#VCV Multipitch

[ehnrat]

OpenUtau and random tutorials saves my life you have NOOOOOOOOOOO idea

[miodiodavinci]

begging and pleading twitter people to stop endangering UTAU with acts of dubious legality

[autistickaitovocaloid]

If it wasn't for the fact that I Do Not like my voice I would seriously consider making a terrible CV utau voicebank using my laptop microphone.

[shimmerloid-ai]

Preliminary Considerations - Which Vocal Synthesizer Software is Right for You? - Free Softwares

Although this blog puts a major emphasis on the VOCALOID 4 editor, it, or VOCALOID in general, is not the only vocal synthesizer that exists. There are tons of other software that have the same function and a variety of different voicebanks, with some being cheaper and of higher quality than VOCALOID, or even free! That’s right, there are quite a few free vocal synthesizers out there (however the lack of frills may come at the expense of some missing features or difficulty of usage), which I recommend trying out before pouring your hard-earned savings on a program that you may not even use. What if you learn that you do not enjoy tuning or do not have the time to use the software? It would be a huge waste of money that could be invested in other stuff, such as basic necessities (GOOD FOOD) or other leisurely items, like video games, clothing from your favourite bands, art supplies, or merchandise. In addition, there has been a rise of a lot of smaller companies coming out with vocal synthesizers with incredible UIs that not only look appealing but are easy to navigate, and voicebanks that sound far too human and advanced than hATsUnE mIKU (don’t worry, I love Miku with all my heart, I am just trying to prove a point here). There are also some really sick features that you may not find in the franchises with bigger names.

In this post, I will be describing the features of different free vocal synthesizers and their advantages and disadvantages so you can find the one that meets your vocalo-p needs. Please note, I do not own all of these synthesizers, some of these are from reviews on Reddit and VocaVerse Network. In addition, some cons like lag could just be a me problem and better computers may not experience such issues. Also , I will not be covering every single singing synthesizer in existence, just the well known ones and those with proper UIs because there are so many. I am omitting NEUTRINO because it does not have a UI despite having such high-quality vocals, along with ALTER/EGO, as it does not have a piano roll.

UTAU

(Song: Meltdown by iroha(sasaki); UST: Tanjiro Taidana)

UTAU was designed to be the free sister software to VOCALOID. Not only can you use it without spending a cent, but it allows you to make your own voicebank as well! There are tons of popular voicebanks out there, including the Vipperloids, Gahata Meiji, Kohaku Merry, Matsudappoiyo, Denatsu Sora, Shuu Mawaine, and my personal favourite, SUZU.

Pros: 

Almost every single voicebank is free to download

Different types of voicebanks (CV, VCV, CCVC; Monopitch vs. Multipitch; Power, Weak, Soft, Whisper, Growl, Screamo; tons of languages)

Can make your own voicebank right in the software

Pitch bending on the piano roll instead of a parameter box!

Variety of job plugins to make usage easier

Credited for its growl and vibrato handling

Cons:

EXTREMELY dated, UTAU has not been updated since 2013

Not friendly for beginners, especially due to its old UI

Need to change your system's locale, and installing voicebanks can be frustrating

Most voicebanks (namely Japanese) can only read Hiragana phonemes and not Romaji ones; but job plug-ins can fix this issue

Open Utau

(Song: The Lost One's Weeping by neru; UST: Tanjiro Taidana)

If UTAU is the sister software to VOCALOID, then Open Utau is the younger sibling to normal UTAU. Open Utau is an open-sourced vocal synthesizer on GitHub with every feature in the original software while being easier to use.

Pros:

Dark mode with a sleek, easy-to-navigate UI!

