-----Original Message-----
From: main@jfw.groups.io <main@jfw.groups.io> On Behalf Of JM Casey
Sent: September 20, 2020 8:20 PM
To: main@jfw.groups.io
Subject: Re: synthesizer versus voice

Cool writeup/analysis. I've no doubt we will get there, but I don't
think we're there yet -- I've heard a few top-of-the-lie commercial
voice synthesisers and to me they still haven't quite grasped the
inflection and intonations of the human voice. But they're getting
eerily close. So ..in time. And of course, all our ears are different,
too, and this "uncanny valley" aspect is probably already nonexistent for

-----Original Message-----
From: main@jfw.groups.io <main@jfw.groups.io> On Behalf Of Orlando
Enrique Fiol via groups.io
Sent: September 20, 2020 11:10 PM
To: main@jfw.groups.io
Subject: Re: synthesizer versus voice

At 09:00 PM 9/20/2020, Mark asked:
>what's the difference between a synthesizer and a voice?

A synthesizer uses electronic processes to fashion complex timbres
from acoustic or electronic sound sources. For example, a triangle
wave may be combined with clarinet samples to produce a "synthesized"

However, I suspect your question pertains to our text-to-speech engines.
There, the distinction between speech synthesizer and voice operates
on two levels. The synthesizer is the speech engine as a whole, while
individual voices (such as male, female, child, etc.) can be chosen.
On a deeper level, though, the difference between synthesizer and
voice rests in the sources for phonemes used by a text-to-speech
engine. With purely synthesized speech, human speech is electronically
modeled, just as digital FM synthesizers such as the Yamaha DX7
attempted to create acoustic-sounding timbres using electronic sources
rather than actual samples. There's a vital difference between trying
to make an electronic keyboard sound like a violin or banjo, and
actually recording single notes on violin or banjo in order to spread them

The old-fashioned speech synthesizer uses no human speech samples,
while most text-to-speech engines today do indeed use exclusively
human speech samples. That's why today's voices sound more realistic
and human; they're fashioned from recordings of human beings speaking
different words or parts of words, from which the speech engine
constructs its vocabulary libraries.
As a sidenote, this human speech sampling and modeling technology is
at the point where one can theoretically make a speech engine from
anyone's voice, which has produced some unintended byproducts. It is
now possible to create convincing audio recordings of people allegedly
saying things they never actually said. This is done by sampling
enough of their recorded speech to formulate a lexicon not only of
vocabulary, but more important, of their vocal inflections, the rises,

With this modeling technology, we soon will not know for certain
whether people have actually said what we've heard them say on audio
recordings or videos.
So, there you have it: a little primer on synthesis and sampled sound.


Orlando Enrique Fiol
Ph.D. in Music theory
University of Pennsylvania: November, 2018 Professional
Pianist/Keyboardist, Percussionist and Pedagogue Charlotte, North
Carolina

Hahah…it’s all relative; Canadians don’t say “aboot” either.

Sorry, but people in the United states do not say “aboot” unless they happen to live very close to the Canadian border.

I’m not sure why that is, but the vast majority of people here in the U.S. say about, not aboot.

IN fact, most U.S. natives make fun of the Canadians for saying aboot.

I was chatting with someone from New Zealand and she told me some of her compatriots were mimicking the  U S accent. Thus it is not just the screen reader voices, it is Different nations voices.  Example, apparently Canadians and United States persons say aboot instead of about, according to the woman in N Z.   



After 20 years with Eloquence, I still prefer it over the human sounding voices for screen reader. I have used some of the human sounding voices for reading books at a normal speed and they are getting better.

----- Original Message -----

From: JM Casey

To: main@jfw.groups.io

Sent: Monday, September 21, 2020 5:56 PM

Subject: Re: synthesizer versus voice

Hahah…it’s all relative; Canadians don’t say “aboot” either.

 

 

 

From: main@jfw.groups.io <main@jfw.groups.io> On Behalf Of Richard Turner
Sent: September 21, 2020 5:15 PM
To: main@jfw.groups.io
Subject: Re: synthesizer versus voice

 

Sorry, but people in the United states do not say “aboot” unless they happen to live very close to the Canadian border.

