35 replies to this topic

[Chao Freak 1]

With all of the different pop stars that have terrible qualities of having a completely fake image of themselves, lip synch in concerts, completely digitalize their voices, and have countless people write songs for them, a new pop star has entered the ring that brings all of these terrible aspects to a whole new level. Miku Hatsune is a 16 year old idol in japan. She's got long blue pigtails and has a higher range than any human could ever hope to meet. She's gotten countless people to write songs for her, and her voice is passed digitalized even more so than Ke$ha. The catch is that Miku isn't even human. She's part of YAMAHA's VOCALOID series. VOCALOID is a computer program where artists draw notes and type in words on a piano role. VOCALOIDs are sold as "a singer in a box" and anyone can use them. VOCALOID didn't get popular until Miku came about. That's when VOCALOID music reached the top of the charts in japan. Countless albums were made using Miku's voice. Miku has sung in absolutely almost every genre. From pop, rock, heavy metal, techno, trance, opera, rap, r&b, classical, polka and many others.

VOCALOID was first shown at the NAMM show in 2004. The first voices released were LEON and LOLA created by Zero-G. Later, they sampled the voice of the British Singer Miriam Stockley to create VOCALOID MIRIAM.
After that, a japanese company, CRYPTON Future Media, came along to create their own voices, MEIKO and KAITO.

VOCALOID was still under the radar and not known at this point. Later though, a new company named PowerFX began. Their singer, Sweet Ann, was the first to use the new, VOCALOID2 software. This software had an easier to use interface and sounded more life like all together. Still, VOCALOID was not known in the music world.
This changed in August of 2007 when CRYPTON made their first 3rd VOCALOID, and first to use the VOCALOID2 software. They decided to give their new singer an actually thought out and unique image. They gave their new singer an age, measurements and favorite genres of music. This was when Miku Hatsune was born.

People posted videos of their songs that used Miku on video sharing sites, then more and more people started using Miku in their original songs. With Miku's popularity growing, a great set of figurines, plushies, costumes, and albums were released. Later, even SEGA caught on to the VOCALOID craze and created a rhythm game staring Miku. This was Hatsune Miku -ProjectDIVA-. SEGA also programed Miku first live concert to promote their game. A second concert was also had. These live concerts had Miku projected on wall of glass to give her a holographic type of feel. Popular VOCALOID users played along side their idol right on the stage next to Miku.
From Y to Y live
Butterfly on your right shoulder live
Magnet live

____________________________________________________

Miku isn't the most recent or high quality voice in the VOCALOID family though. Along with CRYPTON making other voices, other companies caught on to the VOCALOID popularity and contributed greatly to the VOCALOID family.
There are voices voiced by greatly known and popular singers in japan and others with unique voices.

VOCALOID2 singers:
Sweet Ann
Miku Hatsune
Rin Kagamine
Len Kagamine
Prima
Gackpoid
Luka Megurine
Megpoid
SONiKA
SF-A2 Miki
Yuki Kaai
Kiyoteru Hiyama
Big Al
Tonio
Lily
VY1 Mizki
Gachapoid
Iroha Nekomura
Piko Utatane

There are multiple voices to come too. The VOCALOID family is continually growing.

We're still not done though. Along with the VOCALOIDs, other companies and individual people decided to try out making other Singing Synthesizer programs.
The most popular of these is UTAU. UTAU is a free program that has a similar interface to VOCALOID. Voices can be downloaded and be put to use. The biggest problem with this is that anyone can make their own voice, resulting in low quality, half-baked voices. There are still a few known, high quality UTAU voices however. The most comonly known company is CRVIPTON. This company was created by a few pranksters on the internet known as the Vipers. They create believable fake websites, characters and voices to trick people into thinking that a new VOCALOID is being made. In the characters bios, absurd and unlikely info is put in for more observant people to realize what's going on. After the trick is over, the Vipper's "VOCALOIDs" are released to be put to work in UTAU>
They currently have 4 voices.
Teto Kasane
Ruko Yokune
Ristu Namine
Tei Sukone

