VOCALOID ZOLA Project for VOCALOID6 & A.I.VOICE

[Leon]

Yes... I think I'd prefer a full rerecord but even a somewhat lower quality port can have good results and is better than letting old banks rot. I'd like to see some more, assuming Yuu and Wil end up good quality. I'll wait to see some works come out with their updates before I make any hard statements, but it's certainly interesting to see Yamaha make essentially Quad's plus banks but then actually release them.

 

[PearlStarLight5]

It's 6/20, and y'know what that meansssssssss:

ZOLA Project

The downloadable version of VOCALOID6 Voicebank ZOLA Project is available for purchase in the VOCALOID SHOP. This product's features are "Voicebank with three male voices that can be mixed and matched freely to sing solos, duos, or in chorus". Please check music samples, information on shop...

www.vocaloid.com

 

[Leon]

Well, a friend bought them and sent some renders. They have this really strange effect where it almost sounds like they're sat down singing in front of a fan. At least, Yuu and Wil do. I don't know what this effect is called, but it's very strange to hear. I wonder if it's because they're made with old samples and V3 bank renders?? And if there's any way to fix that...

 

[wrong_thyme]

the fact kyo's up close in the center w/ yuu and wil in the back​

bro thinks he's the main character

 

[PearlStarLight5]

Further report: Zola Project V3 is still available (surprised since Yamaha usually discontinues previous versions immediately. I'd give it a few days or so to be sure)

 

[Infoholic]

People have been doing that for quite some time with Diff-SVC, RVC and the like.

If people can use the chopped up samples from a ddb file and get decent results, I don't see why YAMAHA or whoever couldn't use the original samples and get something much better.

Base V6 AI is a completely different type of network than something like Diff-SVC/RVC and Vocalochanger.

Further report: Zola Project V3 is still available (surprised since Yamaha usually discontinues previous versions immediately. I'd give it a few days or so to be sure)

Yamaha said Zola V3 will remain available.

 

[Nezuh]

Base V6 AI is a completely different type of network than something like Diff-SVC/RVC and Vocalochanger.

Well, that doesn't really matter because YUU and WIL just proved that they can do AI ports regardless of the type of algorithm they use.
Good to know, though.


btw, does anyone else miss the previous designs? It was something that was barely mentioned by a couple of people lol
They were kinda crude sketches, sure. But it set them apart from the rest of the voices imo

 

[ruffe]

Here's a comparison with the three! The "sat in front of a fan" trait that Leon mentions is definitely apparent.



It slightly reinforces my feelings that the package should've been KYO AI + YUU & WIL Standard, because the latter two don't sound so great in comparison... Especially WIL. I'm happy with KYO though!

 

[PearlStarLight5]

I would say it's more like Yuu and Wil Plus, since they still have AI features. And makes me wonder if that's what the Medium5 Plus voicebanks would have been like in comparison (we've only seen them with good tuning and mixing after all).
But I agree that it's really only overall a true update for Kyo. No wonder he has a more drastic presence in the shop thumbnail.

 

[peaches2217]

It slightly reinforces my feelings that the package should've been KYO AI + YUU & WIL Standard, because the latter two don't sound so great in comparison... Especially WIL.

Like Pearl noted, it’s definitely only a true update for Kyo, but releasing two as Standards while one is an AI, when the trio is a package deal, would just be confusing. That’d be like releasing a Rin/Len update, except Rin’s AI and Len is still standard. I’m definitely glad we got all of them in AI! That ensures they all play together well; if anyone wants to use or prefers their Standards, their V3s are still on sale.

Jesus, this was NOT on my vocalsynth bingo, we’re eating GOOD

 

[ruffe]

Would it really be confusing though? I can understand the idea of releasing them so they can take advantage of AI features (and because they're a trio, of course), but vocalochanger, cross-lingual, a bunch less parameters, and inferior quality aren't really enticing reasons to choose them over an already quality product (that's currently cheaper, mind you)—nor does it set a good precedent for future updates if companies decide to/are allowed to make standard —> AI ports of similar iffy quality.

Vocaloid has had issues with quality control in the past though, so I can't say it's surprising that this would pass. Hopefully with future engine improvements and updates they'll sound better.

 

[peaches2217]

Would it really be confusing though? I can understand the idea of releasing them so they can take advantage of AI features (and because they're a trio, of course), but vocalochanger, cross-lingual, a bunch less parameters, and inferior quality aren't really enticing reasons to choose them over an already quality product (that's currently cheaper, mind you)—nor does it set a good precedent for future updates if companies decide to/are allowed to make standard —> AI ports of similar iffy quality.

Vocaloid has had issues with quality control in the past though, so I can't say it's surprising that this would pass. Hopefully with future engine improvements and updates they'll sound better.

Whether they’re “inferior quality” is entirely subjective, honestly. Remember that hyper-realism is only one quality in a synth, not the end-all-be-all dictator of whether a synth is any good. Plenty of people find V6’s sound enticing; Gumi AI’s outsold all of her previous iterations and is still going.

