How to Upload Wav Files to Utau

For the Marvel Comics grapheme, see Uatu.

Japanese shareware voice synthesizer

UTAU

Original author(s)	Ameya/Ayame
Developer(south)	Ameya/Ayame
Initial release	March 2008; xiv years agone  (2008-03)
Stable release	0.4.xviii(e) (Windows); one.0.0 b18 (Mac) / September 5, 2013; 8 years agone  (2013-09-05)
Written in	VB6
Operating arrangement	Windows 2000 / XP / Vista / 7 / 8 / 10 Mac OS X
Platform	Windows, Mac OS X
Available in	Japanese and English language (and other languages via patch files)
Type	Musical Synthesizer Application (Music sequencer)
License	Shareware (by donations)
Website	http://utau2008.xrea.jp/

UTAU is a Japanese singing synthesizer application created by Ameya/Ayame ( 飴屋／菖蒲 ). This program is similar to the VOCALOID software, with the difference beingness it is shareware instead of nether a third party licensing.^[one]

Overview [edit]

In March 2008, Ameya/Ayame released UTAU, a free, advanced support tool shareware software that was costless-to-download from its main website. UTAU ( 歌う ), pregnant 'to sing' in Japanese, has its origin in the activity of "Jinriki Bōkaroido" ( 人力ボーカロイド , Transmission Vocaloid), where people edit an existing vocal rail, extract phonemes, adjust pitch, and reassemble them to create a Vocaloid-esque singing voice. UTAU was originally created to assist this procedure using concatenative synthesis. UTAU is able to utilize WAV files provided by the user, and then that a singing voice can be synthesized past introducing vocal lyrics and melody. Information technology comes with AQUEST'southward vox synthesizer "AquesTalk" for synthesizing the vocalism samples of the default voicebank, Utane Uta (also nicknamed Defoko ( Defoko pregnant 'Default Daughter' in Japanese)) on UTAU's initial launch, after which the generator deletes itself. Voices made for the UTAU plan are officially called "UTAU" as well, though they are colloquially known as "UTAUloids", a reference to VOCALOID. They are as well called "voicebanks" (more common in English-speaking areas) and "(voice) libraries" in Nihon. A myriad number of voicebanks have been developed past independent users. These voicebanks are normally distributed directly from their creators via internet download, but some are sold as function of commercial projects.

UTAU is mostly a Japanese program and thus many of its voices are created specifically for the Japanese language. However, the number of available languages has been expanded past the users. English language is a common language for UTAU to sing in. While in that location are a high number of bilingual UTAU, there are too multilingual UTAU that can sing in iii or more languages. Ofttimes, Ten-SAMPA format is used for English language voicebanks. Still, other formats based on X-SAMPA are likewise used, such every bit Cz Phonemes (or C-ZAMPA) for some English language VCCV voicebanks. Regardless of the vox'due south language, a user's figurer must be in the Japanese locale or use AppLocale in order to run the software. Virtually of its documentation is in Japanese, but the User Transmission has been translated into English. The programme's interface was translated to English by Ameya, and other translations are notwithstanding pending. However, the plan nevertheless requires support for Japanese text.

UTAU'southward project files are saved under the ".ust" (Utau Sequence Text) extension. These files can exist freely distributed, assuasive different UTAU to sing the same piece. It is important to brand notation of the guidelines the UST creator has provided in terms of the .ust'southward distribution and employ. Producers have developed several methods of producing their sound banks and results for the voicebanks vary because of this.^[2] UTAU also supports MIDI format and .vsq format.

Ameya/Ayame added support for Unicode in an unreleased newer version of UTAU equally per the screenshots posted on Twitter. The corresponding backend support tail fixed region as well as several other audio encodings has already been released, while frontend support is nevertheless to exist released as of September 2020. Ameya also updated UTAU to exist compatible with 64-chip systems.

Configuration [edit]

The editor is capable of placing notes, inbound phonemes, and changing pitch and volume on the piano roll. Only ane track can be created in UTAU, and notes cannot be placed on top of each other. By default, only notes are displayed on the piano ringlet, but display settings can be changed to evidence the pitch curve, volume intensity, envelope, and flags. UTAU uses flags to change aspects of the vocalization, such equally with depression-pass and high-pass filters, and reducing or calculation breathiness. These flags differ depending on the resampler used. Score information and data in the voicebank is processed with a resampler and wavtool based on the score created with the editor. Only 1 resampler can be utilized in a unmarried .ust file. A formant filter is used to control changes in voice quality, which can be turned off.

