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Originally Posted By: dcuny
I just wish there were a better male Vocaloid voice available. Working with this is getting me prepared to start working on my voice synthesis program again...
Have you considered Vocalwriter as an alternative? I don't know what it's like on Pc's, but it's quite decent on Mac.


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Originally Posted By: Icelander
Have you considered Vocalwriter as an alternative? I don't know what it's like on Pc's, but it's quite decent on Mac.

There's no PC version, and I doubt there ever will be. The application only runs on the older Mac architecture. When I contacted the company in January, I got a reply from the widow of the developer, who let me know he had died in 2009 and she was trying to find someone to sell the company to. Currently, their website seems to have gone missing.

The only other program that I've seen that uses that sort of technology is Gnuspeech, which seems to be a dead project.

I've been in contact with SoftVoice, who have a program that uses formant-synthesis (along the lines of what I've been exploring). Unfortunately, recent changes broke the singing feature. The developer has been working on other things, so he hasn't been able fix it yet. When he does, he'll let me know - I believe that might be a nice fit for BiaB.

There's a program called Virtual Singer, but it's not very intelligible.

BiaB works with Sinsy, but it generates very small rests between all syllables, so Sinsy doesn't handle words properly. Plus, Sinsy currently has a strong accent.

There is a free Vocaloid program called UTAU, but it's Japanese, and you can judge how well it sings English at this point yourself: Let It Go.

Really, having more friends who are singers is a better approach. laugh


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Vocal control, you say. Never heard of it. Is that some kind of ProTools thing?

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Hi David.

I was enthralled by this track from the very start.

Strangely, I found the vocaloid performance to be engaging, or possibly even bewitching. There was something haunting and addictive about it which drew me back time and time again. The fact that it wasn't quite human, but was still beautiful, put me in mind of the Sirens, particularly during the line "covered by the salty sea".

Production, arrangement and recording were very professional and the whole project was inspired.

Looking forward to more.

ROG.

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Originally Posted By: ROG
The fact that it wasn't quite human, but was still beautiful, put me in mind of the Sirens, particularly during the line "covered by the salty sea".

Thanks!

While there are things are are clearly not "human" about her singing, Avanna is my favorite Vocaloid. They've managed to keep something in the voice provider's performance that carried through, and it's very cool. I hope they continue to make progress with more realistic voices.


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Vocal control, you say. Never heard of it. Is that some kind of ProTools thing?

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David, very nice production. I think the quality of the vocaloid blends with the tune wonderfully. The whole piece evokes fragility to me, which serves your story well.

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David, very well written. The arrangement is top notch and I love the sound of the trumpet on the leads. I also think longer more drawn out notes would be a better fit, but the sound of it is a perfect fit. I think the artificial voice is interesting but I would love to hear it sung by a human. Really nice song. Tom

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Originally Posted By: nobilis
David, very nice production.


Thanks!


Originally Posted By: tommyad
I also think longer more drawn out notes would be a better fit...

Yeah, if I fiddle with it, I'll try to correct that.

Thanks!


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Vocal control, you say. Never heard of it. Is that some kind of ProTools thing?

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Originally Posted By: dcuny

There is a free Vocaloid program called UTAU, but it's Japanese, and you can judge how well it sings English at this point yourself.
Really, having more friends who are singers is a better approach. laugh
Yikes! eek I see your point... but sometimes beggars can't be choosers, you know smile

p.s. And of course you knew Vocalwriter already, what was I thinking! grin


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I've posted a new version (same link), with a simplified the trumpet solo starting at 2:53. I played it live on an EWI using WIVI Band, but went back and hand-edited in some flourishes.

BiaB comes back in at 3:14, and then I crossfade back to the EWI on the last note. Once I'd tweaked the breath controller data, WIVI Band matched the timbre of the BiaB trumpet surprisingly well.

WIVI Band leaves something to be desired for woodwinds, but it certainly does nice brass. laugh


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Vocal control, you say. Never heard of it. Is that some kind of ProTools thing?

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IMHO, this is a stellar presentation of
the power of today's technology in
the hands of a creative artist. All the
goodness of the production as already
been said. Suffice it to say that I have
several friends and family members
who are gonna here this.

Congrats on a fine and intriguing
production!

J&B


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BTW, listening again and Janice said the lead vocal very much reminds her of the girl singer in Nickel Creek!

J&B

Pardon all the typos in previous post....


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Originally Posted By: Janice & Bud
Congrats on a fine and intriguing production!

Thanks! smile


-- David Cuny

My virtual singer development blog
Vocal control, you say. Never heard of it. Is that some kind of ProTools thing?

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David, I will start out by saying that I am not a fan of computer generated voices. However your expertise is this area has made my head turn. You started out with super backing tracks, added Avanna the Vocaloid and if it wasn't for those computer artifacts between some of the words I would have thought this was an organic being singing! Super job on that!


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Thanks, Mario!

I don't think of this technology as replacing human performance. Rather, I think it gives people who might not have the ability to sing (or have access to singers) the ability to put together a demo that presents their ideas.


-- David Cuny

My virtual singer development blog
Vocal control, you say. Never heard of it. Is that some kind of ProTools thing?

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Avanna. Realistic enough to fit in the song without being a distraction, artificial enough so the non-human voice, becomes a statement in a very human song. An artificial voice telling the angst of real human hurt.

I would be reluctant to ever take Ananna completely out of the song.


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