13. Arpasing
Arpasing.... is the most difficult type of oto I've ever encountered. Seriously. I'd rather chew off my arm than oto arpasing. But if you're here, that means you've recorded a bank you don't wanna give up on, so I'll do my best to help. I just hope you know what you're getting into.
The Stats
Average recordings: 200-300
Average size: 2500-3000 lines
Typical Aliasing Method: Arpabet
Average size: 2500-3000 lines
Typical Aliasing Method: Arpabet
The Mechanics
Arpasing is built on a diphone system - in other words, only two phonetic sounds per section of oto. While this doesn't seem like such a bad idea, it means you can have anywhere from six to eight notes in one syllable. Careful overlap placement is key to making a bank usable.
The Base Oto
As terrible as moresampler is at otoing arpasing, unfortunately, there's no other choice. The filenames are just numbered, so it's impossible to parse it apart yourself like CVVC Japanese.
Like VCV, you'll end up with loads of duplicate aliases. Unfortunately, unlike VCV, you can't cut out all of them, because the "st" in "lost" is not the same as the "st" in "stop" or the st in "gas truck." Since the aliases don't differentiate between situations like that, it's necessary to keep some duplicates.
I highly recommend limiting the duplicates in your oto, otherwise some of the more common sounds get really out of hand.
The arpasing site recommends having at least 10-20, but I limited mine to five. It all depends on how much patience you have for otoing the same thing over and over.
Remember, if you choose to limit your duplicates you have to say "no" to numbering them. It's also important not to suffix the aliases. Run the .jar file to number duplicate aliases first (as described here) and then use this tool to add the suffix. Otherwise, the suffix will end up before the duplicate numbers and that'll mess everything up.
Like CVVC or VCV, I recommend pasting in your own custom values. I used (60,90,120), same as CVVC Japanese.
Like VCV, you'll end up with loads of duplicate aliases. Unfortunately, unlike VCV, you can't cut out all of them, because the "st" in "lost" is not the same as the "st" in "stop" or the st in "gas truck." Since the aliases don't differentiate between situations like that, it's necessary to keep some duplicates.
I highly recommend limiting the duplicates in your oto, otherwise some of the more common sounds get really out of hand.
The arpasing site recommends having at least 10-20, but I limited mine to five. It all depends on how much patience you have for otoing the same thing over and over.
Remember, if you choose to limit your duplicates you have to say "no" to numbering them. It's also important not to suffix the aliases. Run the .jar file to number duplicate aliases first (as described here) and then use this tool to add the suffix. Otherwise, the suffix will end up before the duplicate numbers and that'll mess everything up.
Like CVVC or VCV, I recommend pasting in your own custom values. I used (60,90,120), same as CVVC Japanese.
Welcome to Hell
Otoing arpasing is extremely complicated. Practically every line will require detailed adjustment. While I recommend not changing the numeric value of the overlap, there will be situations where that's just not possible. Remember, if there' space between the vowel and consonant before a CV pair, don't let the overlap go past the consonant. It also wouldn't hurt to brush up on how to deal with different types of consonant back at the CVVC tutorial.
I feel like the best way to explain this would be to go over all possible alias combinations:
I feel like the best way to explain this would be to go over all possible alias combinations:
- - C
- Oto as if it were a VC in a CVVC bank, except the vowel is the silence before the consonant. Adjust consonant and left blank according to the consonant's type.
- C -
- Make sure the left blank is after the previous sound. Preutterance should go after the consonant, before any aspiration. The area between the consonant and right blank should be silence.
- - V
- Preutterance goes at the start of the vowel. Everything should operate as normal.
- V -
- Preutterance goes at the end of the vowel, with the overlap at the end of the consistent portion. Area between consonant and overlap should be silence.
- C C
- Make sure the left blank is after the previous sound. Preutterance should be after the first consonant. Include aspiration. Adjust overlap based on the first consonant's type. Adjust consonant and right blank according to the second consonant's type.
- C V
- Just like in a CVVC oto - put the left blank at the end of the previous sound, adjust overlap accordingly, preutterance goes before the vowel.
- V C
- Again, just like CVVC - preutterance at the end of the vowel, overlap at the end of the consistent vowel. Adjust consonant and right blank according to the consonant's type.
- V V
- Like VCV, we want to treat the transition between the vowels as the consonant. Preutterance goes at the clear beginning of the second vowel, overlap at the clear end of the first vowel.
- V
- Like the false blends in a CV bank, make the overlap twice the preutterance and make sure the left and right blanks cut off anything that isn't that vowel.
Diphthongs
The diphthongs in arpasing are ow, ay, ey, oy, and aw.
In any case, arpasing otos are big and require a lot of adjustment. Personally, I'd recommend any other system.
- In a CV pair, move the right blank to the end of the first half of the vowel, cutting out the second sound.
- In a VC pair, paste in much larger preutterance and overlap value (preferably from the numbers provided in CZ's list) to ensure both parts of the vowel are included - Remember, do not make the overlap higher than half the preutterance.
In any case, arpasing otos are big and require a lot of adjustment. Personally, I'd recommend any other system.