Pitchbend with a click of a button; piano roll tuning is still consistent

Splice tool; useful for note-bending

No need to switch locale to Japanese

Easier to get the hang of

Frequent updates

Can use VSQXs and svps. without needing to convert them into USTs

Cons:

No Defoko…

Choppier and buggier than classic UTAU

Slow with rendering wav. files and launching the software

Phonemizers are tricky to work with, you don’t always get the same output as the same phonemizers in normal UTAU

External resamplers can cause overheating and slow down the software

Tuning is more dependent on job plugins than the original UTAU

Many users claim that otoing is easier in classic UTAU

SynthesizerV Studio Editor R1

(Song: Tengaku by Yuuyu; VSQx by Adam Edmond)

This preliminary edition of SynthesizerV was a major breakthrough for the vocal synth community when it was first released. With its realistic-sounding voicebanks and minimalistic aesthetic, this software has changed the game by a landslide for synth users. Although it's quite limited, R1 was an amazing start for what will become a godly program in the future. Pros:

Pitch bending on the piano roll and in the parameter box (very smooth, I experienced no lag when using it nor did I have to make pitch points or pause while editing the parameters)!

Voicebanks sound quite human

MIND BLOWING GLOTTAL EFFECTS (nine different growls, two screams, and a vocal fry that do not sound robotic!)!

Really simple UI, easy to pick up, great for beginners!

Cons:

Outdated; is no longer being updated by Dreamtonics

Needs a recording license for commercial use (though I highly doubt it is still being upheld)

Only four voicebanks are available; Eleanor Forte, Yamine Renri, GENBU, and AiKO - who is paid and an outdated version of her R2 voicebank (R2 versions of the same voicebanks sound much cleaner and realistic)

A little too minimalistic; aside from the addition of glottal effects and the typical pitch deviation, loudness, tension, breathiness, voicing, gender, and vibrato parameters, there is not all that much you can do in this edition of the editor

SynthesizerV Studio Basic

(Song: Antibeat by Deco* 27; UST: Mayu Sama Desu)

Also known as SynthV R2, this is the free edition of the software that is currently being updated, despite having fewer features than its complete, paid version. 

Pros:

Ready to play with as soon as it is installed

Twenty-five free voicebanks; sixteen Japanese, seven English, and two Chinese; all with unique sounds

AI voicebanks!

Instant mode; allows you to automatically tune the pitch of an entire track with the press of a button, although it may make the voice sound too pitchy

Waveform that allows you to see the volume and pronunciation of certain notes

Can use paid voicebanks in the free editor!

Just as easy to figure out as SynthV R1!

Cons:

Can only have a maximum of three vocal tracks in a single svp. file

Pitch bending is a lot more finicky compared to SynthV R1

Lite voicebanks sound mono-pitch

Lacks a ton of features that are available in SynthesizerV Pro; scripts, auto-pitch tuning, rap vocals, cross-lingual synthesis, vocal modes, alternate phoneme choices, and many other features are not included in the basic edition (even paid voicebanks can not use cross-lingual synthesis, vocal modes, etc)

The glottal effects parameter that was in SynthV R1 is sadly not included in both the Basic and Pro editions of the current program

VoiSona

(Song: iNSaNiTY by Circus-P; VSQX: Cirty_09)

Previously named “CeVIO Pro”, VoiSona is a vocal synth that uses AI technology to create beautiful vocals with characters that originated from a variety of other vocal synthesizers (such as VOCALOID!) and are created with the recordings of talented singers and voice actors. CeVIO project has also launched a trial speech vocal synthesizer called “VoiSona Talk” for their first anniversary.

Pros:

Users get Chis-A’s full voicebank upon downloading the synthesizer!

The program itself is entirely free to download

AI technology makes tuning easier

Piano roll pitch-bending

Has some features that are missing in its sister software, CeVIO AI

The “husky” parameter is great for making whispers

Can be used as a VST plugin in most DAWs or a standalone editor

Cons:

All other voicebanks are paid; either you purchase the entire voicebank once, or get a subscription to use all of them

HEAVY LAG; the program is quite slow with processing commands

Free-hand pitch-bending is not as easy to perform compared to UTAU or SynthesizerV; can be quite sensitve and the AI may not always yield the desired result

DeepVocal

(Song: New Darling by MARETU; UST: Mimisan15)

The successor to the Sharpkey Galaxy software, this vocal synthesizer was designed for Chinese voicebanks. Its UI is a combination of VOCALOID4 and UTAU, giving it a sense of comfort and familiarity. Speaking of which, you can create your own voicebank in DeepVocal as you can in UTAU and OpenUtau, and there are some pre-made voicebanks of popular UTAUs, including Namine Ritsu, Inari Akane, and Kuro Bousuka. In addition, there is also a Kiana voicebank commissioned by MiHOYO and based on the protagonist of Gun Girls Z and Honkai Impact 3rd!

