Upcoming Japanese Release of Zedd Album to Include Remix Using English Miku

Universal Music Japan has announced that they will be including a remix track by livetune on well-known electronic dance music producer Zedd’s upcoming Japanese release of the album Clarity. Zedd has previously made many remixes of his own and had also written songs for Skrillex, Justin Bieber and Lady Gaga; he’s also producing her upcoming album. The “Spectrum” remix, whose preview was uploaded on YouTube, features heavily auto-tuned vocals sung by Miku’s English voice bankalong with some of the backing vocals from the original song. According to Twitter posts, CircusP worked on the tuning for the track. The track will be a bonus track for the Japanese release of the album Clarity; the album had also been previously released in the US, Canada, Australia and Europe, garnering number 3 on the Billboard Top Dance/Electronic Albums chart. Zedd had also run a remix contest for the album, which had previously received many entries from electronic artists in Japan as well.

According to the news release on UMJ’s official Zedd website, livetune had originally proclaimed himself a fan of Zedd on Twitter, and this reached the ears of record company staff in Japan. They proposed the idea of a remix to livetune, and when Zedd was ecstatic with the finished result and immediately decided to include that track on the Japanese Clarity release.

Zedd commented that it was quite exciting to listen to the remix and that he was quite surprised by the fact that it only took two days for the finished remix to be sitting on his computer. He said it was truly the work of a professional. What made him excited over this remix was hard to put to words, according to Zedd; it was like a Japanese person singing English and listening to a remix like this was something that he had never listened to before. Furthermore, “Spectrum” wasn’t a very simple song, audio-wise. Zedd thought it was quite easy to mess up a remix, with the melody and the background vocals clashing, etc. However, he felt that despite the fact that livetune changed some of the chord structure around, it was the only remix that fit the melody. Therefore, he was really into the remix and thought it was awesome.

According to livetune, there are many dance music producers out there, but Zedd was one of the very few artists he knew who had such a knack for beautiful melodies, and thus that is why he is a big fan. “Shave It Up” pumped him up, “Spectrum” made him quiver and “Clarity” brought tears to his eyes. Thus, being able to make a remix made him so happy that he was at a loss for words; he really enjoyed every minute of working on the remix and was gracious for everything that made it possible.

Note: The original upload of the preview was made private; the current link in the article refers to a new upload, which removed the backing vocals taken from the original version of Spectrum.


51 thoughts on “Upcoming Japanese Release of Zedd Album to Include Remix Using English Miku”

  1. hmmm i’m not surprised that Circus-P helped with the remix he is the only english producer who is actually good at tuning vocaloids for some semi decent english. (Like seriously the ONLY one. Kodakami, AkiGlancy, Tempo, and Puffin are terrible compared to him and not real producers even when they try to claim they are) He is pretty much the english Supercell/ Ryo-p. But I do see a problem with that sneak peek. It has the I=Fantasy problem of hiding the Vocaloid with real singers giving it the illusion that Miku sounds much more realistic then she really does.

    1. Would you mind sharing a reference showing how Circus-P is so better at tuning ? I do not listen to a lot of engloids, but I really have the feeling you’re over the top here. EmpathP and Neutrino both provided clear sounding english songs with Avanna and Gumi …

      1. Well Aki always makes her vocaloid incredible nasally to where they are not understandable like in White Knight and Rose + thorn. While Neutrino makes his stuff choppy and stiff like in Promisiuni, Cosplay Days, You are The Reason, and Tornado also he tends to make them mummble which makes it even harder to understand them. Now look at Circus-P stuff his vocals are almost 100% clear and understandable (Unless you count Glow) like in repeat and repeat II ( which uses Sonika no less who is know for being the worst vocaloid in existence) and they are much smoother sounding like in Memory and Circus Monster (Which Circus Monster is really old and not that good compared to his newest stuff) . Heck even his joke songs are way better then their serious songs.

        1. Rose+Thorn was not incredibly nasally and it’s understandable. Plus, the only accompaniment was piano. Bad example, period. And I thought White Knight was a Japanese song?

