Vocaloid facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Vocaloid

Interface of Vocaloid 5
Developer(s)	Yamaha Corporation
Initial release	January 15, 2004; 21 years ago (2004-01-15)
Stable release	Vocaloid 6 / October 13, 2022; 2 years ago (2022-10-13)
Operating system	Microsoft Windows macOS iOS (Mobile Vocaloid Editor, Japan only)
Available in	Japanese, English, Korean, Spanish, Chinese, Catalan
Type	Voice Synthesizer Software
License	Proprietary

Vocaloid (pronounced "VOH-kuh-loyd") is a special computer program that can create singing voices. It was developed by Yamaha Corporation in Japan, with help from a research group in Spain. The first version of Vocaloid came out in 2004.

This software lets you make a computer sing by typing in the lyrics (words) and the melody (tune). You can also make it speak. Vocaloid uses recordings of real voice actors or singers. To make a song, you put in the notes like on a piano roll and then add the words for each note. The program can change how words are pronounced, add cool effects like vibrato (a wavering sound), and adjust the voice's power and tone.

Many different "voice banks" have been made for Vocaloid. Each one is like having "a singer in a box." These voice banks often have their own cartoon characters, called Vocaloids. Some of these virtual singers have even performed live concerts as a projection on stage!

Vocaloid software was first available in English and Japanese. Later versions, like Vocaloid 3, added support for other languages. These include Spanish, Chinese, and Korean. Vocaloid is used by both professional musicians and people who just enjoy making computer music. Famous Japanese music groups have even released songs using Vocaloid voices.

How Vocaloid Works

Vocaloid creates singing voices by taking small pieces of human singing and putting them together. It then changes these pieces to match the song's tune and adds singing effects like vibrato. This technology was first called "Frequency-domain Singing Articulation Splicing and Shaping." That's a long name, so it's not used much anymore! "Singing Articulation" means all the vocal expressions needed for singing. Vocaloid is mainly for singing, not just reading text aloud.

Vocaloid System Parts

The Vocaloid system has three main parts: the Score Editor, the Singer Library, and the Synthesis Engine. The Score Editor is where you create your music. The Singer Library holds all the recorded voice sounds. The Synthesis Engine puts everything together to make the final singing voice. If you have one Vocaloid product, you can easily add more voice libraries to it.

Score Editor: Your Music Studio

Score Editor (example) for the song "Sakura Sakura"

The Score Editor looks like a piano roll. This is where you put in notes, lyrics, and special singing instructions. When you type in words, the editor automatically turns them into phonetic symbols that Vocaloid understands. You can also change these symbols if needed. The editor has many settings to add expression to the singing. You can make the voice sound just right for your song. This editor can also work with other music programs. You can even play songs in real-time using a MIDI keyboard.

Singer Library: The Voice Bank

Each Vocaloid voice comes with a Singer Library. This is a collection of voice pieces recorded from real people. This library needs to have all possible sound combinations for the language. For example, to say "sing," the program combines sounds like "s-I," "I-N," and "N-g." Vocaloid changes the pitch of these sounds to fit your melody. To make voices sound natural, three or four different pitch ranges are stored. Japanese libraries need about 500 sound combinations per pitch. English libraries need around 2,500 because English has more complex sound patterns.

Synthesis Engine: Making the Sound

Vocaloid Synthesis Engine

The Synthesis Engine gets the music information from the Score Editor. It then adjusts the pitch and sound quality of the chosen voice pieces. Finally, it joins them together to create the singing voice.

• Pitch Changing: Since voice pieces are recorded at different pitches, the engine changes them to match your song's notes.
• Timing Adjustments: In singing, the start of a consonant sound happens before the vowel. Vocaloid makes sure the vowel starts exactly when the note begins. This prevents delays and makes the singing sound natural.
• Joining Sounds: When the processed voice pieces are put together, the engine smooths out any rough spots. This makes the transitions between sounds seamless.
• Sound Quality: The engine also smooths the sound quality where pieces join. For example, when singing "set," the sound of the "e" is blended smoothly from the "s-e" part to the "e-t" part.
• Final Output: After all these changes, the engine creates the final synthesized voice.

Vocaloid Software History

Screenshot of the software interface for Vocaloid

Yamaha started developing Vocaloid in March 2000. They first showed it at a fair in Germany in 2003. It was originally called "Daisy," but the name was changed to "Vocaloid" for copyright reasons.

Vocaloid 2: A Big Update

Vocaloid 2 was released in 2007. This version was a big improvement. It used actual vocal samples (recorded voice pieces) instead of just analyzing human voices. The whole program and its look were completely redesigned.

Vocaloid 3: More Voices, More Languages

Vocaloid 3 came out on October 21, 2011. Many studios updated their Vocaloid 2 voices to work better with this new engine. This version also added support for more languages.

