Song of the Carcasses

It's time to kick-off this Hallowe'en evening's musical journey, while the young 'uns are still awake. Essentially carcasses and a mythical type of unpleasant creature, the Rakshasa, are what this creepy song is about, as told from a child's perspective and dressed up in a light and upbeat arrangement.

This is the live performance at Kansai of Hold, Release, Rakshasa and Carcasses (though also known by variations of that title), performed as it should be on the upper stage, and the video below comes with English subtitles.

I have to say that the band's backing here isn't quite as good as the 39s at Sapporo a couple of years earlier, but it works well enough overall...

Bieber vs Miku

This ten-minute video is actually quite instructive about the two sides of the popular music scene – human and virtual. It also covers ground that doesn't tend to be mentioned very often, and could even be helpful to former 'Beliebers' who have recently gone off their former idol. Here, you might find out why it all went wrong for him, and many others before.

As always, it is important to remember that Vocaloid does not replace human performers, but merely adds to choice in the marketplace. There were those, years ago, who bemaoned the arrival of piano-keyboard type synthesiers, fearing they'd supplant guitars. They did not, but augmented them instead. Now it is commonplace to have both, whether on record or at live performances.

This video, though, concentrates on the actualities of the two methods and what effect they can have on the person or the product. It is a useful reference work...

'Secret Police' by Miku

This is the Project DIVA version of Secret Police, given the googoo888 treatment – so expect top-notch quality, English subtitles and lots of costume changes. This definitely needs to be viewed full-screen and in as high a resolution as your system can handle.

Although this song is, as always, a sheer delight, and is great fun if taken as a parody, it does also carry a powerful message and might make you think. That I'd count as being A Good Thing in itself; but for now, simply enjoy this excellent performance...

Telling Your World

Place Miku on a stage with a (modern) piano, let the audience in with their glow-sticks, and see what happens.

This isn't a real concert performance, but has been presented as if it had been, and even without English words will touch the hearts of many. This piano version of Tell Your World is very soft and 'close up', and here has been rendered near enough to perfection. I gather that the video is an entry in this year's MD Cup contest, and I do hope it wins or is runner-up.

For all the flashy stuff (much of which is fun) that is entered into this annual event, sometimes it takes something as straightforward s this to show just what can be done simply by playing it completely straight. You'll want to switch this to full-screen view...

Concert at SkeCon

This is the video of the concert by Synthesized reality Productions (SRP) at the recent SkeCon event in Sweden. It's a single fixed camera, which could have benefited from being zoomed in a little, but it will do. It isn't shaky, unfocused, distorted or any of the other audience-recorded efforts' failings, and is of high video quality.

The event starts off with SRP's Yume introducing the show, in English, followed by Miku and 'Viva Happy'. Later, Gumi, Rin and Len appear – all three at once for one item – also Luka for 'Just Be Friends'; and near the end we also have Miku's now famous 'Senbonzakura' in her correct outfit for this song. The show is rounded out with Yume re-appearing to dance with SkeCon's own mascot Rosu to dance to 'Happy Synthesizer'. Plenty of goodness is in there for just about any fan!

The whole video is almost an hour long, but I found it better to view in three or four 'chunks', simply because of that fixed, slightly distant viewpoint from which I needed to take an occasional break...

Miku Expo Documentary

It has been some time since we have had a new and sufficiently interesting video from this instantly-recognizable source that I could justify posting – but now we can see why it has been a while!

This narration-free documentary lasts nearly 35 minutes, but is thoroughly engrossing – and obviously took a lot of time and effort to put together, as did the event itself for that matter. It tells the literally amazing story of how the first Miku Expo was put together and how it all went in Jakarta, Indonesia, a month or so ago. I say 'amazing' for good reason: even I was amazed at some of what came out in this, such as the audience's passion and that they made the floor shake!

Reserve half an hour in your day and have a go through this. I doubt you'll be disappointed...

Producing a Miku Track

The vocaloid producer known as '40meter', or 40mP for short, yesterday uploaded this eight-minute video showing something of how his new track Love Trial was made. It covers band rehearsals and takes, vocal editing, and even how the promotional video (PV) was illustrated. What little commentary there is (hardly any!) is in Japanese, but it's easily ignored.

