VOCALOID (software)

VOCALOID (hereinafter stylized as Vocaloid ) is the term used to refer to the voice synthesis technology developed by Yamaha. Sung lyrics can be created by inputting the melody and lyrics into the software, which then converts them into a playable audio file sung by a sampled human voice.
Companies that have agreed to a licensing agreement with Yamaha can produce their own vocalist libraries containing sampled sounds and sell them as commercial products in combination with Yamaha software. VOCALOID and its Japanese abbreviated form,ボカロ, are registered trademarks of Yamaha Corporation.

Summary and history

With Vocaloid software, it's incredibly cheap and easy to create expressive music without hiring a real singer. However, since the software only handles vocals, additional software is required to create musical arrangements that accompany the vocals.
Since a real human voice is sampled per voicebank library, more natural singing elements can be synthesized, including pitch changes, vibrato settings, and other melodic embellishments.

The Vocaloid project began in March 2000 under the name "DAISY." After three years of collaborative research with Yamaha and the Music Technology Group at the Universitat Pompei Fabra (UPF) in Barcelona, ​​Vocaloid signal processing was developed.
Vocaloid was first announced in February 2003, and in 2004, the first packaged product for personal computers using Vocaloid technology was released by ZERO-G in the United Kingdom. Since then, Vocaloid-compatible sound libraries have been released by vendors worldwide, including in Japan.
Version upgrades have since been released; VOCALOID2 (2007), VOCALOID3 (2011), VOCALOID4 (2014), and the latest version VOCALOID5 which was released in 2018.

Originally developed for use as chorus vocals, Vocaloid was actively used for lead vocals shortly after its initial release. Since 2007, when Hatsune Miku used VOCALOID2 technology , many songs using Vocaloid software as lead vocals have been released online, and the software has gained worldwide exposure. Since then, record companies have become increasingly receptive to the idea of ​​accepting artists who primarily use Vocaloid for vocals. In 2010, "EXIT TUNES PRESENTS Vocalogenesis feat. Hatsune Miku" became the first album using Vocaloid for vocals to reach number one on the Oricon Weekly Albums Chart.

Origin of the name

The name Vocaloid was created by combining the term "vocal" with the suffix "oid," which denotes a form or likeness. An example of its use is the word "humanoid" (human-like). In this way, "Vocaloid" has the meaning "to be similar to the voice." The name was determined early in development, although many fans mistakenly believe Vocaloid to be simply a juxtaposition of "vocal" and "android." Simply put, Vocaloid is the name of the software itself, and any voice libraries using character names or illustrations are complementary to the software itself.

Vocaloid Products Released

Many voicebanks using Vocaloid technology have been released by many different companies with varying degrees of success. Indeed, Crypton Future Media's Hatsune Miku version has proven to be the most popular Vocaloid voicebank to date.

ZERO-G

ZERO-G was the first British manufacturer to release Vocaloid products.

Crypton Future Media

Crypton Future Media is a Japanese company that sold Vocaloid products using the first Vocaloid engine with ZERO-G.

PowerFX

PowerFX is a Swedish manufacturer that markets software based on the Vocaloid2 engine. It is distributed by Crypton Future Media for sales in Japan.

Internet Co.

Internet Co. is a long-established desktop music manufacturer (DTM) in Japan that quickly entered the Vocaloid production industry.

AHS

AH-Software is a Japanese software sales company.

Yamaha

1st Place

1st PLACE is a Japanese music production company.

RELEASE MUSIC

RELEASE MUSIC is a Japanese label owned by Pony Canyon.

gynoid

gynoid is a Japanese label.

References

VOCALOID - Wikipedia
Crypton product page
Computer Media News
The Independent
Crypton CV01A product page
Vocaloid Blog