• Proceedings of the IEEK Conference
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• 2001.06d
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• pp.285-288
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• 2001

In the speech analysis, to estimate formant center frequencies exactly is very important. If we know formant frequencies, we can expect which pronunciation is uttered. Generally, the magnitude of first formant frequency in voiced speech is 10dB more than other formant frequency. So, the shape of voice signal in time domain is affected by mainly first formant. Therefore we can get first formant frequency roughly by using ZCR(Zero Cross Rate). In this paper, we proposed the improvement method to get first formant frequency by using ZCR. We did autocorrelation before getting ZCR. This procedure makes voice signal smooth so, first formant in voice signal is emphasized. As a result of this method, we got more exact ZCR and first formant frequency. Conventional method of formant estimate is done in frequency domain but proposed method is done in time domain. So, this is very simple.

• Phonetics and Speech Sciences
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• v.10 no.4
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• pp.1-10
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• 2018

This study introduces an automated Praat script allowing optimal formant analysis for children's vowels. Using Burg's algorithm in Praat, formants can be extracted by setting the maximum formant value and the number of formants. The optimal formant setting was determined by identifying the two conditions, F1 and F2, with minimum standard deviations. When applying the optimal formant setting determined by the script, the results of normality tests were not significant among all vowels except /e/ for the maximum formant value, and among the vowels /a/, /e/, /i/, /o/, /u/ and /ʌ/ for the number of formants. This indicates that when analyzing the formants of children's vowel sounds, the unilateral application of a parameter setting (the maximum formant value and the number of formants) to all vowels is problematic. The performance of the optimal formant setting script was evaluated along with 3 different algorithm in order to determine whether it properly extracts formants for children's vowels. To this end, Korean monophghongs of 6-year-old children were collected and the Praat scripts were applied to the data. Resultant Formant plots and statistical analysis showed that optimum_script and qtone_script, which links to the perceptual unit, performed very well in formant extraction compared to the remaining 2 scripts.

• Phonetics and Speech Sciences
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• v.11 no.1
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• pp.1-8
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• 2019

Formant trajectories reflect the continuous variation of speakers' articulatory movements over time. This study examined formant trajectories of English vowels produced by ninety-three American men and women; the values were normalized using the scale function in R and compared using generalized additive mixed models (GAMMs). Praat was used to read the sound data of Hillenbrand et al. (1995). A formant analysis script was prepared, and six formant values at the corresponding time points within each vowel segment were collected. The results indicate that women yielded proportionately higher formant values than men. The standard deviations of each group showed similar patterns at the first formant (F1) and the second formant (F2) axes and at the measurement points. R was used to scale the first two formant data sets of men and women separately. GAMMs of all the scaled formant data produced various patterns of deviation along the measurement points. Generally, more group difference exists in F1 than in F2. Also, women's trajectories appear more dynamic along the vertical and horizontal axes than those of men. The trajectories are related acoustically to F1 and F2 and anatomically to jaw opening and tongue position. We conclude that scaling and nonlinear testing are useful tools for pinpointing differences between speaker group's formant trajectories. This research could be useful as a foundation for future studies comparing curvilinear data sets.

• Phonetics and Speech Sciences
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• v.5 no.4
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• pp.195-200
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• 2013

This study investigates formant transition shapes of Korean front vowels produced by native speakers of Seoul Korean. Sixteen speakers (eight male and eight female speakers) produced [pVt] syllables where the vowels were [i, e, ɛ]. F1, F2, and F3 transition shapes were estimated by presenting formant values at 11 points by dividing the vowel duration into 10 different time intervals. The results indicated that the male and female speakers overall demonstrated similar formant transition shapes and measurement points arriving at the maximum and minimum formant values for the three front vowels. As for the vowels [e] and [ɛ], both male and female speakers showed similar formant values across the 11 measurement points and similar measurement points arriving at the maximum and minimum values, indicating that the two Korean vowels have been merged not only in the steady-state formant values, but also in the dynamic transition shapes.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Laryngology, Phoniatrics and Logopedics
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• v.16 no.1
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• pp.10-14
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• 2005

Background and Objectives : Vowels are characterized on the basis of formant patterns. The first formant(F1) is determined by high-low placement of the tongue, and the second formant (F2) by front-back placement of the tongue. The fundamental frequency(F0) of a soprano often exceed the normal frequency of the first formant. And the vocal intensity is boosted when F0 is high and a harmonic coincides with a formant. This is called a formant tuning. Experienced singers thus learned how to tune their formants over a resonable range by lowering the tongue to maximize their vocal intensity. So, the current study aimed to identify the formant tuning in one experienced soprano by comparing the first formants of vowel [i] in three different voice production : speech, ascending scale, and vocalize. Materials and Method : All voices recordings of vowel [i] in speech, ascending scale (from F4 note to A4 note), and vocalize(:Ridente la calam") were made with digital audio tape-corder in a sound treated room. And the captured data were analyzed by the long term average(LTA) power spectrum using the FFT algorithm of the Computerized Speech Lab(CSL, Kay elementrics, Model, 4300B). Results : Although the first formant of vowel [i] in speech was 238Hz, those of ascending scale [i] were 377Hz, 405Hz, 453Hz respectively in F4(349z), G4(392Hz), A4(440Hz) note, and 722Hz, 820Hz, 918Hz respectively in F5 (698Hz), G5(784Hz), A5(880Hz) note. In vocalize, first formants of [i] were 380Hz, 398Hz, 453Hz respectively in F4, G4, A4 note, and 720Hz, 821Hz, 890Hz respectively in F5, G5, A5 note. Conclusion : These results showed that the first formant of ascending scale and vocalize sustained higher frequency than fundamental frequency in high pitch. This finding implicates that the formant tuning of vowel [i] in ascending scale was also noted in vocalize.

