She's a vocaloid!
October 9, 2014 7:41 AM Subscribe
Noted computer program and pop singer Hatsune Miku performs on The Late Show with David Letterman. What's a Miku!? you ask, and Buzzfeed answers in list form. Previously on Metafilter.
For those of you expecting her to perform WITH Letterman (as I did) please note that this doesn't happen, "with David Letterman" is part of the name of the show.
posted by HuronBob at 7:50 AM on October 9, 2014 [4 favorites]
posted by HuronBob at 7:50 AM on October 9, 2014 [4 favorites]
This is Hatsune Miku. She’s a “vocal synthesizer software” and she’s hugely popular.
This is one of those advertizing claims where you just state what you want the world to believe and trust that it will all come true, right?
I was expecting... more.
posted by sneebler at 7:51 AM on October 9, 2014 [4 favorites]
This is one of those advertizing claims where you just state what you want the world to believe and trust that it will all come true, right?
I was expecting... more.
posted by sneebler at 7:51 AM on October 9, 2014 [4 favorites]
The most important previously on ever, Domino's Pizza App featuring Hatsune Miku.
posted by RobotHero at 7:52 AM on October 9, 2014 [5 favorites]
posted by RobotHero at 7:52 AM on October 9, 2014 [5 favorites]
She's always sounded pretty worbly and odd, even in Japanese.
Check out the video here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EuJ6UR_pD5s
You don't have to speak Japanese to hear the same sort of vibrato and so forth that made the English song sound so mechanical. Given that the voice is completely synthesized what they've done is damn impressive. But it still sounds fake and computer generated. We're nowhere near natural sounding synthetic voices yet, and won't be for a while. Voices are complicated.
posted by sotonohito at 7:55 AM on October 9, 2014
Check out the video here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EuJ6UR_pD5s
You don't have to speak Japanese to hear the same sort of vibrato and so forth that made the English song sound so mechanical. Given that the voice is completely synthesized what they've done is damn impressive. But it still sounds fake and computer generated. We're nowhere near natural sounding synthetic voices yet, and won't be for a while. Voices are complicated.
posted by sotonohito at 7:55 AM on October 9, 2014
Still waiting for her to marry Bono.
posted by valkane at 7:57 AM on October 9, 2014 [11 favorites]
posted by valkane at 7:57 AM on October 9, 2014 [11 favorites]
Sneebler, no, unfortunately Miku really is extremely popular here in Japan. Mainly among creepy anime fans, not regular folks, but there are a lot of creepy anime folks.
posted by Bugbread at 7:59 AM on October 9, 2014 [6 favorites]
posted by Bugbread at 7:59 AM on October 9, 2014 [6 favorites]
Wow. Life imitates art, ineptly at first.
posted by hat_eater at 8:00 AM on October 9, 2014 [13 favorites]
posted by hat_eater at 8:00 AM on October 9, 2014 [13 favorites]
Soon available in stompbox form!
Yeah, not sure I want the "scat" setting on that knob.....
posted by thelonius at 8:02 AM on October 9, 2014
Yeah, not sure I want the "scat" setting on that knob.....
posted by thelonius at 8:02 AM on October 9, 2014
Bubgread: So what you're saying is that this is creepy folk music? So we're witnessing the birth of a new genre? This is history in the making, people!
posted by I-baLL at 8:02 AM on October 9, 2014
posted by I-baLL at 8:02 AM on October 9, 2014
William Gibson should start suing reality for stealing his ideas.
On preview: what hat_eater said.
posted by octothorpe at 8:03 AM on October 9, 2014 [7 favorites]
On preview: what hat_eater said.
posted by octothorpe at 8:03 AM on October 9, 2014 [7 favorites]
Dave Letterman interviews Max Headroom (7/17/86).
Kids these days.
posted by JoeZydeco at 8:06 AM on October 9, 2014 [17 favorites]
Kids these days.
posted by JoeZydeco at 8:06 AM on October 9, 2014 [17 favorites]
For those of you expecting her to perform WITH Letterman (as I did) please note that this doesn't happen, "with David Letterman" is part of the name of the show.
I figured that was the case, but now I really want to see Hatsune Miku and David Letterman performing a medley of famous duets. I'm thinking maybe, "Alone Together," "Something Stupid," "Let's Call The Whole Thing Off," and "I Remember It Well."
(I know Letterman doesn't actually sing, so maybe he could get Mandy Patinkin back on?)
posted by TheWhiteSkull at 8:09 AM on October 9, 2014 [3 favorites]
I figured that was the case, but now I really want to see Hatsune Miku and David Letterman performing a medley of famous duets. I'm thinking maybe, "Alone Together," "Something Stupid," "Let's Call The Whole Thing Off," and "I Remember It Well."
