# Roughness — VoiceNet dimension guide

*Category:* Spectral & Timbral · *code:* `vn_ROUG` · *slot:* 62

This dimension measures the grit / rapid amplitude modulation in the vocal-fold vibration. 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.** **Roughness** controls the grit / rapid amplitude modulation in the vocal-fold vibration. The **__high** LoRA shifts it +0.31 at 125% (worst cost: burst-blend -0.41); the **__low** LoRA shifts it -0.10 at 50% (worst cost: genuineness -0.03). The **__high** direction is the stronger, more reliable knob here.

## ▲ HIGH — Roughness __high

| dose | target | Δtarget | Δgenu | Δblend | Δqual |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| baseline (0%) | 0.430 | — | — | — | — |
| 25% | 0.358 | -0.07 | -0.01 | -0.22 | -0.07 |
| 50% | 0.491 | +0.06 | -0.04 | +0.04 | +0.05 |
| 75% | 0.726 | +0.30 | -0.06 | -0.28 | -0.14 |
| 100% | 0.688 | +0.26 | -0.08 | -0.36 | -0.17 |
| 125% ★ | 0.740 | +0.31 | -0.07 | -0.41 | -0.21 |

- **EmoNet emotion** — ↑ Malevolence/Malice (+0.66), Anger (+0.57), Triumph (+0.52); ↓ Contentment (-0.73), Affection (-0.57), Relief (-0.47)
- **VoiceNet dimension** — ↑ Cartoonish Style (+0.92), Dramatic Style (+0.76), Tension (+0.75); ↓ Recording Quality (-0.50), Warmth (-0.48), Register (-0.48)

Merging **Roughness __high** raises the dimension: at the recommended **125%** dose the measured Roughness score moves from a 0.43 baseline to 0.74 (a +0.31 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** (-0.41); across the board genuineness -0.07, burst-blend -0.41, speech quality -0.21. Emotionally it reads as Malevolence/Malice (r 0.66), Anger (0.57) and Triumph (0.52), and it moves away from Contentment, Affection and Relief. On other voice dimensions it co-moves most with Cartoonish Style (0.92), Dramatic Style (0.76) and Tension (0.75), while pulling down Recording Quality, Warmth and Register. Practical call: merge __high at **100–125%**; expect Malevolence/Malice and Cartoonish Style to rise and burst-blend to fall. If you don’t want Malevolence/Malice bleeding in, offset it with a prompt cue toward Contentment to keep the roughness shift without the side-effect.

## ▼ LOW — Roughness __low

| dose | target | Δtarget | Δgenu | Δblend | Δqual |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| baseline (0%) | 0.430 | — | — | — | — |
| 25% | 0.395 | -0.03 | -0.06 | -0.02 | +0.10 |
| 50% ★ | 0.327 | -0.10 | -0.03 | +0.06 | +0.03 |
| 75% | 0.344 | -0.09 | -0.07 | -0.14 | +0.08 |
| 100% | 0.413 | -0.02 | -0.06 | -0.07 | +0.17 |
| 125% | 0.333 | -0.10 | -0.03 | -0.18 | +0.10 |

- **EmoNet emotion** — ↑ Impatience and Irritability (+0.44), Malevolence/Malice (+0.35), Bitterness (+0.27); ↓ Contentment (-0.30), Contemplation (-0.17), Pleasure/Ecstasy (-0.12)
- **VoiceNet dimension** — ↑ Cartoonish Style (+0.77), Chest Resonance (+0.72), Dramatic Style (+0.70); ↓ Register (-0.74), Valence (-0.55), Oral Resonance (-0.53)

Merging **Roughness __low** suppresses the dimension: at the recommended **50%** dose the measured Roughness score moves from a 0.43 baseline to 0.33 (a -0.10 shift). The dose-response is mostly ordered but noisy between doses. That reach is nearly free — the biggest hit is to **genuineness** (-0.03); across the board genuineness -0.03, burst-blend +0.06, speech quality +0.03. Emotionally it reads as Impatience and Irritability (r 0.44), Malevolence/Malice (0.35) and Bitterness (0.27), and it moves away from Contentment, Contemplation and Pleasure/Ecstasy. On other voice dimensions it co-moves most with Cartoonish Style (0.77), Chest Resonance (0.72) and Dramatic Style (0.70), while pulling down Register, Valence and Oral Resonance. Practical call: merge __low at **25–75%**; expect Impatience and Irritability and Cartoonish Style to rise and genuineness to fall. If you don’t want Impatience and Irritability bleeding in, offset it with a prompt cue toward Contentment to keep the roughness shift without the side-effect.

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