Vocaloid 4: New Features

The Vocaloid 4 engine was announced in October 2014. More Vocaloid voices were released for this updated engine in 2015.

Vocaloid 5: All-in-One Package

Vocaloid 5 was released on July 12, 2018. It had a new look and much better sound. For the first time since Vocaloid 2, the software came with voices included. The standard version had four voices, and the premium version had eight.

Vocaloid 6: AI Voices and More

Vocaloid 6 was released on October 13, 2022. It can use voices from Vocaloid 3 and newer versions. It also introduced a new type of voice called Vocaloid:AI. These AI voices support English and Japanese, with plans for Chinese. A cool new feature lets you import your own singing. Vocaloid:AI can then recreate your singing with one of its virtual voices!

Other Vocaloid Products

Over the years, many other tools and programs have been made using Vocaloid technology.

• Vocaloid-flex: This was a special speech synthesizer. It was used in the video game Metal Gear Solid: Peace Walker and for the robot model HRP-4C.
• VocaListener: This tool helps make Vocaloid songs sound more realistic. It analyzes a recording of someone singing and then helps Vocaloid imitate it.
• MikuMikuDance: This is a free program that helps people create 3D animations of Vocaloid characters. It became very popular and helped many fans make their own videos.
• NetVocaloid: This was an online service where you could make singing voices without owning the Vocaloid software. It's not available anymore.
• MMDAgent: This software lets you interact with 3D models of Vocaloid characters.
• Vocaloid Editor for Cubase: This version of Vocaloid works as a plugin for the music software Cubase.
• Vocaloid β-STUDIO: This is a test version of software that uses AI to make singing voice creation easier.
• VocaloWitter: This was a mobile app version of Vocaloid for iPhones and iPads. It let users create songs on the go.
• iVocaloid: A more advanced mobile app for iPhone and iPad, based on Vocaloid2 and Vocaloid3 engines. It allowed users to share files with PC versions of Vocaloid.
• Unity with Vocaloid: A version of the Vocaloid engine made for the Unity game engine, used for creating video games.
• Mobile Vocaloid Editor: This is an iPad and iPhone app based on the Vocaloid 4 engine. It's a simpler version of the full software, designed for mobile use.

Vocaloid Hardware

Vocaloid technology has also been used in physical devices.

• Vocaloid-Board: A future hardware version of Vocaloid.
• eVocaloid: A small sound chip that uses Vocaloid voices. It can be used in mobile devices and works in real-time. The Pocket Miku device uses an eVocaloid chip.
• Vocaloid Keyboard: This is a keytar (a keyboard you wear like a guitar) that has Vocaloid voices built into it.

Marketing and Promotion

Even though Yamaha developed Vocaloid, each studio that creates a Vocaloid voice is responsible for promoting it. Yamaha does some promotion too, like when they showed a robot reacting to Vocaloids at an event in 2009.

Japanese magazines often promote new Vocaloids and share news about them. Some Vocaloids have had free trial versions or special CDs to help sell their software. When Amazon MP3 opened in Japan, Vocaloid albums were even offered for free!

Crypton Future Media, the company behind Hatsune Miku, has done a lot to promote their characters. They've even been involved in car racing, putting Vocaloid artwork on race cars! They also created a website called Piapro where fans can share their creations. Many video games, like Hatsune Miku: Project DIVA, have been made featuring Hatsune Miku and other Vocaloids. There have even been unofficial manga comics about the characters.

English Vocaloid studios also try to connect with fans. They encourage feedback and sometimes hold competitions. Crypton Future Media plans to create an online magazine for English speakers to help the English Vocaloid fanbase grow.

Special Events

The biggest event for Vocaloid fans is "The Voc@loid M@ster" (Vom@s) convention in Japan. It happens four times a year. At this event, artists and music producers sell their Vocaloid-inspired creations. The first event in 2007 had 48 groups, and now it has nearly 500!

Vocaloids are also promoted at big music shows like NAMM and Musikmesse. New Vocaloids are often announced at these events.

Hatsune Miku, a very popular Vocaloid, has performed "live" concerts. She appears as a projection on a screen. Her first solo concert was in Tokyo in 2010. These concerts have been very successful and have even toured around the world! Other Vocaloids like Megpoid and Gackpoid have also appeared in concerts.

Vocaloid's Impact on Culture

Hatsune Miku is partly responsible for Vocaloid's success.

Vocaloid software became super popular in Japan, especially after Hatsune Miku was released. A Japanese video sharing website called Niconico played a huge role in this. One famous video showed a cute, cartoon version of Miku singing a Finnish song while holding a leek. This video showed how many creative things people could do with Vocaloid.

Niconico became a place where people worked together to create content. Someone might write a song, and then others would create illustrations, animations, or remixes for it. Creators would even share unfinished work and ask for ideas from others. Vocaloid has also been used to tell stories through songs. One popular series, Story of Evil, became so famous that it led to manga, books, and even theater shows!