• Speech Sciences
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• v.12 no.2
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• pp.73-80
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• 2005

This study was analyzed to change of /i/ formant follow cochlear implantation periods for hearing impaired children with cochlear implantation. 20 hearing impaired children participated and acoustic analysis of /i/ was used CSL(Computerized Speech Lab; Model 4300b) annually. The data was captured the first formant, $2^{nd}$ & 3th formant frequency of /i/ and was analyzed using ANOVA. Multiple range test to investigate difference between group was treat with LSD and Duncan. The results of /i/ formant analysis for hearing impaired children with cochlear implantation, each formant at a year keeping with cochlear implantation was located at high frequency. In accordance with CI periods, the each formant decreased significantly, especially between a year and $2^{nd}$ year taking with cochlear implantation.

• Phonetics and Speech Sciences
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• v.11 no.4
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• pp.97-108
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• 2019

An automated Praat script was implemented to measure optimal formant frequencies for adults. Optimal formant analysis could be interpreted to show that the deviation of formant frequency that resulted from the two variously combined setting parameters (maximum formant and number of formants) was minimal. To increase the reliability of formant analysis, LPC order should be set differently, based on the gender or vowel type. Praat recommends 5,000 Hz and 5,500 Hz as maximum formant settings and, at the same time, recommends 5 as the number of formants for males and females. However, verification is needed to determine whether these recommended settings are valid for Korean vowels. Statistical analysis showed that formant frequencies significantly varied across the adapted scripts, especially with respect to the data on females. Formant plots and statistical results showed that linear_script and qtone_script are much more reliable in formant measurements. Among four kinds of scripts, the linear and qtone_scripts proved to be more stable and reliable. While the linear_script was designed to have a linearly increased formant step in for-loop, the increment of formant step in the qtone_script was arranged by quarter tone scale (base frequency×common ratio ($\sqrt[24]{2}$)). When looking at the tendency of the formant setting drawn by the two referred algorithms in the context of front vowel [i, e], the maximum formant was set higher; and the number of formants set at a lower value than recommended by Praat. The back vowel [o, u], on the contrary, has a lower maximum formant and a higher number of formants than the standard setting.

• Phonetics and Speech Sciences
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• v.1 no.3
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• pp.65-72
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• 2009

Formant values are the most important acoustic correlates of English vowels. Classical studies on English vowels reported the first three formant values measured at a single timepoint on a sustained vowel segment. However, many recent studies revealed that partial onset or offset segments with information of dynamic spectral changes may contribute to the exact identification of English vowels with an accuracy almost comparable to that by the whole vowel segment or word. The purpose of this study was to examine formant trajectories of nine English vowels collected by Hillenbrand et al.(1995). Acoustic analysis was systematically made by a Praat script at six equidistant timepoints over the vowel segment. Results showed that the first formant trajectories played an important role in distinguishing each vowel within the front- or back-vowel groups. The second formant trajectories of the back vowels varied more drastically than those of the front vowels. The third formant value was similar except the high vowel /i/. From the vowel space on F1 by F2 axes, the formant trajectories of each vowel clearly showed a transition toward the locus of the following consonant /d/. Other acoustic data revealed that there were some vowel inherent duration or pitch values. From this study we can conclude that the dynamic spectral changes are very important in specifying acoustic characteristics of the English vowels. Further studies on vowels and diphthongs in different contexts are desirable.

• Journal of Animal Science and Technology
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• v.47 no.1
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• pp.133-140
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• 2005

The aim of this study was to divide vocalizations of sows into general(GVs) and estrus-related vocalizations( EVs) and to find out their phonetic characteristics. Ten sows(Landrace) were recorded using digital video recorders twice daily(06: 00 - 08 : 00h and 17: 00 - 19 : 00h) during the anestrus and estrus periods. The GVs and EVs were divided based on the shapes of spectrum and spectrogram. The GVs and EVs were identified as 5 and 3 types, respectively. Pitch, formant I, formant 2, and formant 3 between GVs and EVs were not significantly different(P> 0.05), whereas intensity(P < 0.001), duration(P < 0.05), and formant 4(P < 0.01) were significantly different. Three parameter groups(Group I : Formant vector alone, Group II: Formant veetor+ parameters from time signal, Group III: Formant vector+parameters from time signal-parameters eliminated by stepwise discriminant analysis backward) were compared by discriminant function analysis. The classification system adopted in the Group II represented the higher discrimination rate than those in other groups(Group I : 76.1 0/0, Group II : 88.1 0/0, Group Ill: 87.3 %). These results suggest that EVs are present and intensity, formant 2, and formant 4 are available parameters for discrimination of EVs in sows.

• Proceedings of the IEEK Conference
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• 2003.07e
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• pp.2415-2418
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• 2003

In this paper, we present a new filter to adjust formant information. Spectral envelope in speech analysis shows information about characteristics of speech and formant information determines speech timbre. So, if formant position is adjusted, we can verify adjusted speech timbre. A presented filter is to adjust this formant. This filter is composed of triangular filters. Using this filter we could locate the formant frequency at target position.