(I know Letterman doesn't actually sing, so maybe he could get Mandy Patinkin back on?)
posted by TheWhiteSkull at 8:09 AM on October 9, 2014 [3 favorites]
Gotta love the otaku in the YouTube comments insisting that the problem was that she was singing in English and it was the wrong song.
To be honest, that is a problem, yeah; there are probably less warbly songs they could've picked and she does tend to sound better in Japanese (though possibly only because when it's obviously a different language from your native tongue, you don't even bother trying to decipher the lyrics so it's all pleasant noise).
Would that suddenly make the mainstream American audience (or even just the people in the Letterman audience) embrace Hatsune Miku? Absolutely, positively not, and that part is totally delusion. But there are ways to make the whole thing slightly (and I do mean slightly) less awkward.
Me, I tuned in hoping for awkwardness, and the last couple of seconds when Letterman walks out on stage to greet Hatsune Miku totally delivers.
posted by chrominance at 8:17 AM on October 9, 2014 [4 favorites]
To be honest, that is a problem, yeah; there are probably less warbly songs they could've picked and she does tend to sound better in Japanese (though possibly only because when it's obviously a different language from your native tongue, you don't even bother trying to decipher the lyrics so it's all pleasant noise).
Would that suddenly make the mainstream American audience (or even just the people in the Letterman audience) embrace Hatsune Miku? Absolutely, positively not, and that part is totally delusion. But there are ways to make the whole thing slightly (and I do mean slightly) less awkward.
Me, I tuned in hoping for awkwardness, and the last couple of seconds when Letterman walks out on stage to greet Hatsune Miku totally delivers.
posted by chrominance at 8:17 AM on October 9, 2014 [4 favorites]
My sister is into these vocaloid things, and the last time I saw her, she made me record a bunch of syllables into her computer and then had the digital 'me' sing a song. It was surreal. Like, ok, we are OFFICIALLY in The Future now, when my little sister can use a regular consumer computer to make me say things I never really said.
posted by showbiz_liz at 8:19 AM on October 9, 2014 [9 favorites]
posted by showbiz_liz at 8:19 AM on October 9, 2014 [9 favorites]
I honestly had not heard of this before, and idly wondered "gee, I idly wonder how much Hatsune Miku porn is out there". Don't google that phrase.
posted by Curious Artificer at 8:21 AM on October 9, 2014 [8 favorites]
posted by Curious Artificer at 8:21 AM on October 9, 2014 [8 favorites]
An SF character I fever-dreamed one night (I think - could have read it) was a (human, modified) singer with multiple larynxes and vocal tracts, whoc performed four-part harmony songs by herself.
Still think that's got more potential than stuff like this. Anyone volunteering for the op?
posted by Devonian at 8:22 AM on October 9, 2014
Still think that's got more potential than stuff like this. Anyone volunteering for the op?
posted by Devonian at 8:22 AM on October 9, 2014
"Is that your SR-16?"
posted by boo_radley at 8:30 AM on October 9, 2014 [6 favorites]
posted by boo_radley at 8:30 AM on October 9, 2014 [6 favorites]
also, having watched the video now:: EERREE EEEOW WEEEO MEEENEEWWWOO ERRRROWWEEEE EEEM NEEEOW WOEEEE MMEEENEOOWW
posted by boo_radley at 8:35 AM on October 9, 2014 [3 favorites]
posted by boo_radley at 8:35 AM on October 9, 2014 [3 favorites]
Porter Robinson (co-writer of the mega-hit Clarity) used vocaloid pretty extensively on his new album.
He also has a bunch of japanese tracks on his essential mix, which I've been meaning to make a fpp about, but I haven't gotten around to it.
posted by empath at 8:35 AM on October 9, 2014 [2 favorites]
He also has a bunch of japanese tracks on his essential mix, which I've been meaning to make a fpp about, but I haven't gotten around to it.
posted by empath at 8:35 AM on October 9, 2014 [2 favorites]
We're still waiting for you, Sharon. It is exciting to see that we'll be living in a Macross Plus future soon.
posted by sparklemotion at 8:35 AM on October 9, 2014 [5 favorites]
posted by sparklemotion at 8:35 AM on October 9, 2014 [5 favorites]
Krieger!!
posted by bicyclefish at 8:39 AM on October 9, 2014 [12 favorites]
posted by bicyclefish at 8:39 AM on October 9, 2014 [12 favorites]
Vocaloids can be used to great effect, especially in creepy music. Here's one of my favorites.
posted by nicebookrack at 8:43 AM on October 9, 2014 [3 favorites]
posted by nicebookrack at 8:43 AM on October 9, 2014 [3 favorites]
I have to admit, I skipped past most of the performance just to see Letterman's reaction. His zinger at the end did not disappoint.
