Vocaloid facts for kids

This page is about the software as a whole. For the first edition, see Vocaloid (software).

Quick facts for kids
Vocaloid

Interface of Vocaloid 6
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 (ボーカロイド, Bōkaroido) is a special computer program that helps create singing voices. It was created by Yamaha Corporation with help from a university in Barcelona, Spain. The first version of Vocaloid came out in 2004.

With Vocaloid, you can make a computer sing or even speak by typing in words and notes. The software uses recordings of real voice actors or singers to make these sounds. To create a song, you just need to put in the tune and the words. You can also change how the words are pronounced, add effects like vibrato (a wavering sound), or change the voice's loudness and tone.

Many different voice packs, called "voice banks," have been made for Vocaloid. Each one is like having "a singer in a box" and is meant to sound like a real person singing. These voice banks often come with a cute character, like a virtual idol. Some of these virtual idols have even performed in live concerts as a projection on stage!

Vocaloid was first available in English and Japanese. The first English voices were Leon, Lola, and Miriam. The first Japanese voices were Meiko and Kaito. Later versions added support for Spanish, Chinese, and Korean voices. Vocaloid is used by both professional musicians and people who just enjoy making music on their computers.

How Vocaloid Works

Vocaloid's singing technology works by taking small pieces of human singing voices and putting them together. It can make voices sound very real by adding singing effects like vibrato. This technology was first called "frequency-domain singing articulation splicing and shaping" when Vocaloid came out in 2004. This long name is not used anymore.

Inside the Vocaloid System

Vocaloid system diagram

The main parts of the Vocaloid system are 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 voice sounds. The synthesis engine puts it all together to make the final singing voice. If you already have Vocaloid, you can add more voice packs easily. The system supports Japanese, Korean, and English. You can use Vocaloid by itself or with other music programs.

The Music Editor

Score editor (example)

The music editor looks like a piano roll. This is where you put in notes, lyrics, and special singing effects. When you type in words, the editor automatically changes them into phonetic symbols (how the words sound). You can also change these symbols yourself for words that are not in the dictionary. The editor has many settings to make the singing sound just right. You can even play songs in real-time using a MIDI keyboard.

The Voice Library

Each Vocaloid voice pack has a "singer library." This is a collection of voice sounds recorded from real people. The library needs to have all the possible sound combinations for the language. For example, to say "sing," the system combines sounds like "s-I," "I-N," and "N-g." Vocaloid changes the pitch of these sounds to match your melody. To make the voices sound natural, three or four different pitch ranges are recorded. Japanese libraries need fewer sounds than English ones because Japanese words often end in vowels.

The Sound Engine

Vocaloid synthesis engine

The sound engine takes the music information from the editor. It then adjusts the pitch and sound quality of the chosen voice samples. Finally, it combines them to create the singing voice.

Changing the Pitch: Since the voice samples are recorded at different pitches, the engine changes them to fit your song. It figures out the right pitch from your notes and then picks the best sounds from the library.

Adjusting the Timing: In singing, the beginning of a consonant sound often happens before the vowel sound. Vocaloid makes sure the vowel sound starts exactly when the note begins. This helps prevent any delays in the singing.

Connecting the Sounds

Spectral envelope interpolation between samples

Spectral peak processing for timbre manipulation

When the processed sounds are put together, the engine smooths out any rough spots. It makes sure the sound flows naturally from one part to the next.

Changing the Sound Quality: The engine also smooths the sound quality where different voice samples meet. For example, when combining sounds for the word "set," the engine blends the "e" sound from "s-e" with the "e" sound from "e-t."

Vocaloid's Journey Through Time

Screenshot of the software interface for Vocaloid

Vocaloid 1: The Beginning

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

Vocaloid 2: A New Look

Vocaloid 2 was released in 2007. This version used actual vocal samples, which made the voices sound even better. The entire program and its look were updated. Japanese Vocaloids also had a Japanese interface.

