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19 MacSpeech DictateChapter 5 — Dictation
In this chapter we will explore using MacSpeech Dictate for
dictation, and show how to dictate special words, such as
capital letters and punctuation. Before we get into all of that,
however, let’s take a look at a few pointers on how to get best
results.
Don’t Strain Your Voice!
Dictation may help alleviate RSI (Repetitive Strain Injury),
because it eases the burden on your arms and hands. But
speech recognition has its own potential problem, which is
vocal strain. Overuse of your voice can cause hoarseness
and a sore throat. With a bit of preparation, however, you can
easily avoid vocal strain.
Keep Drinking
No, not that kind of drinking. We’re talking about keeping
your vocal cords lubricated. Speaking for hours will dry out
your throat, so keep something drinkable nearby. While it is
true that some liquid is better than no liquid, it is also true
that some liquids are better than others. Plain water is best,
and, because cold makes your throat muscles tighten up,
water at room temperature is preferred. Caffeine promotes
dehydration, so avoid it.
Find The (Vocal) Middle Ground
It is as much of a mistake to speak too quietly as it is to speak
too loudly while dictating. Either extreme can lead to vocal
strain. Try to keep a conversational speaking tone, as though
you’re speaking to a person who is about an arm’s length
away.
Mind Your Posture
Sit up straight. It helps to have an adjustable chair with
support for good posture. This help’s your voice because
there is a free flow of air; when slumped in your chair, you
work harder to speak.
Don’t forget to breathe
It is easy to get into the bad habit of squeezing or blasting
out a phrase at a time, with insufficient breath to power your
voice. Try breathing from your stomach, not the chest. If you
have taken a class in singing, yoga, or martial arts you know
what we are saying.
Relax
If you are sitting tense and ramrod straight in your chair,
chances are your voice and vocal cords will be tense too.
Make a conscious effort to keep your shoulders and facial
muscles loose.
Take Breaks
Overdoing it seems to be a common trait in almost all computer
related injuries. Dictating too long without a break is a great
way to get a sore throat or end up feeling hoarse. Try not to
dictate more than about 45 minutes without taking a short
break.
Get Professional Help
This last tip is not for everyone, but if you expect to do a lot
of dictation, consider taking a couple of hours of training from
a speech teacher. In a short time, a good vocal coach can
give you useful tips and exercises that will help protect your
voice.
Working With MacSpeech Dictate
You will get the best results by following one simple guideline:
use your voice, or use your keyboard and mouse, but not
both. The reason is simple: software applications handle text
in different ways, and communicating things like where the
cursor is at any given time differently. If you only use your
voice to fix mis-recognitions or edit, it is much less likely
MacSpeech Dictate will lose its place, which can result in text
out of sync with the rest of your document.
Using Dictation Mode
When off, the microphone button in the Status window has
a red stop sign on top of it, as in Figure 5-1. (If the Status
window is not visible, select Show Status Window from the
Window menu.)
Figure 5-1
To dictate text into virtually any application, follow these
steps:
1. Launch MacSpeech Dictate. By default, it presents
optionsforloadingthelastproleused, loading
a differentprole,orcreatinganewprole,as
showningure5-2.Usuallyyouwillsimplyclick
therstbuttontoloadthelastproleused.
Chapter 5: Diation