11.3. Enabling the Festival Speech Synthesis System

By default, Orca uses the eSpeak speech synthesizer, but it also supports the Festival Speech Synthesis System. Both eSpeak and Festival Speech Synthesis System (Festival) synthesize voice differently. Some users might prefer Festival to the default eSpeak synthesizer. To enable Festival, follow these steps:

Procedure 11.6. Installing Festival and Making it Running on Boot

  1. Install Festival: 
    ~]# yum install festival festival-freebsoft-utils
  2. Make Festival running on boot:
    1. Create a new systemd unit file:
      Create a file in the /etc/systemd/system/ directory and make it executable. 
      ~]# touch /etc/systemd/system/festival.service
~]# chmod 664 /etc/systemd/system/festival.service
    2. Ensure that the script in the /usr/bin/festival_server file is used to run Festival. Add the following content to the /etc/systemd/system/festival.service file: 
      [Unit]
Description=Festival speech synthesis server
[Service]
ExecStart=/usr/bin/festival_server
Type=simple
    3. Notify systemd that a new festival.service file exists: 
      ~]# systemctl daemon-reload
~]# systemctl start festival.service
    4. Enable festival.service: 
      ~]# systemctl enable festival.service

Choose a Voice for Festival

Festival provides multiples voices.
To make a voice available, install the relevant package from the following list:
  • festvox-awb-arctic-hts
  • festvox-bdl-arctic-hts
  • festvox-clb-arctic-hts
  • festvox-kal-diphone
  • festvox-ked-diphone
  • festvox-rms-arctic-hts
  • festvox-slt-arctic-hts
  • hispavoces-pal-diphone
  • hispavoces-sfl-diphone
To see detailed information about a particular voice: 
~]# yum info package_name
To make the required voice available, install the package with this voice and then reboot: 
~]# yum install package_name
~]# reboot