UTAU vs Vocaloid: The Tides Turn

(Source: Takunama)

Warning: This is an editorial opinion. It does not necessarily express the views of Vocaloidism and its staff. By popular support of the editors, I have been urged to submit this article.

The battle is on between Vocaloid and UTAU, even more so than ever before.  With the release of the new sampling method for UTAU and the relative speed of their release, the Vocaloid universe may have to change.  Learn more about the UTAU and what the future may hold after the break.

Since its inception, Vocaloid has been the premium voice synthesis software package on the market.  As always, success bred competition, and the UTAU were released.  This freeware program was very limited in design and, in terms of quality, did not hold a candle to Vocaloid.  What it really had going for it was the ability to create your own voicebank sample.  This is how many of the hundreds of UTAU have been issued to the world, including Nico Singer Kanipan’s Pan Kanino UTAU.

One of UTAU’s most recognized faces would be Kasane Teto, and after that, Yokune Ruko, who both were released as April Fools jokes that tricked many a Vocaloid fan.  In the example of a parody of Macross Frontier’s Lion below, you can hear the extreme difference between them and the Vocaloids.

This was even an issue with the Apple-released Garage Band equivalents, Macne Nana and Macne Coco, voice libraries that were released for extremely cheap in comparison to Vocaloid.

However, in recent months, UTAU had released an experimental sampling method that completely changed the way they sounded.

This “New Momone Momo” proved to be a giant success, and the vocal libraries have begun resampling for most of the popular UTAU.  Even now, the resampling has been made for 8 of the more popular UTAU.  This one by Sora Suiga completely blew me away.

Now that UTAU exists in a similar quality as Vocaloid for no price whatsoever, Crypton and the other V-developers are on the ropes to create new, more original, and better sounding concepts.  If all the UTAU are resampled, the current Vocaloids will be outnumbered 10 to 1.  Though AH-Soft may release a lot of Vocaloids in a short period of time while Crypton continues to concentrate on development, the price issue still comes into play.  Crypton’s development of the new male Vocaloid and Project If could be the saving grace of the Vocaloid line, however I believe that it will take much more than that to fight off the rise of the UTAU.

In addition, the rise of the UTAU may force the VocaRan to accept UTAU-only songs.  In its current system, UTAU-only songs are ineligible for contest ranking, and only those that feature one or more of the Vocaloids are allowed to compete.  Though it may resist for many months, the change may be inevitable.

I personally think that though I am upset to see Vocaloid being matched by a free program, competition can only breed improvement in one form or another.  With Crypton’s development team at hard work, they may release a bombshell that could send the new UTAU into the Recycle Bin.  I hope that will wind up being the case, but until then, you might want to start boning up on your UTAU.  In closing I’ll leave you with Rokune Yuko’s version of Rip=Release.

-red2

About: redemption2


5 thoughts on “UTAU vs Vocaloid: The Tides Turn”

  1. I hope to become a user of both one day.
    To be honest…this really saddens me.
    I never realized the hostility between the two programs…
    *sighs*

  2. I really like both programs, and never thought there was any hostility between them like Ankh said. i really like miku and the others but still love hearing Ted, Teto, and other Utauloids in fact i love Teto’s version of kokoro and Ted’s under the darkness. i hope they can just coexist peacefully.

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