description: "Build hybrid voice agents that combine pre-recorded audio with dynamic text generation for lower latency, reduced TTS costs, and natural-sounding conversations."
---
Custom recordings allow you to build **hybrid voice agents** that use your own pre-recorded audio for key parts of the conversation, while falling back to LLM-generated speech (via a cloned voice) for dynamic responses. This gives you the best of both worlds — the emotional depth of real human speech and the flexibility of AI-generated dialogue.
## Why use custom recordings?
- **Reduced TTS cost** — Pre-recorded audio is played directly, so you are not charged for TTS synthesis on those segments.
- **Emotional variance** — Real recordings carry natural intonation and emotion that TTS cannot fully replicate.
- **Lower latency** — Playing a pre-recorded clip is faster than synthesizing text at runtime.
## Prerequisites
- A TTS provider that supports **voice cloning** (e.g., Cartesia, ElevenLabs, or Deepgram).
- An API key for your chosen TTS provider, configured in [Voice settings](/configurations/voice).
## Step 1: Clone your voice
Clone your voice with your TTS provider so that dynamically generated speech sounds similar to your recordings. For example, with Cartesia:
1. Go to Cartesia and navigate to **Instant Clone**.
2. Record a short audio clip (up to 10 seconds) of your voice.
3. Give the clone a name and select your language.
4. Copy the **Voice ID** — you will need it in the next step.
<Note>
You can use any TTS provider that supports voice cloning. The steps will vary by provider, but the key output is always a **Voice ID** tied to your cloned voice.
</Note>
## Step 2: Configure the cloned voice in Dograh
1. Go to your agent's **Model Configuration** in the Dograh dashboard.
2. Under voice settings, select **Add Voice ID manually**.
3. Paste the Voice ID from your cloned voice.
4. Make sure the **provider** matches where you cloned your voice (e.g., Cartesia).
5. Enter the provider's API key if you haven't already.
Navigate to the **Recordings** page in the Dograh dashboard. Recordings are shared across all agents in your organization. You can either upload pre-recorded audio files or record directly in the browser.
Open your agent's workflow and write the conversation flow in natural language. To insert a recording, type **`@`** in the prompt editor — this will show a list of all available recordings in your organization.
For any user question that falls outside your recordings, the agent automatically generates a dynamic response using the LLM, which is then synthesized using your cloned voice via TTS.
## Tips for best results
- **Record in a quiet environment** to improve audio quality and consistency with the cloned voice.
- **Use pro cloning services** (when available) and provide more sample audio for a higher-quality voice clone.
- **Keep recordings concise** — short, focused clips work best for specific conversation moments.
- **Review call recordings** after testing to identify where the transition between pre-recorded and dynamic audio can be improved.
