Parameter estimation in speech: A lesson in unorthodoxy

The accurate estimation of both discrete and continuous parameters of speech signals has played a central role in speech processing and research. Interestingly, the most successful estimation procedures have often relied on intuition based on knowledge of speech signals and their production in the human vocal apparatus rather than routine applications of well-established theoretical methods. This experience in speech processing should serve as a reminder that a thorough understanding of the signal is paramount for successful analyses of real-world processes.