Guidelines for selecting microphones for human voice production research

Area of Science:

• Acoustics
• Speech Science
• Audio Engineering

Background:

• Accurate measurement of voice and speech signals is crucial for research in speech production and related fields.
• Microphone characteristics significantly influence the fidelity of recorded audio data.
• Understanding these characteristics is essential for researchers to select appropriate equipment.

Purpose of the Study:

• To address fundamental microphone characteristics vital for accurate voice and speech measurements.
• To provide recommendations for optimal microphone selection in acoustic analysis of speech.

Main Methods:

• Review and analysis of technical and voice literature.
• Formulation of recommendations for desirable microphone characteristics.
• Derivation of numerical values for specific microphone parameters and placement distances.

Main Results:

• Recommendations for flat frequency response (±2 dB) within the relevant voice frequency range.
• Guidance on equivalent noise level (at least 15 dB below softest phonations).
• Specifications for dynamic range (exceeding loudest phonations) and directional microphone placement to avoid proximity effect.

Conclusions:

• The proposed recommendations aim to enhance accuracy and repeatability in voice and speech production studies.
• These preliminary guidelines provide a foundation for future research and equipment standardization.
• Further numerical justification is needed to fully validate these recommendations.