We see this happen with UTAU all the time, where fans declare a voicebank "dead" mourn the loss, and move on. I've even seen fans hold mini-funerals for voicebanks they've written off. It's a sad occasion. Even if a voice was "controversial" or considered "bad" by haters, you know that deep down, someone spent a good chunk of their time trying to get that voice to work, and you feel sorry for whomever was behind that now forgotten vocal.
But did you know that a Vocaloid can die too??
I'm always checking Wikipedia's List of Vocaloid Products, so I can keep up with the latest voicebank releases. While it has been fan edited before, it's usually the most accurate, drama-and-rumor-free list online, and they never mention how you "should" use a voice for the songs you want to do. I see that soon, we will be singing "Happy BIRTH Day" to newcomers Yuezheng Ling and Rana, while Luka and the Kagamine Twins will be enjoying new appends.
Today I noticed a list of "cancelled" voices, or as the rest of us know.... DEAD.
Luo, Gachapoid and SeeU don't worry me, as this listing here is only for their appends. All three can be made to sing in English and Japanese, if you know how to tweek it just right.
ALYS isn't so much dead as she is now with CeVIO, a separate (rival??) program altogether. It's a real shame though, because she would have been the first French/Japanese Vocaloid, which would have made her pretty cool.
CV-4Cβ was a female, and is listed as "status unknown" meaning she could be brought back at some point.
Project If was rumored to be either Yuki Kaai or the early Voiceroids Shota and Ai. No evidence exists proving this, but the voice was quite childlike.
But most distressing is seeing that Hibiki Lui is dead, and Ring Suzune might be joining him. These two exist because of the Vocaloid fans, as per a contest held way back in 2011. This is much like the disaster Capcom caused, when they dropped MegaMan Legends 3, another creation that existed on fan support. It may be lauded as a "move for business" but in reality, this is a corporation trolling their fans, and trying to evade the scene of the crime.
If Wikipedia is right, and they have a good track record of being just that, then this really is a sad occasion. Sure, we are slopping over with female and little boy voices in Vocaloid, but each one is still special to somebody out there, and they deserve respect.
But just as I've seen UTAU funerals, I've also seen resurrections.
Voicebanks once declared "dead" have risen up, with better pronunciations and smoother sounds.
Maybe one day, Hibiki and the rest will be on that list for Vocaloid. Nothing is impossible, if you love Vocaloid after all.
But did you know that a Vocaloid can die too??
I'm always checking Wikipedia's List of Vocaloid Products, so I can keep up with the latest voicebank releases. While it has been fan edited before, it's usually the most accurate, drama-and-rumor-free list online, and they never mention how you "should" use a voice for the songs you want to do. I see that soon, we will be singing "Happy BIRTH Day" to newcomers Yuezheng Ling and Rana, while Luka and the Kagamine Twins will be enjoying new appends.
Today I noticed a list of "cancelled" voices, or as the rest of us know.... DEAD.
Luo, Gachapoid and SeeU don't worry me, as this listing here is only for their appends. All three can be made to sing in English and Japanese, if you know how to tweek it just right.
ALYS isn't so much dead as she is now with CeVIO, a separate (rival??) program altogether. It's a real shame though, because she would have been the first French/Japanese Vocaloid, which would have made her pretty cool.
CV-4Cβ was a female, and is listed as "status unknown" meaning she could be brought back at some point.
Project If was rumored to be either Yuki Kaai or the early Voiceroids Shota and Ai. No evidence exists proving this, but the voice was quite childlike.
But most distressing is seeing that Hibiki Lui is dead, and Ring Suzune might be joining him. These two exist because of the Vocaloid fans, as per a contest held way back in 2011. This is much like the disaster Capcom caused, when they dropped MegaMan Legends 3, another creation that existed on fan support. It may be lauded as a "move for business" but in reality, this is a corporation trolling their fans, and trying to evade the scene of the crime.
If Wikipedia is right, and they have a good track record of being just that, then this really is a sad occasion. Sure, we are slopping over with female and little boy voices in Vocaloid, but each one is still special to somebody out there, and they deserve respect.
But just as I've seen UTAU funerals, I've also seen resurrections.
Voicebanks once declared "dead" have risen up, with better pronunciations and smoother sounds.
Maybe one day, Hibiki and the rest will be on that list for Vocaloid. Nothing is impossible, if you love Vocaloid after all.