Vocaloid (ボーカロイド, Bōkaroido) is a singing voice synthesizer software. Its signal processing part was developed through a jointresearchproject led by Kenmochi Hideki at the Pompeu Fabra University in Barcelona, Spain, in 2000, and originally was not intended to be a full commercialproject. Backed by the Yamaha Corporation, it developed the software into the commercialproduct "Vocaloid".
The software enables users to synthesize " singing " by typing in lyrics and melody. It uses synthesizing technology with specially recorded vocals of voice actors or singers. To create a song, the user must input the melody and lyrics. A piano roll type interface is used to input the melody and the lyrics can be entered on each note. The software can change the stress of the pronunciations, add effects such as vibrato, or change the dynamics and tone of the voice.
Various voice banks have been released for use with the Vocaloid synthesizer technology. Each is sold as "a singer in a box " designed to act as a replacement for an actual singer.
