# Intonation

- Clauses
- Tune Definitions
  - tune
  - endtune
  - prehead
  - headenv
  - height
  - head
  - headextend
  - nucleus
  - nucleus0
  - onset
  - headlast

In eSpeak NG (eSpeak) standard intonation model, a “tune” is applied to each clause depending on its punctuation. Other intonation models may be used for some languages, such as tone languages.

Named tunes are defined in the text file `phsource/intonation`. This file must be compiled for use by eSpeak by using:

    espeak-ng --compile-intonations

## Clauses

The tunes which are used for a language can be specified by using a `tunes` statement in a voice file in `espeak-ng-data/voices`. e.g.:

    tunes   s1  c1  q1  e1

It’s parameters are four tune names which are used for clauses which end in:

1. Full-stop.
2. Comma.
3. Question mark.
4. Exclamation mark.

A clause consists of the following parts:

1. Pre-head are any unstressed syllables before the first stressed syllable.
2. Head is the part from the first stressed syllable up to the last syllable before the nucleus.
3. Nucleus is stressed syllable which is the focus of the clause. eSpeak chooses the last stressed syllable of the clause.
4. Tail are the syllables after the nucleus.

## Tune Definitions

Here is an example tune definition from the file `phsource/intonation`:

    tune s1
    prehead   46 57
    headenv   fall 16
    head       4 80 55 -8 -5
    headextend 0 63 38 13 0
    nucleus  fall 70 18 24 12
    nucleus0 fall 64 8
    endtune

### tune

`tune <tune name>` Starts the definition of a tune. The `tune name` can be used in a `tunes` statements in voice files.

### endtune

`endtune <tune name>` Ends the definition of a tune.

### prehead

`prehead <start pitch> <end pitch>` Gives the pitch path for any series of unstressed syllables before the first stressed syllable.

### headenv

`headenv <envelope> <height>` Gives the pitch envelope which is used for stressed syllables in the head (before the nucleus), including `onset` and `headlast` syllables if these are specified.

### height

`height` gives a pitch range for the envelope.

### head

    head <steps> <start pitch> <end pitch> <unstressed start> <unstressed end>

`start pitch` give a pitch path for the stressed syllables of the head.

`steps` is the maximum number of stressed syllables for which this applies. If there are additional stressed syllables, then the `headextend` statement is used for them.

`unstressed start` give a pitch path for unstressed syllables between two stressed syllables. Their values are relative to the pitch of the previous stressed syllable. Values are usually negative, meaning that the unstressed syllables have lower pitch than the previous stressed syllable.

### headextend

    headextend <percentage list>

If the head contains more stressed syllables than is specified by `steps` is used. It contains up to 8 numbers which are used repeatedly for the additional stressed syllables. A value of 0 corresponds to the lower the `start pitch` values of the `head` statement. 100 corresponds to the higher value.

Negative values and values greater than 100 are allowed.

### nucleus

    nucleus <envelope> <top pitch> <bottom pitch> <tail start> <tail end>

This gives the pitch envelope and pitch range of the last stressed syllable of the clause. `tail start` and `tail end` give a pitch path for the unstressed syllables which are after the last stressed syllable.

### nucleus0

    nucleus0 <envelope> <top pitch> <bottom pitch>

This is used instead of `nucleus` if there are no unstressed syllables after the last stressed syllable. In this case, the pitch changes of the nucleus and the tail and both included in the nucleus.

### onset

    onset <pitch> <unstressed start> <unstressed end>

This specifies the pitch for the first stressed syllable of the head. If the `onset` statement is present, then the `head` statement used for the stressed syllables after the first.

### headlast

    headlast <pitch> <unstressed start> <unstressed end>

This specifies the pitch for the last stressed syllable of the head (i.e. the stressed syllable before the nucleus).