posted by AlonzoMosleyFBI at 8:46 AM on October 9, 2014 [3 favorites]
posted by AlonzoMosleyFBI at 8:46 AM on October 9, 2014 [3 favorites]
Vicarious embarrassment doesn't seem like a very useful trait, evolutionarily speaking. And yet, here I sit, wallowing in it.
posted by Atom Eyes at 8:49 AM on October 9, 2014 [8 favorites]
posted by Atom Eyes at 8:49 AM on October 9, 2014 [8 favorites]
What, no spinning leek? Sheesh...
posted by Chocolate Pickle at 8:52 AM on October 9, 2014 [2 favorites]
posted by Chocolate Pickle at 8:52 AM on October 9, 2014 [2 favorites]
Vocaloid
She was a Vocaloid
Happier than you and me
Vocaloid
She was a Vocaloid
And it determined what she could see
And she wore a dress
And she sang a song
And she
Confused Dave Letterman
So much
On TV
posted by murphy slaw at 8:56 AM on October 9, 2014 [11 favorites]
She was a Vocaloid
Happier than you and me
Vocaloid
She was a Vocaloid
And it determined what she could see
And she wore a dress
And she sang a song
And she
Confused Dave Letterman
So much
On TV
posted by murphy slaw at 8:56 AM on October 9, 2014 [11 favorites]
I wonder when this will become a thing here in the U.S.
posted by I-baLL at 8:56 AM on October 9, 2014 [1 favorite]
posted by I-baLL at 8:56 AM on October 9, 2014 [1 favorite]
Look, Letterman survived Die Antwoord as his musical guests. Life can hold no further terrors for him.
posted by delfin at 8:57 AM on October 9, 2014 [7 favorites]
posted by delfin at 8:57 AM on October 9, 2014 [7 favorites]
Vicarious embarrassment doesn't seem like a very useful trait, evolutionarily speaking.
I can see a possible use for it, actually. Embarrassment is a way of your body telling you "that thing you just did? It was not good. Never do it again." And as a social animal, when other people also feel embarrassed on your behalf, they're all also being told "that thing that person did was not good. Don't ever do it, and maybe see if you can stop them from doing it too." So by experiencing vicarious embarrassment, we reinforce the established social order.
Anyway, vocaloids! Pretty crazy huh?
posted by showbiz_liz at 9:01 AM on October 9, 2014 [4 favorites]
I can see a possible use for it, actually. Embarrassment is a way of your body telling you "that thing you just did? It was not good. Never do it again." And as a social animal, when other people also feel embarrassed on your behalf, they're all also being told "that thing that person did was not good. Don't ever do it, and maybe see if you can stop them from doing it too." So by experiencing vicarious embarrassment, we reinforce the established social order.
Anyway, vocaloids! Pretty crazy huh?
posted by showbiz_liz at 9:01 AM on October 9, 2014 [4 favorites]
"gee, I idly wonder how much Hatsune Miku porn is out there"
Just idle speculation, huh?
posted by teh_boy at 9:05 AM on October 9, 2014 [1 favorite]
Just idle speculation, huh?
posted by teh_boy at 9:05 AM on October 9, 2014 [1 favorite]
"ha ha ha, fuck if I know, man, your guess is as good as mine"
I don't catch much late-night TV these days, but hasn't Letterman basically spent the last 10-15 years of his career just looking at the camera and saying that over and over again?
posted by brennen at 9:06 AM on October 9, 2014 [7 favorites]
I don't catch much late-night TV these days, but hasn't Letterman basically spent the last 10-15 years of his career just looking at the camera and saying that over and over again?
posted by brennen at 9:06 AM on October 9, 2014 [7 favorites]
IbaLL: If you mean that kind of concert projection of rendered performers, it happened a long time ago.
posted by Chocolate Pickle at 9:09 AM on October 9, 2014
posted by Chocolate Pickle at 9:09 AM on October 9, 2014
I love Letterman's reaction to bands on his show. I used to watch just the music parts if it was a band I liked just to see what he'd say. My favorite was the first time TV on the radio played his show. His intro was basically "here's some local hipsters" but when they finished (I think playing wolf like me) he exclaimed "Wow! That was great!" and it was clear he was impressed.
posted by sleeping bear at 9:14 AM on October 9, 2014 [4 favorites]
posted by sleeping bear at 9:14 AM on October 9, 2014 [4 favorites]
I love Letterman's reaction to bands on his show.
"Are those your drums?"
posted by AlonzoMosleyFBI at 9:17 AM on October 9, 2014 [10 favorites]
"Are those your drums?"
posted by AlonzoMosleyFBI at 9:17 AM on October 9, 2014 [10 favorites]
As an unabashed (well, maybe slightly abashed) connoisseur of the Vocaloid genre, it really was a poor song choice. Miku's English voice pack is horrifically accented. The song really went into the annoying high pitch nasal registers. The programming of the voice was pretty flat. The dancing was terrible.