Another known company is Act2. Act2 specializes in Mac OS programs. With VOCALOID only running on Windows Operating Systems, Act2 decided to give Mac OS users virtual vocalists to sing their songs. Their voices run in programs like GrarageBand and Reason. Their voices can be plugged into many other programs though, including UTAU.
Nana Macne
Coco Macne
Papa Macne
Coco Macne (Black)

The last of these other companies is Studio S. Their voice is called a Maidloid. Maidloid Iku Acme isn't designed to sing, but rather make erotic and sexual noises. She's mostly used for humerous reasons.
Iku Acme

So yeah. Thar you go. World of VOCALOID. Discuss. Show stuff you made~ Post the songs that you think are way cool~

[Nemoide]

I've been kind of wanting it for a while. I don't know if I would really do enough to justify buying it though.

Hatsune Miku is a great character though. I love the fandom that has sprouted up because of her nonexistant awesomeness? She certainly sets off my otaku-sensor. I like how folks make versions of songs I assumed nobody else cared about, like the theme for Record of Loddoss War? She's not so great for singing in English though...

[StarsOfCASSiOPEiA]

Ahhhh, Vocaloid looks incredibly cool and I want to buy it. XD

I've heard a bunch of songs by different Vocaloids, and the quality certainly is high. I don't know if it's just Miku, or every Vocaloid to an extent, that's hard to make sing in English. I think Luka's voice actor was bilingual, though, so with her it was easier...? (Just what I heard.)

[Chao Freak 1]

OHAY GAIZ! Bumpin' a topic almost a year old, but VOCALOID has changed since then. So I bring you a completely edited first post and UPDATES~

1. Miku Hatsune is getting english lessons sometime in the near future, so she'll be fluent instead of sing in 'engrish'
2. Rin and Len Kagamine recieved their Append voices.
3. MEIKO and KAITO are being upgraded to a newer VOCALOID system.
4. VOCALOID3 is in developement.
5. Miku's annual concert is a couple months away and they're having a fan art contest.
6. A VOCALOID TV documentary was shown on January 3rd in Japan.
7. A MikuMikuDance Plugin has been made to use the XBOX Kinect to Mo-Cap animations for Miku. This is MikuMotionCapture
8. VOCALOID GUMI has also made her first live performance.


Along with that, Imma post random VOCALOID crap. :U

1. This song has made it into the world of popular VOCALOID music. It's awesum. :U
2. Miku Hatsune & Gackpo Kamui singing "Dreams Dreams" with all of their engrishey goodness. 8P Brought tears to my eyes all the same though. C':
3. DERP Showing you guys My VOCALOID work. Older stuff sucks. XP
4. VOCALOID METAL IS AMAZING. I'm not even into metal, but this is epic. BitCrushe, DIARRHEA and Nehanshika.

So yeah. 8P

[Nemoide]

I'm definitely going to be buying English-language Miku. And all will be amazed by my musics!

Also, I like the fact that Vocaloid is seemingly starting to be recognized outside of otaku circles. Hooray!

[Chao Freak 1]

I know right? 8D
While I can not deny that I like anime and manga, I really... have sort of grown out of being an Otaku nerd... And I've ALWAYS hated how VOCALOID seemed to be part of the Otaku culture. But now, Miku has definitely reached into the pop music world~

Also, found the best Miku VOCARAP song EBUR
I wanna keep your smile

[Chao Freak 1]

Lulz double post. XP
But I need to~ MasatakaP (The creator of the MVs for Shinkai Summit, Chaining Intentions and HOPE) has at long last created a new Music Video to the song "Ronde of Possible World" and it's absolutely BEAUTIFUL.
Ronde of Possible World - Miku Hatsune

Also... lul @ 2:54 Zomg it's SLENDER MIKU *derp*

[Purge]

I dunno about you guys, but Purge would make an awesome Vocaloid.

Also, Matryoshka is one of my favorsite songs.

[Chao Freak 1]

So... Miku's live concert is in about 2 weeks.
Anyone going to see it? I think I am.
Just so you guys know, you can buy tickets to view the concert streaming live online for ¥2000... so about $24 or £15.
March 9th, 11:00-18:00... In Japan... So you'd need to convert time-zones and whatnot.... but still.
http://5pb.jp/mikupa/

[GIGA-XISBASS VISITOR]

This is Very Interesting.