          For the record, Neutrino is apparently not a native English speaker.

          And I wouldn’t go so far as to say that Circus-P’s stuff is that understandable. Repeat is a simple song lyric-structure-wise. A lot of his lyrics are pretty simple. I’ll have to hand it to you that he can get a good clear tone out of his Vocaloids, though. It doesn’t quite work for more gentle songs, however, and he creates mostly pop music.

          1. @joeyboy

            Are you kidding? Did you even listen to LE♂N in Rose+Thorn? The entire time he sounds like someone is holding his nose while forcing him to chew on cotton. The same goes for Avanna to a lesser extent. Without the subs only about maybe 10% is understandable. As for White knight it has a large mix of Japanese and English throughout.

            As for Neutrino not being a native speaker is not really an excuse for poor tuning. Circus-P isn’t a native Japanese Speaker but his song “Sweet Words” was extremely well done in tuning and in clarity.

          2. Actually, my dear, Rose + Thorn (Avanna and Leon vers.) wasn’t a demo. It was a demonstration of The V3 vs. V1 systems when used at its default settings, to show how much Zero-G has improved since it began. The song itself was a teaser for my next album, and not intended to be a demo for Avanna’s voice at all. I will admit, leon did not sound the best, but as it was a demonstration of default settings in both editors, I figured it didn’t actually matter. The Demos I HAVE created have only been for Kaito English.

            Also, a comment on White Knight. I used CUL, my dear, one of the most Nasally Vocaloids around. And that was the first song I ever tuned by myself, so of COURSE it’s not as good as some of my later stuff.

            But, I respect your opinions, and I will keep them in mind. I know I still have a lot to learn as a musician and Vocaloid user, and I hope I will continue to improve with time.

          3. I am not your dear. But if you didn’t want Rose + Thorn to not be viewed like it was then you really should not of put it up until you thought it was truly ready even if it was just a teaser for your CD. But yes you do need to improve in certain areas if you want to get to Circus-P level.

          4. Oh my god this is crazy.

            Okay firstly I want to address the fact that you referred to artists like neutrino and EmpathP not as producers. What makes you think CircusP is an actual producer then? They are all producers because they produce music. I’f let you off if the list were cover artists who didn’t remix the instrumental or whatever, but you are really favouring Circus too much. The rest of them write music too, so surely they count. Just because they don’t tune perfectly doesn’t mean they aren’t a producer. I think you’re mistaken in that the way Circus mixes it makes it sound much sharper and clearer than it actually is. Circus does have flaws by the way, as does everyone. And even though I do like his style, he isn’t the only person who can use Vocaloid right. There are more, that you probably haven’t discovered, eviednt as you favour Circus so much.

            Anyway I=Fantasy was a demo, this Zedd cover isn’t, so yes, it is covering up the bad stuff in Miku’s voice. But who cares, because this is not a demo. The purpose is entirely different. One to demonstrate the capabilities, the other to just sound pleasing.

          5. @Sappokei

            Claiming that every person who makes an original song with
            Vocaloid is a producer is basically like saying that every person who ever wrote an original story is the equivalent of J. R. R. Tolkien or Charles Dickens. Everyone knows that is not true. There are people who are bad at vocaloid and people who are good at vocaloid. That is why the fandom set up the Producer status in the first place. Also Circus-P earned his Producer status by actually getting onto the Vocaloid rankings and obtaining a mass following with how good his music is. He averages nearly 4,000 views per song. (Even on his
            low end) Meanwhile, take a look at the others I mentioned. Besides Lemon Ice Pop all of them barely get into the 700-1000 view range. (Which lasted I checked that is not much of a following) So when you say that everyone who uses vocaloid is an automatic producer you are just trying to make everyone feel special when that is not the case. It would be like me getting vocaloid throwing in some random notes without any thinking, editing, music theory, and
            putting it up on YouTube then saying ” Oh look guys I’m a producers
            because I made something in under 5 seconds! Aren’t I great?!” So to answer your question on if Kodakami, AkiGlancy, Tempo, and Puffin count as producers the
            simple answer is no. End of Story.