If I had to introduce the world to Miku & co I'd probably show Ai Dee.
Or Odds & Ends.
Or Senbonzakura.
Or Summer Idol.
I mean, really, what a shitty way to break into America.
posted by sixohsix at 9:20 AM on October 9, 2014 [9 favorites]
If I had to introduce the world to Miku & co I'd probably show Ai Dee.
Or Odds & Ends.
Or Senbonzakura.
Or Summer Idol.
I mean, really, what a shitty way to break into America.
posted by sixohsix at 9:20 AM on October 9, 2014 [9 favorites]
Honestly, I want those boots. Thigh-highs with that much ankle flexibility? Too long have we waited for those to exist outside the realms of imagination.
YOU HAVE FAILED US, SCIENCE.
posted by kyrademon at 9:21 AM on October 9, 2014 [7 favorites]
YOU HAVE FAILED US, SCIENCE.
posted by kyrademon at 9:21 AM on October 9, 2014 [7 favorites]
OK, we got the virtual idol from Macross Plus, now I want the mecha.
posted by pibeandres at 9:22 AM on October 9, 2014
posted by pibeandres at 9:22 AM on October 9, 2014
...or Knife
Or Meteor
Or this song where she's advertising eye drops.
Like... seriously. So many better choices.
posted by sixohsix at 9:24 AM on October 9, 2014 [2 favorites]
Or Meteor
Or this song where she's advertising eye drops.
Like... seriously. So many better choices.
posted by sixohsix at 9:24 AM on October 9, 2014 [2 favorites]
"Beautiful hologram projector, is that yours or is it a rental?"
posted by glhaynes at 9:31 AM on October 9, 2014 [6 favorites]
posted by glhaynes at 9:31 AM on October 9, 2014 [6 favorites]
It is exciting to see that we'll be living in a Macross Plus future soon.
But hopefully we can avoid having the population of the Earth exterminated by orbital bombardment.
posted by The Tensor at 9:35 AM on October 9, 2014 [2 favorites]
But hopefully we can avoid having the population of the Earth exterminated by orbital bombardment.
posted by The Tensor at 9:35 AM on October 9, 2014 [2 favorites]
I already feel like a lot of pop music performers are good looking, talented singers who's success is the result of an image manufactured by a record company and music created by an even more talented producer.
This seems like the next logical step really.
posted by VTX at 9:37 AM on October 9, 2014 [2 favorites]
This seems like the next logical step really.
posted by VTX at 9:37 AM on October 9, 2014 [2 favorites]
now I want the mecha.
Old hat.
what are the shipping costs?
posted by pibeandres at 9:37 AM on October 9, 2014
Old hat.
what are the shipping costs?
posted by pibeandres at 9:37 AM on October 9, 2014
huh. So, Idoru is real now. I guess we got that part of the future we were promised. Although, watching it, i have to remark that the graphics are..... ugh. so dated. Even now, I can look on this and I have the same feeling as looking back on the Atari 2600 as a game platform.... We can do better than _this_, surely?
Even the kinematics are terrible. We regularly see rendering in movies better than this. Perhaps it's just that they didn't use motion capture, but... ugh.
I look forward to the virtual pop stars 20-30 years from now..... Make me scared and proud, eh?
posted by Xyanthilous P. Harrierstick at 9:39 AM on October 9, 2014 [1 favorite]
Even the kinematics are terrible. We regularly see rendering in movies better than this. Perhaps it's just that they didn't use motion capture, but... ugh.
I look forward to the virtual pop stars 20-30 years from now..... Make me scared and proud, eh?
posted by Xyanthilous P. Harrierstick at 9:39 AM on October 9, 2014 [1 favorite]
Some more hits:
World is Mine
Black★Rock Shooter
Love is War
Matryoshka
Po Pi Po
Musunde Hiraite Rasetsu to Mukuro
Alice Human Sacrifice
Dark Woods Circus
And of course, Ievan Polka / "Leekspin"
posted by sukeban at 9:45 AM on October 9, 2014 [5 favorites]
World is Mine
Black★Rock Shooter
Love is War
Matryoshka
Po Pi Po
Musunde Hiraite Rasetsu to Mukuro
Alice Human Sacrifice
Dark Woods Circus
And of course, Ievan Polka / "Leekspin"
posted by sukeban at 9:45 AM on October 9, 2014 [5 favorites]
okay I-Ball, that Virtual Tupac w/ Snoop Dogg thing is *way* better than this Hatsune Miku thing, in terms of realism.... That's more like it.
posted by Xyanthilous P. Harrierstick at 9:47 AM on October 9, 2014
posted by Xyanthilous P. Harrierstick at 9:47 AM on October 9, 2014
Japan has given many wonderful cultural artifacts to the world.
This genre of ultra-manufactured, ultra-synthetic, shiny-happy / anime / bubblegum / kawaii / pop entertainment media is not one of them.
