VOCALOID

VOCALOID: Singing Voice Synthesizer Software

A software tool for creating synthesized singing by typing in lyrics and a melody, featuring virtual singer voice banks with varying vocal tones and expressions.

What is VOCALOID?

VOCALOID is a singing voice synthesis software developed by Yamaha Corporation. It enables musicians, producers, and creators to type in lyrics and a melody, which are then synthesized into a virtual singer's vocal tracks.

At the core of VOCALOID are the virtual singer voice banks. These contain recorded vocal samples from real singers, which are mapped to a synthetic voice that can sing new lyrics and melodies while mimicking the real singer's vocal characteristics like tone, vibrato, and expression. There are over 100 VOCALOID voice banks available, with both female and male voices ranging from realistic to more electronic and robotic voices.

The VOCALOID interface provides users with a piano roll editor to input notes and lyrics, and controls like vibrato and dynamics to customize the virtual singing. The software also includes effects and tuning capabilities to polish the final vocals. The synthesized singing can export as a WAV or MP3 file to use in music productions or remixes.

Since its launch in the mid-2000s, VOCALOID has become popular among musicians, especially indie and electronic genres, to quickly create background vocals, vocal lines, and harmonies. The technology continues to improve, approaching near-human quality singing voices.

VOCALOID Features

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