            As for me liking Circus-P it is more of he is the lesser of
            two evils when it comes to the western half of the Vocaloid fandom. (Yes I do try to find Western users who are good but 99% of the time they are incredible INCREDIBLE piss poor.)His lyrics are incredible simplistic and he uses a lot of the same beat styles over and over. However he stands out above the rest because he actually understands how to make vocaloids sound crystal clear (Especially with English which takes a lot of talent because Engloids are the epitome of shit at the moment and are not going to be getting better anytime soon (Yes that includes Miku, Luka,
            KAITO, and Megpoid)) and at least the basics of music theory.

            As for I=Fantasy I included this as a comparison because it still is showing off English Miku to get people interested just like how I-Fantasy was to show of SeeU. Even if it wasn’t intended to be a demo since English Miku isn’t out yet it is setting her up to sound like something she really isn’t which is what I=Fantasy did for SeeU. So even if it isn’t a demo and just for pleasure it is setting the bar for Miku to be at that level of English even her default bank which is false. That is why it has the I=Fantasy Problem.

          6. How many times must this be said?

            Every person who ever wrote an original story is a writer. This does not implicitly compare them to Tolkien. You can still call them writers, even if their story sucks shit. Every person who ever made a song is a producer. This does not implicitly compare them to Ryo. You can still call them producers, even if their song sucks shit. They are just descriptors. Producer is not a status. Writer is not a status. A producer is literally just one who produces and a writer is literally just one who writes, not someone who creates a literary masterpiece. They are just words, now stop trying to put sentimental meanings behind them. You really don’t know anything about what you’re talking about.

            And for the last goddamn time, you do not have to have a P name to be a producer. Look at Mitchie M and Ryo, for fuck’s sake.

          7. @Aerii:disqus

            You keep saying that every person is a producers who writes a song in vocaloid. Yet the fandom and the facts go against you every time. We even have full website pages dedicated to explaining this. The producer status was set up to separate the good from the bad. The has from the has nots. The popular from the unpopular. You are never gonna convince anybody that ever person who uses vocaloid is an automatic producer. That is not how it works and you are just gonna have to deal with it. Yes, there are exceptions to the rules like Deco*27 but it still doesn’t remove the P status from the vocaloid fandom. As cliche as it sounds your trying to wear rose tinted glasses to make everyone feel good about themselves and that everyone is equal when that is not the case with reality.

          8. I don’t have to convince anybody. Everybody knows but you.

            P.S. Why are they exceptions? It can’t be explained through your faulty reasoning.

          9. @Aerii:disqus

            Yeah, keep telling yourself that. Maybe if you ignore the fact it was and still is given by fans (Remember this? Fans originally gave you the title of producer) to musicians who create popular and interesting music long enough then maybe your idea that everyone is a Producer automatically it will become the truth. Though by that account I would also be a producer since I’ve created some small melodies in Vocaloid. Guess you would call me thatguy-p.

          10. As I have said and will continue to say, I wouldn’t give you a P name because producers don’t need to have P names to be producers. Also, btw, there are plenty of producers on Nico Nico Douga who give themselves P names and there’s never bullshit about it because in Japan, no one gives a shit about where the P name comes from. Fact of the day.

          11. Yet the entire fandom disagrees with you. I like how the wiki sums it up. P”: abbreviation of producer, is used almost as an honorific title in
            NicoNicoDouga. Because it is impossible without support of the
            audience, it is recognized as an honor for an author if his/her producer
            name is suggested by the audience.

            So keep screaming that everyone is a producers it not going to change the fact your wrong.

          12. @Penguinlogik:disqus

            Eeeehhhh I would disagree with that definition. Sure you can make stuff but that does not make you a producer. A producer is someone known for there products who makes something that lots of people like. Sony I could consider a Producer since they are well known company that millions of people know. Some off brand name company I wouldn’t.

          13. So now you’re going for a personal preference on wording a status rather than using the definition of the word. Okay.

