Pitch Shifting With the Commercially Available Eventide Eclipse: Intended and Unintended Changes to the Speech Signal

J Speech Lang Hear Res. 2019 Jul 15;62(7):2270-2279. doi: 10.1044/2019_JSLHR-S-18-0408. Epub 2019 Jun 28.

Abstract

Purpose This study details the intended and unintended consequences of pitch shifting with the commercially available Eventide Eclipse. Method Ten vocally healthy participants ( M = 22.0 years; 6 cisgender females, 4 cisgender males) produced a sustained /ɑ/, creating an input signal. This input signal was processed in near real time by the Eventide Eclipse to create an output signal that was either not shifted (0 cents), shifted +100 cents, or shifted -100 cents. Shifts occurred either throughout the entire vocalization or for a 200-ms period after vocal onset. Results Input signals were compared to output signals to examine potential changes. Average pitch-shift magnitudes were within 1 cent of the intended pitch shift. Measured pitch-shift length for intended 200-ms shifts was between 5.9% and 21.7% less than expected, based on the portion of shift selected for measurement. The delay between input and output signals was an average of 11.1 ms. Trials shifted +100 cents had a longer delay than trials shifted -100 or 0 cents. The first 2 formants (F1, F2) shifted in the direction of the pitch shift, with F1 shifting 6.5% and F2 shifting 6.0%. Conclusions The Eventide Eclipse is an accurate pitch-shifting hardware that can be used to explore voice and vocal motor control. The pitch-shifting algorithm shifts all frequencies, resulting in a subsequent change in F1 and F2 during pitch-shifted trials. Researchers using this device should be mindful of stimuli selection to avoid confusion during data interpretation.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural

MeSH terms

  • Algorithms
  • Analysis of Variance
  • Female
  • Healthy Volunteers
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Pitch Discrimination / physiology*
  • Speech / physiology*
  • Speech Acoustics
  • Young Adult