Slashdot Mirror

← Back to Stories (view on slashdot.org)

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.

5 of 344 comments (clear)

  1. 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?
  2. 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?
  3. Actually... by mOoZik · · Score: 5, Informative

    I had the chance to try it out at NAMM and it is VERY difficult to get it to "sing." It can probably be used adequately for backup vocals, but again, it takes a lot of work to get it to sound human. Nevertheless, a step in the right direction.

    --
    A blog like any other.
  4. 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.

  5. Is not by filtersweep · · Score: 5, Insightful

    I have several vocoders, software and hardware, and it is obviously a very different creature if you took the time to listen to the demos. Also, a proper vocoder needs an carrier, and it does not generate the vocal qualities. It merely functions as a formant filter (where the constanants are provided by the vocalist, and the pitch by usually a synthesizer).

    Frankly, this thing just really needs a good plug-in format, like TDM or VST and it will be a gold-mine- not unlike those god-awful pitch-correction plugins that were reputed to give Cher that plastic effect to her voice (like she doesn't have enough plastic as it is). As a standalone app, it is doomed.

    --


    Those that suggest you "dance like no one is watching" really want to see you make a complete fool of yourself.