If anyone is in any remaining doubt that producing a piece using Vocaloid is any less of an effort, or any less professional and talent-driven (and resourced) than traditional forms of music, this should drive the final nail into that myth's coffin! We already knew much of the truth from the concerts I have featured here over the last eighteen months, so regular visitors will not be surprised by much if any of this, but it's still interesting to spend a few minutes watching 40mP and his colleagues at work...

More Miku Expo events this year!

The first Miku Expo, in Indonesia, was a great success. Just announced are two more Miku Expo two-day events, one on the eastern side of the USA and the other on the western side – but let this short video tell the story...

Miku in San Diego

This is a good quality, closer-in video of Miku's opening set for the Lady Gaga artRave tour, this time from the San Diego event. Both the sound and the visuals are good, and I think this is perhaps the best such recording from the tour to appear online to date.

I recommend switching to full screen and a decent resolution (it does go to full HD but there is no apparent advantage over 720px)...

Going Completely Gaga

...Or similar wording!

This is the complete Miku set from the Lady Gaga concert in Cleveland, Ohio, roughly mid-way through the tour that is to include sixteen opening performances by Miku. This was taken from within the audience, so technically isless than perfect but generally very good. There is an issue with one of the audience-facing lights causing an apparent loss of the stage image by the camera, though I gather the lights didn't interfere with the audience's view.

So here it is, at last: the full 24-minute opening act for Lady Gaga, no less! Miku's six-number set comprised Glass Wall (in English) 2D Dream Fever, World Is Mine, Story Rider, Yellow, and Tell Your World as a fitting finale.

Despite most of those present really not knowing what this was all about until it happened in front of them, the response was very good once they had warmed to he – somewhere around the middle of the second song, I judge it.

History has been made by these concert openers, and a new chapter of the western world's chronicles starts right here...

NicoNico Mega Party 2014

This year's Chokaigi (Mega Party) event was really good much of the time, with some very good and audience-grabbing DJ-ing. It was, though, the Vocaloid concert that was the highlight for many, myself included – and then I forgot to post it here!

Well, thanks to a memory jog a few minutes ago, that is remedied now. This year's concert was just half an hour long, but with so much (thirteen songs) crammed into its almost non-stop format that there is plenty for everyone, including original staging, new band arrangements, and Luka playing the harp (very accurately!)

Lots of vocaloids were featured, as is the norm at this event, including the four Crypton Character Vocals (Miku, Luka, Len and Rin), IA, Gumi, Gakupo, Lily, Teto and more.

This is best viewed full screen, and listened to via headphones if possible...

For Mothers' Day

This is for all those who still have their mother (I do not) on this special day, and all year round. It's long but you really do need to go through to the end. All will become clear...

Acute, Extreme, Perfect

This is a video of actual game-play from the rhythm game Project Diva Arcade F2. The song is Acute, the setting is Extreme, and the score is Perfect(!)

On top of all that, lucky Kaito gets to perform this with both Miku and Luka, the latter again showing her sheer stage 'presence' which is unequalled. The motion is as close to perfection as current technology permits; and if (more likely 'when') the play-only version of this without the game-play appears, there is no doubt in my mind that it will become one of the top Vocaloid demo pieces, raising the bar yet again...

Miku Goes Gaga

The big Vocaloid news yesterday was the announcement that Miku is to be the opening act at sixteen of Lady Gaga's upcoming tour events. Although that is only a quarter of the 67 programmed, it is still a significant turning point in the western world's live music scene.

Of course, it isn't as one-dimensional as it might at first appear. Here is what I wrote on Facebook a few hours ago...

While I have inevitable reservations about this, it was likely (I think almost certain) to happen sooner or later.

For the organisers, promoters and performers, it is probably being seen primarily as a gimmick, to 'up the ante' relative to others' concert tours – but there will be at least some percolation of Miku's performance and general 'aura' into the audience's consciousnesses.

This will have little immediate effect, as those attending will be there for Lady Gaga, first and foremost; but the idea of 'sowing seeds' is a useful one, and during the weeks that follow will, I think, start to pay dividends – especially if one or more complete concerts end up for sale and/or on-line.

I have been saying for a while now that it is my belief that 2014 is going to be the turning point in Vocaloid going global: this series of events looks like being perhaps the single biggest part of that (much broader) transformation.

