【ニコニコ動画】【B★RS】ブラック★ロックチューター【3DPV】

And so, the day is saved, thanks to a blog cut.

Songs of the Weekend

Halyosy is up to his old Utatte Mita [...]]]> With all the despair and disgust surrounding our lives, we must turn to the greatest hero of our times to save us and end our week with something positive.  And here she is!

And so, the day is saved, thanks to a blog cut.

Songs of the Weekend

Halyosy is up to his old Utatte Mita tricks again, and I’m up to my old Highlight-Utaka-I-Like tricks again.

Someone’s going to have to explain that song to me. And why Miku was depicted as like 4 years younger than everyone else.

In ranking news, let’s see how fast sasakure can rack up the points with a new jam from Rin.

It’s like the visuals Roshin Yuukai and World’s End Dancehall had a kid and raised him on Dali and MC Escher. And no, I have no idea what that means, either.

Finally, it’s MMD Cup, which means there’s likely UTAU afoot. This isn’t necessarily the case this time, but with over 5,000 pts. already, Yufu doesn’t care.

That’s it for now, but if you have any ideas for future columns or would like to try your hand at writing one yourself, PM me on Vocaforum or send me a line via Gmail username: vismjoe

Welcome to the second edition of “Wide World of Vocaloid”, a new spotlight column that will be showcasing with diversity and breadth of Vocaloid music. In writing these pieces it is my wish that our readers will be able to learn more a about wide variety of musical [...]]]>

Source/Courtesy of: Sweet Vacation and Amazon JP

Welcome to the second edition of “Wide World of Vocaloid”, a new spotlight column that will be showcasing with diversity and breadth of Vocaloid music. In writing these pieces it is my wish that our readers will be able to learn more a about wide variety of musical genres and see how they tie in to Vocaloid productions. Last week in “Cowboy(girl?) on the Run” we took a look in the merging of C-Pop (C for Chinese) and Vocaloids in the 2008 Album: “The Promise of Hatsune Miku”. We also compared an contrasted the ability of Miku Hatsune to sing in English and Mandarin. This week will be taking things in a slightly different direction, specifically that of Vocaloid 8-Bit/Chiptune creations. Let’s take a deeper look into this style of music and its relation to Vocaloids after the jump:

What is Chiptune or 8-Bit Music?

For those of you asking “What the heck is Chiptune?!”, all you need to do it think back to those early days playing Mario Brothers on your NES or Pokemon on the original Gameboy. Chiptune began as form of music made out of necessity for early computing systems. Lacking the power to play more complex music, 8-bit sound chips were the standard in many early consoles. Never willing to sell human creativity short, I am not surprised that Chiptune slowly evolved into an art form in the 1990s and 2000s. Much like the Vocaloid programs and their associated music, Chiptune is also a genre consisting of almost entirely synthesized instrumentals. To get a good idea of what Chiptune truly is, lets take a look a some examples. We will begin with a video featuring “8-Bit Weapon” performing their song “Bombs Away” on G4′s “Attack of the Show” Episode #5058:

Next let’s take a look at rare Chiptune music video, featuring the Finnish Chiptune Band “Desert Planet” performing the lead song from their “Moonrocks” album, “Riot Sector 68″:

Finally we will end this section with a look at one of New York artist “Bit Shifter”‘s popular songs: “Hexadecimal Genome”. Bit Shifter’s music is especially notable due to the composition of all his work on a pair of Nintendo Game Boys.

Unique no? Feel free to learn more about Chiptune Music by starting out at 8-Bit Peoples and Wikipedia.

Who is Sweet Vacation?

Source: J-ENT!

Moving on to the next part of this Vocaloid tie-in, let’s take a look at the J-Pop music group “Sweet Vacation“. This group is composed of the two musicians you see above: lyricist/keyboardist/musician Hayakawa Daichi and lead vocalist Sitapha “May” Uttaburanont. Since their official start in 2007 they have produced 5 albums and numerous singles which are available on iTunes and Amazon Japan. Their most recent album “pop save the world!” recently reached as high as #61 on the Oricon Charts. To get a feel for what they are all about lets take a look at some music videos by the pair. The first video is of the song “I Feel So Good”, their debut single from 2007:

Second in our feature is the song “～I・NEED・TO・GO～” from the aforementioned “pop save the world!” 2009 album. This song is definitely upbeat and comes with another interesting music video:

Vocaloid: Where it all comes together!

So how are we going to draw all this into one connected article? With Vocaloids of course! Enter “8-Bit Darling Project” and “8-Bit Darling Project; Deluxe” a pair of 2009 Vocaloid compilation albums. This ambitious album project brought together numerous Vocaloid producers and Sweet Vacation themselves to produce a unique series of cover songs. Instead of simply having Vocaloids Miku Hatsune, Luka Megurine, and Rin Kagamine reprise Sweet Vacation, these producers took things a step further by remixing many of the group’s hit songs, often with an Chiptune/Electronica flair. Both variations of the album (EP and Deluxe) are available on iTunes (only $5/$9!!!) or Amazon Japan.

