Tohoku Zunko (VOCALOID3)

Tohoku Zunko VOCALOID3 VOICEROID+ VOCALOID4

This is an article about the Tohoku Zunko software for the VOCALOID3 engine.

HistoryEdit

2013Edit

Tohoku Zunko was released on September 28, 2012 as a VOICEROID+ and plans for her VOCALOID version began after a successful Anipipo campaign.^[1] On May 16, 2013, AH-Software announced that she would become a VOICEROID+. She was going to be recorded as a VOCALOID in August or September 2013 and was slated for a late 2013/early 2014 release.

In December, a tweet confirmed that her deadline was still uncertain.^[2]

2014Edit

In January 2014, it was confirmed that the recording process was complete.^[3] Her first sample was also given via a livestream.^[4]

In April, it was confirmed AH-Software wanted to release her "soon".^[5] Prior to this, her vocals were featured in a livestream.^[6]

On April 26, it was tweeted that Zunko's voicebank was complete.^[7] She was announced to be released on June 5 that year and a demo was released along with Zunko's official VOCALOID website. Zunko would come with a starter pack as well as Music Maker MX2.^[8]

VOICEROID+Edit

• Tohoku Zunko at the VOICEROID Wikia

AH-Software released Zunko as a VOICEROID+ voicebank first. VOICEROID allowed several tones of vocals showing different emotions. Zunko had several new features compared to previous VOICEROIDs: she had the ability to adjust strength of intonation, as well as the ability to insert pauses directly into the tuning screen. Users could also directly use ruby pronunciation markers in the text. It also read text up to 4 times fast and can output 22.1 kHz sample-rate audio files.^[9] However, it was intended for speech rather than singing. Despite this, VOICEROID offered the chance for users to make rap songs easier or use her VOICEROID in conjunction with her VOCALOID voicebank, allowing for talking during songs.

In 2015, most of the VOICEROID and VOICEROID+ lineup were upgraded to VOICEROID+ ex, including Zunko.^[10]

exVoiceEdit

ExVoice contained additional samples for Zunko. This includeed samples for laughter, giggling, weeping, etc. Zunko's ExVoice also includeed samples of the Tohoku landmarks and other things related to Tohoku. Since release, the software was updated to add more samples to the package. Users could log onto the AH-Software website to retrieve the additional samples if they had the old version. More updates on this extension are planned in the future. "exVOICEサンプル"
  YouTube

Product InformationEdit

DemonstrationsEdit

RecommendedEdit

INFORMATION PENDING

Voicebank LibrariesEdit

Product Information
Optimum
Optimum Tempo: 70 ~ 140  Optimum Range: F2 ~ G#4   Total Tempo (min-max): 70BPM  No. of Keys: W=16, B=12, Total=28
Versions
Trial/Demo Vers?: Yes  Starter Available?: Yes  App vers.?: Yes
Package details
This is Zunko's singing vocal. Like Yuzuki Yukari, she was designed to sound like her original VOICEROID+ library. The package also contains demo song data and illustrations.
Vocal traits as noted:
It is designed to have a warm feeling to it and have a gentle tone. It is good for ballads. On lower notes produces a soft and whispery tone while higher notes have a slight rapsy sound. Shares the same timbre that her VOICEROID+ version has. This allows more flexibility for producers when editing the voice to create particular vocal performances.
Cross-Synthesis notes:
This vocal will register for XSY once imported into VOCALOID4. However this is a single release voicebank and there are no additional vocals included for her to utilize this function. From Ver.4.3.0 of the Vocaloid engine onwards, a XSY group "AHS" was added to Vocaloid. All vocals within the "AHS" group can XSY with each other. This vocal release is part of this group. If a User owns one or more vocal releases within the "AHS" group, XSY between them will open up.[11][12] The group has 8 characters within it that can XSY; Yuzuki Yukari, Macne Nana, Macne Petit, Tohoku Zunko, Hiyama Kiyoteru, Nekomura Iroha, SF-A2 miki and Kizuna Akari. The "AHS" group is currently the second largest XSY group within Vocaloid, having a total of 14 voicebanks that can XSY with each other. If old versions that have since been re-released are removed, there are currently 12 unique voicebanks. These are; "Yuzuki Yunki Jun", "Yuzuki Yukari Onn", "Yuzuki Yukari Lin", "SF-A2 miki", "Tohoku Zunko", "Macne Nana","Macne Petit", "Kitzuna Akari", "Hiyama Kiyoteru natural", "Hiyama Kiyoteru Rock", "Nekomura Iroha natural" and "Nekomura Iroha soft". In total if user was to own every VOCALOID3 and VOCALOID4 Ah software vocal within the "AHS" group, this offers the equivalent of 182 additional voicebanks achievable via XSY. The total tone variation offered by the combined packages comes to a theoretical 196 voicebanks in total. Note that also "GWL" does not become viable for use with any V3 vocals used as the primarily vocal. This should be considered when using any vocal for XSY within the "AHS" group from V3. Also note that the updated vocals that brought a Vocaloid from VOCALOID3 into VOCALOID4 provided few differences, aside from adding GWL. Therefore these updates can provide little difference when used for XSY. There is little point in XSY between Tohoku Zunko Vocaloid3 and Vocaloid4, as they have no differences between them and users are better with alternative partners for XSY within this group.
Voicebank sample
Tohoku Zunko VOCALOID3
view • edit

ReferencesEdit

1. ↑ zunko.jp
2. ↑ https://twitter.com/tomo_ahs/status/416248485411696640
3. ↑ https://twitter.com/ahsoft/status/423794524452712448
4. ↑ http://www.ustream.tv/channel/ahsoft?utm_campaign=ustre-am&utm_source=ustre-am&utm_medium=social
5. ↑ https://twitter.com/tomo_ahs/status/459058961879007232
6. ↑ http://www.ustream.tv/recorded/46570931
7. ↑ tweet about Zunko's Completion
8. ↑ http://www.ah-soft.com/press/vocaloid/140515_zunko.html
9. ↑ http://www.vocaloidism.com/tohoku-zunko-voiceroid-software-gets-release-date/
10. ↑ http://www.ah-soft.com/voiceroid/
11. ↑ link
12. ↑ link

Navigation