Hey there MU community, I've recently been addicted to listening some Vocaloid songs (especially those from 初音ミク　
「Ｈａｔｓｕｎ ｅ　Ｍｉｋｕ」 ). So far I've listened to:

(Given the Katakana or kanji in case if you recognize the song just from that phrase)

Hatsune Miku(初音ミク):
- World is Mine (ワールドイズマ イン)
- Black ★ Rock Shooter　(ブラック★ ロックシュータ ー)
- Love is War (恋は戦争)
- Melt (メルト)
- 歌に形はないけ れど (Don't know what it is in English, but it's a slow but sweet song)
- Finder (ファインダー)
- Convenience Store (コンビニ)


Kagamine Rin/Len(鏡音リン・レ ン):
- Kokoro (ココロ 「Ｈｅａｒｔ］ ) {Rin}
- Kokoro ・Kiseki (ココロ・キセキ 　「Ｈｅａｒｔ ・Ｍｉｒａｃｌ ｅ」)　{Len)
- オトメラブコメ レンアイジジョ ウ {Rin/Len duet. Cute song too}
- Time & Space {Rin}


KAITO:
- Cantarella (カンタレラ)　｛ ｆｅａｔ．Ｈａ ｔｓｕｎｅ　Ｍ ｉｋｕ｝　　---> I thought this was a tragic yet sweet song
- 瞳をとじて (Don't know it's translation but I know it was originally done by Ken Hirai. Another sweet song)




So yeah, this is what I've been listening to, so I'd like to ask you guys if you ever heard of any other good Vocaloid songs. It can be original or re-make from popular anime or music, but also heard of the things like Levan Polka ^^.

If you have heard of some good ones, could you tell me the song and if possible the maker of the song too? I'd like to listen to various other songs made by the Vocaloids (Hatsune Miku, Kagamine Rin/Len, KAITO, MEIKO). Thanks for your response!

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TRULY EPIC

Wait a minute!!..... From what I know, Vocaloid is that vocal synth software, right!? From Yamaha I think (maybe Korg)..... I remember using it some time back.... creating some vocal samples for some of my production work..... Back in 02/03, many people in the electronic music industry received prototype alpha/beta software.

Does this mean the Artists you mentioned are all "virtual" beings who have entire albums out?..... Whoa!!.... didn't know about that.

My experience with the early Vocaloid beta software wasn't very good.... it could pull off some stuff pretty well, but it was nowhere near an average human voice (don't even bother trying to get it to sound like Eleanora Fagan or Whitney Houston).... Maybe the software has improved now.... but I'm still pretty shocked regarding the existence of Vocaloid artists. (Japan has always taken this virtual idol stuff a bit too far, IMO).

@NightFoxXIII,
What kind of music is it.... is it the usual digital idol stuff or is it actually audible?

Last edited by gan17 at 6:40 am, Jul 29 2008

________________
~Point & Squirt~

So let me get this straight, Vocaloid music is digital music with simulated vocals?

Hmm... color me skeptical.

________________
Listen here
Livin just to keep from dyin

I personally don't like Vocaloid.
It is some cool tech though.
Ievan Polkka was prolly the best
out of what I've heard, but that's
prolly due to the fact that I know
what it says.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iaZYvoVuBL4

I wouldn't class this as music....

Eeek!!..... Cheese tends to attract rats!!

I'm sure people can do better with the software..... but IMHO, God-given things like the human voice can't be replaced entirely, regardless of the tech used.

Sorry NightFoxXIII, I guess we can't help you with that.... you gotta wait for the hardcore Genshiken types to see the post.

EDIT:
Just listened to some samples from Yamaha.... Vocaloid 2..... Not impressed... not much better than the beta I used back in 03.

Last edited by gan17 at 8:05 am, Jul 29 2008

________________
~Point & Squirt~

It's Vocaloid 2. Vocaloid 1 was pathetic.

Vocaloid songs are created by telling it exactly what to say (Typing it out phonetically, and it only supports japanese). It's basically an expanded microsoft sam voice.

http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=G_1BvRmnkkA
catchy chorus, takes a while to reach it >_>

Hmmm while the voices do sound odd, I think the technology might be a step forward in enhancing voices for software, machines, etc. Although it's probably not amazing for others, it's fascinating and awesome how a software can sing and generate responses from a pool of sampling data, while producing a coherent output.