Vocaloid 3: More Voices, More Languages

Vocaloid 3 came out on October 21, 2011. Many studios updated their older Vocaloid 2 voices to work with this new engine. This brought improved voice samples and more options for users.

Vocaloid 4: Expanding the Family

In October 2014, the English voice Ruby was announced for the Vocaloid 4 engine. Several other Vocaloid voices were also updated to V4 in 2015.

Vocaloid 5: All-in-One Package

Vocaloid 5 was released on July 12, 2018. It had a completely new look and major improvements to the sound engine. 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: The AI Era

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. This version lets you import your own singing and have Vocaloid:AI recreate it with one of its voices.

Other Vocaloid Programs

Special Software

HRP-4C cosplaying as Gumi, a mascot of Megpoid, at CEATEC JAPAN 2009

Vocaloid-flex: Yamaha also made Vocaloid-flex, which was a speech synthesizer. It allowed users to change sounds more precisely to make them sound like real speech. This software was used in the video game Metal Gear Solid: Peace Walker. It was mainly for companies, but a limited version called V-Talk was available for a short time.

VocaListener: VocaListener is another tool that helps make realistic Vocaloid songs. It analyzes a recording of someone singing and then automatically creates Vocaloid settings to match it.

MikuMikuDance

To help create 3D animations for Vocaloid characters, a free program called MikuMikuDance was made. This program helped many fans create their own animations and promote Vocaloid songs.

NetVocaloid: NetVocaloid was an online service where you could make singing voices using the Vocaloid engine on a server. This meant you didn't need to own the software yourself. It was available in English and Japanese, but it is no longer offered.

MMDAgent: MMDAgent is a program that lets you interact with 3D models of Vocaloid characters. It uses 3D models and sound files that are available online.

Vocaloid Editor for Cubase

This version of Vocaloid is made to work with the music software Cubase. It acts as a plugin and can use any Vocaloid 2 or 3 voice. This makes it easy to use Vocaloid with Cubase's other tools.

Vocaloid β-STUDIO: β-STUDIO is a special test version from Yamaha that uses AI to make singing voice synthesis even better. It's a limited service that will end on March 31, 2024.

VocaloWitter

VocaloWitter
screenshot of Aoki Lapis vers.
Developer(s)	Yamaha Corporation
Available in	Japanese
Type	Voice Synthesizer Software
License	Proprietary

This was a mobile app version of Vocaloid for the iPhone. It used Vocaloid2 technology. Yamaha showed it at an expo in Japan.
VocaloWitter products

VY1: A Japanese female voice, released for this app in December 2010.
VY2: A Japanese male voice, planned but never released for this app.
Aoki Lapis: A Japanese female voice, added in December 2012.

iVocaloid

iVocaloid
iPhone and iPad vers. with VY1t loaded
Available in	Japanese
Type	Voice synthesizer Apps
License	Proprietary

This was a more advanced app for iPhone and iPad, based on Vocaloid2 and Vocaloid3. It had many features similar to the computer version but was much cheaper. It was updated in August 2014 to allow users to share files with Vocaloid 3.
iVocaloid products

VY1: A female voice, the first one sold for this app.
VY2: A male voice, made available in October 2011.
Aoki Lapis: A female voice, added in November 2012.
Merli: A female voice, added in August 2014.

Unity with Vocaloid: This is a version of the Vocaloid engine made for the Unity game engine.

Mobile Vocaloid Editor

Mobile Vocaloid Editor
iPad and iPhone versions of the software
Developer(s)	Yamaha Corporation
Available in	Japanese, English
Type	Vocal Synthesizer Apps
License	Proprietary

Mobile Vocaloid Editor is an iPad and iPhone app that uses the Vocaloid 4 engine. It comes with a basic VY1 voice. It can handle many music tracks and bars of music. While it has English voices, the app itself is only in Japanese and sold only in Japan.
Mobile Vocaloid Editor products

VY1: The full version of the Japanese female VY1 voice.
ZOLA Project: Yuu, Wil, and Kyo are three male voices, sold separately.
Aoki Lapis: Japanese female voice.
Merli: Japanese female voice.
Mew: Japanese female voice.
Galaco: Japanese female voice, with "red" and "blue" versions sold separately.
Cyber Diva: English female voice.
Yuzuki Yukari: Japanese female voice, with "Jun," "Onn," and "Lin" versions sold separately.
Sachiko: Japanese female voice.
Megpoid: Female voice, with "Native" (Japanese) and "English" versions sold separately.
Unity-Chan: Japanese female voice.

