Vocaloid Appreciation Thread

[Raenir Salazar]

First what are Vocaloid? Explaination shamelessly ripped from TvTropes: (http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/Vocaloid)


Vocaloids (from "vocal" and "android") are music synthesizing programs based on real human voice samples and technology created by the Yamaha Corporation. There are currently 24 vocaloids (Rin and Len count as one product instead of two); and fans have created personalities for each character based on official art (some have no official art) and voice. Fans have also created characters based on official releases, such as Neru Akita and Haku Yowane.

To use a Vocaloid, one simply has to type in the lyrics of the song of his choosing as well as the melody for said song, although to have the result sound natural, a lot of tuning may be required. Vocaloids have become so popular that an official unofficial manga adaptation, Hatsune Mix, was created, telling the trials and tribulations of the Crypton-produced Vocaloid family: Kaito, Miku Hatsune, Meiko, Rin and Len Kagamine, and Luka Megurine.

Vocaloid has recently taken major steps to becoming Serious Business.

[On the Internet, anyway. Even with it having some recent extensions into the real world, Vocaloid is still a niche thing, even to Japanese who identify as Otaku, with several of them not even knowing there are more Vocaloids than Miku Hatsune.]

Flagship character Miku Hatsune has become a fully-fledged Virtual Celebrity, with an album featuring her work (composed by synthesizer band Supercell) nearly topping the Japanese music charts at No.2, and Miku herself recently putting on a live concert at Animelo Summer Live 2009.


Alright while I'm a fan it's from mostly the angle of "wow, that's interesting technology" especially when it comes to the holographic live concerts but the actual songs themselves tend to be fairly hit or miss for me.

Since I can't understand the lyrics I tend to enjoy the songs when they are either an Ear Worm of some kind, or interesting in a aural sense. The beat/tempo/wordplay has to catch my attention (I may not understand the words but I can recognize patterns and rhythm).

Alright so, what are some good songs to start from? I'm glad you asked!

Now the list I'm about to give is a *little* biased as I do favour Gumi (she's the one with green hair and googles) but I'll try my best to find as many as possible from some varied sources.

From Hatsune Miku: World is Mine (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DTXO7KGHtjI) comes in a 1080p live concert!

From the creepy twins I mean Kagamine Ren and Len: Butterfly on the Right (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u_gBSWE_KYE&feature=related) I kinda like this song but I haven't really explored their songs much.

Oh almost forgot Trick and Treat (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jr0qMDzxE1s) Okay I *really* like this one.

Luka: I like the way she looks, very adult looking but I haven't really explored her songs but I find Funiculì, funiculà (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QILiObOAzu8&feature=related) to be *awesome* it's a vocaloid.... Singing in vibrato.

Oh and Luka & Hatsune: Magnet, live 1080p (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VlTZ0IWfVBQ)

Gack: Owata aka Turkish March (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iCrt8kJ-Drs) Very funny, also fun to listen to. Overlaps between the category of "good to see/know the lyrics to" while also being "fun/awesome to listen to".

Gumi: Mosaic Roll (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_S_7KGJfuvY) awesome animation in the background with a touching story.

Cowardly Montblanc (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O_BANzQccyo&feature=related) very sad story, I think its about an arranged marriage contract and Gumi's second thoughts and regrets.

Gumi&Hatsune: Matroshka (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_JGaQ3g8WU4&feature=related) I have no idea what's going on but it *sounds* insanely awesome.

Niconico ver. with Russian chorus: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kJ7gwrD3bvI

Not-Quite-Vocaloid but tangentially related: Love Lost Elegy feat. Marina (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EmOOnU1ykRQ), marina is the stage name of a vocalist for I think the Girls Dead Monster band and she does the vocals for Iwasawa in the anime "Angel Beats!" I like her voice and she does some vocaloid work.

Mosaic Roll again but feat. Marina (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RerSf30psD4)

Cowardly Montblanc with marina. (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AenpNhOpPMg)

Vocaloid fandubbing: Okay this is *certainly* going to be the Love it or Hate it category, I actually found some of the songs interesting enough lyrically speaking to want to sing along so I looked up some dubwork and was impressed by some of the results.

Cowardly Montblanc English (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oCcanMkmnNA) is I think is the best I've seen.

fandubber "Enmily" is also *very good* awesomely good; why? Because she has the presence of mind and finances to actually go to a music studio to record it. Yay! Quality!

Mosaic Roll Russian: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h3INYxWMfdY

Love is War (original is Hatsune Miku): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hU7MqgLJkQ4

Magnet Russian (Original is usually Luka and Hatsune): http://www.youtube.com/user/RusEmnily#p/u/3/Az1VWw2DMis

From the video you can find her page to find her other stuff, all of it is pretty good. Studio quality!

