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I am trying to create a reminder using Alexa's Reminder API in my custom Alexa Skill and in the SSML, I am passing the speak tag and in that, I have few words and audio tag too.

        const reminderRequest = {
            trigger: {
                type: 'SCHEDULED_RELATIVE',
                offsetInSeconds: '10',
            },
            alertInfo: {
                spokenInfo: {
                    content: [{
                        locale: "en-US",
                        text: "Testing Reminder", 
                        ssml: "<speak>Testing Reminder <audio src='https://vishalsholkaybucket.s3.amazonaws.com/uk_21042020.mp3' /></speak>"
                    }],
                },
            },
            pushNotification: {
                status: 'ENABLED',
            },
        };

The output to above in my Alexa device is:

Testing

The reminder works properly but when it comes to playing the audio file, it just keeps its light on and doesn't play the audio file, other SSML tags like break etc is working fine but only the audio tag is not working. I was under the impression that SSML tags work everywhere, I tried reading the documentation but it is not clear enough.

Also, if this is not the right approach, can anyone let me know If I can play a short audio file in Alexa's reminder API or is there any way in which I can remind the user along with an audio file.

Thanks in advance.

Edit: I am using Alexa's skill reminders demo. Nothing else is changed just trying to push the above request in the Reminders API.

Vishal Sholkay
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  • The [examples](https://developer.amazon.com/en-US/docs/alexa/smapi/alexa-reminders-api-reference.html) include SSML for the Reminder API. I suspect you have checked already, but just in case - is the audio file [formatted correctly](https://developer.amazon.com/en-US/docs/alexa/custom-skills/speech-synthesis-markup-language-ssml-reference.html#audio)? I.e. 48 kbps bit rate with 22050Hz, 24000Hz, or 16000Hz sampel rate. – Oscar Schafer Apr 25 '20 at 07:59
  • The audio file is correctly formatted, I used Audacity to format it to 16000Hz, 48kbps bit rate. Also, the SSML is proper as per Alexa's requirement. The reminder works properly, first, it says testing (as in my reminder request) and then the audio doesn't play. I have tested the ssml in the Alexa's Test simulator also it works fine there as per my need but in this case i.e The reminder case it is not working. – Vishal Sholkay Apr 25 '20 at 09:34
  • Maybe consider trying to replace your clip with one from the Alexa [sound library](https://developer.amazon.com/en-US/docs/alexa/custom-skills/ask-soundlibrary.html) to see if that will play as part of the reminder? `` – Oscar Schafer Apr 25 '20 at 09:53
  • I did try this too and nothing worked for me. At last, I opened up an issue at Github on there Official NodeJS Alexa SDK. https://github.com/alexa/alexa-skills-kit-sdk-for-nodejs/issues/618 – Vishal Sholkay Apr 25 '20 at 10:59

0 Answers0