I’m not sure why that is, but the vast majority of people here in the U.S. say about, not aboot.

 

IN fact, most U.S. natives make fun of the Canadians for saying aboot.

 

 

 

Richard

"He that cannot forgive others breaks the bridge over which he must pass himself,” and we forget that only grace can break the cycle of ancient hatreds among peoples. (It is notable that while I have regretted not granting grace to others, I’ve never once regretted extending it.)" - Edward Herbert

 

From: main@jfw.groups.io <main@jfw.groups.io> On Behalf Of David Diamond
Sent: Monday, September 21, 2020 1:14 PM
To: main@jfw.groups.io
Subject: Re: synthesizer versus voice

 

I was chatting with someone from New Zealand and she told me some of her compatriots were mimicking the  U S accent. Thus it is not just the screen reader voices, it is Different nations voices.  Example, apparently Canadians and United States persons say aboot instead of about, according to the woman in N Z.   

 

From: main@jfw.groups.io <main@jfw.groups.io> On Behalf Of Brian Vogel
Sent: September 21, 2020 9:26 AM
To: main@jfw.groups.io
Subject: Re: synthesizer versus voice

 

On Sun, Sep 20, 2020 at 11:20 PM, JM Casey wrote:

and this "uncanny valley" aspect is probably already nonexistent for some people.

-
I'd be one of those people, at least for certain voices under certain synthesizers.

It also really depends on just precisely what is being said.  There are voices that, to me, are "virtual perfection" in mimicking human speech until you get to one specific word that's seldom used or an inflection.  But even then, what sounds "normal" to me may very well sound "weird" to someone else.  One experiences that sensation quite often when listening to different human speakers.  (And I'm ignoring "as a second language" issues and regional accents for that sensation.)
 
--

Brian - Windows 10 Pro, 64-Bit, Version 2004, Build 19041  

The purpose of education is not to validate ignorance but to overcome it.
       ~ Lawrence Krauss

On Mon, Sep 21, 2020 at 06:10 PM, JM Casey wrote:

These more human sounding voices were not meant to be used at the fast rates many blind people listen to synthesised speech.

-
And knowing some of those blind people, I still cannot comprehend how they comprehend what they're hearing.  Clearly they do, but my head (auditory processing, in particular) reels at the speech rate that some of my clients routinely use for themselves.  I have on more than one occasion had to ask someone I was tutoring on something new to them in the screen reader to greatly reduce the speed so that I could be sure that what I expected to hear was what I was indeed hearing!
 
--

Brian - Windows 10 Pro, 64-Bit, Version 2004, Build 19041  

The purpose of education is not to validate ignorance but to overcome it.
       ~ Lawrence Krauss

-----Original Message-----
From: main@jfw.groups.io <main@jfw.groups.io> On Behalf Of JM Casey
Sent: September 20, 2020 8:20 PM
To: main@jfw.groups.io
Subject: Re: synthesizer versus voice

Cool writeup/analysis. I've no doubt we will get there, but I don't
think we're there yet -- I've heard a few top-of-the-lie commercial
voice synthesisers and to me they still haven't quite grasped the
inflection and intonations of the human voice. But they're getting
eerily close. So ..in time. And of course, all our ears are different,
too, and this "uncanny valley" aspect is probably already nonexistent for

-----Original Message-----
From: main@jfw.groups.io <main@jfw.groups.io> On Behalf Of Orlando
Enrique Fiol via groups.io
Sent: September 20, 2020 11:10 PM
To: main@jfw.groups.io
Subject: Re: synthesizer versus voice

At 09:00 PM 9/20/2020, Mark asked:
>what's the difference between a synthesizer and a voice?