Let’s now take the time to examine the fruits of the Sweet Vacation and Chiptune fusion: The 8-Bit Darling Project itself. First Miku Hatsune’s version of “I・NEED・TO・GO”, this PV was remixed by Sexy Synthesizer and even features the Sweet Vacation crew as their animated selves with Miku, very well done:

Now a comparison the Sweet Vacation’s “8-Bit Darling” (featuring another animated PV with Miku!) and Miku’s version remixed by U-Ji:

Let’s not completely leave the other Vocaloids out of this. If you watch the video below you will see Luka Megurine’s remix of Sweet Vacation’s “Trick or Treat” by producer eighteen degrees. This song steps further away from being purely 8-bit style but deserves inclusion nevertheless. Please excuse all the (Miku?! wtf) random art in the video if it isn’t to your liking as it was the only NND or Youtube link I could find:

Be sure to check out and support these artists on Itunes if you enjoy their work!

So is there other Vocaloid Chiptune-style Music?

The answer is an emphatic yes! Many original and remixed 8-bit Vocaloid songs exist waiting for you to find! One of the most popular and well-known within the genre is おにゅうP’s (OnyuuP’s) “Real-Life Stupid Game” ft. Miku Hatsune. A past visitor to the VocaRan charts it is a personal favorite of mine for the uplifting lyrics and positive message it contains. I have provided a Youtube embed below due to the presence of English Lyrics being available:

Another Chiptune Vocaloid Chart-topper is this somewhat melancholic “＊ハロー、プラネット。(*Hello, Planet.)”. Produced by Sasakure-P in 2009 it eventually merited the creation of this 3DPV by BrotherP later in the year (lyrics included):

**UPDATE** Here is a great recommendation from reader “Allen Walker”, enjoy Rin Kagamine’s “Continue?”:

To top things off lets end with one of the aforementioned 8-bit remixes, a wholly instrumental version of Melt by LSDj:

I very much hope that you enjoyed today’s feature and in doing so discovered something new about both music and Vocaloids. I encourage you to always explore all corners of the musical universe to find new and interesting things, whatever your fancy may be.

Please feel free to share your thoughts, opinions, and recommendations below. Did this piece stir your interest in the Chiptune scene? Anyone planning to follow Sweet Vacation now? What is everyone’s opinion on Vocaloid 8-bit/Chiptune pieces?

Thanks for Reading!

In today’s installment, we look at an old Japanese music tradition: enka.  The pithy explanation is that it’s the Japanese equivalent of an American country-western song, but instead of beer, trucks, dogs, and break-ups, there’s sake, sakura, nostalgia, and break-ups.  Of course, that’s only a small fraction of the story.  [...]]]>

"Medeta ya medeta" by toyu

In today’s installment, we look at an old Japanese music tradition: enka.  The pithy explanation is that it’s the Japanese equivalent of an American country-western song, but instead of beer, trucks, dogs, and break-ups, there’s sake, sakura, nostalgia, and break-ups.  Of course, that’s only a small fraction of the story.  Wikipedia has a decent-length entry about the Japanese ballad, and the internet is naturally full of examples.  It’s a good time-killer and will give you a bit of culture outside of the pablum of animu.

Forum user/enka connoisseur Bunnychan was gracious enough to provide a collection of Vocaloid enka songs (and a collection of appropriately-styled pictures, and hell, most of this article’s text) and this column being what it is, we’re going to take a look.

Let’s go in chronological order, because it’s fun.  Technically, this shouldn’t be first, but it was in Lucky Star, so I’m putting it first.

Of course, not all enka songs are made of sad and emo.  This Rin cover of a 90′s hit is goofy just on the animation alone.

I think I used to have one of those calculators.  Anyway, to 1977 we go and another Rin cover.  (It’s Bunnychan.  Kagamines are sort of her thing :P )

Next is a cover by Meiko of a song from ’74.  I have to agree with the Buns here and that say that Meiko is the Vocaloid enka queen.

And finally, we have arguably the most famous enka song of all time (and arguably the first enka song of all time), originally from 1955.  It’s so important, I had to look up what “melisma” was.

It seems appropriate here, but annoyed me to no end during The Messiah.  Not sure why.

Songs of the Weekend

Vocaloid Ranking Watcher

We may finally have Gakupo’s day in the sun.  Figuratively speaking, of course.

That’s big pimpin’ y’all.

In the Mita category, Yuuto wants to make sure that you don’t forget JBF, so it doesn’t disappear.

And compared to the rest of this week’s offerings, this new entry from Teto seems bland, but it’s not bad, except for the high parts.

