An investigation of speech synthesis parameters

The model of speech production generally used in speech synthesis is that of a source modified by a digital filter. The major difference between a number of models is the form of the digital filter. The purpose of this research is to compare the properties of these filters when used for speech synthesis. Six models were investigated: (1) series resonance; (2) direct form; (3) reflection coefficients; (4) area function; (5) parallel resonance; and (6) a simple articulatory model. Types (2,3,4) are three varieties of linear predictive coding (LPC) parameters. There are five parts to the investigation: (1) an historical survey of models for speech synthesis and their problems; (2) a formal description of the models and their analytical relationships; (3) an objective assessment of the behaviour of the models during interpolation; (4) measurement of intelligibility (using a FAAF test); and (5) measurement of naturalness. Principal results are: synthesizer types (1) to (4) are all-pole models, formally equivalent in the steady state. But when the parameters of any of the models are interpolated, consequences for motion of vocal tract resonances (formants) differ. These differences exceed the discrimination limen for formant frequency, and make a small but statistically significant difference to intelligibility, but not to naturalness. Simple linear interpolation was found to be as good as cosine or piecewise-linear interpolation. Complete lack of interpolation reduced intelligibility by 30%. Finally, the synthesis studied achieved as few place-of-articulation errors as did LPC speech, indicating that intelligibility was limited not by parameter and transition type, but by other factors such as the excitation signal, phoneme target values, and durations.

Name dc:type.qualificationname

Ph.D.

Level dc:type.qualificationlevel

doctoral

Grantor dc:publisher.institution

University of Southampton

Year dc:date.issued

1988

Author dc:creator

• Wright, Richard Douglas

Advisors dc:contributor.advisor

• Elliott, S.J.
• Sinclair, D.A.