I'm using ssml tag for break time, I want the AI to simply wait and not say anything, keeps saying

[digital merlin]

AI-generated Answer for luka_vv

To ensure the AI remains silent during pauses, you can use the <break> SSML tag. The maximum duration for a single <break> tag is 3 seconds. If you need longer pauses, you can chain multiple <break> tags together. For example:

"First sentence." <break time="3s"> <break time="2s"> "Second sentence."

For shorter pauses, such as ~0.35 seconds, you can specify the time directly:

<break time="0.35s">

If you're experiencing filler sounds like "uhhmmm," this behavior is unexpected when using the <break> tag. Ensure your script is formatted correctly and avoid excessive use of breaks, as this can sometimes lead to instability in the generated audio. For smoother results, consider using standard punctuation (e.g., commas or periods) for shorter pauses.

If the issue persists, you might want to adjust silence durations in post-production using tools like Audacity or similar software. Let me know if you need further clarification!

[short totem]

Yes i use longer times i.e 2s and the model always include an "uhm" or "uhh". I only have 1 tag so i doubt theres any instabilities.

Same thing happens when I group together ellipses and dashes (--, ...). I've tried a combination of these to simulate a pause but here the uhming and uhhing and more prevalent