Pros:

Ready to use as soon as its out of the box

Great engine for Chinese voicebanks

Can create your own voicebank

Runs smoothly

Has all of the necessary parameters needed to create songs and covers

Cons:

Voicebanks can be kind of shaky, choppy, and more sensitive to pitch changes compared to other engines like UTAU and VOCALOID

Pitch bending can be quite clunky

Voicebanks may have difficulty reading certain phenomes from converted USTs; you may need to edit them if you don’t want lyrics being read as “a” or “ra”

These were all of the major free softwares I found, but if I come across another vocal synthesizer in the future, even if it is not talked about in the vocal synth community much, I may make a post about it.

I know there are a ton of cons I found for much of the vocal synths on this list and they sound like nitpicks on my part, but as I stated at the start of this post, some of these issues could be a Shimmer Thing™ and they may not arise for you when using these softwares. I won't be surprised if you read through this post and are now feeling thrown off by the various features and pros and cons of these programs, so here's my two cents on what I think beginners should go for:

If you like realistic voicebanks and want a very simple software to start with, get either SynthesizerV Editot (R1) or SynthesizerV Studio Basic (R2). If you would like to experience them (spicy) glottal effects and very kind pitchbending (like it does not make you want to bash your head against the wall because Renri won't cooperate) along with unlimited vocal tracks, then try out R1, and if you want more features, voicebanks, and continous updates, go for R2. Or even better, try out both and decide which one suits your interests better.

If you have a preference for robotic voicebanks, would like a variety of vocals to play with, and find plug-ins interesting, then UTAU may be for you, especially if you want VOCALOID but you can not afford it at the moment. Although I shitted more on Open Utau than I did on regular UTAU, I recommend the former over the latter as it is still being updated and the UI is signifcantly easier to navigate, along with its phenomenal pitchbending function.

Finally, please take my words with a grain of salt. If you like the voicebanks or are interested in a specific software, or discover one that is even better than any of the listed vocal synthesizers, by all means, go for it! This is just a surface guide by an idiot who spends most of their time trying to make Fukase not sound like a computer dying, and I have not used any of these softwares as much as I have messed with VOCALOID. Plus, my computer is an absolute bitch, so you guys will probably have much better luck than me.

I hope this guide was of use and provided a better insight on the various engines out there. My next post will compare different paid vocal synthesizers, including CeVIO AI, Piapro Studio, and of course, the various VOCALOID softwares. Don't worry, I'll get to the actual tutorial bit very soon.

Also, feel free to ask any questions about vocal synthesizers, or... literally anything! I'm practically starved for asks-

Thanks for reading!

[shinji-hibiki]

Shinji Hibiki (響 震路) is a masculine voicebank for vocal synthesizer software UTAU, released on August 12, 2010. He is voiced and managed by SitoSitoAmeyo (TATSUYA).

He has three voicebanks—two tripitch VCV banks [Original and Creamy append] and one multipitch CV bank [Shintanjutsu].

My name is meat and i really like him

vvv listen 2 my gay little song covers vvv

HERE'S WHERE I POST THE USTs I'VE MADE!

im the #1 shinji hibiki liker on the english speaking web but i also rlly like kaiji, yugioh, the yakuza games, yami no matsuei, scary stuff, kitty cats, BL in general . sometimes i might post creepy or risque stuff sorry about that

im always talking whatever in the tags and hardly use the function as intended but i do categorize some things!

vvv here r all my important tags vvv

[ratpawz]

✶✶✶ aKUMA IS OUT NOW!!! multipitch vcv (full cvvc config) with end breaths, glottal stops, and vocal fry! ✶✶✶

[scottei-en]

UTAU Spotlight: Kotaro Mikene

Finally we are onto one of my favorite short kings!! Released on July 29, 2013, he is voiced and managed by Mike Goro while his official art is by Buta. There is not much to say about his character/personality other than “His fridge is full of nothing but Super Dry, a type of beer.” 

