Unpopular Opinions

[ranranrapa]

I've seen some people in the Japanese community who are a bit overwhelmed by all the KAFU pushing her label(agency?) is doing.

Main complaints I've seen:
They don't like her voice but can't seem to escape her on SNS and also with all the Ps using her voice now.
(A few of the popular KAFU songs (like 4 that I know of? Syudou was one) do seem to be commissioned.)
Her voice bank doesn't utilize the strengths of CeVio, yet she's clearly being advertised the most.

Thoughts?
For me regarding just KAFU, I think some people are just having trouble adjusting to the new venture that is having someone so currently established in the synthesized voice community become one themselves. It also probably doesn't help that it's causing an overlap between Nicodou people and YouTube people, as KAF is quite popular on YouTube.
BUT

(spoiler for off topic opinion on the voice provider)

I've been starting to find KAF herself a bit off putting, and I say that as a fan. She's started doing lots of fancy expensive collabs and uploading every week, which normally I'd just respect the hustle. But maybe because her characteristic has always been "just another Japanese girl" (literally says so on her label's website), maybe because the girl behind her started really young, I can't shake the feeling her label's squeezing all the money out of her while she's popular.

 

[Prism]

KAFU is currently the top selling music software the only thing that comes close is voiceroid 2 akane aoi and yukari and then ia ai. She has been in the top selling spot for months so she's huge probably the biggest release since V2 miku. I can see there being a backlash for being so big.

 

[ranranrapa]

Yeah when you put it that way I can see it just being inevitable backlash for anything that gets that huge...
I just find it super interesting because they're so careful with their world building with KAF and KAFU as opposed to just being a product that the consumers can create their own story with. With KAFU's success, there's more that's bound to come out (like SEKAI that's already confirmed) and I'm interested to see the effect it has on the community.

 

[失画家cervantes]

I'd like gynoid to save flower AI for the next instance of Vocaloid

 

[Blue Of Mind]

I'd like gynoid to save flower AI for the next instance of Vocaloid

I'll add to this by saying AI should be the biggest new feature in V6, since it's obvious now that's where the future of singing synthesis is heading, and it could bring some attention back to Vocaloid if AI banks existed. (AI VYs, Cybers and V5 starters, anyone?) Of course, that depends whether or not Yamaha is even thinking about creating a V6.

 

[poser]

I'll add to this by saying AI should be the biggest new feature in V6, since it's obvious now that's where the future of singing synthesis is heading, and it could bring some attention back to Vocaloid if AI banks existed. (AI VYs, Cybers and V5 starters, anyone?) Of course, that depends whether or not Yamaha is even thinking about creating a V6.

i feel like itd be better to add ai option to vocaloid5 but i might be wrong

 

[YOYo_MAMA]

takaoka mizuki is one of my favorite tuners for Yukari. But his tuning style just does not work well with Rikka's Synth V for me. He have a distinct tuning style with that worked really well with Yukari V3, making her sound really emotional despite the limitations of the vocaloid software. But translating his style with Rikka, just ends up with her having a clear after-noise at the end of each word that reminds me so much of Voiceroid. Like he is trying to get Rikka to the low noted Yukari can do, but it end with Rikka sounding more mechanical than human.

After hearing what he can do with Cevio AI IA, I would really like to hear him make a cover with Yukari's Cevio AI. Or just have him go back to Yukari V3

 

[ranranrapa]

I love covers too, but I don't like when people comment things like "this singer matches this song more than the original" on covers (either human or another virtual singer), especially of vocaloid songs.
You can prefer the cover, that's just personal preference, but I'm sure the original person put a lot of thought into their tuning, voice etc.
And I'm sure a lot of vocaloid producers look at the covers and comments, and even if not, I dunno, I feel like some people don't appreciate the original song as much as they should when the cover wouldn't exist at all without it. And yet these comments have a lot of upvotes sometimes and it feels weird.

 

[YOYo_MAMA]

Very unpopular opinion, most Synth V voices sound like they all have the base architecture of Saki. Like they just layered the voice actor over it but bits of Saki will still bleed through if the VP's samples are not strong enough to overcome Saki. Ryo for example sounds like male Saki and Kevin is English Male Saki.
I find this similar to the case of how the old Cevio have the same tone of Sasara, like Sasara's data is their sketelon base and Piapro NT's banks use Miku's data as their base.

 

[PearlStarLight5]

-I would like to see more variety in Vocaloid songs than edgy themes as well, but I don't mind that so many Vocaloid songs have dark or mature themes. All the talk about violence, sex, and cursing is the same thing that mainstream music does anyway, so I don't get why it's only a problem when Vocaloid producers do it.
But either way, I'm sick of gatekeeping in music.
-I like CV Utaus, and it's possible to make an English voicebank in CV, it just won't be as likely to be realistic or comprehensive, but you could say the same about Japanese CV usually not being as realistic as Japanese VCV.
-Using vocal synths just for skits or covers is totally fine and valid. Software developers generally prepare for when software is used outside its intended purpose anyway, and Vocaloid companies are aware there's a weeb fandom.
-If you wanna still use Vipperloids, Yohioloid, or the Tohoku sisters, go for it. No one and nothing is totally pure (though it sucks that their VPs or companies are Nazis or NFT-mongers (but not surprised about Ritsu since Vipperloids are trolls to begin with)) and you're here for the voice, character, etc, not the corporate, group, or people involved in making them, right? Besides like for example, Disney and Sega, I'm not fans for the actual corporate companies, I'm here because I like the movies or games they publish.
-I'm not a fan of the Macnes, almost like I don't understand them. But of course, I generally don't declare things like "I don't like x or y" in case I change my mind and like it later.
-V5 is great, I just would rather use my money to get different voicebanks (e.g. Cangqiong or Lily)
-I wish people remembered Yowane Haku too and not only Akita Neru. Where are the Yowane Haku in 202? or Haku in Talkloids?

