# Emphasis — VoiceNet dimension guide

*Category:* Rhythm & Timing · *code:* `vn_EMPH` · *slot:* 45

This dimension measures how strongly the speaker stresses words to build an informational hierarchy. Merge the `__high` / `__low` LoRA from `laion/moss-voicenet-dimension-loras` at 25/50/75/100/125%. Costs are shifts vs. the 24-sample neutral baseline.

**TL;DR.** **Emphasis** controls how strongly the speaker stresses words to build an informational hierarchy. The **__high** LoRA shifts it +0.59 at 100% (worst cost: burst-blend -0.30); the **__low** LoRA shifts it -0.08 at 100% (worst cost: burst-blend -0.15). The **__high** direction is the stronger, more reliable knob here.

## ▲ HIGH — Emphasis __high

| dose | target | Δtarget | Δgenu | Δblend | Δqual |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| baseline (0%) | 0.367 | — | — | — | — |
| 25% | 0.458 | +0.09 | -0.01 | -0.12 | +0.02 |
| 50% | 0.624 | +0.26 | -0.06 | -0.30 | +0.00 |
| 75% | 0.856 | +0.49 | -0.10 | -0.39 | -0.08 |
| 100% ★ | 0.952 | +0.59 | -0.08 | -0.30 | -0.19 |
| 125% | 0.938 | +0.57 | -0.08 | -0.34 | -0.23 |

- **EmoNet emotion** — ↑ Triumph (+0.71), Elation (+0.67), Anger (+0.66); ↓ Contemplation (-0.79), Relief (-0.65), Contentment (-0.60)
- **VoiceNet dimension** — ↑ Stance (+0.97), Arousal (+0.97), Dynamic Arc (+0.96); ↓ Vulnerability (-0.92), Warmth (-0.90), Whisper-Talk Style (-0.85)

Merging **Emphasis __high** raises the dimension: at the recommended **100%** dose the measured Emphasis score moves from a 0.37 baseline to 0.95 (a +0.59 shift). The dose-response is clean and monotonic — each step pushes the dimension further. That reach is a steep cost — the biggest hit is to **burst-blend** (-0.30); across the board genuineness -0.08, burst-blend -0.30, speech quality -0.19. Emotionally it reads as Triumph (r 0.71), Elation (0.67) and Anger (0.66), and it moves away from Contemplation, Relief and Contentment. On other voice dimensions it co-moves most with Stance (0.97), Arousal (0.97) and Dynamic Arc (0.96), while pulling down Vulnerability, Warmth and Whisper-Talk Style. Practical call: merge __high at **75–100%**; expect Triumph and Stance to rise and burst-blend to fall. If you don’t want Triumph bleeding in, offset it with a prompt cue toward Contemplation to keep the emphasis shift without the side-effect.

## ▼ LOW — Emphasis __low

| dose | target | Δtarget | Δgenu | Δblend | Δqual |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| baseline (0%) | 0.367 | — | — | — | — |
| 25% | 0.311 | -0.06 | -0.01 | -0.23 | -0.18 |
| 50% | 0.389 | +0.02 | -0.03 | -0.15 | -0.03 |
| 75% | 0.363 | +0.00 | -0.04 | -0.18 | -0.01 |
| 100% ★ | 0.287 | -0.08 | -0.03 | -0.15 | -0.01 |
| 125% | 0.287 | -0.08 | -0.02 | -0.04 | +0.04 |

- **EmoNet emotion** — ↑ Interest (+0.63), Malevolence/Malice (+0.44), Hope/Enthusiasm/Optimism (+0.41); ↓ Fatigue/Exhaustion (-0.48), Pain (-0.42), Distress (-0.37)
- **VoiceNet dimension** — ↑ Focus (+0.74), Tempo (+0.70), Storytelling Style (+0.69); ↓ Vulnerability (-0.49), Conversational Style (-0.46), Disfluency (-0.43)

Merging **Emphasis __low** suppresses the dimension: at the recommended **100%** dose the measured Emphasis score moves from a 0.37 baseline to 0.29 (a -0.08 shift). The dose-response is clean and monotonic — each step pushes the dimension further. That reach is a modest cost — the biggest hit is to **burst-blend** (-0.15); across the board genuineness -0.03, burst-blend -0.15, speech quality -0.01. Emotionally it reads as Interest (r 0.63), Malevolence/Malice (0.44) and Hope/Enthusiasm/Optimism (0.41), and it moves away from Fatigue/Exhaustion, Pain and Distress. On other voice dimensions it co-moves most with Focus (0.74), Tempo (0.70) and Storytelling Style (0.69), while pulling down Vulnerability, Conversational Style and Disfluency. Practical call: merge __low at **75–100%**; expect Interest and Focus to rise and burst-blend to fall. If you don’t want Interest bleeding in, offset it with a prompt cue toward Fatigue/Exhaustion to keep the emphasis shift without the side-effect.

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