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Yamaha Releases Singing Synthesis Software

Posted by simoniker on from the milli-vanilli-back-in-business dept.

loopdloop writes "The world's first singing synthesis software, Vocaloid, was released by Yamaha this month at the Los Angeles NAMM show. Simply type in the lyrics and notate the vocal expressions to create a completely computer-generated singer. There are also audio demos of the product available." Update: 01/26 21:14 GMT by S : An earlier NYT-authored preview of this software has also been covered on Slashdot.

34 of 344 comments (clear)

  1. Comment removed by account_deleted · · Score: 2, Funny

    Comment removed based on user account deletion

  2. I'm impressed. by emplynx · · Score: 3, Funny

    That's quite amazing. Now we need a computer to write music and songs.

    --
    -Tim
    1. Re:I'm impressed. by aliens · · Score: 4, Funny

      Done.


      Well partly done. I'm sure you could program a computer program to make Teeny boober songs in an afternoon.

      @lyrics = "Baby, ooooo, love, ooooo, dance, oooo, uhuhuh";

      You get the idea ::)

      --
      -- taking over the world, we are.
    2. Re:I'm impressed. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Funny

      @transitions = ("and I'm singin'...", "sayin'...", "singin'...");

    3. Re:I'm impressed. by el-spectre · · Score: 4, Funny

      Ack, if you're gonna do something so evil, don't do it in perl... do it in some other language... VBScript for example...

      --
      "Faith: Belief without evidence in what is told by one who speaks without knowledge, of things without parallel." - A.B.
  3. So... by PakProtector · · Score: 3, Funny

    ...this is where Britney Spears' talent comes from!

    --

    Edward@Tomato - /home/Edward/ man woman
    man: no entry for woman in the manual.
    "Qua!?"

    1. Re:So... by rylin · · Score: 2, Funny

      Britney Spears' *what*?

  4. I prefer SimpleText... by OriginalSpaceMan · · Score: 2, Funny

    It had multiple voices... and was fun. MC Hawking style.... "mmmmmmmMMMMMMMMM ya"

    --

    You talk better than you fool!
  5. In other news... by c0dedude · · Score: 5, Funny

    Wow, this must make the RIAA's day. An artist who needs absolutly no pay and who really is property...

    --
    Since when has this country used intellectual elite as a pejorative term?
  6. Only a first step by why-is-it · · Score: 5, Funny

    "The world's first singing synthesis software, Vocaloid, was released by Yamaha this month at the Los Angeles NAMM show.

    Feh! They might be able to program something that sings better than Britney, but until they integrate it with something like this, Ms Spears' talents will continue to be in demand...

    --
    *** Where are we going? And what's with this handbasket?
  7. Yay! No more Britney! by Grey+Ninja · · Score: 2, Funny

    I guess Britney is going to be out of a job now. We all know that any computer can sing better than her, and since neither of them play an instrument, I guess she's screwed.

    Not to mention that the computer is far sexier.

  8. fp! (mine) by psychoticmelody · · Score: 2, Funny

    So will we finally get to replace the prime-time T.V. show American Idol??

    1. Re:fp! (mine) by Libertarian_Geek · · Score: 2, Funny

      A combination of battlebots and american idol.
      BattleIdols!
      Where engineers compete to build the best computer synthesised pop singer.

      --

      www.facebook.com/DareDefendOurRights

      www.fairtax.org
  9. Close the loop... by xmark · · Score: 4, Funny

    The logical next step would be a program that would listen to, and enjoy, the music that other computers write and sing.

    Think of the time it would free up, and the money it would save - you would never have to buy CDs. *cough* of course, some people have already eliminated that expense.

  10. Re:great... by Ba3r · · Score: 2, Funny

    ...first, dancing robots and now singing computers

    sigh... dancing, singing robots?, its been done

  11. so, i hear that by DarkSkiesAhead · · Score: 3, Funny

    Steven Hawking is trying to start up a band.

    1. Re:so, i hear that by vinsci · · Score: 4, Funny

      Pay attention. And look here. :-)

      --

      Trusted Computing FAQ | Free Dawit Isaak!
  12. They now need to work on by mc6809e · · Score: 3, Funny

    Just listened to these.