[Nemoide]

Chao Freak, I've just got to say that if you're flying out to Japan for a Vocaloid concert, you are truly hardcore. (And I approve.)
Or if you just meant you'll see it streaming... that's cool too.

I probably won't bother, personally.

[GIGA-XISBASS VISITOR]

So What's your Favorite VOCALOID Songs? Mine Are Alice Human Sacrifice, Love & Joy, and King Of Darkness.

[Chao Freak 1]

Aha Yeah. Flying out to Japan. That's in my budget. :U
No I'd love to do that. I really would.... But I can't. Just streaming it. Plus. Tickets to see it there are sold out.

Favorite songs...
Sweet Devil - 8#Prince ft. Miku Hatsune
Sin and Punishment - DECO*27 ft. Miku Hatsune
Croak - Talaw feat. Miu Hatsune

Those are the songs I'm currently obsessing over. They're also not in the least weaboo-y like the songs that are popular on youtube.
Also Love and Joy is by a human singer. :U

[GIGA-XISBASS VISITOR]

Aha Yeah. Flying out to Japan. That's in my budget. :U
No I'd love to do that. I really would.... But I can't. Just streaming it. Plus. Tickets to see it there are sold out.

Favorite songs...
Sweet Devil - 8#Prince ft. Miku Hatsune
Sin and Punishment - DECO*27 ft. Miku Hatsune
Croak - Talaw feat. Miu Hatsune

Those are the songs I'm currently obsessing over. They're also not in the least weaboo-y like the songs that are popular on youtube.
Also Love and Joy is by a human singer. :U

Love & Joy is by a Human Singer? I Thought Miku Hatsune Sang it.

[Chao Freak 1]

Miku's Live concert starts in a few hours~ I'm all... excited and stuff. XP But School will be a bitch tomorrow since, for me, the concert will end at 5:00am.

[MidnightDragoon]

I like the Vocaloid series quite a lot, it's quite a neat program. I don't have one yet, although I've been listening to songs sung by the 'loids on Youtube every so often. It's strange how I ended up getting hooked on the Vocaloids due to my own curiosity (well, you know what they say, curiosity killed the cat) and while I was looking through an artist's gallery (where I, basically, stumbled across a picture collage involving a Kaito nendroid).

Spoiler

Well, actually, I'm possibly going to get Gakupo (Gackpoid) or another Vocaloid sometime in April....

[Chao Freak 1]

OK. Miku's concert.
I enjoyed it. It was my first live VOCALOID experience, even if it was just streaming on the internet.


But now that I'm a bit more awake compared to how I was when I watched it, I'm looking through it again.... And looking at the concert last year.
Just so you guys know, this year, the concert was NOT put on by SEGA. And now, you have no idea how much respect SEGA is getting from me right now.
So first, the thing anyone would notice at this concert is that the big transparent screen is missing. And in it's place? A big black box that takes up the entire stage. This year, rather than getting a hologram kind of feel, we get a giant LCD screen.
The stage was extremely crowded, which, for some reason, made the entire auditorium look tiny.
quality of character models was downgraded. Miku's hair flowed a lot better though. I'll give them that.
Durring the half-hour intermission, they played adds on repeat at least three times.
Miku cried. I guess it's cute and sappy, but it's just weird to me... Because... She's just... I dunno. I dunno where I'm going with this.

OK~ Done with complaining~
The overall songlist was tons better.
There were some cool visual effects despite how everything else was lower quality.
...And that's about it. :U

[Chao Freak 1]

Double Posting...
Miku+Luka+Gumi - Pray for (Japan)

[GIGA-XISBASS VISITOR]

Double Posting...
Miku+Luka+Gumi - Pray for (Japan)

A New VOCALOID Song Dedicated to the Disaster in Japan. Sounds Interesting. I Hope Japan Recovers Well.

[MidnightDragoon]

The song is really neat. I also pray for the recovery of Japan.

