Microsoft Linguistic Information Sound Editing Tool Overview

The Microsoft® Linguistic Information Sound Editing Tool enables you to generate word break and phoneme information for sound files that can be used to support lip-syncing for character animations.

The sound editor enables you to load an existing sound file or record a new one, generate the linguistic information, and further refine it by adding or replacing words and phoneme information. You can then save this information as an enhanced sound file.

To use the sound editor, you should have a Pentium® 166 (or better) PC with at least 32 Megabytes of RAM and a Windows compatible sound card. If you want to record spoken input with the editor, you will also need a compatible microphone. In addition, a compatible speech recognition engine must be installed.


To create a new sound file
To record a new sound file

1	In the sound editor, from the File menu, choose New.

2	In the Audio menu, choose Record.

Tip

•	You can also access the New and Record commands by clicking their buttons on the editor’s toolbar.


To open an existing sound file

1	In the sound editor, from the File menu, choose Open.

2	In the File Open dialog box, select the sound file you want to use.

3	Click Open.

Tip

•	You can also access the Open command by clicking its button on the editor’s toolbar.


To generate linguistic information

1	Open an existing sound file or record a new file.

2	In the Text Representation, enter the words that represent the output of the sound file.

3	From the Edit menu, choose Generate Linguistic Info.

Note

•	The Generate Linguistic Info command is only enabled when the text representation has been entered for a sound file.

Tips

•	Avoid unnecessary spaces in the text you enter. Unusual spacing may cause the editor to fail to generate word and phoneme labels for the sound file.

•	You can also generate linguistic information by clicking its button on the editor’s toolbar.


To adjust a word or phoneme label boundary

1	After generating linguistic information, move the pointer to the left or right edge of a word or phoneme label rectangle where the pointer changes to the resize pointer [image].

2	Drag the edge of the boundary left or right to change the boundary.

Note

•	Changing a word or phoneme label boundary changes the information stored about the transition between words or phonemes for an enhanced sound file. When used for lip-syncing animation, this changes the timing for mouth image transitions.


To replace a word or phoneme label

1	After generating linguistic information, left-click the word or phoneme label you want to replace.

2	From the Edit menu, choose Replace Word or Replace Phoneme.

3	In the dialog box that appears, type in the replacement word or select the replacement.

4	Click OK.

Note

•	Replacing a phoneme label may change the mouth position for lip-syncing animation. Replacing a word label changes the text displayed in a character’s word balloon when used with Microsoft Agent.

Tip

•	You can also access the Replace Word or Replace Phoneme dialog boxes by right-clicking a word or phoneme label and choosing their respective commands from the pop-up menu.

•	You can define a non-standard (not available in the language) phoneme by choosing the Non-Standard Phoneme IPA Designation typing in its IPA hex number. To specify diphthongs, include a plus sign (+) between hex numbers.


To insert a word or phoneme label

1	In the Audio Representation area, drag a selection where you want to insert a word or phoneme label.

2	From the Edit menu, choose Insert Word or Insert Phoneme.

3	In the dialog box that appears, type in the word or select the phoneme you want to insert.

Note

•	Inserting a phoneme may change what mouth position for lip-syncing animation. Inserting a word label changes the text displayed in a character’s word balloon when used with Microsoft Agent.

Tips

•	You can also access the Insert Word or Insert Phoneme dialog boxes by clicking or dragging a selection, then right-clicking within the selection and choosing their respective commands from the pop-up menu.

•	You can define a non-standard (not available in the language) phoneme by choosing the Non-Standard Phoneme IPA Designation typing in its IPA hex number. To specify diphthongs, include a plus sign (+) between hex numbers.


To delete a word or phoneme label

1	In the Audio Representation area, click or drag a word or phoneme label.

2	From the Edit menu, choose Delete Word or Delete Phoneme.

Tip

•	You can also access the Delete Word or Delete Phoneme command by right clicking a word or phoneme label, then choosing its respective command from the pop-up menu.


To play a sound file

1	Record a new sound file or open an existing sound file.

2	From the Audio menu, choose Play.

Tips

•	You can pause or stop playing the sound file, by choosing Pause or Stop in the Audio menu.

•	You can also play, pause, or stop the sound file by clicking their buttons on the editor toolbar.


To play a selected portion of a sound file

1	In the Audio Representation area, click or drag a selection.

2	From the Audio menu, choose Play.

Tips

•	You can pause or stop playing the sound file, by choosing Pause or Stop in the Audio menu.

•	You can also play, pause, or stop the sound file by clicking their buttons on the editor toolbar.


To save a sound file

1	In the editor, from the File menu, then choose Save.

2	Type a filename for your sound file and confirm the file type.

3	Choose your format (compression) options.

4	Click Save.

Note

•	If no linguistic information has been generated or added, the default file type is a standard Windows sound file (.WAV). If the file has linguistic information, the default file type setting is a linguistically enhanced sound file (.LWV).

Tips

•	To save a character under a new filename, from the File, choose Save As. Then enter the new filename and click Save.

•	You can save a file without its linguistic information by selecting the standard sound file type (.WAV).


To save selected portion of a sound file
To save a selected portion of a sound file

1	Click or drag the selected portion of the sound file.

2	In the editor, from the File menu, then choose Save.

3	Type a filename for your sound file and confirm the file type.

4	Choose your format (compression) options.

5	Click Save.

Note

•	If no linguistic information has been generated or added, the default file type is a standard Windows sound file (.WAV). If the file has linguistic information, the default file type setting is a linguistically enhanced sound file (.LWV).

Tips

•	To save a character under a new filename, from the File menu, choose Save As. Then enter the new filename and click Save.

•	You can save a file without its linguistic information by selecting the standard sound file type (.WAV).