Releasing them all as AI, now both versions have consistent capabilities and aren't mismatched in their features and ability-wise; people have the option to choose both based on preference whereas they wouldn't in your suggestion. Like, I’d get the complaint if they were the second coming of Sonika, but they're perfectly fine. It’s all good and valid if you don’t care for them! (I’m not crazy about them personally, if we’re being honest.) But not being interested in or enticed by their sound is no reason to suggest others wouldn’t or shouldn’t be. I think they’re gonna do A-okay.

 

[SuzakuSpectacled]

They were kinda crude sketches,

I wouldn't call them crude sketches they're just not the Anime Style(tm) but yeah I'm personally not a fan of the new illustrations... Esp since they got such a big name with a niche style for their V3 and then their V6/AIV is just... Fujobait but bad (lol). I wish they commissioned a few more artists for alt illustrations at least like V3 era? Like that was fun come on YAMAHA...

Not making YUU and WIL "true AI"s so-to-speak feels really short-sighted for YAMAHA tbh, like if they plan on releasing new features and updating the banks alongside the engine, then YUU and WIL will 100% be bottlenecked by their Plus-style build. In the interest of investing in a product that develops overtime, that alone makes them inferior vocals compared to KYO and the others. And if they sound this bad now (lets be real here, come on now.) then I don't want to think about how they'll sound like later down the line when YAMAHA introduces more features that they can't take advantage of to their best ability. Hopefully YAMAHA has plans for updating YUU and WIL "properly" since it seems like Mauie and Minoru are on speaking terms with ZOLA at least and that they're releasing in this rough state only to meet the 10th anniversary date.

 

[morrysillusion]

btw, does anyone else miss the previous designs? It was something that was barely mentioned by a couple of people lol
They were kinda crude sketches, sure. But it set them apart from the rest of the voices imo

i had lots of thoughts about these designs but just didnt say anything bc i didnt want to deal with the potential back and forth of someone just not agreeing with my thought xD its subjective, its fine if you like them. but i dont really expect to change my stance on how i dont like them personally either. i like the old art, but im someone who just likes the things that arent typical to these anime-aligned voices? the sketches were loose and not super detail but they were very interesting among all the other designs going on.
would have liked to have seem them at least retain some of those design qualities- they were simple and... these new ones- especially the outfits are... a lot lol. if im being real its the outfits that are the biggest turn off to me- i dont think its bad to modernize them or pull them to the typical anime style bc of their whole deal of being a sorta idol trio. but this just isnt a result i like haha

and i guess ill just expand on the rest of my Opinion™ here too for the banks, i just dont think they sound good either (yuu and will). tbh the moment i heard they were reusing their v3 samples i just did not see the good in doing that at all, i was put off and just could not ever think about buying them- tbh if i wanted them i would just go and get their v3s. its just so odd to me. really, theyre pushing towards AI- the voices people nowadays consider the better and higher quality ones (it doesnt matter if you think the standards are good too-- im talking about the general music industry opinions)- and yet they dont really... go out of the way to ensure higher quality, esp when kyo gets new recordings...? whatever reasons there could be that they didnt get new recordings for the others, it just doesnt give me a good feel that they still went through with this and we got these results out of it... as Susaku said above i want to hope maybe they will get some kinda update with new data but i wouldnt assume so at this point.

 

[SuzakuSpectacled]

Miyazaki Yuu (NANOX), Takahashi Minoru (Minorun) and Mauie Cayton (Maui)'s posts regarding ZOLA 10th anniv and V6! (Mauie doesn't have a twitter post about it but he's been liking both JP and EN tweets/fanart related to the 10th anniv!)

 

[DefiantKitsune]

Hopefully YAMAHA has plans for updating YUU and WIL "properly" since it seems like Mauie and Minoru are on speaking terms with ZOLA at least and that they're releasing in this rough state only to meet the 10th anniversary date.

Speaking terms doesn't imply that they are willing or able to rerecord to be fair. If they were open to recording new samples, I find it pretty unlikely they would have gone with this method instead.

 

[aru ii]

bh i don't think that it's bad that yuu and wil are plus banks. The zola boys are pretty similar sounding, so recording 3 similar new vbs that would cost a lot isn't a great idea. So just rerecording one of them and having the other 2 as bonuses is a pretty good compromise methinks. + i think with different adjustments it wouldn't be that hard to turn kyo into yuu or wil

 

[Leon]

Whether they’re “inferior quality” is entirely subjective, honestly. Remember that hyper-realism is only one quality in a synth, not the end-all-be-all dictator of whether a synth is any good. Plenty of people find V6’s sound enticing; Gumi AI’s outsold all of her previous iterations and is still going.

Oh that Gumi bit is interesting. Where do you get the numbers for it, if you don't mind me asking? I'm a little surprised if that's the case, because TBH I didn't think there was all that much hype for V6 to have been able to outsell her V2, V3, and V4 banks like that! :0

Re: the ZOLAs. I don't think anyone really wants hyper-realism here, so much as just banks that don't... well, like I had said before, sound like they were sung into a fan. It's a little disappointing, is all, that on a single note that's not even held for that long, it sounds like it warbles or the sample is looping, or something. Not to say you can't like the banks or be excited for them. I think it's great that they've been updated, and I hope others are too! I just don't think I'll be buying them personally (I already have their V3s anyway).