[GIGA-XISBASS VISITOR]

The song is really neat. I also pray for the recovery of Japan.

It'll be awhile before they Recover. With the force of that Earthquake who knows what Else Could go Wrong. I Say they Should Check for Everything that could be weaken by that Earthquake and fix them before new Problems Occur.

[MidnightDragoon]

I agree, but, anyhow, back on the topic of Vocaloid. I don't know why, but Kaito's "Good Night Song" always seems to almost make me fall asleep. I think it's a good song (and, oddly at the same time, cute).

EDIT: I recently watched parts of the 2011 concert on Youtube, and, even though the concert last year was better in making Miku and co. more realistic from a visual perspective, it's still quite amazing to see their antics onstage along with how Miku and the others interacted with the crowd (unlike last year's, where they only came out and sang), kind of giving us the whole "breaking of the fourth wall" effect, sort of....


EDIT 2: I forgot to mention that there was some character interaction throughout this year's concert, unlike last year's where there was not very much at all...

[GIGA-XISBASS VISITOR]

I agree, but, anyhow, back on the topic of Vocaloid. I don't know why, but Kaito's "Good Night Song" always seems to almost make me fall asleep. I think it's a good song (and, oddly at the same time, cute).

EDIT: I recently watched parts of the 2011 concert on Youtube, and, even though the concert last year was better in making Miku and co. more realistic from a visual perspective, it's still quite amazing to see their antics onstage along with how Miku and the others interacted with the crowd (unlike last year's, where they only came out and sang), kind of giving us the whole "breaking of the fourth wall" effect, sort of....


EDIT 2: I forgot to mention that there was some character interaction throughout this year's concert, unlike last year's where there was not very much at all...

Good Idea. Back to the VOCALOID Topic. Seriously that song makes you fall asleep?

I Love the King of Darkness one and Oh Oh Oh Sexy Vampire by Kaito. Alice Human Sacrifice is good too. I Listen to all the English Translation. My favs being the Rockeliot, Mecha Miku Mix, and the ones by HoSNAPrens, saskuekan2, Pikohan, and Katerinu2 on Youtube. I Also Like the Parody of the Song.

You SHould Listen to these sometime guys. They are Excellent translations and songs.

Breaking the 4th Wall huh? Sounds interesting.

[MidnightDragoon]

Good Idea. Back to the VOCALOID Topic. Seriously that song makes you fall asleep?

I Love the King of Darkness one and Oh Oh Oh Sexy Vampire by Kaito. Alice Human Sacrifice is good too. I Listen to all the English Translation. My favs being the Rockeliot, Mecha Miku Mix, and the ones by HoSNAPrens, saskuekan2, Pikohan, and Katerinu2 on Youtube. I Also Like the Parody of the Song.

You SHould Listen to these sometime guys. They are Excellent translations and songs.

Breaking the 4th Wall huh? Sounds interesting.

The song sometimes would put me to sleep if I listen to it multiple times (the song is way too calming sometimes...).

I also like those two songs as well, whenever I get the chance I usually listen to Vocaloid songs on Youtube.

[Chao Freak 1]

I'll now be posting my favorite VOCAROCK and VOCALOUD songs.... Just 'cause I'm in that mood.
Starting with my new favorite, Albino, wich was also my favorite song in her most recent concert, so... Concert performance. It's got some amazing visual effect near the end for like... a second.

Alright. Then... Descending from most favorite...
to RACE with YOU
Lynne
HOPE
DIARRHEA
Mosaic Roll
For a Dead Girl+
Dreaming Leaf
Two Breaths Walking
Potato-Head in Wonderland
BitCrushe
Happy Trigger Happy
Corpse Attack

[GIGA-XISBASS VISITOR]

The song sometimes would put me to sleep if I listen to it multiple times (the song is way too calming sometimes...).

I also like those two songs as well, whenever I get the chance I usually listen to Vocaloid songs on Youtube.

That is interesting how a song can do that.

[MidnightDragoon]

I guess it sometimes depends on the individual. *shrugs*

Of course, I do end up finding some hilarious songs without thinking while I am searching for songs

Spoiler

(or MMD animations)

every now and then.

