Thefundamental frequency (F₀) is a basic parameter in acoustical studies of speech. It is also a necessary parameter for low bit rate speech coding systems. It is generally considered to be one of the acoustical correlates to the perceived intonation pattern of speech. If the fundamental frequency of a speaker is constant, the speech would be perceived as being machine-like or monotone. If the speaker is excited, the fundamental frequency generally increases. It is the acoustical correlate to the rate at which the vocal folds open and close (or vibrate). If the folds are vibrating rapidly, a high fundamental frequency will be measured. In the linear speech production model, the fundamental frequency is the rate at which glottal volume velocity pulses are applied to the vocal tract, i.e., the driving function to the model is periodic with a period of 1/F₀.

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Authors and Affiliations

1. Speech Communications Research Laboratory, Inc., 93109, Santa Barbara, California, USA

   John D. Markel & Augustine H. Gray Jr.

2. Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, University of California Santa Barbara, 93106, California, USA

   Augustine H. Gray Jr.

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