VOCALOID

Yamaha's singing voice synthesizer for turning melodies and lyrics into vocals

Verified facts: 6 of 6
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About VOCALOID

VOCALOID is Yamaha's singing synthesis software, first released in 2003 and the technology behind a whole genre of songs and virtual singers. You enter a melody and lyrics in a piano-roll editor, choose a voicebank, and shape the performance with tools for accents, vibrato and timing. The current VOCALOID6 editor uses an AI engine called VOCALOID:AI for more natural singing, can sing a mix of Japanese, English and Chinese with one voicebank, creates harmony doubles, and includes VOCALO CHANGER, which turns your own sung recording into a VOCALOID performance. It runs standalone or as a VST3/AU plugin with ARA2 integration in DAWs, on Windows and macOS. The editor is bundled with voicebanks and sold as a one-time purchase, with many additional voicebanks sold separately; a 31-day full-featured trial is available. It suits producers and fans of the VOCALOID scene; those wanting more realistic voices or a free editor often compare Synthesizer V and OpenUtau.

Best for: Music producers who want the original VOCALOID voices and ecosystem for vocal tracks.

What works

Large catalogue of official and third-party voicebanks
AI engine sings Japanese, English and Chinese with one voicebank
Works as a VST3/AU plugin with ARA2 support
31-day full-featured trial

Why people leave

Many voicebanks are sold separately on top of the editor
No Linux version
VOCALOID2 voicebank serials are not supported in VOCALOID6

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VOCALOID: common questions

Is VOCALOID free?

No, VOCALOID is a paid product. Mobile plan: USD 3.99 a month before tax (VOCALOID6 Mobile, iOS) (checked on VOCALOID's own site).

Is VOCALOID open source?

No, VOCALOID is not open source.

What platforms does VOCALOID run on?

VOCALOID is available for Windows and macOS.

VOCALOID facts

6 of 6 verified

Free trial: 14 days on mobile; Checked Nov 1, 2026vocaloid.com(opens source in a new tab); “USD 3.99 (before tax) / month . Try it free for 14 days with "VY1 Lite" and "asa".”
Platforms: Windows, macOS; Checked Oct 29, 2026vocaloid.com(opens source in a new tab); “Supported operating systems Windows (64-bit), macOS”
Plugin formats: Standalone, VST3, AU; Checked Oct 29, 2026vocaloid.com(opens source in a new tab); “Supported operating systems Windows (64-bit), macOS Operating method Standalone, VST3, AU”
Languages: Japanese, English, Chinese; Checked Oct 29, 2026vocaloid.com(opens source in a new tab); “Multilingual You can now sing lyrics in a mixture of Japanese, English, and Chinese with a single voicebank.”
Developer: Yamaha Corporation; Checked Oct 29, 2026vocaloid.com(opens source in a new tab); “run and operated by Yamaha Corporation .”
Mobile plan: USD 3.99 a month before tax (VOCALOID6 Mobile, iOS); Checked Nov 1, 2026vocaloid.com(opens source in a new tab); “HARUKA SARAH Learn more about VOCALOID6 Mobile Mobile VOCALOID Editor iOS Subscription plan: USD 3.99 (before tax) / month .”