A synthesizer uses electronic processes to fashion complex timbres
from acoustic or electronic sound sources. For example, a triangle
wave may be combined with clarinet samples to produce a "synthesized"

However, I suspect your question pertains to our text-to-speech engines.
There, the distinction between speech synthesizer and voice operates
on two levels. The synthesizer is the speech engine as a whole, while
individual voices (such as male, female, child, etc.) can be chosen.
On a deeper level, though, the difference between synthesizer and
voice rests in the sources for phonemes used by a text-to-speech
engine. With purely synthesized speech, human speech is electronically
modeled, just as digital FM synthesizers such as the Yamaha DX7
attempted to create acoustic-sounding timbres using electronic sources
rather than actual samples. There's a vital difference between trying
to make an electronic keyboard sound like a violin or banjo, and
actually recording single notes on violin or banjo in order to spread them

The old-fashioned speech synthesizer uses no human speech samples,
while most text-to-speech engines today do indeed use exclusively
human speech samples. That's why today's voices sound more realistic
and human; they're fashioned from recordings of human beings speaking
different words or parts of words, from which the speech engine
constructs its vocabulary libraries.
As a sidenote, this human speech sampling and modeling technology is
at the point where one can theoretically make a speech engine from
anyone's voice, which has produced some unintended byproducts. It is
now possible to create convincing audio recordings of people allegedly
saying things they never actually said. This is done by sampling
enough of their recorded speech to formulate a lexicon not only of
vocabulary, but more important, of their vocal inflections, the rises,

With this modeling technology, we soon will not know for certain
whether people have actually said what we've heard them say on audio
recordings or videos.
So, there you have it: a little primer on synthesis and sampled sound.


Orlando Enrique Fiol
Ph.D. in Music theory
University of Pennsylvania: November, 2018 Professional
Pianist/Keyboardist, Percussionist and Pedagogue Charlotte, North
Carolina

Sorry, but people in the United states do not say “aboot” unless they happen to live very close to the Canadian border.

I’m not sure why that is, but the vast majority of people here in the U.S. say about, not aboot.

IN fact, most U.S. natives make fun of the Canadians for saying aboot.

I was chatting with someone from New Zealand and she told me some of her compatriots were mimicking the  U S accent. Thus it is not just the screen reader voices, it is Different nations voices.  Example, apparently Canadians and United States persons say aboot instead of about, according to the woman in N Z.   

I was chatting with someone from New Zealand and she told me some of her compatriots were mimicking the  U S accent. Thus it is not just the screen reader voices, it is Different nations voices.  Example, apparently Canadians and United States persons say aboot instead of about, according to the woman in N Z.   

On Sep 21, 2020, at 2:53 PM, Ann Byrne <annakb@sbcglobal.net> wrote:

Can anyone please suggest a typing speed test that can be used with JAWS?

thanks a lot,

Ann

I typically use Talking Typer to test my clients. APH SELLS IT.

Betsy R. Binney
meandbastet@gmail.com
262-490-0109

On Sep 21, 2020, at 2:53 PM, Ann Byrne <annakb@sbcglobal.net> wrote:

Can anyone please suggest a typing speed test that can be used with
JAWS?

thanks a lot,

Ann

I typically use Talking Typer to test my clients. APH SELLS IT.
Betsy R. Binney
meandbastet@gmail.com
262-490-0109

On Sep 21, 2020, at 2:53 PM, Ann Byrne <annakb@sbcglobal.net> wrote:

Can anyone please suggest a typing speed test that can be used with JAWS?

thanks a lot,

Ann

.

On Sep 21, 2020, at 2:53 PM, Ann Byrne <annakb@sbcglobal.net> wrote:

Can anyone please suggest a typing speed test that can be used with JAWS?

thanks a lot,

Ann

On Sun, Sep 20, 2020 at 11:20 PM, JM Casey wrote:

and this "uncanny valley" aspect is probably already nonexistent for some people.

-
I'd be one of those people, at least for certain voices under certain synthesizers.

It also really depends on just precisely what is being said.  There are voices that, to me, are "virtual perfection" in mimicking human speech until you get to one specific word that's seldom used or an inflection.  But even then, what sounds "normal" to me may very well sound "weird" to someone else.  One experiences that sensation quite often when listening to different human speakers.  (And I'm ignoring "as a second language" issues and regional accents for that sensation.)
 