I've made countless attempts to find something redeeming about it, but no matter what angle I come at it from, I feel like I've just watched some bizarre mashup of pedophile porn and Sony corporate propaganda.
Sorry, otaku.
posted by escape from the potato planet at 9:51 AM on October 9, 2014 [3 favorites]
This genre of ultra-manufactured, ultra-synthetic, shiny-happy / anime / bubblegum / kawaii / pop entertainment media is not one of them.
I've made countless attempts to find something redeeming about it, but no matter what angle I come at it from, I feel like I've just watched some bizarre mashup of pedophile porn and Sony corporate propaganda.
Sorry, otaku.
posted by escape from the potato planet at 9:51 AM on October 9, 2014 [3 favorites]
Bonus: Hatsune Miku is only one vocaloid, but there are more. One of them is based on real-life rock star Gackt Camui. He once released a single covering the two winning gackpoid songs in a contest.
Gackpoid - Episode.0
Camui Gackt - Episode.0
Conversely, there are plenty of people doing human covers of Vocaloid songs.
Wagaku - Senbonzakura with Kineie Nami at the samisen
Wagakki Band - Senbonzakura
posted by sukeban at 9:55 AM on October 9, 2014 [1 favorite]
Gackpoid - Episode.0
Camui Gackt - Episode.0
Conversely, there are plenty of people doing human covers of Vocaloid songs.
Wagaku - Senbonzakura with Kineie Nami at the samisen
Wagakki Band - Senbonzakura
posted by sukeban at 9:55 AM on October 9, 2014 [1 favorite]
> Even the kinematics are terrible. We regularly see rendering in movies better than this. Perhaps it's just that they didn't use motion capture, but... ugh.
Even in other concert videos Miku's movements aren't all that good. I think it's got something to do with the way she's "drawn" doesn't lend itself to rendering in a way that makes it look good.
But if you take a look at other Vocaloids like Megurine Luka, their movements are a lot better.
posted by Gev at 9:56 AM on October 9, 2014
Even in other concert videos Miku's movements aren't all that good. I think it's got something to do with the way she's "drawn" doesn't lend itself to rendering in a way that makes it look good.
But if you take a look at other Vocaloids like Megurine Luka, their movements are a lot better.
posted by Gev at 9:56 AM on October 9, 2014
Even in other concert videos Miku's movements aren't all that good.
They're doing the same dance moves as in a famous videogame.
Compare this "live" World is Mine with this World is Mine.
posted by sukeban at 9:58 AM on October 9, 2014 [1 favorite]
They're doing the same dance moves as in a famous videogame.
Compare this "live" World is Mine with this World is Mine.
posted by sukeban at 9:58 AM on October 9, 2014 [1 favorite]
Gev: uuhh.. only slightly. the skeletal motions are better, i'll give you that, but the flow on the clothing and the hair is *awful*. This is embarrassing stuff. I've seen better renders in _cut scenes_.
posted by Xyanthilous P. Harrierstick at 10:00 AM on October 9, 2014
posted by Xyanthilous P. Harrierstick at 10:00 AM on October 9, 2014
But, is it anything?
posted by almostmanda at 10:04 AM on October 9, 2014 [1 favorite]
posted by almostmanda at 10:04 AM on October 9, 2014 [1 favorite]
No, there's no there there.
posted by angerbot at 10:07 AM on October 9, 2014 [1 favorite]
posted by angerbot at 10:07 AM on October 9, 2014 [1 favorite]
So, The Verge has a pretty interesting take on her here. They look at the issue of whether it is better for us as a society to have virtual pop stars or real ones, given how we treat them, and also the pros and cons of having an entirely open source pop star (Miku) as opposed to an entirely closed source one (Justin Bieber being the example they choose).
posted by The Bellman at 10:08 AM on October 9, 2014 [5 favorites]
posted by The Bellman at 10:08 AM on October 9, 2014 [5 favorites]
What? No one has mentioned Hatsune Miku's most famous work yet?
posted by ckape at 10:10 AM on October 9, 2014 [3 favorites]
posted by ckape at 10:10 AM on October 9, 2014 [3 favorites]
> there are probably less warbly songs they could've picked and she does tend to sound better in Japanese (though possibly only because when it's obviously a different language from your native tongue, you don't even bother trying to decipher the lyrics so it's all pleasant noise).
The English language version has been out for a year.
I'm not much of a connoisseur of vocaloid material but for me the tracks that work the best have tended to be when the producer is deliberately glitching the voice track to take advantage of the synthetic singer being able to track notes and morpheme combinations that are impossible for human voices.
I don't know if there's a Conlon Nancarrow of vocaloids yet, but there seems to be room for somebody to run with this approach and go to totally new places with it.
posted by ardgedee at 10:11 AM on October 9, 2014 [5 favorites]
The English language version has been out for a year.
