Forum:Purchasing: Which Vocaloid?

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If you want to discuss this further or even revamp it, then please create a separate topic, thank you. -- Bunai82 (talk) 02:35, December 18, 2012 (UTC)

Intro
One of the most common Vocaloid questions is which Vocaloid should you use. The following is a list based on frequent answers and can be used as a rough guide to deciding on Vocaloids. However, please remember that part of deciding is also having the intended use for the Vocaloid in mind and which voice pleases you the most. In the majority of cases, you can find the Vocaloid in the studio shop on their homepage, but you might not always be able to buy them from there.

'Note that this is based on common forum replies. It can greatly differ depend on the person.'

English Vocaloid over English Vocaloid 2?
When you buy an English Vocaloid you have to first decide which software engine you are going for. Both engines have advantages and disadvantages. You can check Vocaloid works on your computer using the Miriam demo. If there is no problem then it boils down to a few selective things;


 * 1) English Vocaloid sounds more digital than English Vocaloid 2
 * 2) For being less human-like, English Vocaloid is more flexible than English Vocaloid 2, however more work is needed for Vocaloid than Vocaloid 2; which is better for you - less definition on voice or a more human-like voice?
 * 3) The voice selection for English Vocaloid is smaller than that of English Vocaloid 2; however it does mean you can complete the collection easier.
 * 4) The English Vocaloid era voicebanks are overall cheaper than English Vocaloid 2 voicebanks; Japanese Vocaloids are more expensive.
 * 5) English Vocaloid is not as up to date as English Vocaloid 2.

Both engines are incompatible with each other and it is unknown if this will change in the near future.

English
For English vocaloids, there is a much clearer list of which Vocaloids are easier to use than their Japanese counterparts. The main reason is that the difference between each English Vocaloid is much greater than of the Japanese Vocaloid. Even then, the opinions of the users are divided as not everyone will find the same results thas others.

The following information is based on common opinions of fans in forums, who have answered the question of which English vocaloid to use. While it shouldn't be treated as fact, it however does give a rough guide on the general opinions towards this software.

Beginner

 * 1) Sweet Ann; her voice is the easiest of the Vocaloid 2 to work with, though she is outdated and has more limits than later Vocaloids in Vocaloid 2.
 * 2) Big Al; Big Al is usually one of the most recommended Vocaloids for beginners. He is a nice all rounder that has a variety of uses. However, those unfamiliar to his voice do not always quite understand how to use him. Those not used to pitching low or working with lower octaves will find him on unfamiliar grounds to work with.
 * 3) Miriam; those wanting to discover Vocaloid tend to recommend Miriam or Leon, with Miriam as the favorite for beginners due to having the most pleasing of the 3 offered voicebanks. She also has the least amount of glitches of the Vocaloid with the most phonetic data offered. Her strength is her easy to work voice; her weakness is that once you have the hang of her voice, you may find it less tempting to experiment with her. Miriam also has a demo to practice with.

Intermediate

 * 1) Leon; He sits on the line of Beginner and Intermediate with some saying he is easy to use while others harder to define. His voice is not as definite as Miriam's, but it is more versatile, you have to find what works best and stick with it.
 * 2) Prima; Hard to tune into other styles, easy to use overall once you get the hang of her and very clear despite this.
 * 3) Tonio; Similar to Prima, only considered not as clear but with a stronger voice.
 * 4) Lola; Harder to get satisfactory results from than Leon or Miriam if you don't tune her. Despite this, Lola is definitely one of the easiest Vocaloids to play with tuning skills on, as results are more noticable with her than the other two Vocaloid voice banks.

Advanced

 * 1) Luka Megurine; She is considered advanced because she is often considered weaker than the normal English Vocaloids, but also because she will let users sample Japanese and English if they desire. It is recommended to have another English Vocaloid with Luka as a comparison and not always recommended for beginners because of how awkward she can be to use sometimes. Luka's English on its own puts her in the the lower end of "Intermediate" range as those that use her generally note she is overall still relatively easy to use, despite some problems.
 * 2) Sonika; never intended to be a beginners Vocaloid. Some users still buy her as their first Vocaloid, due to the amount of potential within her. Others avoid Sonika because she may need much care and attention. Overall, those who buy Sonika are often quite surprised of what they can get out of her as with all the documented reports about her, they are expecting to not be able to work with her at all.

