Why No Built-In Models?

We recently had someone ask why we don't have any samples of correct production of "default speech models" built into Video Voice. Well, there are several reasons why we decided to let the therapist or another speaker be in charge of providing the models of target words, sounds, and phrases in Video Voice, rather than doing it ourselves.

First of all, do you know how many words there are in the English language alone? According to the Global Language Monitor, there are now more than 1,000,000 words in the English language, and a new one is coined approximately every 98 minutes! To define and produce models for even 10% of them would be a daunting task!

F2/F1  pattens for "bit" (red)  and "beet"

Temporal display - Mechanical engineer

A second reason is that we don't know what speech issues any given child  (or adult) may have or what type of sounds or words that person needs to practice. Is it a small child who needs to learn basic production of sounds and simple words?  Or is it a non-native speaker who needs to learn the difference between two similar sounds such as /e/ and /I/ (/e/ as in “sheet metal”) or the appropriate rate/timing in a phrase such as “mechanical engineer”?  The target models and way to illustrate them is really up to the therapist to decide!

Third, there are significant dialectical differences across regions in this large country. "Normal" largely depends on where you happen to be located. A person from the northeast part of the country and a person in the south may pronounce the same word quite differently. Here's a link to a fascinating set of 22 national maps showing dialects' impact on speech that graphically illustrate some of these geographical differences.

Illustrating Dialectical Differences in "Yes

Take, for example, a simple word like “Yes,” and how differently it can sound coming from the mouths of celebrities Katie Couric and Paula Deen.  Katie would say “yEHs” while Paula’s vocalization would be more like “YAY-us.” Which is right and which is wrong? Really depends on where you are, doesn't it?  This screen image shows how these two productions would look in Video Voice (the shorter "yEHs" is in blue, "YAY-us" in red.)  Illustrating these kinds of differences makes the feedback effective for both accent reduction (ESL) or training (e.g., actors), as well as learning basic production of sounds.

Then there's the fact that people have different voice qualities. A man with a low-timbered voice and a woman with a higher-pitched voice would not tend to “score” well against each other's models, but their fundamental frequency differences will certainly be visible.  If a woman needs to lower her speaking pitch, or a man raise his, that can be accomplished with the visual feedback in Video Voice.

Therapists can define the models themselves, or have a speaker of the same age and voice quality do the voicing of target sounds and words for individuals in their caseloads. If you're working with children, for example, perhaps having the “cool kid” in the class be the one to create models could be a good strategy.  However, when the person receiving therapy does an accurate production of a desired sound/word, it's very easy, and desirable, to turn that production into the model. It's always easiest to match your own voice productions.

In conclusion, when looking at Video Voice for your speech needs, bear in mind that it is not a speech recognition program. It's a tool designed for training vocal production, one that illustrates sound and voice quality characteristics in various ways, offering an entertaining and motivating framework for learning, practicing, and improving speech skills.

Yours in good speech,

Video Voice Support Team
mv@videovoice.com
1-800-537-2182