LPC Speech Generator

This module is performing real time LPC synthesis to produce intelligible voice or … not if you choose to.

The module produces sounds in 3 major modes: Speech, Repeat and VCO.
In Speech mode, the speech starts with a gate signal and complete before waiting for a new gate signal. The speech has the priority.

In Speech mode, the speech starts with a gate signal and complete before waiting for a new gate signal. The speech has the priority.

In Repeat mode the speech starts and stops with the gate signal going high or low. The gate has the priority and the speech repeats while the gate is high. This mode is very useful to create crazy rhythms.

In VCO mode, the LPC engine loops while the gate is high, producing steady notes. The VCO mode can also produce sound using white noise instead of tones, making strange throat sounds.

The sound synthesis can be altered via CV signals to affect pitch, speed, bending.

Talko is an Arduino-based synthesizer developed under open-source hardware and software.
Its firmware can be updated via the onboard USB port.
The module can be powered via USB if needed.

The PCB has a breakout section connected to 4 of the ATmega328p free pins for hacking (included A4 & A5 for the I2C bus)

Technical details

– format: eurorack
– width: 10hp
– depth: 30 mm skiff friendly
– power: + 12V: 65 ma
– audio : un-filtered 5V PWM carrier at 62500 Hz

Functions

Bank Pot

For the moment it can process 12 sound banks or functions :

0: Digits (from 0 to 9) male voice
1: Digits (from 0 to 9) female voice
2: Spell the Alphabet
3: Nato alphabet
4: Vocabulary
5: Big numbers
6: Voltmeter (reading the CV voltage)
7: Frequency meter (just saying “Hertz” instead of “Volts”)
8: Counter (each gate trigger increments the counter while any cv change on the Sound entry resets it)
9: Number radio (each gate trigger a 4 number sequence while any change on the Sound entry trigger a new “transmission”)
10: Timer since cv reset (each gate triggers saying the time in minutes/seconds while any cv change on the Sound entry resets the clock to zero)
11: Random vocabulary
12: Sentences :

– s0 : “set the control for the start of the one”
– S1: “C time slow”
– S2: “start the fire
– S3: “smoke the circuit”
– S4: “turn past the time”
– S5: “stop the machine”
– S6: “too_low for you”
– S7: “fire and ice”
– S8: “heavy machine”
– S9: “new ground circuit”
– S10: “repair the machine”

Hardware

Sound jack & pot

CV signal in allow to choose the words or phrases to be said. Resets counter in bank N°8 and start a new transmission in Bank 9

Gate jack

Level high start the complete sound in trigger mode. (regardless of it’s length)
If the trigger switch is off, the gate will start the sound and hold it as long as the gate level stays up. Very useful to create crazy rhythms.

It needs a gate signal to produce any sound ! No gate= no sound

Trigger Switch

Choose between trigger mode or loop mode.
In trigger mode the speech has the priority and will complete before starting again on the new signal gate going high.
In loop mode the gate has the priority and the speech can be shopped by a low gate level or can be looped with a high gate level.

Bend Switch

If bend is on, the bend pot … well, distords the sound.

Speed jack & pot

Change the speed of the voice

Pitch jack & pot

Change the pitch of the voice

Bend jack & pot

Change the amount of bending

http://www.polaxis.be/talko/

• 65 mA +12V
• ? mA -12V
• ? mA 5V
• 30 mm Depth

Available as an assembled Module and as a DIY project.

No info about availability.

$207