I'm not much of a connoisseur of vocaloid material but for me the tracks that work the best have tended to be when the producer is deliberately glitching the voice track to take advantage of the synthetic singer being able to track notes and morpheme combinations that are impossible for human voices.
I don't know if there's a Conlon Nancarrow of vocaloids yet, but there seems to be room for somebody to run with this approach and go to totally new places with it.
posted by ardgedee at 10:11 AM on October 9, 2014 [5 favorites]
Yeah, let me be the n-th person to suggest that he should have double-billed this band with William Gibson.
posted by GuyZero at 10:17 AM on October 9, 2014 [1 favorite]
posted by GuyZero at 10:17 AM on October 9, 2014 [1 favorite]
Somewhere Tanith Lee is reading some of the more surprisingly vehement responses against Hatsune Miku and being all like, "called this reaction back in 1981, dudes."
posted by kyrademon at 10:19 AM on October 9, 2014 [2 favorites]
posted by kyrademon at 10:19 AM on October 9, 2014 [2 favorites]
This genre of ultra-manufactured, ultra-synthetic, shiny-happy / anime / bubblegum / kawaii / pop entertainment media is not one of them.
I've made countless attempts to find something redeeming about it, but no matter what angle I come at it from, I feel like I've just watched some bizarre mashup of pedophile porn and Sony corporate propaganda.
I will CUT you.
posted by Purposeful Grimace at 10:25 AM on October 9, 2014 [1 favorite]
I've made countless attempts to find something redeeming about it, but no matter what angle I come at it from, I feel like I've just watched some bizarre mashup of pedophile porn and Sony corporate propaganda.
I will CUT you.
posted by Purposeful Grimace at 10:25 AM on October 9, 2014 [1 favorite]
Given how much processing they soak human voices in these days and the structure of the tune... This sounds very realistic.
If I didn't have to watch a CG anime character dancing I would believe that this was a real singer. It's software pretending to be a human pretending to be software.
posted by yonega at 10:27 AM on October 9, 2014
If I didn't have to watch a CG anime character dancing I would believe that this was a real singer. It's software pretending to be a human pretending to be software.
posted by yonega at 10:27 AM on October 9, 2014
Needs auto-tune.
posted by ckape at 10:30 AM on October 9, 2014 [1 favorite]
posted by ckape at 10:30 AM on October 9, 2014 [1 favorite]
My favorite Hatsune Miku collaboration is on SHIBUYA by Becca
posted by jazon at 10:38 AM on October 9, 2014
posted by jazon at 10:38 AM on October 9, 2014
This genre of ultra-manufactured, ultra-synthetic, shiny-happy / anime / bubblegum / kawaii / pop entertainment media is not one of them.
I've made countless attempts to find something redeeming about it, but no matter what angle I come at it from, I feel like I've just watched some bizarre mashup of pedophile porn and Sony corporate propaganda.
This, a thousand times this. Just utter bullshit. Let the creepy-assed virtual singer sing to a creepy-assed virtual audience.
posted by stenseng at 10:44 AM on October 9, 2014
I've made countless attempts to find something redeeming about it, but no matter what angle I come at it from, I feel like I've just watched some bizarre mashup of pedophile porn and Sony corporate propaganda.
This, a thousand times this. Just utter bullshit. Let the creepy-assed virtual singer sing to a creepy-assed virtual audience.
posted by stenseng at 10:44 AM on October 9, 2014
Even the kinematics are terrible. We regularly see rendering in movies better than this. Perhaps it's just that they didn't use motion capture, but... ugh.
I ain't no academic, but I have a theory about this stuff: Hatsune Miku's appeal, at least in Japan, is partially based on the fact that she's not real. A cursory glance at her back catalogue reveals songs where she sings in ridiculously high pitches (the Letterman song is an example) or songs where she sings faster than most humans can enunciate. You wouldn't do this sort of thing if the idea was to mimic a human, so I assume that's not really the intent. I would consider her dress and animation similarly: valued because of, not in spite of, the overly artificial look.
Plus there's the whole uncanny valley thing, which Hatsune Miku manages to avoid for the most part. And if you don't believe me on that, here's what happens when someone tries to make her look like an actual human. It's creepy.
posted by chrominance at 10:53 AM on October 9, 2014 [5 favorites]
I ain't no academic, but I have a theory about this stuff: Hatsune Miku's appeal, at least in Japan, is partially based on the fact that she's not real. A cursory glance at her back catalogue reveals songs where she sings in ridiculously high pitches (the Letterman song is an example) or songs where she sings faster than most humans can enunciate. You wouldn't do this sort of thing if the idea was to mimic a human, so I assume that's not really the intent. I would consider her dress and animation similarly: valued because of, not in spite of, the overly artificial look.
