Our process for producing pre-recorded graduate names recently changed in order to improve accuracy. Please read the below FAQ and contact your Customer Success Manager if you have any additional questions.
How does the website generate names?
Our pronunciation database has phonetic pronunciation components for over 112,000 names. It searches for similar names and produces a recording based on its components. We have also partnered with Nameshouts, the most extensive name pronunciation tool on the internet. In addition to our extensive library of graduate name pronunciations, Nameshouts brings a database of over one billion pronunciation records that we will use to deliver a perfect name announcement
What if the name pronunciation is incorrect? How many times will it generate a name?
Graduates will have the opportunity to review their name recording right on the MarchingOrder website. They can approve the pronunciation or direct the system to try again. The website will attempt to generate the name up to three times. If all three pronunciations are incorrect, the student will be prompted to record their own name and provide phonetics. This commentary will be sent to a professional reader to record their name based on the provided information.
Can the graduate record their own name?
If a graduate rejects the first three attempts to automatically generate their name recording, then they will be prompted to upload their own pronunciation, and a professional voice artist will make a new recording using the graduate-provided pronunciation as a guide.
Why did you make this switch away from professional readers?
This technology gives graduates an opportunity to listen to their name recording before the ceremony, thus decreasing the chances of a mispronunciation. Name accuracy has always been a goal of ours at MarchingOrder, and these new tools allow us to reach this goal faster, with less downtime during the processing period. We can deliver your ceremony software with confidence, knowing that your graduates have had a chance to review their name announcements beforehand. These tools will also make adding late graduates a more seamless process. And the entire product is backed by real voice artists who are on-hand to record a new name announcement if a graduate asks for it.
Is this utilizing AI?
Yes, ProNounce will now utilize AI to generate names when possible. The synthetic voices are based on real voice artists, who will still be engaged to create new recordings if a graduate’s name is not pronounced to their satisfaction at first.
Will the AI recordings match the voice of our chosen professional readers?
Yes! We have cloned the voices of our professional readers to ensure continuity in name reading.
Can I opt out of using the AI feature?
AI-generated names are our new standard format for pre-recorded names. If you are utilizing pre-recorded names, you cannot opt out of this change. Through rigorous testing and development in partnership with our voice artists, we believe that these tools will greatly enhance our ability to deliver the accurate, high-quality name announcements you expect from us, with faster delivery and even more reliable results. These new tools give graduates an unprecedented opportunity to approve their name announcement before the event.
Will the names sound robotic?
Your name recordings will sound natural and authentic. Since they are based on thousands of previously-recorded names from our voice artists, our MarchingOrder synthetic voices will sound as confident and familiar as a practical voice recording.
Will this change decrease accuracy of name pronunciation?
Not at all. Since graduates will now have the chance to review and approve their name announcement before their ceremony, we expect the accuracy of our name pronunciations to make a jump past our already-high standards.
We use official names on file. Will the student be able to change the name to their preferred name?
As before, ceremony coordinators will have the option to ask graduates for a “Preferred Name” on the registration form. This submission would be reviewed by the ceremony coordinator and be used instead of the “Official Name on File” to be displayed and announced. If the “Preferred Name” question is not included on the registration form, then our recording process will default to the “Official Name on File.” Our policy continues to be that graduates cannot use written or audio pronunciation fields to change their name for display and announcement. If the “Preferred Name” question is not used, then graduates will have to contact their ceremony coordinators to request a change.
We use preferred names for students. How will this process change?
The registration form will ask the student for their preferred name, as it did previously. If the student utilizes the field, their recording will be updated based on their submission. Ceremony coordinators should validate preferred names prior to the graduate data deadline.
How do I validate preferred names?
Ceremony coordinators will have the opportunity to review and approve all submissions before production. Graduates that submit a response to the Preferred Name question will be listed in a Graduate View where they can be reviewed, edited, and approved by the ceremony coordinator.
What if a graduate never registers/logs in?
If a graduate never logs in or registers, the recording will still be generated and will be QA'd through the traditional process.