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There are those (and I am aware of at least two, probably three) who will say that this 'going mainstream' will mean the end of life as we know it – or words to that effect. I know that this will not be the case. At this stage, I have no idea what Miku will do: some of her usual material, in Japanese, some new material in English, or one or more Gaga items.

Perhaps there will even be a duet at the end of her (presumably quite short) set, which would make an excellent handover from the support act to the main feature. It would be almost a world first – though SeeU has done this with GLAM several times, and there have been others. The novelty factor with thiese audiences, though, would be quite something, if this were attempted.

Whatever comes out of this, I remain convinced that it will help the Vocaloid concept and sheer quality to seep into the western collective consciousness. The real global future in the genre starts here...

Sing and Smile

It's about time I posted another nice video with good motion, so here's something new: Sing and Smile by Re:nG, featuring an 'all-star' cast of the six Cryptonloids (including the Sakine version of Meiko) along with Teto, Haku Yowane and Neru Akita, all of whom appear in Project DIVA Arcade future tone, from which this derives.

The motion is really good, and Rin's outfit in her initial appearance in the video – starting at 1 minute in – though simple in design is particularly appealing, I thought.

By the way: I have been spending so much time on social media and domestic matters that I haven't been able to keep up with other matters (in case anyone was wondering) – though I have been monitoring a lot of things going on, especially in the local and national political spheres. I shall no doubt comment on at least one or two of those in due course, but for now let's stay with the lighter and more enjoyable world of Vocaloid/Utau...

Bump of Chicken

I have no idea why they call themselves tha (they've been around a long time, though: this is from their seventh album, titled Ray); but here is Bump of Chicken with a remix of their titular song, this time featuring Miku in the cylindrical display system that I showcased here yesterday. The song is quite good, though I'd say nothing special in itself. I gather than kz(livetune) prepared the Miku track alongside which the fellas perform live, and it all works very well.

The only comments that I'd make – and others have already said the same – is the new Miku model's eyes are a bit odd, and her voice is a little too quiet in places. These, though, can be dealt with easily enough. Especially for a first effort with this technology, it is a good result overall, though there aren't any English words provided. I suspect they will follow in due course, as I have a feeling that this could go viral...

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New Miku Development

This is interesting, and one can see where we are heading. Indeed, it is something I have been anticipating would  happen soon, and the future idea of not needing a screen is only a logical extension of the 3D in-water mini-concert we saw at Yokohama Bay.

Projecting onto air particles directly is definitely on the cards – and one day will replace the screen on mobile 'phones so that they can be built into a watch (a prediction I first made quite a few years ago). This, though, is where we are today...

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Catwalk Envy

Continuing from my previous post... Also at Matsuri Da Diva 2014 were some familiar numbers, and this relatively new one, Catwalk Envy. It's one of those that has so much in it that one cannot help but wonder how it all fitted in to just four minutes straight.

Old hands here will probably recognise the Miku model and even more fluid motion than previously that we first encountered at Magical Mirai 2013, and it just keeps getting better by adding to the repertoire of such high-quality stage performances that is building up thanks to events such as this...

Diva Desu

The latest event was, of course, on Miku Day, held in Tokyodome City Hall, and was essentially a concert called Matsuri Da Diva 2014, that had not only the Crypton Vocaloids on stage but their voice providers too. Although this meant that each part was shorter than would have been the case with just one or the other, it was still a good event, I hear from trusted sources.

Not all of those sources were present, as it was being live-streamed to NicoNico users who had paid a modest amount for the privilege. I didn't, as I never know if I am even going to be awake at the appointed hour (because of my medication) so it could easily have been a waste. Because f its nature, and I didn't know whether any of it might appear in public, I didn't mention this before.

Anyway, the opening 'summoning to the stage' item is now up on YouTube, lasting exactly three minutes, and it is called Diva Desu...

Miku Day 2014

Although little if anything official happens on this day, the 9th March is considered, in Japan, to be Miku Day, after the '39' convention I have explained before, and as some countries inexplicably place the month before the day (it's like measuring in feet, inches and yards).

Grey Otaku has kindly assembled a list of his favourite tracks on video at this Facebook page, and as a separate visual treat here is a nice free-to-use/share (Creative Commons licence) Kitty Miku image from this page...