Standardization of pitch range settings in voice acoustic analysis

摘要

Voice acoustic analysis is typically a labor intensive, time consuming process that requires the application of idiosyncratic parameters tailored to individual aspects of the speech signal. These processes limit the efficiency and utility of voice analysis in clinical practice as well as applied research and development. In the current study, we analyzed 1120 voice files using standard techniques (case by case hand analysis); taking roughly 8 weeks of personnel time complete. The obtained results were then compared to the analytic output of several automated analysis scripts that made use of pre-set pitch range parameters. The automated analysis scripts reduced processing time of the 1680 speech samples to less than 2.5 hours and produced results comparable to the hand analysis when pitch window were appropriately selected to account for known population differences (i.e., sex differences). Caution should be exercised when applying suggested settings to pathological voice populations.