PowerFX Releases "Sweet Ann" Virtual Vocalist

(Click for a close-up)

PowerFX announced today they have released Sweet Ann, the first of their new line of vocal libraries which employs Yamaha's VOCALOID2 upgraded software. Vocaloid software applications enable users to type in words and melody and have the vocal library "artist" sing back the input.

"We are extremely excited about the release of Sweet Ann and developing vocal libraries for VOCALOID," said PowerFX CEO Bil Bryant. "Vocal synthesis and voice modelling is an evolving technology that is still in its infancy, but the developments and functions of VOCALOID 2 make it such an incredibly useful tool for any digital music maker that we had to get involved."

Sweet Ann is a pure "popstress." Her realistic vocals include a warm vibrato and an unmatchable range. While she can sing lead or harmony parts, PowerFX really envisions her as essential to the music labs of producers and electronic dance artists who depend on unique vocals for their genre.

"I always looked at VOCALOID like the initial drum machines. I think innovative electronic musicians will really be able to make new and creative music based on the technology Yamaha has been developing," continued Bryant.

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Not only relegated to the electronic dance music, Sweet Ann and her contemporaries are used by songwriters for their demos, solo artists who desire realistic background vocalists, as well as other musicians who want to experiment with the new sounds and textures these virtual singers provide.

Sweet Ann's vocals come from a real singer who was recorded extensively, enabling PowerFX to create a comprehensive library of her vocal sounds. VOCALOID software users type in words and assign melodies to Sweet Ann. She then emulates the words and notes given to her. Expressive effects, vibrato and dynamics can also be added to her singing. All of this makes for an exciting songwriting and recording process.

Users compose using Sweet Ann as their demo vocalist, and even create and experiment with new musical styles, from remixes, vocal fx, and DJ scratch vocals, to jazz, pop, funky house music and electronica genres, all with the benefit of Sweet Ann as their virtual vocalist. Hear Sweet Ann sing a variety of styles at her MySpace page. PowerFX's Sweet Ann vocal library package is available for $149 directly from PowerFX and includes a stand alone version, a VSTi plugin with real-time keyboard performance and ReWire™ connectivity to a host sequencer.

For more information, visit their web site at www.powerfx.com.