Specialist

 * 1) Leon and Lola - The voices offered by Soul vocalists
 * 2) Prima and Tonio - The voices offered by Opera singers

Prices
Usually more than one price exists for an English Vocaloid. The plugin version and DVD version are identical, however some users prefer to have a solid copy rather than having to deal with the implications of downloading the software (unable to get a copy if you lose the downloaded version for instance). Due to price of posting and writing the software onto a DVD, purchasing the mail order DVD version is more expensive.

''Note; Prices are subject to change. Non-USD prices are given as estimates by the studio''

Buying English Vocaloids

 * Zero-G Vocaloid are shipped from various companies around the world while the downloaded version is bought from their website.
 * PowerFX appear to have stopped producing a physical copy, as of their website update it is now only possible to buy a downloaded copy from them.
 * For Megurine Luka see Buying Japanese Vocaloids below.

Going Japanese?
The main determinable factor is the sample quality with results dependent on the quality and smoothness of these samples; accents and other vocal traits do not impact on them as much as the English Vocaloids. It is possible to replicate degrees of "English" with Japanese Vocaloids at some level.

Take note however, on the grounds of a professional music making, using a Japanese Vocaloid for "English" is a poor move due to the lack of quality and language capabilities. There are limits to how far it can copy with some pronunciations that are nonexistent, because of the differences between Japanese language and English language. However, some fans quite enjoy the results and often play with the Vocaloids intended for Japanese. On the grounds of non-professional reasons, using a Japanese Vocaloid for "English" is not a problem. There is enough capability to get a reasonable amount of results out of them, although never expect perfection from this method.

However, as a general rule of the thumb; you should not use a Japanese Vocaloid for Japanese unless you have a good understanding of the Japanese language yourself. Otherwise, you are relying on others and that has some pros and cons in itself. The last thing you want is to have your work plucked apart. Also, even if you write a song in Japanese, it does not mean the Japanese is perfect or clear, and some Vocaloids may have additional problems that need attending. If you do not fix this problem, then it will sound bad to a Japanese speaker.

Also, take note there is no English technical support offered from Japanese Studios, even from Crypton Future Media, despite Megurine Luka knowing how to sing in English. If you have a problem, the only way to get help is to go to a Vocaloid forum and ask for aid.

Prices

 * Note: Some studios prevent users downloading the software if the credit card holder does not live in Japan.
 * Note: You will have to work out the price in USD or your intended currency, however, ￥15,750 roughly equals $173.08, £120, €130

Buying Japanese Vocaloids
There are several places you can buy Japanese vocaloids;
 * Amazon.JP - ships Vocaloids ; western fans often report difficulty in purchasing off of Amazon of Japan, although circumstances may vary behind the reports.
 * himeyashop - ships Vocaloids; currently down.
 * amiami shop - Several Crypton Vocaloids are able to be bought here
 * E-bay - however be warned this is not the safest route of purchase as noted, reports have often been sighted on illegal copies being put out as the real version. Notably, certain countries like Hong Kong harbour many chains that supply such illegal software. Please be careful when purchasing software. Buy only from recommended and trusted retailers.

On Prices of Vocaloids
As a general rule, if you see the software advertised at cheap prices ($20 for instance) for any Vocaloid it is wise to investigate the site before purchasing. These sites are often scams to get money out of customers and the few that send out the actual product will only give away illegal copies, including copies of Pocaloid from time to time. In short; if the price sounds too good to be true, then it is probably not the true software. If in doubt, always seek out the fandom for help on determining the safety of the site and if you really cannot be sure, do not buy the software at all from that site.

Also, take note that a typical copy of a Japanese Vocaloid may sell between $180-$230 on e-bay; anything less should be approached with caution; do not expect retired voicebanks like Kagamine Act1 to sell for anything less than $230. While legit sellers may have these voicebanks for less, their rarity means they should not be expected to be found cheaper than a ready to purchase Vocaloid.

Second Hand Software - Beware!
Purchasing second hand copies of the Vocaloid software potentially breaks the end user agreement of Vocaloid. Be aware of this when buying Vocaloids, especially retired voicebanks such as the Kagamine Act1.