Those who don't share their project files, why?

[MoonSkunkie]

People who use UTAU, VOCALOID, etc., who make original songs or covers and don't share the project file (like UST, VSQ, VPR, etc.), why not?
I get not wanting people to "plug-and-play", but if so, why not just share a version with no tuning?
Plus, if it's your own song, people using the file to make covers gives you more clout.

Of course, you made the file, so you have the right to do whatever, but I'm just wondering...

 

[Big_B]

Yeah, I really think we should be more open to share when we're talking about distribution of any content in general within the utau community. I mean, you could make someone else's life better, and learn quicker how to use the software, just by sharing your cover files. In Brazil I crossed to an artist that he didn't let you make cover of his songs except with permission (What is kinda sad since he is one of the few utau producers who works with portuguese utaus and his song was hela cool).

Another thing that upsets me is the non profitable utau. I don't remember if there was something about you need to ask Utau's creator to let your utau be used for commercial purpose, but I know that it's pretty boring to see how people don't let their own utaus be used for that (Specially without receiving anything for it). I know that you would want money of the people who used your synthesized voice for their original songs, but that attitude just helps utau community to be more obsolete.

If utau was at least something famous I could think it was a good move, but utau community is just kinda dead and filled with egoccentric people who just wants to talk about their own job and nothing more. So why not just let people use your voice for whatever they want and live happily that at least your utau wasn't forgot in a limbo.

 

[Kiyoteru]

When covering a song from scratch, the project files will be tuned specifically for that voicebank only. This leaves behind all sorts of messy artifacts, like special suffixes for voicebank expressions, or extra notes like breaths and glottal stops and vocal fries, or CVVC conversion and tons of tiny little notes, or for non Japanese projects everything is written entirely in phonetics and it's one of multiple phonetic systems used for the same language. It gets even crazier with original songs, because there's almost never one straight UST for the whole main melody of the song. In the process of composing the song, the UST may be fragmented into sections like verses and choruses, or even individual lines of lyrics, with some UST files contributing to the final vocals and some being unfinished drafts that didn't become part of the song at all.

All of this makes project files very, very, VERY difficult for other users to repurpose. An experienced user may be comfortable cleaning them up, but I've seen beginners often get confused over things like this, or even simpler things like seeing lyrics written in VCV format.

If we want to be kind and helpful to the users of a UST, we would provide completely cleaned up files, with all the melodies compiled into a single long file for the whole song, with only plain lyrics, and completely ready to use with any voicebank.

 

[Halo]

Yeah, I really think a lot of it boils down to the effort it takes to clean things up for distribution. Like I can't get mad when a producer only gives out one inst even though other producers give out five insts at different pitches, or supply a vocal line midi for reference, or separate drums and harmonies & premastered versions... like it's nice to have but it's a surprising amount of work to get these things ready to use and not just a huge mess that people will complain about. So it's an "extra", and not a given.

 

[WyndReed]

It also depends on how people work. I personally create an base/untuned version of an ust and then make a copy and tune that, but I know a lot of people just import a midi and start working.

 

[ammamanagucci]

because i'm evil

no, i don't share my project files because i don't make them from scratch, a lot of the times i'll use a midi and it doesn't feel right to redistribute something that i didn't 100% make. i wouldn't mind giving out a base ust/vsqx if someone asked for it, though, but i wouldn't give it out publicly.

 

[IO+]

"Comfortable" would be my answer. Some people don't feel comfortable to share due to many reason, the personal reason is included.
I do share my project file too but only a song that i feel like it need some attention, or i think it's good enough to share. But now I don't share it anymore at least on youtube due to complaining like it's not working, it's fake or people start to keep asking for more or request, which make it very uncomfortable.

Also, training or tuning is like you try to sculpture something that you like with your finger print to it. It's more of a personal thing that they don't want other person to see.