Plus there's the whole uncanny valley thing, which Hatsune Miku manages to avoid for the most part. And if you don't believe me on that, here's what happens when someone tries to make her look like an actual human. It's creepy.
posted by chrominance at 10:53 AM on October 9, 2014 [5 favorites]
I'm not much of a connoisseur of vocaloid material but for me the tracks that work the best have tended to be when the producer is deliberately glitching the voice track to take advantage of the synthetic singer being able to track notes and morpheme combinations that are impossible for human voices.
Wasn't there an episode of Voyager about this?
posted by showbiz_liz at 11:10 AM on October 9, 2014
Wasn't there an episode of Voyager about this?
posted by showbiz_liz at 11:10 AM on October 9, 2014
Anyways, I think age, as a cultural indicator, is a pretty big determinant in how enjoyable this is. I enjoy hearing nuances to performances using real instruments and voice, but synthetic sounds let you do some interesting things as well. If you really think she sounds like shit (and a lot of it is determined by the version being used and the skill of the composer), there's many covers online, often including their own instrumental arrangements.
If we're listing favorites, I like Matryoshka listed above, as well as:
Piano Girl
Miracle Paint
Netoge Haijin Sprechchor
There's definitely Japanese musical styles where it's more harmonious to use a synthetic voice. I'm not sure it'd work well with Linda Linda, but I'd be amused if anyone tried.
posted by halifix at 11:12 AM on October 9, 2014 [1 favorite]
If we're listing favorites, I like Matryoshka listed above, as well as:
Piano Girl
Miracle Paint
Netoge Haijin Sprechchor
There's definitely Japanese musical styles where it's more harmonious to use a synthetic voice. I'm not sure it'd work well with Linda Linda, but I'd be amused if anyone tried.
posted by halifix at 11:12 AM on October 9, 2014 [1 favorite]
My favorite was the first time TV on the radio played his show. His intro was basically "here's some local hipsters" but when they finished (I think playing wolf like me) he exclaimed "Wow! That was great!" and it was clear he was impressed.
To be fair, that performance was fucking great.
posted by CaseyB at 11:13 AM on October 9, 2014 [1 favorite]
To be fair, that performance was fucking great.
posted by CaseyB at 11:13 AM on October 9, 2014 [1 favorite]
My favorite was the first time TV on the radio played his show. His intro was basically "here's some local hipsters" but when they finished (I think playing wolf like me) he exclaimed "Wow! That was great!" and it was clear he was impressed.
Same with Spoon, distracted intro, Spoon rocks it well enough that Paul and the band join in, Dave's comment "Now THAT is music!"
Loved it.
posted by Cosine at 11:16 AM on October 9, 2014
Same with Spoon, distracted intro, Spoon rocks it well enough that Paul and the band join in, Dave's comment "Now THAT is music!"
Loved it.
posted by Cosine at 11:16 AM on October 9, 2014
I don't know if there's a Conlon Nancarrow of vocaloids yet, but there seems to be room for somebody to run with this approach and go to totally new places with it.
I don't think this has crossed over to the Hatsune world yet, but the genre you want to look into is Black MIDI. Deserves its own FPP if one hasn't been made yet. This is heady, dense, deeply WEIRD stuff on a level I don't think most people can fathom yet, but Conlon Nancarrow is a good point of comparison for sure. Doing a search for "black MIDI" on youtube yields lots of craziness. Bad Apple.
Vocaloid software is only the start of the batshit insanity that's in store for the future of electronic music. I For One Welcome Our New Robot Vocal Cords: Radical Computer Music (Quietus).
posted by naju at 11:24 AM on October 9, 2014 [8 favorites]
I don't think this has crossed over to the Hatsune world yet, but the genre you want to look into is Black MIDI. Deserves its own FPP if one hasn't been made yet. This is heady, dense, deeply WEIRD stuff on a level I don't think most people can fathom yet, but Conlon Nancarrow is a good point of comparison for sure. Doing a search for "black MIDI" on youtube yields lots of craziness. Bad Apple.
Vocaloid software is only the start of the batshit insanity that's in store for the future of electronic music. I For One Welcome Our New Robot Vocal Cords: Radical Computer Music (Quietus).
posted by naju at 11:24 AM on October 9, 2014 [8 favorites]
(Ah, looks like Potomac Avenue FPP'ed Black MIDI last year.)
posted by naju at 11:32 AM on October 9, 2014 [4 favorites]
posted by naju at 11:32 AM on October 9, 2014 [4 favorites]
Wow, that is insanity.
posted by showbiz_liz at 11:47 AM on October 9, 2014
posted by showbiz_liz at 11:47 AM on October 9, 2014
That sure was some vaguely human-sounding audio. Was she singing in Japanese, English, or Engrish? All I could make out were a lot of "oooooo"s. This is what the ghost of a robot must sound like.