He was created and voiced with vkei in mind and is in a band with Shinji Hibiki, Sōhō, Nitarou Otodamaya, Dill and Melodic Meru. There are four voice banks available! 

“Continuous sound ver2.5” is a multi pitch VCV.

“Husky” is a multi pitch CVVC with a lot of breathy sounds. 

An English multipitch CVVC.

A bank of extras is also available!

Kotaro is also available through DeepVocal (it is still a beta version) and TALQu!

Here is the official website:

[auspicious-voice]

UTAU Tutorials - Multipitch & Multiexpression Voicebanks

Hi! Here's a bit of a heads up: I've switched to using OpenUtau (an open-source alternative for UTAU), so if I post any screenshots concerning UTAU in general, chances are it'll use OpenUtau. Thanks!

That being said, it's been a hot while since I wrote a tutorial. I've been holding off this one for a while until I released my UTAUs' recent updates, and considering the format of those voicebanks, we'll be taking a look at multipitch (and multiexpression) voicebanks. This is not a tutorial on how to record those voicebanks, and it's meant to provide an overview of what they are and what purpose they have in general.

Multipitch Voicebanks

OH BOY. Multipitch voicebanks. They tend to be bigger than monopitch (one pitch) voicebanks since they contain multiple pitches. They can be in any format, but they often appear in either VCV or CVVC.

Multipitch voicebanks are VERY popular in the UTAU community for a variety of reasons, which I will get to later.

The Setup

When you open a monopitch voicebank folder, the you can already see the .wav files, frq. files, and all that kind stuff that makes a voicebank sing. In the case of multipitch voicebanks, every single pitch is organized in a folder and the folder name is named after the note (suffix/prefix) the pitch was recorded in (e.g. A3, D4, etc.). This allows for easier management when making a multipitch voicebank, but that doesn't stop there.

The oto.ini of a pitch is a bit different, because when you open one, you can see something like this:

The major difference between the oto.ini configurations of a monopitch and a multipitch voicebank lies in the suffix (or prefix) being used in the aliases. Why does every pitch need a suffix? The answer lies in the prefix.map file, which automates how a multipitch voicebank functions.

Every multipitch voicebank contains a prefix.map file. Normally, monopitch voicebanks don't need one due to their nature, but multipitch voicebanks cannot function properly without a prefix.map that is configured.

When you open a prefix.map file (with Notepad or any text-editing program), you can see on the left side the notes of the piano roll, and on the right side the pitches the multipitch voicebank was recorded in. Every configured pitch can now play according to the note range it is set in, and when you play it in UTAU, all of these pitches will come together to make a great singing voice.

What are the benefits?

The benefits of using (or even making) multipitch voicebanks is that it gives the UTAU you're using a wider range compared to a monopitch voicebank, meaning that they won't distort as much in either the higher or lower octaves. It also makes the UTAU sound more natural as a result.

Ideally, the spacing between pitches is at least five semitones to allow for the most optimal results, so keep that in mind when you record multipitch voicebanks.

Multiexpression Voicebanks

Now this kind of voicebank doesn't really matter if it's monopitch or multipitch, because it allows multiple appends of the same UTAU to be packaged into one voicebank. It's not an entirely new concept as it has existed since forever, but there's an alarmingly growing trend of UTAUs receiving multiexpression voicebanks.

The Setup

The average setup of a multiexpression voicebank typically involves the normal voicebank, and a couple other of appends such as a power/soft/falsetto append. The normal expression is often configured like a regular multipitch voicebank, but as for the appends, their suffixes are a bit different.

So you notice something in the power append's oto.ini? The suffix in the aliases often have something like "x X■G4". The ■ can either be a letter or a kanji that corresponds to the voicebank.

How does this play out in the editor?

Notice how two of the notes have a weird-looking suffix to them. These suffixes will activate a certain append, with 弱 activating the soft append and 強 activating the power append. So the voice goes from a soft > normal > powerful voice in the process, all in one track.

HOWEVER, if you want all appends to work seamlessly, you would need to record all expressions with the same pitch setup AND according to the prefix.map, otherwise the appends won't work at certain parts.

