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INTEREST: Virtual Idol Hatsune Miku to 'Sing in English'


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Mohawk52



Joined: 16 Oct 2003
Posts: 8202
Location: England, UK
PostPosted: Fri Nov 19, 2010 12:16 am Reply with quote
It really depends on what version of Miku he saw. There are several depending on platform the software is for and some like for the PSP are quite anime-ish.
however this version is the best I've seen from Saga so far.
To have her sing in English they will have to sample an English speaking person who can really sing perfessionally, like her Japanese human voice sample, Saki Fujita, was, and seeing as Miku has an established voice now, it will be a bugger of a job to get someone who is even close to that established tone and pitch in English, unless they can tweak her sample program to have a more acceptable English vocabulary. I mean she has already sang in English, (more "Engrish") like here and here before. Lets keep in mind that in actuality a vocaloid is more a musical instrument than a game, and like any musical instrument the quality depends on the players' ability.
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Fabe



Joined: 09 Sep 2007
Posts: 219
PostPosted: Fri Nov 19, 2010 1:08 am Reply with quote
enurtsol wrote:
Maybe Gibson meant more development on the technology, less on the anime fanaticism.



I think you maybe right, he probably meant that a more life like VR idol is needed not that Miku "herself" needed to be less anime. Unfortunately some people treat anime as a sacred cow and react to any criticism with extreme hostility.
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configspace



Joined: 16 Aug 2008
Posts: 3717
PostPosted: Fri Nov 19, 2010 9:28 am Reply with quote
Mohawk52 wrote:
It really depends on what version of Miku he saw. There are several depending on platform the software is for and some like for the PSP are quite anime-ish.
however this version is the best I've seen from Saga so far.
To have her sing in English they will have to sample an English speaking person who can really sing perfessionally, like her Japanese human voice sample, Saki Fujita, was, and seeing as Miku has an established voice now, it will be a bugger of a job to get someone who is even close to that established tone and pitch in English, unless they can tweak her sample program to have a more acceptable English vocabulary. I mean she has already sang in English, (more "Engrish") like here and here before. Lets keep in mind that in actuality a vocaloid is more a musical instrument than a game, and like any musical instrument the quality depends on the players' ability.


For the vocaloids by Crypton Future Media, the best you're going to get currently is Luka Megurine for english vocals, although that still completely depends on the user and how he programs her, like how you mentioned with regards to music

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o7iC4_qBL5A - Every Breath You Take
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uYBTQsj1RLo - Scarborough Fair
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iVh2J7HzdpA - Paparazzi

They added more phonemes, an optionally huskier quality and lower tone, but still used a Japanese speaker and did not capture the more complex English phonology. I think however, she looks and sounds better than Miku even for Japanese songs:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0IZXeseLbdo
jazzier stuff:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YeA4MsrCGsM
http://karent.jp/album/59

The better English / Latin-based vocaloids (though still good for Japanese) are the ones by other developers like Zero-G:
Prima:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NqHv0QAFq6M - Princess Mononoke theme song
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i8X3sARqX00 - Mon Coeur S'Ouvre

Tonio:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jQ_9Oz0pPJY
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y5fQ7OFpvHU - Fly Me to the Moon (Sinatra)

vocaloids by Power-FX (probably the best for most english usage)
Big Al
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QM7XylR4LNg - I'm too Sexy
- fan MikuMikuDance model: model

Sweet Ann:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W010620_W4Q - Let it Be (Beatles)
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mdo7



Joined: 23 May 2007
Posts: 6248
Location: Katy, Texas, USA
PostPosted: Fri Nov 19, 2010 11:26 am Reply with quote
Oh speaking of William Gibson, didn't one of his work, Idoru was going to have a anime adaptation. We haven't hear any news of this. Did they cancel it or something?
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Mohawk52



Joined: 16 Oct 2003
Posts: 8202
Location: England, UK
PostPosted: Fri Nov 19, 2010 12:37 pm Reply with quote
Luka is my second favourite, followed closely by Yowane Haku, which is basically a lower octive Miku, and the character reminds me of "her indoors" "she; who must be obeyed". Wink

This is the best English Luka I've yet to find.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uYBTQsj1RLo

If they can tweak Miku the same way, they'll have a double winner. Wink
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TokyoGetter



Joined: 28 Nov 2006
Posts: 416
Location: CA. You can tell by the low moral standards.
PostPosted: Sun Nov 21, 2010 3:05 am Reply with quote
His new books are weird in that they're amazingly well-written and interesting, but they're basically about characters with no personalities interjected into foreign policy allegories...

Oh, and there's a neat-o otaku-type in Pattern Recognition...

The miku live film was... er... ok-learning-towards-good. Rad for the first 30 minutes, though. I reviewed it here. The close-in shots are the only time you can tell that it's a hologram, which was a pretty RIDICULOUS achievement!
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Mohawk52



Joined: 16 Oct 2003
Posts: 8202
Location: England, UK
PostPosted: Sun Nov 21, 2010 4:03 am Reply with quote
TokyoGetter wrote:
His new books are weird in that they're amazingly well-written and interesting, but they're basically about characters with no personalities interjected into foreign policy allegories...

Oh, and there's a neat-o otaku-type in Pattern Recognition...

The miku live film was... er... ok-learning-towards-good. Rad for the first 30 minutes, though. I reviewed it here. The close-in shots are the only time you can tell that it's a hologram, which was a pretty RIDICULOUS achievement!
It wasn't a hologram, it was a rear projection. Rolling Eyes

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FFGDuLRdxPI
Palette. Wink
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mufurc



Joined: 09 Jun 2003
Posts: 612
PostPosted: Sun Nov 21, 2010 6:01 am Reply with quote
I just wish Gibson wouldn't use the word "idoru"... it's either "idol" or "aidoru", make up your mind. This has been bothering me since I first heard of the novel.

As for Miku, I'm sure the technology behind the live concerts is amazing but I just can't get used to the mechanic voice, and the appearance and the way they move put "live" Vocaloids firmly in the Uncanny Valley as far as I'm concerned. Do not want until they look like more natural, and have a more natural sounding voice. Seriously, this is just creepy.
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Mohawk52



Joined: 16 Oct 2003
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PostPosted: Mon Nov 22, 2010 6:03 pm Reply with quote
listen to this it might change your mind. Wink
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