And for some popular opinions for fun:
-I want more Korean and Spanish vocal synths
-I'm a SynthV sucker
-I like Cryptonloids
-Talkloids are funny

Unsorted:
-So when it comes to Cevio AI, Sasara and IA English sound great but 1, without a trial I can't say whether Cevio AI is actually a good engine in my opinion and 2, I don't plan on buying it because the only voicebank I would consider is IA English, and once again I'd rather spend my money on voicebanks on engines I actually use.

 

[YOYo_MAMA]

If I see someone scream that Bandori is being unoriginal and copying Prosekai by adding vocal synths to the game, I will loose faith humanity and see them as complete idiots.

 

[aru ii]

If I see someone scream that Bandori is being unoriginal and copying Prosekai by adding vocal synths to the game, I will loose faith humanity and see them as complete idiots.

I-

 

[TheStarPalace]

I can't believe sekai ripped off bandori
by having vocaloid songs in the track list :'(
/j if it wasn't obvious

 

[Blue Of Mind]

Is it okay for me to admit that I find people who insist on romanji song titles pretentious? It make it more difficult to even look up a song in the first place without an English translated title. It also doesn't help that some Project Diva games don't offer a fully translated title for some songs either, and just leave it as the romanji.

Wait, what song is Ryoshin Yuukai? ...Ohhh, it's Meltdown.

 

[Leon]

I mean, some songs don't translate well to English, or there isn't a community accepted translate at least, maybe. And I'm sure some people just saw the title in Japanese first and are used to it. I don't see any issue with using romaji. It's already attempting to make it easier for non-Japanese-speakers by romanizing the titles. Genuine question, would you prefer the titles left in kanji/hiragana instead of romaji?

 

[Blue Of Mind]

I mean, some songs don't translate well to English, or there isn't a community accepted translate at least, maybe. And I'm sure some people just saw the title in Japanese first and are used to it. I don't see any issue with using romaji. It's already attempting to make it easier for non-Japanese-speakers by romanizing the titles. Genuine question, would you prefer the titles left in kanji/hiragana instead of romaji?

There are some songs that are easy to remember in romanji (I.e. Senbonzakura, which admittedly doesn't translate too well into English), and others which are a nightmare to recall (I.e. Arifureta Sekai Seifuku, which I just refer to as Common World Domination). I do alternate between English and romanji titles on a case by case basis, but what irritates me is how a minority of fans insist on romanji titles for all songs when an English translated title might be better or more convenient.

 

[___]

Genuine question, would you prefer the titles left in kanji/hiragana instead of romaji?

brings u back to the simpler times when u couldnt read

 

[TheStarPalace]

It seems like every vocaloid fan has the songs they know by romaji and the songs they know by the English title ahahaha. There's also cases like "Sand Planet/DUNE" where the official English title doesn't match the Japanese title and all and so the literally translated one is used more often. Project diva made the best compromise I think. And then there's the fan community which does things different that those working for large companies. I still remember seeing Project Sekai EN added a song called "Close to Gray" and wondering what song it was, before realizing I know it as "Infinitely Gray".

 

[Kogameh]

I don't get the thing with "Vocaloid SUCKS because the resamplers ruin it and SynthV/CeVIO's and even some UTAU's are way better at keeping their voice provider's voice intact" because...to me even if they sound different from their VP's, it doesn't ruin their appeal at all?

I appreciate Vocaloids/vocal synths because their voices can be good or unique on their own, and they have their own voices than just "the voice of this real person but you can NOW use their voices for yourself!". And "realistic" voice to me doesn't need to sound close to their VP's most of the time haha, it can be a good baseline but not something I prioritize.

This is mainly kinda related to Vocaloid IA and CeVIO IA. I love Lia's voice and appreciate that CeVIO IA sounded more like Lia with her new vb, but that never changed my love for IA's original vb either; she still sounds good and has her own appeal to me. I'd use them both in different cases depending on the result I want tbh.

Hell, when I made my own UTAU, I actually didn't want my UTAU to sound completely like me either because it's fun hearing a voice that doesn't sound like you despite providing their voice aha

 

[Blue Of Mind]

This is mainly kinda related to Vocaloid IA and CeVIO IA. I love Lia's voice and appreciate that CeVIO IA sounded more like Lia with her new vb, but that never changed my love for IA's original vb either; she still sounds good and has her own appeal to me. I'd use them both in different cases depending on the result I want tbh.

I must admit, I was originally disappointed with V3 IA because she didn't sound much like Lia (who's voice I'm a big fan of), but overtime I came to appreciate how Vocaloid made IA sound distinct from Lia. CeVIO IA threw me for a loop because it's tonally close to Lia, and I've been hearing Vocaloid IA for so many years now that I was simultaneously amazed and startled when I heard CeVIO IA's initial demos.

V2 and V3 Lily also don't sound much like Yuri Masuda, but it doesn't bother me either. If anything, Vocaloid gives Lily a unique/unusual tone that isn't replicated by other VBs, whether on Vocaloid or other voice synths.