The audio file to be loaded in is found past matching the symbols on the annotation with the audio file name in the voice library. However, a prefix.map file can change which subfolder the sample is taken from. The pitch of the synthesized vocalisation is adjusted according to the difference between the original sound file and the pitch of the note in the editor. UTAU uses formant filters to foreclose extreme changes in phonation quality, which can be disabled. Batch processing is used to generate multiple notes at once. Enshroud files are created during this procedure. Depending on the resampler, the amount of cache files may increase. At that place are settings in the menu to delete cache files when the program is airtight, or after a certain period of time.

There are built-in plugins which can automatically merge vowels, and the "Omakase/A la menu" settings which can add automatic pitch and vibrato to an entire file. Other plugins created by users can be added into the software, which preform various functions. The colors of the editor can also be changed in the setting.ini file.

Voices [edit]

As mentioned above, WAV files can be ported into UTAU. There can be hundreds, or in some cases, thousands, of these files in a single voicebank. Voices are installed by either placing them in the "voice" folder or dragging and dropping them onto the UTAU icon. These libraries also come with an oto.ini file which determines the timing and configuration of each sample. When outputting sound from the score information in the editor, the programme uses the oto.ini to set timing and pronunciation. Oto.ini files can be created using UTAU's GUI, or in 3rd party software made by users, the most notable of these third party programs beingness SetParam. Frequency tables (.frq files) are used to process the waveform when changing the pitch in the editor. Some resamplers employ other file types instead of .frq. The voices may also come with paradigm files virtually commonly being the .bmp format and standalone voice dialogues as some Vocaloids practise. They as well often include readme files which comprise software information and terms of use. Character information files, commonly seen as character.txt, are besides often included, which hold information that tin can be viewed in the "Voice preview" department of the GUI which labels the voicebank writer, the name, a sample file to exist played on click of the "sample" button, and the Voicebank image. It can also incorporate other parameters specified by the creator, such as "genre".

Some voicebanks are monosyllabic, collectively referred to as "CV" (consonant-vowel), whereas others utilise triphones to produce a smoother sound. ^[3] These triphonetic voicebanks are collectively referred to as "VCV" (vowel-consonant-vowel). These take considerably more than fourth dimension and effort to make (being nigh seven times the size of a CV voicebank, in terms of lines in the oto.ini file), merely produce a more natural result.

Later UTAU voices would include phonemes equanimous of vowels+consonants (VC) to accommodate languages other than Japanese. Methods that utilize this include "CVVC" (in which a VC phoneme is placed betwixt 2 CV phonemes), or a sister method "VCCV", which is based on CVVC, only contains a few differences (differentiation between aspirated and unaspirated VCs, consonant cluster back up, etc). "VCCV" is named the style information technology is to differentiate itself from its creator's past CVVC lists. Two rarer vox recording methods are CVC, where one phoneme consists of a consonant-vowel-consonant and is dissever up in the program past using the oto.ini, and a method called rentan-jutsu ( れんたんじゅつ ), in which a series of CV syllables are recorded in multiple wav files in guild to create a smoother upshot without resorting to total VCV.

Since the audio files are contained files, they can be used in other software such as a DAW.

Development [edit]

The evolution of UTAU started when Ameya began to use Audacity to recombine samples of other singers, and Melodyne to pitch correct the samples and gear up them to music. The human activity of doing this was referred to every bit "man-powered VOCALOID". LOLI.COM, a musician who posted his own rap music to Nico Nico Douga, used his own voice for human-powered Vocaloid and released an audio editing software which could assistance users do the aforementioned. Since the procedure of doing "human-powered VOCALOID" past manus took a substantial amount of time and effort, Ameya began to develop a new tool which would aid the process.

The tool was announced on Nico Nico Douga on January 11, 2008. At that time, it was possible to suit the timing of the sound, change the envelope of a note, and generate batch files. On v February 2008, a video was released showing the GUI. Here, it was possible to time stretch samples, create oto.ini files, and arrange the pitch bends of notes. ^[iv] On 5 March 2008, a video explaining the program's specifications was released on Nico Nico Douga,^[5] and on 15 March 2008, the tool was renamed UTAU.

The creator was a programmer by merchandise and not a specialist in vocal synthesis, but used previous noesis to create UTAU. After its release, Ameya continued to improve UTAU, and started developing it in collaboration with other text-to-speech communication developers.^[6]

In June 2008, Ameya rejected the label of "Jinriki Bōkaroido" ( 人力ボーカロイド , Manual Vocaloid) for UTAU, calling it singing voice synthesis software instead.^[vii]

Sound files and copyright [edit]

Since UTAU can create a singing phonation using any WAV files, it is possible to accept the voice of an existing person and use it as information. Often, actors, singers, and celebrities will have clips of their voices re-purposed for use in UTAU. The creator, Ameya, once created a vocalization using data from a vocalization actor's CD.

