Voice banking

[sara.williams]

Hi all,

First time posting and would love some
advice. My mum was diagnosed with MND a year ago. We voice banked early as everyone said this was a good idea. Mum this week got her assistive technology device and we downloaded her voice. She was so excited to get her voice back but unfortunately it doesn’t sound anything like her!
Does anyone have any advice?
We used acapela.

Thanks in advance,
S

[shelly21]

Hi I also didn't rate my voice. I'm interested also on anyone's ideas but I think its either that or a new voice. Hard either way re loosing our voice.

[LindaB]

Hi all,

First time posting and would love some
advice. My mum was diagnosed with MND a year ago. We voice banked early as everyone said this was a good idea. Mum this week got her assistive technology device and we downloaded her voice. She was so excited to get her voice back but unfortunately it doesn’t sound anything like her!
Does anyone have any advice?
We used acapela.

Thanks in advance,
S

Could the SALT team help by contacting Acapela? My banked voice sounds a bit like me...not 100%...I just thought better than nothing. I had thought about using my eldest daughters voice as we often have been mistaken for each other on the phone... If needed.
Good luck😉

[John D]

Sarah. Are you using Predictable? Assume you have played around with the Acapela settings. Acapela might be able to improve it. Also you could try Speak Unique who have a voice repair service which I used. Ask Acapela to send you the original voice recording and then forward it to SU who will not charge until you’re happy with it. MNDA’s Richard Cave will help you with this if needed. I actually use both recordings.

[Ellie]

sara.williams A warm welcome to the forum Sara xx

[Ellie]

Also you could try Speak Unique who have a voice repair service which I used. Ask Acapela to send you the original voice recording and then forward it to SU who will not charge until you’re happy with it.

That's helpful John D would you be able to give a ballpark figure for the voice repair? No worries if you can't and it probably depends on time taken, but tens, low hundreds?? xx

[LindaB]

sara.williams apologies forgot to add welcome to the forum😏😉

[John D]

Ditto!

Will dig out the figure Ellie

[Guy]

i had my modeltalker voice repaired by speak unique - a significant improvement. if you have mnd it's a free service.

[Ellie]

i had my modeltalker voice repaired by speak unique - a significant improvement. if you have mnd it's a free service.

That's good to hear Robin 👍 Can you remember who organised it, SLT, Richard Cave or someone else? xx

[SallyAnnB]

I had my voice repaired by Speak Unique and was very disappointed with the outcome. The voice is dreary, lacks authority and sounds nothing like me when I was well. I now use Predictable with a free voice from the Text to Speech app, called Kate. Speak Unique was organised through my S&LT. The only thing I can recommend about It is that the predictive text is good. I also had to buy a new phone as my old one didn’t support the Speak Unique app. And now Kevin Bacon keeps telling me that I need to upgrade that as well!

[Ellie]

It's not good to hear of so many voice bankers being so disappointed with their banked voices 😟

Back in the Dark Ages, it wasn't a thing when I lost my speech and like Sally Ann, I use a generated voice - she's my alter ego 😏

Sometimes people use a sibling' or a friend's voice. xx

[John D]

There is an application for MNDA funding on SU’s website. Cost was £175.

[Ellie]

John D Thanks for those 2 bits of info John 👍👍 xx

[matthew55]

Hello Sarah, in my experience whichever system you choose you end up sounding robotic. The biggest thing we loose is emotive wording. The way I shout is I write very large letters. 😉😁🤗😍xx