In 2009, three small figures of "Hachune Miku" were launched into the sky on a rocket from Nevada, USA! Later, fans started a petition to put a special Hatsune Miku plate on a Japanese Venus space probe called Akatsuki. Over 10,000 signatures were collected, and three plates with Hatsune Miku were launched into space in 2010!

Vocaloid also influenced the character Black Rock Shooter, who looks like Hatsune Miku but is not directly related. This character became famous from a song and has had figurines and an animated video made about her.

In 2010, a special cafe based on Hatsune Miku opened for one day in Tokyo. "Snow Miku" was featured at the Sapporo Snow Festival in 2011. A TV show about Vocaloids, called Vocalo Revolution, started airing in Japan in 2011 to help the Vocaloid culture become even more popular.

Vocaloid software also influenced other similar programs, like UTAU. Some products made for the Macne series (Mac音シリーズ) could even work with UTAU.

During the 2011 Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami, many Vocaloid fans and companies helped raise money. Crypton Future Media donated money from music sales to the Japanese Red Cross. A special Hatsune Miku figurine was also sold, with part of the money going to charity.

In 2013, the Vocaloid 3 voice Oliver was used for the character PuppyCat in the web series Bee and PuppyCat. In 2023, Vocaloid even had a special collaboration with Pokémon! Hatsune Miku was drawn as different Pokémon type trainers, and then 18 different music producers created songs for each type.

Vocaloid Music

Vocaloid music started as an "underground" internet trend. But over time, it has become a very popular music style.

Early Vocaloid voices like Kaito and Meiko were used in albums as early as 2003. The first album with a full commercial Vocaloid voice was A Place in the Sun, using Leon's voice. Famous Japanese artists have also used Vocaloid voices in their music. One great thing about Vocaloid is that its voices can be used for a long time, even years after they are first released.

Some of the most popular Vocaloid albums are from the Exit Tunes label. One album, Exit Tunes Presents Vocalogenesis feat. Hatsune Miku, was the first Vocaloid album to reach number one on the Japanese music charts in May 2010! Another album, Exit Tunes Presents Vocalonexus feat. Hatsune Miku, also topped the charts in 2011.

Many other albums feature Vocaloid voices, including songs by groups like Supercell and Livetune. Hatsune Miku's first song released in North America, "World is Mine," quickly became popular on iTunes. The singer Gackt even challenged Gackpoid users to create a song, offering a big prize. The winning song, "Episode 0," was later released by Gackt himself.

In 2014, Yamaha used Vocaloid technology to recreate the voice of a rock musician named hide, who passed away in 1998. They used his actual voice recordings to complete and release his song "Co Gal." This was a unique way to bring a deceased artist's voice back to life for new music.

Legal Stuff and Rules

For drawings of the Vocaloid characters, Crypton Future Media lets artists use them for non-commercial projects as long as they give credit. This means fans can create art and videos without selling them.

Some professional singers were worried that Vocaloid software could create "clones" of their voices. Because of this, companies focused on creating unique-sounding voices instead of trying to perfectly copy specific singers. They started recording voice actors instead. Some companies don't share the names of their voice providers for privacy reasons.

When you create music with Vocaloid, you own the rights to the vocals you make. The software is like a musical instrument, and the voices are like sounds from that instrument. You can use the characters' voices for commercial or non-commercial projects. However, you cannot use the character's image or name on commercial products without permission from the company that owns them.

Companies that work with Yamaha on Vocaloid are not allowed to share secret details about new Vocaloids or the voice providers without permission.

In 2010, Crypton started a way for artists to get paid if their Vocaloid songs were used commercially, like in karaoke. Sometimes, there are arguments about whether one Vocaloid song copied another. In 2011, a Japanese boyband had to admit that one of their songs was influenced by a Vocaloid song.

Political Use of Vocaloid

In 2010, a politician in Japan tried to use Hatsune Miku's image to get younger voters interested in an election. However, Crypton Future Media said no. They didn't want her image or name used for political reasons. Even so, the politician released a song using her voice, but without crediting her or using her image in the music video.

See also

Images for kids

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  Voice model developed before Vocaloid. It combines Spectral Modeling Synthesis and the Source-Filter model.

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  Vocaloid system diagram.

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  How Vocaloid blends sounds smoothly.

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  How Vocaloid changes the sound quality of samples.

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  The robot HRP-4C dressed as Gumi, a Vocaloid character.

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  Screenshot of the Aoki Lapis version of VocaloWitter.

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  iPhone and iPad versions of iVocaloid with VY1t loaded.

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  iPad and iPhone versions of the Mobile Vocaloid Editor.

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  Vocaloid Miriam.

• Thingymajigtus

  A music album featuring Vocaloid.