# Smoothness — VoiceNet dimension guide

*Category:* Rhythm & Timing · *code:* `vn_SMTH` · *slot:* 42

This dimension measures the regularity of the timing grid and how fluidly units join. 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.** **Smoothness** controls the regularity of the timing grid and how fluidly units join. The **__high** LoRA shifts it +0.21 at 125% (worst cost: genuineness -0.09); the **__low** LoRA shifts it -0.16 at 125% (worst cost: burst-blend -0.27). The **__high** direction is the stronger, more reliable knob here.

## ▲ HIGH — Smoothness __high

| dose | target | Δtarget | Δgenu | Δblend | Δqual |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| baseline (0%) | 0.300 | — | — | — | — |
| 25% | 0.324 | +0.02 | -0.04 | -0.04 | +0.01 |
| 50% | 0.361 | +0.06 | -0.04 | -0.07 | +0.09 |
| 75% | 0.401 | +0.10 | -0.06 | +0.01 | +0.11 |
| 100% | 0.444 | +0.14 | -0.11 | -0.06 | +0.14 |
| 125% ★ | 0.505 | +0.21 | -0.09 | -0.08 | +0.13 |

- **EmoNet emotion** — ↑ Contemplation (+0.41), Concentration (+0.35), Sexual Lust (+0.28); ↓ Fatigue/Exhaustion (-0.54), Relief (-0.48), Fear (-0.42)
- **VoiceNet dimension** — ↑ Structure (+0.86), Narrator Style (+0.84), Esthetics (+0.83); ↓ Disfluency (-0.78), Genuineness (-0.66), Casual Style (-0.65)

Merging **Smoothness __high** lifts the dimension: at the recommended **125%** dose the measured Smoothness score moves from a 0.30 baseline to 0.51 (a +0.21 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 **genuineness** (-0.09); across the board genuineness -0.09, burst-blend -0.08, speech quality +0.13. Emotionally it reads as Contemplation (r 0.41), Concentration (0.35) and Sexual Lust (0.28), and it moves away from Fatigue/Exhaustion, Relief and Fear. On other voice dimensions it co-moves most with Structure (0.86), Narrator Style (0.84) and Esthetics (0.83), while pulling down Disfluency, Genuineness and Casual Style. Practical call: merge __high at **100–125%**; expect Contemplation and Structure to rise and genuineness to fall. If you don’t want Contemplation bleeding in, offset it with a prompt cue toward Fatigue/Exhaustion to keep the smoothness shift without the side-effect.

## ▼ LOW — Smoothness __low

| dose | target | Δtarget | Δgenu | Δblend | Δqual |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| baseline (0%) | 0.300 | — | — | — | — |
| 25% | 0.237 | -0.06 | +0.02 | -0.13 | -0.10 |
| 50% | 0.248 | -0.05 | -0.04 | -0.17 | -0.05 |
| 75% | 0.272 | -0.03 | +0.01 | -0.10 | -0.11 |
| 100% | 0.261 | -0.04 | -0.03 | -0.32 | -0.15 |
| 125% ★ | 0.140 | -0.16 | -0.03 | -0.27 | -0.26 |

- **EmoNet emotion** — ↑ Interest (+0.75), Concentration (+0.56), Contemplation (+0.55); ↓ Pain (-0.64), Distress (-0.63), Impatience and Irritability (-0.56)
- **VoiceNet dimension** — ↑ Esthetics (+0.90), Narrator Style (+0.89), Recording Quality (+0.86); ↓ Disfluency (-0.77), Playful Style (-0.62), Ranting/Angry Style (-0.62)

Merging **Smoothness __low** lowers the dimension: at the recommended **125%** dose the measured Smoothness score moves from a 0.30 baseline to 0.14 (a -0.16 shift). The dose-response is mostly ordered but noisy between doses. That reach is a real cost — the biggest hit is to **burst-blend** (-0.27); across the board genuineness -0.03, burst-blend -0.27, speech quality -0.26. Emotionally it reads as Interest (r 0.75), Concentration (0.56) and Contemplation (0.55), and it moves away from Pain, Distress and Impatience and Irritability. On other voice dimensions it co-moves most with Esthetics (0.90), Narrator Style (0.89) and Recording Quality (0.86), while pulling down Disfluency, Playful Style and Ranting/Angry Style. Practical call: merge __low at **100–125%**; expect Interest and Esthetics to rise and burst-blend to fall. If you don’t want Interest bleeding in, offset it with a prompt cue toward Pain to keep the smoothness shift without the side-effect.

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