# Design Voice [:dv] Command

The nine built-in voices of DECtalk Software are distinguished from one another by a large set of speaker-definition options. Note that there is a tenth voice, called Val. Val is initalizes with the same voice as Paul, but can be used to save voice changes. Unlike the nine built-in voices that can be modified but not saved, Val can be used to store voice changes during a DECtalk Software session.

Speakers can differ in sex, age, head size and shape, larynx size and behavior, pitch range, pitch and timing habits, dialect, and emotional state. DECtalk Software cannot approximate all of these options. Therefore, the range of distinguishable voices is limited, even though DECtalk Software has many speaker-definition options that can be modified.

The Design Voice [:dv] command introduces the speaker-definition options and parameters that can be entered as a string or one at a time.

The following sections discuss speech production, acoustics, and perception. Some of the information is relatively technical, but the examples should make it possible for all developers to modify any option effectively and listen to the results.

SYNTAX: | [:dv XX YY]
OPTIONS: | ap | Average pitch, in Hz
| as | Assertiveness, in %
| b4 | Fourth formant bandwidth, in Hz
| b5 | Fifth formant bandwidth, in Hz
| bf | Baseline fall, in Hz
| br | Breathiness, in decibels (dB)
| f4 | Fourth formant resonance frequency, in Hz
| f5 | Fifth formant resonance frequency, in Hz
| g1 | Gain of cascade formant resonator 1, in dB
| g2 | Gain of cascade formant resonator 2, in dB
| g3 | Gain of cascade formant resonator 3, in dB
| g4 | Gain of cascade formant resonator 4, in dB
| g5 | Loudness of the voice, in dB
| gf | Gain of frication source, in dB
| gh | Gain of aspiration source, in dB
| gn | Gain of nasalization, in dB
| gv | Gain of voicing source, in dB
| hr | Hat rise, in Hz
| hs | Head size, in %
| la | Laryngealization, in %
| lx | Lax breathiness, in %
| nf | Number of fixed samples of open glottis
| pr | Pitch range, in %
| qu | Quickness, in %
| ri | Richness, in %
| sm | Smoothness, in %
| sr | Stress rise, in Hz
| sx | Sex 1 (male) or 0 (female)
PARAMETERS: | See the individual options for detailed information about valid parameter values
EXAMPLES: | [:np][:dv ap 100] Change Paul’s average pitch to be 100.