    While their "Volcaloid" tech is nice, their "Lyricoid" tech needs work.

  13. This is new? by LamerX · · Score: 2, Funny

    I think my Sound Blaster Pro came with this software. It fit on a floppy disk, and you could make the computer sing whatever you typed in. In fact it also came with a psychiatrist named Dr Sbaitso. Just don't cus at him, he gets offended very easily.

    Seriously, I'm sure that this new software is much better. At least I sure hope so...

  14. Re:One for the road... by Afrosheen · · Score: 2, Funny

    Since they're so old and obsolete, if you find one in your attic, I'll take it off your hands for a cool $20 USD.

  15. After listening the demo's, all I can say is by Snork+Asaurus · · Score: 2, Funny
    "Don't quit your day job, Mr. Hawking."

    (No disrespect intended).

    --
    Sigs are bad for your health.
  16. Don't bring me down... Bruce! by ThePretender · · Score: 4, Funny

    I can't be the only one that thinks the background vocals sound like Electric Light Orchestra??

  17. Re:One for the road... by gmaestro · · Score: 5, Funny
    You clearly don't understand. This is the last piece in the puzzle of completely eliminating musicians. We have had a drum machine to replace you for a while, electronic instruments and MIDI.

    Now we can finally get rid of these whiny musicians, always complaining about "I need to feed my family" and "I'm a professional and should be paid like one." Now all of those unskilled morons can be sent to fill up the thousands of food preparation and customer service jobs that our public school system can't seem to find enough people for.

    Sorry about the offtopic (tongue firmly in cheek) rant. You're right. this does sound like a fun toy.

  18. Re:Deja Vu by kiolbasa · · Score: 2, Funny

    The difference that the singing text-to-speech was just a silly hack of the speech-synthesis software. It wasn't designed for any serious musical use. And Dr. Sbaitso isn't a real psychiatrist.

    --

    Beer wants to be free
  19. Re:Deja Vu by Afrosheen · · Score: 2, Funny

    Ten years ago? BAH! Why 20 years ago my commodore 64 could do this with SID synthesis software.

  20. Re:Deja Vu by Short+Circuit · · Score: 2, Funny

    He certainly helped me set me straight.

    I've been in love with computers ever since.

    er...

    --
    tasks(723) drafts(105) languages(484) examples(29106)
  21. Re:Deja Vu by Drantin · · Score: 2, Funny

    But... but he helped me through so many of my problems with day to day life!

    Me: The kids at school are picking on me again.
    DS: Why are the kids at school picking on you again?
    Me: I dunno...
    DS: Why do you dunno?

    ...never mind...

    --
    Actio personalis moritur cum persona. (Dead men don't sue)
  22. Re:Human voice by Afrosheen · · Score: 3, Funny

    I totally agree with you 100%. I mean, come on, the Terminator had a hella thick accent, and he came from like 30 years in the future.

    Ah'll be BECK.

  23. Re:Deja Vu by bunyip · · Score: 3, Funny

    Thanks for the info...

    Has Simon Cowell (American Idol) reviewed this software?

  24. Great. by 2names · · Score: 3, Funny

    It's bad enough we have Cher and Madonna doing the fake electronic yodel dance, now every dipthong with a little cash will be creating them.

    --
    "I'm just here to regulate funkiness."
  25. Ayaaaarghh!!! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Funny

    Shite!! I pressed the back button and the General Midi Junior High Choir just won't stop playing!!

  26. prank calls... by biz0r · · Score: 2, Funny

    Now I can finally make some real sounding prank calls for once! Oh the joy!

    Although...most idiots out there fall for the midi based voices anyhow...

    --
    /* sig */
  27. Groupies by wpiman · · Score: 2, Funny

    This just brings us another day closer to when engineers start having groupies.......

  28. Re:One for the road... by iapetus · · Score: 2, Funny

    No, that's alright. I'm in a band that used Fruityloops on a laptop to provide drums until we managed to find a human drummer, but it kept terrible time - it was always out of time with the rest of the band by the end of the song...

    --
    ++ Say to Elrond "Hello.".
    Elrond says "No.". Elrond gives you some lunch.