          14. for your argument yes. But for vocaloid I still stick with what the fandom set into place originally where you had to earn your title of being a producer and you were not automatically given it like how Aerii keeps claiming.

          15. P = Producer in the vocaloid fandom so not only is it a title it also shows their status. That is what we have been arguing about. Aerii claims that making if you make one originally thing you are an automatic producer no questions asked. However that is not what a Producer is. A Producer is someone who earns their title and is considered a good user of vocaloid. Making just one original song that gets no views or is poorly made does not make someone a producers in neither title or status.

          16. You are a producer if you produce something and that’s the way normal people see it. I do see that the P name and status is something achieved by the community showing their support, however interchanging the two as if they are the same is completely different. Being a producer is not something that comes automatically, it’s the way the word is defined, whether contained to a certain fandom or not, the definition is still the definition.

            I also should not have used the word status in my previous reply, if I were to reword it, I would remove “the status of” to make more sense.

            I do agree with you on most of your other points, however this is something where your argument is not clearly backed by proof, but rather personal opinion on what it should and shouldn’t be. While the community does help shape the P name, it does not necessarily mean that all producers (as defined by the dictionary) are also P’s nor the other way around. The P name being decided by the community is also a sort of unspoken guideline where it’s generally accepted by the community (however most of this gets lost when migrating over to the “western” side). However that does not mean that producers (again dictionary definition) of works, whether being “shitty” or not are not what they are.

          17. I find it strange that the English-speaking fandom would have such a different definition compared to the Japanese-speaking fandom. The working definition(e.g. see link 1) of ボカロP in Japanese is simply someone who produces VOCALOID songs or someone who works with VOCALOID. One good example of the latter was an Asahi Shimbun reporter who got the title AsaP because he did a segment on Hatsune Miku. If you’re actually popular/famous, people would use an additional adjective to describe you, e.g. 有名ボカロP, etc. The marketing person in charge of IA got into a lot of trouble when he joked that they give out IA to famous VOCALOID producers, and he used that term to describe them. When I’m handing out CDs at events, and people ask me if I’m a ボカロP, I’d say that technically I am one, but I’m not really that popular. Heck, one of the VOCALOID tutorials held at DC EXPO with Yamaha staff even gave out a T-shirt that read “I am a VOCALOID-P” (see link 2). Thus, I have to conclude that either the English-speaking fandom has a strangely much more stringent definition of “producer” or you have a personal definition different from the popular definition in the English-speaking fandom. In either case, your definition is quite different from the Japanese definition.

            (1) http://dic.pixiv.net/a/%E3%83%9C%E3%82%AB%E3%83%ADP
            (2) https://twitter.com/vocaloid_yamaha/status/26511057668

          18. Lol, argument automatically lost. It doesn’t matter what dictionary you look in, you’re never gonna find one that says a producer is one who makes a product that “lots of people like”. Because dictionaries, unlike you, base definitions of words not on how they feel the word should be used but on how it is actually used by everyone. In other words, it’s not about what definition you like or dislike, it’s about the definition. And like it or not, that’s the definition.

            I was gonna bring up the fact that the word producer to describe one who just makes songs is not a construct unique to Vocaloid, because EDM uses the word producer in the same way. But I just realized having a conversation with someone who thinks their definition of a word is better than several dictionaries is a pointless endeavor.

          19. Aerii

            Still doesn’t hold true to vocaloid. A producer is someone who is good at making vocaloid songs. So you thought that everyone is automatic producer is still wrong and always will be wrong.The fandom disagress with you and even the basics definition for a producer in vocaloid goes against you.

          20. Well, you let me know when your fandom comes in to support you. Because it looks like the opposite has been happening. Even the source you cited disagreed with you.

          21. @Aerii:disqus

            Yet they also disagree with your hippie thought of everyone deserves a P even if they do a cover of a song with no effort put into it and just do a plug ‘n chug.