That’s all for now.  MMD Cup starts this weekend, so stay tuned for that.

Hello and welcome to the first post of a newly planned feature of mine: Wide World of Vocaloid. These posts will bring you a wide range of songs that highlight the amazing potential of Vocaloid software. These works will range from the very popular to the obscure. I hope they will be a [...]]]>

Source: ProjectHaruhi.net

Hello and welcome to the first post of a newly planned feature of mine: Wide World of Vocaloid. These posts will bring you a wide range of songs that highlight the amazing potential of Vocaloid software. These works will range from the very popular to the obscure. I hope they will be a way for fans to discover something different and marvel at the creativity of various composers.

Today’s highlight definitely falls into the obscure category but the inspiration for it most certainly does not. I am sure that many readers here are familiar with Taiwanese pop-star Jay Chou. The four time World Music Award winner branched out a few years ago and produced a rather popular hit song by the name of 牛仔很忙 (tl:”Cowboy on the Run”). The music video, written and directed by Chou himself, can be seen below:

Apologies on not being able to embed the one with English lyrics, but you can follow this link to watch a video that includes them.

Well that is something rather different the usual C-Pop faire. While this blogger is admittedly not an avid follower of Chou’s, his ability to go off genre and create something different. Already unique in featuring Asian, mandarin-speaking musicians performing what amounts to a complimentary parody of Western-style music its adds several more layers of peculiarity when it is covered by a Japanese Vocaloid program (Miku Hatsune) singing outside of her native language in the hands of a producer who is likely bilingual as well. That’s a mouthful, but it exactly the notion that drew me to this song in the first place.

The Miku cover of “Cowboy on the Run” is part of the 2009 album 初音ミクの約束 (tl: The Promise of Hatsune Miku) which is composed by producer 失明少女 (tl: Blind Girl). Unable to find a NicoNicoDouga or Youtube link I have included an upload of my own with appropriate credit given to the producer and vocaloid:

It isn’t often that Miku Hatsune is seen singing country-style to a background of fiddle playing and “yee-haws!”. It provides another example of the highly varied styles found in Vocaloid productions. It can be argued that the vocals leave something to be desired in clarity and tone, Miku seems to perform more understandably in Mandarin than she does in English. To compare you can watch the almost unintelligible “Lemoned I Scream” cover from Miku’s 1st Song Album and judge for yourself (English “subs” provided):

Lets finish up with a little more information on the album itself. 初音ミクの約束 is not available for purchase at any online site that this blogger is aware of. It has also been rather difficult for to find links to any of BlindGirlP’s works on Youtube or NND. To amend this situation I have created a playlist for the album on YouTube, use it to discover and appreciate this excellent composer. If anyone finds a means of obtaining the album please let me know.

The Promise of Hatsune Miku (初音ミクの約束) by Blindgirl (失明少女):
1. Aim! To the Budokan! (目指せ！武道館へ) ft. Miku Hatsune (all fictitious musicians seem to aspire to this)
2. Fragment (欠片) ft. Gakupo (correction!!! this was not Kaito lol!)
3. With You (貴女と) ft. Miku Hatsune & Luka Megurine
4. Cowboy on the Run (牛仔很忙) ft. Miku Hatsune
5. MIZU☆MIKU ft. Miku Hatsune
6. Song of the Blind Girl (失明少女之歌) ft. Miku Hatsune
7. CAKE~CANDY~HONEY ft. Miku Hatsune
8. Pegasus Fantasy (ペガサス幻想) ft. Miku Hatsune

Thanks for reading!

It’s another edition of Weekend Spotlight.  The current request: more covers.  Look up what we’ve done before before investigating this week’s half-boiled list of hits.

Now, count up your songs!

I could just beat the dead joke, but I’ll pander to a different fanbase, instead.

【ニコニコ動画】とある科学の超電磁砲OP「only my railgun」feat.亞北ネル

There’s something oddly appropriate about [...]]]>

"W Ruko" by Mukki

It’s another edition of Weekend Spotlight.  The current request: more covers.  Look up what we’ve done before before investigating this week’s half-boiled list of hits.

Now, count up your songs!

I could just beat the dead joke, but I’ll pander to a different fanbase, instead.

There’s something oddly appropriate about that.  I don’t know what or why, but there just is.  Anyway, it’s time to switch niches.

And now, for something completely different

Luka kicks it even older school.

I must say, I like the hair.  Finally, a power ballad, courtesy of X Japan

Songs of the Weekend

This week, we rock out with Owata

Get funky fresh from Teto

And exclaim our originality with Miku

That makes it case closed for this week.  Join us next time when I probably won’t shove a “my boom” on you.