Generally speaking, vocaloid is still undeniably far from the level of a real person. It's sort of fun to play around with occasionally, but I'm so bad at it that I can't produce anything worthwhile. The closest I've heard to something real is probably Koi wa Sensou, but even that is pretty far off (it sounds better with a real singer too).

I like Miku's character design a lot though -_-;;.

@Rob1988: I'm pretty sure that's supposed to be an opening for an imaginary eroge. I don't think it was created with "music" in mind.



________________

Reviews of my Work:
You are kind of boring - Blackorion
Congratulations! Ur an asshole! - tokyo_homi
Your awesome!!! - Cherelle_Ashley
NightSwan also said that she wanted to peg me, once, but I'm not sure whether to take that as a compliment or a threat...

You have a point there.

But when it comes to enhancing vocals for music, Plug-ins for Pro Tools and Ableton Live have been able to do those for a long time.... and with superior results.... although they still require a human voice sample as a base.


________________
~Point & Squirt~

Part 1:
I've seen after roaming around Nico Nico Video and through links, they can release singles and albums for certain songs, but from what I've seen so far, the songs have been 'free' especially songs like Black Rock Shooter and such. Or you can always extract the song from the site using a 'Youtube'-like mp3 ripper site. Lol ^^''

Part 2:
If by digital idol stuff, you meant the Vocaloid's singing the songs, then yes. Otherwise, I have totally misunderstood this quote for some reason -.-''

If by audible, you mean actual real human voices singing, then somewhat yes, as there were at times when fans made their own version of singing the original Vocaloid song such as Kokoro. (What a run-on sentence -.-)
[Note: Kokoro was originally done by Kagamine Rin, but later sung by a fan. English translation can be choppy sometimes too in the vid]
http://ca.youtube.com/watch?v=yKQ9As5BwzE



Lol, no problem, I understand your point. I was just fascinated by the technology and wanted to see some of the good ones made out there. But yes, your right about the fact that technology can't replace the thing that differs between us and technology: Heart... lol ^^'' (corny I know, but yeah this is what I feel)


Other than that, I've been pretty open to music type so long as it's catchy as has a good vibe to it. Kinda explains why I'm interested with the Vocaloids now



I guess I'll just have to wait for the response from everyone else and see where it leads me, although I do like everyone's perspective on this ^^''.

Last edited by NightFoxXIII at 10:52 am, Jul 29 2008

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TRULY EPIC

Milli Vanilli for the loss.

I don't find it surprising at all that people are trying to use a computer program to emulate the human voice in a musical fashion, though. That is essentially the premise of many musical instruments, from the violin, to the saxophone, to the harmonica. IMO, these instruments almost do a better job. It's not about the words, it's about the inflection.

________________
Listen here
Livin just to keep from dyin

I think humanity probably invented percussion first (caveman hitting rocks) before we realized we could sing.

As for instruments doing a better job... I sorta feel the same way.... but that's probably because I'd cause mass extinction if I tried singing.

Milli Vanilli eh,...

Keep on running, baby
Ooh ooh-ooh ooh
Keep on running, ba-ba-baby
Ooh ooh-ooh ooh (ah, look out, get funky)
Ba ba-ba, ba ba-ba ba-ba (look out, get funky)
Ba ba-ba, ba ba-ba ba-ba (ah ah-ah-ah ah-ah ah-ah-ah)


Maybe someone should run those lyrics through Vocaloid.... would probably be an improvement......... wait...... actually,, cows mooing would probably be an improvement over Milli Vanilli.

________________
~Point & Squirt~

Once you really learn the program some effects are quite cool.
http://ca.youtube.com/watch?v=HGMd1w-T6rg
http://ca.youtube.com/watch?v=OLzOrik5YJ8
http://ca.youtube.com/watch?v=Q32IX6_xAmQ
http://ca.youtube.com/watch?v=DouheoH8GTs - insane 0.o