Vocaloid Hardware

Vocaloid-Board: Vocaloid is also planned to become a hardware version called Vocaloid-Board.

eVocaloid

This is a small sound chip that uses the VY1 voice. It can be used in mobile devices and works in real-time. The Pocket Miku device is one example that uses an eVocaloid chip.

Vocaloid Keyboard

This is a special keyboard instrument that has Vocaloid voices built into it.

Promoting Vocaloid

Even though Yamaha developed Vocaloid, each studio that creates a Vocaloid voice is in charge of promoting it. Yamaha does help promote the software itself. For example, a robot named HRP-4C was set up to react to Vocaloids at an event in 2009.

Japanese magazines like DTM magazine often promote new Japanese Vocaloids. They feature characters like Hatsune Miku and report the latest Vocaloid news. Trial versions of voices and special CDs have also helped promote Vocaloids. When Amazon MP3 opened in Japan in 2010, Vocaloid albums were featured for free.

Crypton Future Media, the company behind Hatsune Miku, has been very active in promoting their characters. They have even sponsored race cars in the Super GT series since 2008. These cars feature cool artwork of Vocaloid characters.

Crypton also created the website Piapro, where fans can share their creations. Many games, like Hatsune Miku: Project DIVA, have been made using Hatsune Miku and other Crypton Vocaloids. There have also been unofficial manga (Japanese comics) featuring Vocaloid characters.

For English Vocaloid studios, some have used social media like MySpace and Twitter to connect with fans. They often ask for fan feedback and even hold competitions. Crypton also planned to start an online magazine for English readers to help the English Vocaloid fanbase grow.

Crypton and Toyota worked together to promote the 2011 Toyota Corolla using Hatsune Miku. This helped introduce Miku to the US. Crypton usually sells Hatsune Miku as a musical instrument, but they asked their Japanese fans if it was okay to market her as a virtual singer in the United States.

Special Events

The biggest event for Vocaloids is "The Voc@loid M@ster" (Vom@s) convention held several times a year in Tokyo. This event brings together artists and music producers who create Vocaloid art and music. They can sell their work to others there. The event started small in 2007 but grew very popular, with hundreds of groups participating.

Vocaloids have also been promoted at big music shows like NAMM and Musikmesse. These events are often where new Vocaloids are announced. For example, Prima was announced at NAMM in 2007.

Originally, the president of Crypton Future Media said Hatsune Miku was not a virtual idol, but a type of music instrument. However, Hatsune Miku performed her first "live" concert as a virtual idol on a projection screen in August 2009. Her image was shown using a special screen. Miku also performed her first concert outside Japan in Singapore in November 2009. Her first solo concert in Tokyo was in March 2010. These concerts became very popular, and Crypton is the only studio to have organized world tours for their Vocaloids.

Hatsune Miku also had concerts in North America, starting in San Francisco in September 2010. Videos of her performances have been released worldwide. Other Vocaloids like Megpoid and Gackpoid have also appeared in concerts using the same projection method. Since then, there have been many concerts every year featuring Miku, such as the Magical Mirai and Miku Expo series.

Vocaloid's Impact on Culture

Vocaloid became very popular in Japan after Crypton Future Media released Hatsune Miku Vocaloid 2. A Japanese video sharing website called Niconico played a big part in its popularity. A user posted a video of a cute version of Miku singing a Finnish song, which showed how many different ways the software could be used.

As Vocaloid grew, Niconico became a place for people to create things together. If someone made a popular song, other users would create illustrations, animations, or remixes for it. Creators would even share unfinished work and ask for ideas. Vocaloid has also been used to tell stories through songs. The Story of Evil series became so popular that it led to a manga, books, and even theater shows.

