Here’s a first for me. I’ve not had one of those in a while. Vocaloids is new and uncharted territory for me and my articles here at IndieGala. I haven’t even heard about the Vocaloids before, but hey. It’s a great opportunity to learn something new. And I love that. Instead of fearing the unknown, I choose to embrace it.
But hey. It’s not like we haven’t touched on anything music-related. Just last month we had a Jazz themed article. Well because of one other cool bundle that we had. The Jazzy Beats Bundle of course. Check it out here.
But to be perfectly honest, the main influence for this particular article is this cool bundle that we currently have. And I’d love to tell you more about it.
Vocaloids VS Vocalo-Beats Bundle
What is Vocalo-Beats Bundle you might ask? Well, it’s pretty great in so many ways. First and foremost, there are 12 different vocaloids in it. From Lyle Music – Songs of Gaia to the even popular pop star Hatsune Miku. Say tuned for more Hatsune Miku content down this article, but for now, let me tell you what’s so cool about this bundle.
Have we mentioned that you can pay with your favorite cryptocurrency in order to purchase it? From Bitcoin to Ethereum, it’s up to you to decide. Indeed. You can pay with a supported cryptocurrency and get an EXTRA 30.0% OFF on this bundle! But that’s not all. You can also pay $4.49 or more to get this bundle full of Music Albums and SAVE 81% OFF.
Get it here. But hurry up. The Vocalo-Beats Bundle is not going to last that much further.
But What Are The Vocaloids?
Which one are we referring to? Because there are plenty of them. However, at its core, a vocaloid is a singing voice synthesizer software product. Its signal processing part was developed through a joint research project led by Kenmochi Hideki at the Pompeu Fabra University in Barcelona, Spain. And get this! In 2000 and was not originally intended to be a full commercial project.
But where did the Vocaloids have the most cultural impact? In Japan of course. The software became very popular in Japan upon the release of Crypton Future Media’s Hatsune Miku Vocaloid 2 software. And her success has led to the popularity of the Vocaloid software in general. Furthermore, the Vocaloid software has also had a great influence on the character Black Rock Shooter.
And during the events of the 2011 Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami, several Vocaloid-related donation drives were produced. Not to mention, In 2013, the Vocaloid 3 software Oliver was used as the voice of Cartoon Hangover character PuppyCat from their web series Bee and PuppyCat.
But What’s So Special About Hatsune Miku?
Well, in a nutshell, Hatsune Miku, is a Vocaloid software voicebank developed by Crypton Future Media. And its official moe anthropomorphism, a 16-year-old girl with long, turquoise twintails. Hatsune Miku means “The first Sound from the Future” for those of you who are wondering. Additionally, she was created by taking vocal samples from voice actress Saki Fujita at a controlled pitch and tone. Those samples all contain a single Japanese phonic that, when strung together, creates full lyrics and phrases. But just take a closer look at the explanation about her.
Crypton had the idea to release Miku as “an android diva in the near-future world where songs are lost.” And since her inception in 2007, Miku rose to the ranks quickly. Well, more prominently since 2008 as she’s the professional musicians main target. Not the general audience per se. However, the success of her voice bank led to an expansion of marketing possibilities. And most of the mass marketing has come after her initial release as a response to her popularity. But she’s been part of the racing industry when it comes to marketing promotion. And a part of plenty of winter festivals.
Also, In March 2012, the Nomura Research Institute estimated that the sales of all “Hatsune Miku” brand goods added up into the region of ¥10,000,000,000 since her release in 2007. Miku’s name is now the easiest of all VOCALOIDs to market. So much so that back in 2018, one fan from Tokyo, made headlines when he “married” the popular virtual character Hatsune Miku. Yes. He married her. Hey no judgment. To each their own right?
But What Is It About Her? What Makes The Fans Go Ga-Ga About Her?
Well, The Vocaloid first became popular after she appeared on the Nico Nico Douga website. A YouTube-like video-streaming site and she captivated viewers with her high and sweet voice. But since, Hatsune Miku’s explosive popularity turned into an internet phenomenon. And the Vocaloid even performed live as a hologram during the Animelo Summer Live at the Saitama Super Arena in 2009.
Look, back in 2008, the otaku culture was taking off. So Hatsune Miku’s unique branding appealed to a community looking for content like her. The pigtailed Vocaloid dominated the market with her kawaii appearance. And what else you might ask? Besides the lucky timing, Hatsune Miku’s cute character design was a huge part of her popularity. Her appearance is simple yet charming with her turquoise color and iconic twin pigtails. Audiences could immediately recognize and remember the Vocaloid. Sometimes simplicity is the best asset a girl can have, don’t you think?
Yes, she’s decades old. That’s true. But new generations are discovering her almost every day. Her appearance, and by her songs are quite the attraction. It’s safe to say that her appeal will go on, for generations to come.
Which Of The Vocaloids Is Your Favorite?
Let us know in the comments. We’d love to know more. Hit that comment section and let us know.