          22. @Aerii:disqus and @a35f71ca268c0e1ae722c3fb50efe924:disqus Um after reading through this I think you both are right. Aerii is right because if you do make something then you could be considered a producer since someone made something even if it is not popular. Meanwhile that guy is right because the idea of producer in terms of vocaloid is a status you have to achieve through hard work and fan recognition. At least that is what I am thinking.

          23. “”Producer” is the term used for any person that produces Vocaloid-related audiovisual material.”

            From the very first line. Keyword: “any”. Picking and choosing much?

          24. And here we go again. Just because you can say that doesn’t make it true. A Producer is someone who earns that title in the vocaloid fandom for having made something extremely popular. You wouldn’t say that someone who makes a video that gets 10 views is a Producer in the vocaloid fandom that would be retarded. Meanwhile someone who gets 100000 views on a single upload you would consider a Producer and has earned their title to be called a Producer. Your idea that everyone has instant producer status is flawed and nothing more then hippie nonsense that like i said before is simply trying to make everyone feel good when that is not the case. For instance take 52circle on youtube. In no way shape or form is he a producer because he happen to make 4 or 5 videos using vocaloid. If you think he or she is then you are disillusioning yourself.

          25. CasteP, who has never gotten even 10,000 views on anything, has a P name.

            http://www.nicovideo.jp/watch/sm19028114

            Here is the video he got a P name on. Though I like CasteP’s music, not only are P names not related to popularity or quality, they are not related to someone’s status as a producer. It’s funny that you act like no one has agreed with me on anything when people did, but okay.

          26. It obvious to me that you are not my dear anything, though I was simply trying to be friendly and polite. I think it is also obvious that no matter my current improvements, or future improvements, your opinions of me and my work will continue to be negative. What I choose to put upon my youtube page, is of course, at my own personal discretion, though, you are more then welcome to dislike it.

            As Circus-P is a very close friend, and has taught me a great deal about tuning vocaloid before adapting my own style, I find it slightly off putting that you should find our differences so repulsive to your ears. Again, though it is entirely your opinion and I will respect it. We are musicians with two very different styles, and if my work is not your cup of tea, then that is perfectly fine.

            If you wish to give me more in depth critique rather then
            criticism, I would be more then happy to hear it. Advice on DAWS,
            compressors, EQs, and other types of equipment that might help me in the
            future is always welcomed, as well as what YOU believe to be proper tuning and composing. By all means, send me examples of your own work, so that I may learn from my mistakes.

          27. @fcd04feb072edfc23309e2f8b9c6d09a:disqus

            Well Circus-P just happens to be the creme of croup for the Western Producers. (Which isn’t exactly saying much) So even if he taught you he is still going to be better. That’s just life that someone is going to be better. As for me showing you my stuff just mention where and I’ll show.

    1. That kind of comment about a VOCALOID REMIX of an ELECTRONIC song is quite amusing 🙂
      But well I don’t see why among the Vocaloid listeners and interested people we would no find some cases of cognitive dissonance.

        1. I don’t know about you two, but the difference between Vocaloid and auto-tune is obvious to my ears. And one sounds better than the other when done right.

          1. Aha! It merely sounded like you disliked it because it was electronic. n_n That is the case with so many people, even in the Vocaloid fandom, so it is easy to get confused.

  2. Damn the preview has been marked private, can’t listen to it T.T

    In any case thanks for the report, very insightful. The bad news being that this will only be available on the Japanese edition of Clarity. I hope some kind people will upload that knowing the idiotic geographic segregation made by iTunes and AmazonMP3.

    1. They made it private a few hours ago… Maybe that’s the intention, let people listen and spread the information, then private it. I don’t know if Universal made this before with other videos, but it seems an weird attitude for me.

  3. Got to say, if this is truly her English voice bank, it’s not very impressive (once again).
    The first time around.
    Then got understandable after I went and listened to the original (no English songs me ><)
    And it got a bit better after listening to it for the fourth time.

    I suspect this is due to the combined factor of Zedd's song and livetune's remix…

      1. Not necessarily still in beta, but the article doesn’t specify.
        On the other hand, why use Miku for a professional album if the voicebank is still in beta?

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