In September 2009, three small figures of "Hachune Miku" were launched into the sky from Nevada, USA, though they didn't reach outer space. Later, a petition was started to put a Hatsune Miku plate on a Japanese Venus space probe called Akatsuki. Over 10,000 signatures were collected, and on May 21, 2010, Akatsuki launched with three plates showing Hatsune Miku.

The Vocaloid software also influenced the character Black Rock Shooter, who looks like Hatsune Miku but is not directly related. This character became famous from a song called "Black Rock Shooter."

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

Vocaloid also influenced the creation of other free software like UTAU. Some products were made for the Macne series (Mac音シリーズ) to work with music programs like Reason 4.

During the 2011 Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami, many Vocaloid-related donation drives were organized. Crypton Future Media donated money from music sales to the Japanese Red Cross. A special Hatsune Miku figure was also sold, with part of the money going to the Red Cross.

In 2012, Vocaloid was noted for helping increase interest in cosplay (dressing up as characters). In 2013, the Vocaloid 3 voice Oliver was used for the character PuppyCat in the web series Bee and PuppyCat.

In 2017, a musical based on the Vocaloid song "The Daughter of Evil" was announced. It has been performed multiple times in Tokyo.

In 2023, a Pokémon collaboration called Project Voltage was announced. It features art of Hatsune Miku as different Pokémon type trainers. After the artwork was released, 18 different music producers released songs for the project.

Vocaloid Music

Vocaloid Miriam Stockley

Vocaloid music was once seen as an internet underground culture. However, over time, it has become a very popular type of music. Musicians who create songs using Vocaloid are called Vocaloid producers.

Some of the earliest uses of Vocaloid voices were on an album by Hideki Matsutake in 2003. The first album to use a full commercial Vocaloid was A Place in the Sun, which featured Leon's voice. The software's best feature is that it can be used for a long time after it's first released.

Some of the most popular albums are from the Exit Tunes label in Japan. One of these albums, Exit Tunes Presents Vocalogenesis feat. Hatsune Miku, was the first Vocaloid album to reach No. 1 on the Japanese music charts in May 2010. Another album, Exit Tunes Presents Vocalonexus feat. Hatsune Miku, also topped the charts in January 2011.

Other albums, like First Sound Story and Re:Repackage, also feature Miku's voice. The singer Gackt even challenged Gackpoid users to create a song. The winning song, "Episode 0", was later released by Gackt.

To celebrate the release of Vocaloid 3, a compilation album called The Vocaloids was released. It had 18 songs sung by Japanese Vocaloids. The musician Porter Robinson used the Vocaloid Avanna for his album Worlds.

Yamaha used Vocaloid technology to recreate the voice of the rock musician hide, who passed away in 1998. This allowed them to finish and release his song "Co Gal" in 2014. This was believed to be the first time a song by a deceased artist was commercially released with new lyrics sung after their death.

Rules and Rights

For pictures of the Vocaloid characters, Crypton Future Media allows artists to use them for non-commercial projects. This means you can create fan art or videos as long as you give credit and don't sell them.

Some professional singers were worried that Vocaloid software might create "clones" of their voices. Because of this, companies focused on creating unique voices rather than imitating specific singers. This led to recording the voices of voice actors instead.

The rights to songs created with Vocaloid belong to the person who made the song. The software is treated like a musical instrument. However, the companies own the rights to the character images and names. This means you can't sell products with the character's image without their permission.

Employees who work with Vocaloid development are not allowed to share details about new Vocaloids or the identity of voice providers without permission.

In November 2010, Crypton started a way for Vocaloid users to get money when their songs are used commercially, like in karaoke. This was because many Vocaloid users didn't use traditional copyright groups.

Sometimes, there have been arguments about plagiarism (copying someone else's work) with Vocaloid songs and art. In January 2011, a Japanese boyband had to admit that one of their songs was influenced by a Vocaloid song.