Banking my voice - Phil's story
Phil was diagnosed with Parkinson’s eight years ago and now has trouble speaking loudly and clearly enough. He and his wife Kate have decided to use 'voice banking' software to help Phil communicate.
“My voice is quiet,” Phil explains, “and I have dystonia (stiffness) in my jaw, so my pronunciation is distorted. Speaking is a huge effort and sometimes I feel embarrassed when people don’t understand me.”
Kate tells us how voice banking will help Phil: “A company called Speak Unique records Phil’s voice and uses their software to ‘repair’ it. Then you can input text, and a version of Phil’s voice will speak it clearly and loudly.”
It doesn’t just repeat the same phrases, she explains, but can be used for anything Phil wants to say, in his own voice.
Phil explains the process of creating his new voice: “The recordings are done using an external microphone which plugs into your home computer. You log in to the Speak Unique website to record your sentences. I do it bit by bit, when my voice is strongest in the mornings.
“Speak Unique provides a list of sentences which include all the sounds required to produce a version of your voice. Once I have finished recording, Speak Unique will work their magic and repair my voice. They’ll send me a few versions to choose from, and I only pay once I’ve chosen the voice I like.
“I’ll then own the audio files and can use the Speak Unique app to access a text-to-speech programme.”
Planning ahead
Kate recommends voice banking to anyone with Parkinson’s struggling with their speech.
“We’re keen that people know that if their voice is getting quieter, they should look into voice banking sooner rather than later,” she says. “Speak Unique wasn’t covered by the NHS for us, but voice banking is definitely worth thinking about.”
The Royal College of Speech and Language Therapists has more information about voice banking. Services and prices will vary between providers.