Angeles
- Enaka
Enaka, located in Palms, represents one of the most acclaimed expressions of modern kaiseki outside Japan. Under the direction of chef Niki Nakayama, the restaurant offers a meticulously choreographed tasting menu that marries classic Japanese technique with Californian seasonality, often highlighting local seafood, immaculate vegetables, and thoughtful touches such as house-made noodles or inventive sashimi preparations. Service moves at a discreet, attentive, almost meditative pace, and the intimate dining room reinforces the exceptional nature of the experience. The balance among flavors, textures, and the pacing of the meal, combined with an influential wine and sake program, has made Enaka a benchmark of fine dining in Los Angeles and a standard-bearer for Japanese cuisine in the United States.
- Providence
Providence, in Hollywood, stands as one of the city’s most enduring temples of seafood cuisine. Chef Michael Chimarusti builds his menu around sustainable fish and seafood, often line-caught, prepared with a refined, French-inspired sensibility and an emphasis on the purity of flavor. The multi-course tasting menus range from delicate crudos and caviar to deeply flavored hot dishes and elaborate desserts, all supported by a serious, international wine list and service that is professional yet warm. The serene, understated dining room keeps the focus squarely on the plate, and Providence’s long history of critical acclaim has cemented its status as a flagship of high-end dining in the city.
- Bestia
Bestia, located in the Arts District, helped define the current generation of Los Angeles restaurants with its chic, bustling, industrial setting and its bold, rustic Italian cooking. Chef Ori Menashe’s cooking showcases house-made charcuterie, wood-fired pizzas, fresh pastas with assertive sauces, and generous nose-to-tail meat dishes, all marked by confident seasoning and the character of live fire. The dining room’s effervescence, the open kitchen, and a bar that leans heavily on Italian aperitifs and creative cocktails give it the feel of a modern, lively trattoria on a downtown scale. At Bestia, the combination of serious culinary ambition with an informal, high-energy atmosphere has made it a touchstone for contemporary Italian restaurants across the region.
- Bavel
Bavel, Bestia’s Middle Eastern sibling in the Arts District, channels the culinary traditions of Israel, North Africa, and the broader Levant through a polished, produce-focused lens. The menu highlights vibrant spreads and dips, laffa and pita breads coming straight out of the wood-fired oven, intricately spiced vegetable dishes, and large, impressive cuts of meat and seafood, often perfumed with smoke, herbs, and preserved citrus. The bright, plant-filled space is both relaxed and sophisticated, and the drink list offers a bold selection of wines, many from Mediterranean regions, along with cocktails accented with spices. Bavel’s ability to present complex, layered flavors in a modern setting has made it one of Los Angeles’ most talked-about restaurants since it opened.
- Republique
Republique, in the heart of Mid-Wilshire, occupies a historic, cathedral-like building originally designed for Charlie Chaplin, and the restaurant makes full use of this spectacular setting. By day, it functions as a bustling bakery and café, known for its pastries, breads, and exceptional casual dining options. In the evening, it transforms into a brasserie-style dining room, where chef Walter Manske’s menu draws on French technique filtered through the California pantry, highlighting impeccable produce, house-made charcuterie, and an evolving selection of meat and seafood dishes that blend comfort with precision. The expansive wine list and the pastry program, led by chef Margarita Manske, add even more depth, making Republique both a neighborhood fixture and a destination restaurant.
- Anajak Thai
Anajak Thai, in Sherman Oaks, has evolved from a long-running family restaurant into one of the most influential Thai kitchens in the country. Under chef Justin Pichittrongsi, the cooking moves fluidly between deeply rooted Thai flavors and playful, California-inspired creativity, with a menu that can juxtapose classic curries and grilled skewers with inventive specials and dishes designed to pair with natural wines. The wine program itself is remarkably forward-thinking, with a particular emphasis on low-intervention producers that pair well with spice and fermented notes. Anajak’s intimacy, combined with its blend of tradition and experimentation, has earned it strong critical praise and placed it at the center of conversations about contemporary Thai-American cuisine.
- Pidja Palace
Pidja Palace, in the Silver Lake neighborhood, embodies a characteristically Los Angeles fusion of cultures with an Indian-inspired sports bar and a tightly focused menu. The kitchen reinvents bar and comfort food classics through a South Asian lens, offering items such as tandoori-accented chicken wings, creative pastas with Indian flavor profiles, and the namesake pizzas topped with chutney, spiced meats, and vibrant vegetables. Sports broadcasts, clean, minimalist design, and a concise yet thoughtful drink list give it the relaxed feel of a neighborhood hangout, while the food reflects genuine culinary seriousness. This combination of playful concepts, precise execution, and accessible pricing has made Pidja Palace an emerging favorite in the city’s dining landscape.
- Jelaghetza
Jelaghetza, in Koreatown, is a foundational institution of Oaxacan cuisine in Los Angeles and a reference point for regional Mexican cooking in the United States. The menu centers on complex moles with slowly developed flavors, generously topped playudas loaded with meat and Oaxacan cheese, rich stews, and traditional drinks such as mezcal and tejate. Live music and a warm, family-friendly atmosphere reinforce the restaurant’s role as a community gathering place and showcase for Oaxacan culture. Recognition from the national press and awards organizations has only amplified its reputation, but Jelaghetza’s core identity remains rooted in generous hospitality and a faithful representation of its culinary heritage.
Code:
{“model”: “gpt-4o-mini-tts”,
“input”: Input,
“voice”: “Ballad”,
“instructions”: “Speak in a clear, deliberate, and professional tone.”}
Note: You should really check out https://www.openai.fm/ There is a code switch on the top-right of the screen.
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Welcome to the developer community, @roserustix!
The Responses API doesn’t have support for audio yet. Hence, audio models cannot be used on the Responses API.
If the goal is just text-to-speech, I’d recommend using the audio API with a TTS model like gpt-4o-mini-tts.
A model like gpt-4o-audio-preview can be used on the chat completions endpoint when you want to use (audio + text) inputs, do some processing, and output in audio.
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Worked a treat thanks its now returning the voice
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Hope you stick around. We’ve got a great community! 
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