--

Brian - Windows 10 Pro, 64-Bit, Version 2004, Build 19041  

The purpose of education is not to validate ignorance but to overcome it.
       ~ Lawrence Krauss

Dave, I don't see the conflict as a JAWS issue to fix. Because laptop layout assumes you do not have a numpad and uses the Caps lock key to allow your right hand on the QWERTY keys to act like a numpad for JAWS navigation, you would eliminate some of that functionality by repurposing the CAPS lock and J keys to open the JAWS menu. I ten to open the JAWS menu by going to the JAWS icon in the system tray and then using the application key to open the context menu. Now that I know of caps lock, shift control option suggested in earlier messages, I think that will become my new norm.



-----Original Message-----
From: main@jfw.groups.io <main@jfw.groups.io> On Behalf Of Debby Hill
Sent: Saturday, September 19, 2020 6:46 AM
To: main@jfw.groups.io
Subject: Re: Accessing jaws menu in laptop layout

Hi Daniel,

This is one I learned from this list just a couple of days ago. The keystroke is Control + shift + caps lock to get to the menus from the JAWS laptop layout.

I also have a JAWS shortcut on my desktop, and if you just press enter on that you get into the menus. I also put JAWS in the tray, so I know this works.

I hope this helps.

Take care and stay safe!

Debby

-----Original Message-----
From: main@jfw.groups.io <main@jfw.groups.io> On Behalf Of Daniel Wolak
Sent: Saturday, September 19, 2020 6:25 AM
To: main@jfw.groups.io
Subject: Accessing jaws menu in laptop layout

Hi all,

I have occasion to use the laptop layout with Jaws 2020.

However, I'm unable to access the jaws menu as I prefer to run it from the system tray.

When I use the keyboard shortcut of jaws key (capslock in this case)+j, the only thing that's announced is blank.

Interestingly, when I plug in a keyboard that has an insert key and use that instead of capslock it works perfectly.

Does anyone know if the key to access the jaws menu from system tray is different in laptop layout?

Jaws help doesn't seem to have the answer.

Thanks,


Daniel












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In laptop mode, caps lock key reads previous word. That's why it can't be used.

Thank You,
Steve Cook, CPM
Assistive Technology Consultant
Newsline Administrator
SC Commission for the Blind
1430 Confederate avenue
Columbia, SC 29201
Office: (803) 898-8788
Cell: (803) 908-3856
1-888-335-5951

www.sccb.state.sc.us



-----Original Message-----
From: main@jfw.groups.io <main@jfw.groups.io> On Behalf Of Dave Durber via groups.io
Sent: Monday, September 21, 2020 5:01 AM
To: main@jfw.groups.io
Subject: [External] Re: Accessing jaws menu in laptop layout

Debbie:

I realize that CTRL+SHIFT+CAPS LOCK+J, will open the JAWS menue, when you have JAWS set to use the laptop keyboard layout but, why make it so complicated, when CAPS LOCK+J, would be so much simplar. I am not aware of any situation, where CAPS LOCK+J, is used to perform any function for Windows or any third-party software package.

Dave

----- Original Message -----
From: "Debby Hill" <dm-hill@comcast.net>
To: <main@jfw.groups.io>
Sent: Saturday, September 19, 2020 1:45 PM
Subject: Re: Accessing jaws menu in laptop layout


Hi Daniel,

This is one I learned from this list just a couple of days ago. The
keystroke is Control + shift + caps lock to get to the menus from the JAWS
laptop layout.

I also have a JAWS shortcut on my desktop, and if you just press enter on
that you get into the menus. I also put JAWS in the tray, so I know this
works.

I hope this helps.

Take care and stay safe!

Debby

-----Original Message-----
From: main@jfw.groups.io <main@jfw.groups.io> On Behalf Of Daniel Wolak
Sent: Saturday, September 19, 2020 6:25 AM
To: main@jfw.groups.io
Subject: Accessing jaws menu in laptop layout

Hi all,

I have occasion to use the laptop layout with Jaws 2020.

However, I'm unable to access the jaws menu as I prefer to run it from the
system tray.

When I use the keyboard shortcut of jaws key (capslock in this case)+j, the
only thing that's announced is blank.

Interestingly, when I plug in a keyboard that has an insert key and use that
instead of capslock it works perfectly.

Does anyone know if the key to access the jaws menu from system tray is
different in laptop layout?

Jaws help doesn't seem to have the answer.

Thanks,


Daniel