[GIGA-XISBASS VISITOR]

I guess it sometimes depends on the individual. *shrugs*

Of course, I do end up finding some hilarious songs without thinking while I am searching for songs

Spoiler

(or MMD animations)

every now and then.

Try Youtubing Megaman & Airman Love & Joy MMD. Funny What People Come Up WIth.

[Chao Freak 1]

Ok.... I just lost all respect for the VOCALOID company PowerFX.

Liek...
http://www.powerfx.com/t/vocaloid
WAT!? WTF IS DIS SH!T?
They redesigned Ann and Al.
I'm a bit alright with Ann. I miss the NiGHTMARE fuel she brought into the VOCALOID world and I don't like that she's just a blond Miku... But then Al. Poor, poor Big Al. What did they DO to you? You look like something that came out of a vomit inducing shoujo yaoi manga! Like seriously, PowerFX. WTF?

[MidnightDragoon]

Erm, Chao Freak 1, those are not Big Al's and Sweet Anne's official designs. It actually was noted by a PowerFX employee that the designs were that of a Taiwanese distributor of PowerFX and are not their official designs. Plus, if you look at the site's main page, you can still see that the two Vocaloids' designs weren't switched out for the ones on their page.

I'm not trying to be rude or anything, just thought that I should point that out to avoid confusion.

[Chao Freak 1]

Nah, it's fine. XD I posted this right after their main site went up. I actually found out about the whole Taiwanese Ann+Al thing right when the PowerFX guy posted about it. I was just too lazy to edit my post here. But thanks for clearing that up for anyone reading here~

[Level 99]

I still need to tweak my schedule so I can mess with Vocaloid a bit. I've got some wacky ideas on how to use voices as pad textures. >

[Chao Freak 1]

Dude. I would TOTALY fangasm if you used VOCALOID. D:
And I'm so probably not doing anything with VOCALOID until english Miku is released. I love me my Sweet ANN, but she's an older VOCALOID and her voice doesn't fit the music I make anyway. :U
I've wanted to make a cover of Forever UNiTY for a while now, but I can't understand TRiPP's lyrics in that song at all. :B

And OK. So this guy can make VOCALOIDs sound extremely real and I love them. Listen to this~
Cut-Off Line - 40m-P feat. Miku Hatsune

Also, this is the song I'm currently obsessing over. It's just so.... ambient.... and melancholy... and soothing. It's got an amazing atmosphere.
PNDR - Kagome-P feat. Yuki Kaai

[Chao Freak 1]

Miku was featured in a car commercial here in the US! Well.... featured is an understatement. She's the star of the whole thing!
Take a look here!
2011 Toyota Corolla + Hatsune Miku
This is definitely a great amount of publicity for Miku! Thank you Toyota for doing this!

[MidnightDragoon]

I recently looked at the commercial, it's interesting how they got Miku into it. Although it was kind of obvious that a Vocaloid would have been involved when you notice the music in the background. XD The first thing that came to mind while watching this was something along the lines of "What the!? Miku, what are you doing in a car commercial?", but also most of the beginning part about dreams kind of fits in with not only the cars and Vocaloids, it also fits with most of real life (including musicians).
Back on subject though, it's really nice to finally see that the Vocaloids (even if it's only one at the moment) are gaining more publicity besides what people hear about them via sites ranging from Video sites like Youtube Nico Nico Douga to social networking sites and wikis.

EDIT: Okay, now I can somehow see Kaito doing a commercial on Ice Cream (it's just way too obvious, couldn't resist) or some other Vocaloids appearing in some other commercials.

[Chao Freak 1]

Awwright.

Song I'm obsessed over for the next month or so.
WAKE ME UP. Gives off a real Sonic Adventure - Shadow the Hedgehog era vibe to it. Kind of Julien-K-ish?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rt7J-rlRCRU
(hurr. engRish. ww)
I wish Sakuran-P was more popular. ._. His music is epic.

And I'm sure you've all heard DiGi's Leeks of Rage. ww
DiGi Valentine - Leeks of Rage