In May 2008, Ameya decided to end using audio data without permission for the fourth dimension being, unless the vocalism histrion immune it.^[8]

Cultural impact [edit]

Though the software is very pop in Nihon, its origins and cultural impact are owed to the already established popularity of the Vocaloid software. UTAU itself was first made famous when the creator of Kasane Teto released the character posing equally a Vocaloid grapheme every bit part of an April Fool's joke in 2008. The influence of the Vocaloid software also led to both programs ordinarily being used adjacent. Often pop UTAU mascots like Kasane Teto appear in VOCALOID-based media such as Maker Hikōshiki Hatsune Mix or Hatsune Miku: Project DIVA.

Later, the UTAU software would take its ain impact on Vocaloid and other vocal synthesizers, with a number of vocals either referencing UTAU or being produced for the engine to brainstorm with. For case, Megurine Luka V4x was influenced past the UTAU song "Gahata Meiji".^[9] Wat from Crypton Future Media also spoke to someone very familiar with UTAU and said that the chat was "very interesting".^[10] Macne Nana of the Macne series later would become both a UTAU phonation and a Vocaloid voice. The voice provider of English Vocaloid Crimson, Misha, had previously produced a Japanese-language UTAU named Makune Hachi ( MAKU音ハチ ). In addition, the vocalizer for Dex, Kenji-B, created Kenji Baionoto ( 倍音音ケンジ ) for UTAU, and AkiGlancy, the vocaliser behind Dex's partner Daina, gave her vox to a UTAU called Namida ( ナミダ ). Kikuko Inoue, the phonation actress of Macne Coco White and Black ( Mac音ココ白・黒 ) (meet Macne series) went on to voice a Vocaloid5 product by the name of Haruno Sora ( 桜乃そら ). The product came with two voicebanks, "Natural" and "Cool".^[xi] After the release of Vocaloid iii vocal Tohoku Zunko, her two sisters Tohoku Itako and Tohoku Kiritan received UTAU vocals.^[12] Kiritan would subsequently hold a crowdfunding campaign for her to become a Voiceroid.^[thirteen]

Its main attraction is not merely based on it existence freely distributed on the internet, merely because it allowed a user to insert their own voice into the database for utilise for music, opening the doors for users to further develop their own music. UTAU owes its growing popularity to its ability to provide a free method of creating voices for music utilize and has established numerous music producers working with the software on sites such as Nico Nico Douga and YouTube. Users also see it as an alternative to the Vocaloid software, which only offers a more limited supply of voices at a costly price and may not offer the voice types they are seeking for music, every bit the large database of voices often has a much greater gamble of offering the voice they seek. Even so, despite the number of voicebanks offered, the software has overall far fewer producers working with information technology than Vocaloid.^[14]

A radio station set up a one hour program containing nothing but Vocaloid and UTAU-based music.^[15]

In addition, an outcome called "The UTAU M@STER" was held regularly from nineteen July 2012 onwards. The event was the principal gathering of groups or circles and was held in a like style to the Vocaloid-related issue, THE VOC@LOID M@STER, which had existed since 2007.^[16]

[edit]

Unlike Vocaloid, UTAU files are non restrictive as information technology is not a proprietary based license. Therefore, it is possible to utilise open-source license products with the UTAU software, such equally those produced for the Macne series ( Mac音シリーズ ), released for the programs Reason four and GarageBand. These products were sold past Act2 and past converting their file format, were able to also work with the UTAU plan.^[17] Afterwards, the Macne packages Whisper☆Angel Sasayaki, Macne Nana 2S and Macne Petit 2S came with pre-built UTAU voicebanks.

The default voicebank "Defoko" (Uta Utane) borrows her vox from the software AquesTalk, specifically the vox "AquesTalk Female person-1" produced by A-quest. Permission had been granted for her distribution free with the software.^[18] Koe Utane, Uta's "sister", also borrows her voice from the AquesTalk software. Namine Ritsu ( 波音リツ ), a vocal originally congenital for UTAU, also was later added to another software called "Sinsy" every bit "Namine Ritsu S". Another vocal originally developed for the UTAU software, Yamine Renri ( 闇音レンリ ), was as well later added to a different software chosen "Synthesizer V".

Due to the software's own copyright agreement, non-open license software such as VOCALOID are non permitted to be imported into the UTAU software.^[19]

A number of plug-ins for the software accept likewise been developed by users of the software which add and enhance the vocals of the software.

The software "Sugarcape", based on the same freeware intention as UTAU, has already entered beta stage.^[xx] There was an official Mac version of UTAU released on May 27, 2011, named UTAU-Synth.^[21] Information technology has approximately the aforementioned features as the Windows version. UTAU-Synth version tin can import both voices and songs made with the Windows version, but its project files and voicebank configurations are non fully uniform with the Windows version.