Also I like the way she just kinda vanished when Letterman came up to talk to her. No thanks, no turning to look at him, no nothing. Way to keep the illusion up, guys.
posted by egypturnash at 11:57 AM on October 9, 2014
Also I like the way she just kinda vanished when Letterman came up to talk to her. No thanks, no turning to look at him, no nothing. Way to keep the illusion up, guys.
posted by egypturnash at 11:57 AM on October 9, 2014
Does this video game title scan a hell of a lot like "Anal Burst," or is it just me?
posted by gern at 12:32 PM on October 9, 2014
posted by gern at 12:32 PM on October 9, 2014
gern: "Does this video game title scan a hell of a lot like "Anal Burst," or is it just me?"
( hovers mouse over link, then swerves away while reading the comment )
posted by boo_radley at 12:38 PM on October 9, 2014
( hovers mouse over link, then swerves away while reading the comment )
posted by boo_radley at 12:38 PM on October 9, 2014
(It's SFW, by the way. I think the actual title is "Rival Burst" but, man, they need some better kerning on those letters...)
posted by gern at 12:56 PM on October 9, 2014
posted by gern at 12:56 PM on October 9, 2014
So, that makes one female guest that Letterman hasn't hugged for an embarrassingly long time.
posted by zompist at 1:44 PM on October 9, 2014 [2 favorites]
posted by zompist at 1:44 PM on October 9, 2014 [2 favorites]
you can read a live tweet from various astronauts in space, and there are already completely computerised 3D holographic j-pop stars. Seriously, the future is here, man
I demand a better future.
posted by Atom Eyes at 2:17 PM on October 9, 2014
I demand a better future.
posted by Atom Eyes at 2:17 PM on October 9, 2014
On one hand we got the cyberpunk dystopia we where promised but I thought we'd be wearing cooler clothes.
posted by The Whelk at 3:42 PM on October 9, 2014 [3 favorites]
posted by The Whelk at 3:42 PM on October 9, 2014 [3 favorites]
Well, you can already clothe an avatar in your exotic non-utilitarian outfit of choice in many settings. You can do that to Vocaloids too.
And I think T-shirts and hoodies are pretty cool. (Don't trust me for fashion advice.)
posted by halifix at 4:37 PM on October 9, 2014
And I think T-shirts and hoodies are pretty cool. (Don't trust me for fashion advice.)
posted by halifix at 4:37 PM on October 9, 2014
I think Miku is really cool, and I regretted not going to Anime Expo to catch the performance in 2011.
posted by Wolfdog at 4:55 PM on October 9, 2014
posted by Wolfdog at 4:55 PM on October 9, 2014
I love Letterman's reaction to bands on his show. I used to watch just the music parts if it was a band I liked just to see what he'd say. My favorite was the first time TV on the radio played his show. His intro was basically "here's some local hipsters" but when they finished (I think playing wolf like me) he exclaimed "Wow! That was great!" and it was clear he was impressed.
He had such a great time repeatedly whipping out a spinning Megadeth logo the time they were on.
posted by ignignokt at 5:42 PM on October 9, 2014
He had such a great time repeatedly whipping out a spinning Megadeth logo the time they were on.
posted by ignignokt at 5:42 PM on October 9, 2014
Hatsune Miku song about depression and sadness - Rolling Girl
posted by naju at 8:40 PM on October 9, 2014
posted by naju at 8:40 PM on October 9, 2014
I tried to understand it. I even tried to understand it by filtering through my, admittedly limited, ear for Japanese English. I still couldn't understand a damn word it said.
posted by downtohisturtles at 10:09 PM on October 9, 2014
posted by downtohisturtles at 10:09 PM on October 9, 2014
She was a Vocaloid,
She said c-ya later boi,
He wasn't Tsundere enough for her.
posted by codacorolla at 12:22 PM on October 10, 2014
She said c-ya later boi,
He wasn't Tsundere enough for her.
posted by codacorolla at 12:22 PM on October 10, 2014
A bit late here (as usual), but I felt the need to mention Hatsune Kaidan, a combination of a live-action Hatsune Miko with Japanese noise band Hijokaidan. Yes, a non-virtual Hatsune Miko kind of misses the point, but it's a weird enough combination to be worth a look.
posted by klausness at 1:23 PM on October 18, 2014
posted by klausness at 1:23 PM on October 18, 2014
For those of you playing along at home, Miku is now available in stomp box form.
posted by klausness at 10:23 AM on October 25, 2014
posted by klausness at 10:23 AM on October 25, 2014
Oops, sorry, I didn't notice that you'd already mentioned the stompbox. Never mind...
posted by klausness at 3:27 PM on October 29, 2014
posted by klausness at 3:27 PM on October 29, 2014
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posted by DriftingLotus at 7:46 AM on October 9, 2014 [2 favorites]