But in OpenUtau, we have the Voice Colors feature, which allows you to use multiple appends recorded at very different pitches all within the same voicebanks. Say you have a normal voicebank append at A3, D4, and G4, and the power append is recorded as G3, C4, and F4. This setup would not work in UTAU unless you brute force it with adding a suffix to the notes, but OpenUtau's Voice Colors features allows you to use both appends within the same track through the use of prefix.map. It's a VERY convenient feature if you want to combine several voicebanks into one neat package.

What are the benefits?

The great benefit to using multiexpression voicebanks is that by using multiple appends within the same track/UST, you get a realistic, expressive voice. It is INSANE that you can get very nice results with the help of using different suffixes, and it's a game changer when making covers.

Conclusion

Multipitch and multiexpression voicebanks are just one of the many voicebank types that are very popular in the UTAU community. Should you use them or even record one? I think that's entirely up to you, so go use any kind of voicebank you feel comfortable using. I like to talk about voicebanks for the most part, so I hope this post hlped you in some way.

Thanks for reading! ^^ I'll try to work on other tutorials when I can.

[astrialogical]

ARIANWEN LLOYD_CARNATION (RE)RELEASE

This is Arianwen's CORE VCV Japanese Voicebank!

This voicebank was created with the intention of mixing with other appends that I have created to make a multipitch-multiexpression voicebank collection that people can choose between using solo or together.

Carnation is her natural tone that has a decent high and low range.

Wisteria is her whisper tone that primarily focuses on high range.

Ume is her strong tone that also focuses on high range.

Lotus is her dark tone where it focuses on a softer low range.

Asagao is her "sing-song" voicebank that is in between natural and soft with a decent high and low range.

Ajisai is her soft tone that has a low and high range, meant to be used for songs that aren't quite a whisper.

This is her recommended VCV Voicebank! But you may use Cosmos still if you prefer!

DOWNLOAD || WEBSITE

[metallwaves]

【UTAUカバー】絶対音楽で踊れ | Absolute Music Dance 【Metarune Yoru】

[utau-signalboosts]

Since we haven't posted about this month’s theme UTAU yet, let's get to know them!

(Couldn’t find a transparent/plain bg version, sorry!)

Ivory is a Filipino UTAU voiced by OzumiiWizard. They have a 4 pitch VCV voicebank with a deep androgynous tone, glottal stops, and vocal fry. According to their official description, depending on the flags used, the tone can become closer to feminine or masculine. I haven’t tried that myself, but I believe it!

Ivory appears to be 26 years old, but they're actually much older. They are a nonbinary, immortal fallen angel punished to wander on Earth forever (the reason why is unknown). "Ivory" isn’t their actual name, but their real name is too complicated for humans to understand. They like gardening, singing, fashion and stargazing.

Read more about them here!

[shinosucksatosu]

HAPPY BIRTHDAY PALE

[miodiodavinci]

thinking about the fact that "there's always a better UTAU and anything you can do and have done has probably been done leagues better by someone else with a better set up, better mic, more practice, better pronunciation, etc..." is a statement that would have once inspired such frustration and agony and desire to quit in me, but nowadays just has me like

phew ! ! ! thank god ! ! ! ! ! w

which is such a switch-up but honestly probably illustrates one of the biggest differences between pre-UTAU hiatus me and post-UTAU hiatus me w

[utau-bowl]

Release video for Alam B. Anderson, a pack of two multipitch VCVs with an animated PV. He is notable for being mostly recorded with a 16mora recording script, meaning his VP probably had to take a LOT of breaks between recording sessions.

[ Download ] *(Multiple download options on website)

*Art by morinopome

Alam is described as a flame-blowing 725-year-old boy with small horns and a spinal tail. His creator Togoahi has 6 other UTAUs up for download on their website,

[jaynoiart]

As you may not know yet, I’m also an UTAU User. And I own this smol bab right here called Isamu Hajime. You can find him on soundcloud and YouTube!! His voice: https://soundcloud.com/jayanm/love-is-war-mwk-remix-isamu-hajime-velocity