Links that anyone finds definitely welcome.

[ruaidhri]

Raenir, welcome to OP9.

Vocaloid is creative, interesting and entertaining. It's totally new to me.

[Fred]

Welcome Raenir Salazar. Like Ruaidhri, I had never heard of this music. Thanks for sharing.

[Druid]

Oh man, sure is /a/ in here.

[Raenir Salazar]

Oh man, sure is /a/ in here.

Never been to 4chan never will. I *haaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaate* the idea of just 1 massive thread and no organization.

Also, you have not seen nothing yet, look at the thread that is probably below or above depending if anyone posts in it or not after I click the post botton right now.

[Nights_into_dreams]

Hatsune Miku o.O;

How popular is she really in Japan?

[Raenir Salazar]

Hatsune Miku o.O;

How popular is she really in Japan?

The Tvtropes page implies its actually fairly niche and obscure even among Otaku's but the fanbase does seem to be pretty strong for there to be live concerts and calls for a North American tour.

They're also working on an English version of Hatsune Miku's software, I'm prefer Gumi's but take them as they come I guess.

The voice composition software *is* pretty splendid and in demand.

Vocaloid is pretty much the dream goal for otaku's, basically the 2d made 3d idol who'll 'never' grow old, or burn out, or do "inappropriate things". Though it is probably a long way before they can enter the acting sphere.

Not that I'm at the level or anything but I do see the potential and think Virtual Celebrities would be awesome although they will never replace Aya Hirano in my mind.

[belladonna]

I absolutely abhor vocaloid!! My future sister in law loves it and it creeps me out so much, plus she'll sit there for hours making tracks and playing with them. All of the ringtones on her phone as well as all of her alarms were vocaloid tracks that she had created... Ugh

/rant

[Raenir Salazar]

I absolutely abhor vocaloid!! My future sister in law loves it and it creeps me out so much, plus she'll sit there for hours making tracks and playing with them. All of the ringtones on her phone as well as all of her alarms were vocaloid tracks that she had created... Ugh

/rant

Well wait a second here, actually going to the time to buy and install the voice song composition software, and going to the trouble of learning to use a program (probably in a foreign language, I'm not sure of your circumstances) for it is to me pretty good effort, that's like the difference between the guy who loves manga *alot* and the guy who actually goes to the effort to buy materials, buy books, and actually learns to draw.

Liking something is a hobby, learning to do it yourself is a possible long term career investment. I mean, if it gets your sister into the music industry and inspires her is it really such a bad thing?

Not that there *isnt* horrid vocaloid songs; a large number of them to me are Hit and Miss quality, and yes, uncanny valley in some circumstances but lets stay objective here.

Be sure to link her this thread! There's probably some vocaloid songs she'ld like she might not have heard of that she may like :)

But I can totally emphasize with the "relative/friend gets totally into something and weirds you out from that hobby" I to this day never seen Neon Genesis Evangelion due to how crazy popular it was at my local anime club in College.

[belladonna]

Now, just because my opinion is not the norm in this thread does not make it any less relevant. No, my sister in law did not have to learn how to use the program, she is Japanese and they make it fairly easy to use if you are a native speaker. She also does not speak much English so she would not be able to read this and I'm sure she already knows most if not all of the songs in this thread. She is already a music teacher, and she does not even want to be a "professional" in this field as you suggested.

[Raenir Salazar]

So shes an adult simply enjoying a hobby thats directly related to her job? More power to her :)

It's like an art teacher drawing manga.

[belladonna]

You obviously were not paying attention when I said that she would do it for hours, to everyone's chagrin. It finally got to the point that I couldn't do homework because it was so distracting

[Raenir Salazar]

You obviously were not paying attention when I said that she would do it for hours, to everyone's chagrin. It finally got to the point that I couldn't do homework because it was so distracting

I'm not sure you're quite getting the nuance in my statement.

Most notably:


But I can totally emphasize with the "relative/friend gets totally into something and weirds you out from that hobby" I to this day never seen Neon Genesis Evangelion due to how crazy popular it was at my local anime club in College.


It is not a contradiction to on the one hand, support objectively the idea of her hobby; it is for sure a very constructive hobby that ties into her teaching profession and provides in all due respect some pretty impressive skills, it art and there's nothing irredeemable about art and the act of creating something potentially beautiful and showing off your newfound craftmenship.

On the other hand, as I've explained there's absolutely nothing wrong with you personally getting chagrined when she or other hypothetically go to far with their hobby to the detriment of people around her, its alright to be annoyed but it has to be recognized that on an objective level it is a constructive hobby that deserves a little support as it does for her in this case, a large amount of moderation.

