TECHNOLOGY: Virtual Singing

Computers have been able to process and create music for decades, able to recreate classical instruments and even create new ones. For years people have been making music using only computers and synthesizers with the only human element being the singing. All of that could change in a few years. A company by the name Zero G has created the first human synthesizer in Vocaloid. Using singer fonts created by real vocalists, the program is able to make the virtual performer sing lyrics in a melody and style decided by the user. While the sound is not perfect the effect is still absolutely amazing. Right now the female vocal models sound like variations of various traditional singers and the Leon (male) model sounds like Thom Yorke on a good day. The uses of this, especially for background vocals with the current technology is amazing. Even with the 2004 release the possibilities for this technology is endless. Imagine being able to write a song and then having Bob Dylan sing the lead vocals and then after deciding you don't like what you hear change it out so the singer is no longer Dylan but Paul Simon. All of this at the touch of a button. The companies website can be found here and an amazing sample song created using two of the different synth voices can be heard here. Prima: Vocaloid 2 is scheduled to be released in Spring '07 with improvements all across the board.