If you’ve been on the internet for a long period of time, you’ve heard a vocal synth. I don’t necessarily mean vocal synth music, but you’ve definitely heard a vocal synth (barring any vocal synths you’ve heard in this blog, of course). They pop up in all sorts of media: TV shows, memes, video games. I am so confident in my claim that I decided to list out some popular uses of vocal synths that don’t include Miku. Shocking, I know. But I believe I’m up to the challenge. Now, on to the list!
Nyan Cat
There are a lot of iconic posts on the internet. But you’d be making a pretty safe bet if you said that Nyan Cat is one of the most iconic symbols of the internet. For those who aren’t aware, it’s a 2011 GIF of an 8-bit cat with a Pop-Tart flying through outer space with a rainbow trail, to the tune of a repetitive “nya nya” (nya being the onomatopoeia in Japanese for the sound a cat makes). But few people actually know that the song that plays in the background was actually sung by an UTAU (same as our diva, Kasane Teto). Specifically, it feature Momone Momo. Even in the early days of the internet, we have vocal synths defining the scene from behind the scenes.
Bee and Puppycat
Next, we have the TV show Bee and Puppycat. Originally a web animated series, it later received a reboot/continuation of the series on Netflix. It centers around young woman Bee and the mysterious creature she finds, Puppycat – voiced by Oliver, a Vocaloid! I personally haven’t had the chance to watch this series, but I included it as it is a rather unusual case Even when vocal synths are used for voice acting, they usually voice themselves. For example, Miku voices herself in her video games. So it is refreshing to see a Vocaloid voice a character unrelated to their own persona.
Jackbox Party Pack
This entry is a favorite of mine. Jackbox Party Pack is a yearly video games series of party games. featuring several minigames. One of the games in the series, Jackbox Party Pack 8, features a minigame known as The Wheel of Enormous Proportions. The credits theme is actually sung by Eleanor Forte, a Synthesizer V (Like Kasane Teto’s newer incarnation). I never realized this fact when I had first tried the game, but knowing this fact only made me love the game even more. This example sticks out the most in my mind due to the fond memories I have of playing Jackbox with my friends. I would highly recommend this game to anyone, even regardless of the vocal synth being featured.
They sing for us. They voice act for us. They humor us. What more could we ask of the wonderous technology that are vocal synthesizers?