Rating: ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ 5/5 Stars
Eclipsed Sounds are a small USA‑based team that develop voice databases for Dreamtonics’ Synthesizer V virtual vocalist instrument. Synth V has just moved to v2 and Eclipsed have therefore updated their existing voice catalogue for the new version (including the Solaria voice based on collaboration with the highly regarded singer Emma Rowley). However, they have also launched two new voices: Galenaia and Hxvoc.
Galenaia was created with Spanish classical/opera soprano Laura Gómez and, while I make absolutely no claims for an extensive knowledge of this genre, even a brief test‑drive of the voice within Synth V 2 makes it very obvious that the synthesized version of Laura’s voice is pretty epic. Based upon the underlying sampling and synthesis of Laura’s voice, as well as the common Synth V Loudness, Tension and Breathiness properties, you get six Vocal Modes — Stable, Supported, Rounded, Throaty, Warm and Nasal — that you can adjust (and automate) to change the character of the vocal delivery. This lets you move from a quite subtle, soft performance style all the way up to a full‑on, passionate, powerful delivery. By the time you get to the latter, that distinctive wide vibrato often found in classical singing is in full force (though you can adjust this to suit via Synth V’s control set). If opera or classical music is your genre of choice, this is impressive stuff.
Hxvoc is perhaps a little more in the mainstream (or maybe just in my mainstream?). This was created by sampling US‑based rock singer Seann Nicols. Within Synth V, you get eight Vocal Modes — Clear, Nasal, Subdued, Aggressive, Belt, Dark, Rap and Scream — and, while the voice’s default setting has a touch of rasp to it, by emphasising the Clear and Subdued modes, you can clean things up very nicely. The rest of the modes provide a huge variety of vocal delivery, and let you easily go from blues into various styles of rock and, with the Aggressive and Scream modes pushed (and a dollop of the Tension control), into metal. And, yes, with a little experimentation, you can coax Hxvoc into various ‘scream’ styles of singing. Hxvoc vocal territory is much more in my musical comfort zone and this voice database provides a really versatile platform for almost any flavour of rock vocals. I suspect lots of Synth V users (or potential users) will find Hxvoc very intriguing. I sincerely hope Eclipsed Sounds have found a female vocalist to collaborate with who covers the same sort of ground.
Eclipsed provide some of the very best options for Synth V and I love that the company are prepared to embrace somewhat niche musical genres.
Eclipsed provide some of the very best options for Synth V and I love that the company are prepared to embrace somewhat niche musical genres. Galenaia and Hxvoc both sound great and while a virtual instrument that can synthesise human‑sounding vocals is not something everyone is comfortable with, even if only used as a songwriting tool with the intention of providing a guide for a real singer, this is very impressive technology.