Teto Territory: Kasane Teto's Debut at the Commercial Synth Market!

Graphics by Keischa Calumpiano

VOCALOIDs are popular throughout the world, but what are they? They are vocal synthesizer programs voiced by real people that producers tune to sing for them. With the aid of these voicebanks, different producers in Japan and even other countries unite the community through their music. Notable examples of VOCALOIDs are Crypton Future Media’s iconic Hatsune Miku and mirror twins Kagamine Rin and Len. However, these VOCALOIDs are not free of price, and thus the community has a free alternative to them. First created in 2008, these free vocal synths are called UTAU, with Kasane Teto being one of the most well-known ones.

Initially created as a gimmick for April Fools’ following the hype surrounding Hatsune Miku, Teto debuted as a UTAU on April 1, 2008. Voiced by Oyamano Mayo, Teto is one of the many UTAUs you can use to create songs without paying. While Teto initially did not receive much attention, her popularity boomed when VOCALOID producers started experimenting with her voicebank. Furthermore, she has appeared in official VOCALOID media, such as the hit game Project Diva and the concert Miku Symphony 2018-2019 for her 10th anniversary. Because of her growing popularity, people sometimes confuse her as an official VOCALOID.

However, recently announced last April 3, 2023; Teto will debut as an official, licensed voice synthesizer. Under AH-Software Co., Teto will appear as a commercial voice bank for Synthesizer V Studio (or SynthV) this April 27. Her voice synth will consist of four modes: powerful, cute, joyful, and mellow. Furthermore, there has been a significant improvement in her voice in the licensed studio version compared to her original 2008 version. Interested fans may buy Teto’s SynthV voice bank physically (Amazon Japan) or digitally (AH-Software’s official website).

But does that mean she will no longer be a UTAU accessible to all? Nope! While she is making her debut on the commercial scene, her free UTAU software remains downloadable to everyone. Not eradicating her 2008 software benefits producers in the UTAU scene, as they may choose between Teto's free or studio voice synth based on their financial capability.

Kasane Teto has a massive impact on everyone in the UTAU community. Her voice gave birth to some of the iconic songs in the community, like Teto Territory and Triple Baka. Enjoyed by many since 2008, fans are delighted about the news because Teto is the first UTAU to achieve this feat. In conclusion, the community is excited to hear what Teto can offer as a commercial voice synth!