Suppose I spend 14 hours a day on the computer every day (not a big stretch), there is no doubt that spending time on the computer in of itself can be a very constructive activity; but there is a "too much" and one should while spending that much time either work to cut back on time on the computer or make sure to do about 1-2 hours of exercise and eat right to stay healthy and keep the lifestyle in balance.

It does sound to me that potentially your sister in law *is* spending too much time enamored in her hobby potentially to her own harm and harm to others around her (Classical Libertarianism) and you're right to talk with her about it.

But it also sounds like you might not be objectively respectful of the hobby or recognize its good points, which I don't think is constructive or going to get anywhere. I don't know your circumstances and its not really my place to comment and what I'm about to say is usually more appropriate if she were living with you but here goes.

When my parents criticized me for spending too much time on the computer I did only the minimum required to maximize my time on it, they weren't really respectful of the productive things that I *did* do and generally acted in a manner assuming that there was absolutely nothing redeeming or productive with my time on the computer.

My older sister who stepped in took a different tact, she was more respectful of my hobby, she explained that I *do* have every right to be on the computer even to play games or surf the internet but I *needed* absolutely needed for my own sake, health and long term happiness to try to make an effort to cut back or increase the ratio of productive use to unproductive use.

Right now I maybe spend 12 hours a week "playing" as opposed to the 70ish hours last year, I go for about an hour and 15 minute walk each day and plan to commence jogging/biking once my doctor fixes my Epistaxis problems.

I also each week ask my sister for input on cheap and healthier food recipes for when I next move out I can eat both within a budget and not gain weight as I did the last time I moved out and didn't eat well. (Processed foods etc).

So what I'm just suggesting is that (based entirely what I am getting from your posts and it's entirely possible I'm wrong) you might be able to get a little further with your sister in law with moderating her hobby with a more respectful tact.

It *is* a constructive and rewarding hobby, it *does* seem to be the case she is going a wee bit overboard, but surely a compromise can be found, neh?

And I absolutely mean this is the most respectful possible way, I freely admit I don't know the whole story nor is it my right or responsibility to but in and you are of course completely free to not take the advice, but I'm just giving my 2 cents.

You sound like a wonderful person who cares about your inlaw I'm just responding from personal experience and just trying to help.

I hope we can be friends. ^_^

[Nights_into_dreams]

Bella doesn't make friends, she eats them.

[belladonna]

Let's just agree to disagree, we were living together and sharing a room at the time so it was excessive, especially after she left her job.

[Raenir Salazar]

Let's just agree to disagree, we were living together and sharing a room at the time so it was excessive, especially after she left her job.

And I'm saying you are absolutely in your right to be annoyed, especially if she wasn't being considerate by say, using headphones (I haven't used my speakers in over a year), I'm only saying that the hobby, in of itself if not taking to extremes and used in moderation like any other hobby isn't without virtue.

Heck, I can assure you at least one family has probably been broken up due to a fathers obsessive stamp collection. http://i.somethingawful.com/forumsystem/emoticons/emot-corsair.gif

[Raenir Salazar]

Woot, found a massive 15gb album collection for vocaloid! No more youtube downloading! Studio quality songs! Woot!

[Raenir Salazar]

I think watching the Vocaloids dance live is definitely half the appeal for some of the songs, those are some very graceful dance moves.

[Swede]

Yeah, think I'm with Bella. More power to the people who do like it, but it kinda sorta creeps me the hell out.

[Raenir Salazar]

Your post is a little more reasoned though.

[Daishikaze]

I'm with Bella and Swede on this one.

[Raenir Salazar]

I'ld say there's a clear distinction in which Swede recognizes the intrinsic worth of the hobby but is otherwise put off of it personally but otherwise doesn't begrudge people who do like it and Bella who does seem to begrudge people it and thinks that 1 person maybe obsessing too much causes by mere association for the whole hobby to be irredeemable through guilt by association.

They're mutually exclusive viewpoints.

If that seems a little harsh I tried for about 4-5 posts to get that clarification and didn't receive it.

[belladonna]

I'ld say there's a clear distinction in which Swede recognizes the intrinsic worth of the hobby but is otherwise put off of it personally but otherwise doesn't begrudge people who do like it and Bella who does seem to begrudge people it and thinks that 1 person maybe obsessing too much causes by mere association for the whole hobby to be irredeemable through guilt by association.

They're mutually exclusive viewpoints.

If that seems a little harsh I tried for about 4-5 posts to get that clarification and didn't receive it.
Don't pull me back into this. I don't want to hear that I "begrudge" people, as you say. Not cool, bro.:bored:

[Raenir Salazar]

My apologies if I caused offense, but I'm a little ticked off from the other thread.

[h2orowe]

Raenir, stop being overly confrontational with other members and DO NOT bring problems from one thread into another. This is the only warning you're gonna get for this.