This weekend is an interesting coincidence.  Anime Expo is going on right now, with quite an array of guests.  One being Megumi “Gumi” Nakajima (her Macross foil, May’n, is there, too) and another is Yuu “Luka” Asakawa.  Such an odd pairing in such an odd place captures the imagination.  Well, [...]]]>

Meg Meg Combi by tsukun

This weekend is an interesting coincidence.  Anime Expo is going on right now, with quite an array of guests.  One being Megumi “Gumi” Nakajima (her Macross foil, May’n, is there, too) and another is Yuu “Luka” Asakawa.  Such an odd pairing in such an odd place captures the imagination.  Well, it captures my imagination, anyway, so this week we look at the rare pairing of Luka x Gumi.

Since we’re on the topic, we start with Luka as an ersatz Sheryl Nome and Gumi not exactly singing against type.

Next is an MMD clip where shockingly, no files are shared </biting social commentary>

As an aside, I wholeheartedly endorse Saboten’s models.  They are awesome and run supremely well even on my crapsack compy.

Next, we swing over to a song that is obviously some extended visual metaphor.

Finally, some really, really phat bass.

I’m not sure why Miku’s there.  Maybe she’s backup.

Songs of the Weekend

We start with an Utatte Mita that keeps with the theme, sort of.  Leave me alone.

It’s better than the original in Nero can actually hit those low notes.

Our featured Vocaloid song is the latest from our favorite metric.

This rockin’ thing is still getting increasing viewership, and 1 of every 8 views results in a MyList.  I see a big number on Monday.

And to round things out, we play a bit of word association.  Miku says “40m”, Sora says “51cm”

Yeah, it only has 2800 points, but the play on words makes it worth it. Regardless, have a happy and safe fourth, American or otherwise, and enjoy the con /jealous.

Image Source: 霜村

After being out of commission for a while, I have returned to start bringing you, the loyal readers, UtaRan posts once again. But it’s been a while since the last one… so in this week’s spotlight, I’m taking the helm to bring you back up to speed [...]]]>

Image Source: 霜村

After being out of commission for a while, I have returned to start bringing you, the loyal readers, UtaRan posts once again. But it’s been a while since the last one… so in this week’s spotlight, I’m taking the helm to bring you back up to speed on what’s been going on in the UTAU world.

One thing you might’ve missed was the utatte mita singer Mitani Nana getting an UTAU, topping the charts and all the Teto songs for two weeks during Teto’s birthday celebration, and all the ranting I did about it. Well ever since samfree’s Nana song, the UTAU has been rather absent, save for this:

Next, remember that adorable little song TOKOTOKO did with Nene Nene that topped the charts? It was called “Hana ni Naru” and the original hit ten thousand views recently. Considering that the UTAU program is still a niche interest, for an UTAU song to have a PV made for it is impressive, but the song’s popularity has gone farther and has not one, but two PVs out for it. The second PV is where our opening image comes from today.

Not only that, but TOKOTOKO made a self-cover of the song using one of Miku’s append voices (sweet). Your mileage may vary on this one, though.

It’s also worth mentioning that TOKOTOKO recently put up the karaoke version of the song for download, too, so if you were dying to sing it but were too afraid to go a capella, now’s your chance.

Now you might remember a producer called mosomosoP, who made a song called Sayonara no Matataki. Recently, this song hit one hundred thousand views, but after that song mosomosoP had been flying under the radar… until a few weeks ago.

You won’t be seeing this one on the charts now because it was already in the top three for the past two weeks, but regardless, it’s good to know such a talented producer is still in the game.

Now, for this week’s picks. First comes another amazing song from pseudo-newcomer 毎夜P, featuring one of my favorite duets, Sekka Yufu and Yurika Sayu.

Over forty-three hundred points is nothing to sneeze at. On the Vocaloid side (can’t forget about them), we have another awesome song from LiveP– but this time, the PV artist is Ryono, and not NEGI, which means people like me can enjoy watching the video without his or her eyes bleeding. It’s a match made in heaven.

And that’s it for this week. Enjoy your weekend, and see you on Monday!

Nico Nico Douga hit 10 Million uploads last Friday night, nearly approximately 3 years and 1 week after the site went live.  It’s a major milestone and everyone involved at Niwango should be proud.  So who got the magic 10 Million?  Click the jump and find out.

Here’s your winner. Unfortunately, it can’t be [...]]]>

artist: Saya

Nico Nico Douga hit 10 Million uploads last Friday night, nearly approximately 3 years and 1 week after the site went live.  It’s a major milestone and everyone involved at Niwango should be proud.  So who got the magic 10 Million?  Click the jump and find out.

Here’s your winner. Unfortunately, it can’t be embedded, but there it is.  Nicopedia has a nice article about the milestone.  I find it interesting that only 38% of the 1000万 videos have survived.

Here are a couple of Vocaloid songs that got close, but missed.

Also getting close was a medley of songs from Giving Day.  You can get started here.

Too busy ripping up my brackets to follow the charts.  Will do better next week. >_<