Comparative Analysis of Transfer Learning in Deep Learning
  Text-to-Speech Models on a Few-Shot, Low-Resource, Customized Dataset
Ze Liu
Text-to-Speech (TTS) synthesis using deep learning relies on voice quality.
Modern TTS models are advanced, but they need large amount of data. Given the
growing computational complexity of these models and the scarcity of large,
high-quality datasets, this research focuses on transfer learning, especially
on few-shot, low-resource, and customized datasets. In this research,
"low-resource" specifically refers to situations where there are limited
amounts of training data, such as a small number of audio recordings and
corresponding transcriptions for a particular language or dialect. This thesis,
is rooted in the pressing need to find TTS models that require less training
time, fewer data samples, yet yield high-quality voice output. The research
evaluates TTS state-of-the-art model transfer learning capabilities through a
thorough technical analysis. It then conducts a hands-on experimental analysis
to compare models' performance in a constrained dataset. This study
investigates the efficacy of modern TTS systems with transfer learning on
specialized datasets and a model that balances training efficiency and
synthesis quality. Initial hypotheses suggest that transfer learning could
significantly improve TTS models' performance on compact datasets, and an
optimal model may exist for such unique conditions. This thesis predicts a rise
in transfer learning in TTS as data scarcity increases. In the future, custom
TTS applications will favour models optimized for specific datasets over
generic, data-intensive ones.