In late 2017 information technology was mentioned that Plogue Art et Technologie, Inc. had a working redirect accommodation that would make UTAU vocals appear in its engine Alter/Ego.^[22]

"OpenUTAU" is an open-source unofficial successor to UTAU developed by Vocaloid producer StAkira, with a beta released in Nov 2021. The software was designed to exist compatible with UTAU but with a mod user experience.^[23]

Usage in music [edit]

The licensed songs from the anthology Graduation from Prevarication, featuring Teto Kasane, were released for music downloads from Karen-T, under Crypton Future Media, equally a special release. This is the first licensed release of any UTAU.^[24] Kasane Teto is famous for singing "Ochame Kinou", a vocal famous for being catchy and having nonsensical lyrics. Momo Momone is likewise famous for singing "Nyanyanyanyanyanyanya!", a song originally composed by daniwellP and sung by the VOCALOID Hatsune Miku. This vocal was made pop with the YouTube video of "Nyan Cat".

Run across also [edit]

• Nyan True cat
• Dōjin music
• Vocaloid
• Cevio
• Speech synthesis

References [edit]

1. ^ "歌声合成ツールUTAU" [Vocal Synthesis Tool UTAU] (in Japanese). Utau. Retrieved July 9, 2010.
2. ^ ""Continuous Audio" Recording: UTAU Upgrades Realism – Vocaloidism". Vocaloidism. Archived from the original on 27 March 2012. Retrieved 27 Apr 2016.
3. ^ ""Continuous Sound" Recording: UTAU Upgrades Realism – Vocaloidism". Vocaloidism. Archived from the original on 27 March 2012. Retrieved 27 Apr 2016.
4. ^ "自作ツールを使ってテキスト読み上げソフトに『片道キャッチボール』を". Niconico . Retrieved 29 June 2021.
5. ^ "人力ボーカロイド支援ツールらしきものを作ってみた その１ 導入編". Niconico.
6. ^ "あなたの声で歌うソフト「UTAU」の奇妙な世界". ASCII.jp . Retrieved 29 June 2021.
7. ^ ""真の人力Vocaloid"とは". ＵＴＡＵについて . Retrieved 29 June 2021.
8. ^ Ameya. "テト声の調整に本腰が入った理由 (Why I got serious about adjusting the Teto voice)". Retrieved 31 July 2021.
9. ^ "crypton_wat". Twitter . Retrieved 27 April 2016.
10. ^ "crypton_wat". Twitter . Retrieved 29 Apr 2016.
11. ^ "井上喜久子のVOCALOID、VOICEROIDがついに登場！ 新VOCALOID5に対応！ 『VOCALOID 桜乃そら』『VOICEROID2 桜乃そら』 2018年7月26日発売". ahsoft.com. AH-Software. Retrieved 29 June 2021.
12. ^ "東北イタコ、きりたんのUTAU音源". Retrieved 27 April 2016.
13. ^ "クラウド出版". Retrieved 27 Apr 2016.
14. ^ "How Big Is The Japanese Vocaloid Community?". Archived from the original on 2010-12-13.
15. ^ "NHK の本気!ボカロラジオ「エレうた」の高き志" [NHK's Decision! Loftier Aspirations with Vocaloid Radio "Ere Uta"] (in Japanese). ASCII Media Works. February 5, 2011. Retrieved February 25, 2011.
16. ^ "「THE UTAU Yard@STER」UTAU only event". Retrieved 27 April 2016.
17. ^ "Mac音ナナ シリーズ" [Macne Nana Series] (in Japanese). Act2. Archived from the original on May 11, 2011. Retrieved July 9, 2010.
18. ^ "音声合成ライブラリ製品の紹介 - 株式会社アクエスト". Retrieved 27 Apr 2016.
19. ^ "Controversy Concerns/POCALOID and illegal modifications". Vocaloid Wiki . Retrieved 2019-09-01 .
20. ^ "Macで動くボーカルシンセを作る". Retrieved 27 April 2016.
21. ^ "UTAU for Mac: UTAU-Synth". Vocaloidism. Archived from the original on 27 March 2012. Retrieved 27 Apr 2016.
22. ^ "@chipspeech 5:19 p.m.—Nov 10, 2017 Tweet". Twitter . Retrieved 1 December 2017.
23. ^ "What is OpenUTAU?". STUDIO OGIEN. Archived from the original on 16 Nov 2021. Retrieved 25 February 2022.
24. ^ "Kasane Teto "Graduation from Lie"" (in Japanese). Crypton Future Media. Retrieved October 2, 2010.

External links [edit]

• (in Japanese) Official website (macOS version)
• (in Japanese) Official website
• (in Japanese) Article on Japanese Wikipedia
• (in Japanese) Programmer blog

milleryoursurs.blogspot.com

Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Utau

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