Category: News

Some Of STUDIO OGIEN’s Plans Going Forward

Hello, all you beautiful people! We’ve wrapped up 2022 with a huge accomplishment; completing the rainbow of OGIENOIDs! It was a long time coming, filled with roadblocks. Still, it has finally happened, which means STUDIO OGIEN is ready to begin a new chapter, focusing on exciting new projects and expanding our girls to new languages already in the plans. Keep reading to see what’s coming!

Plans for Internal Change

At STUDIO OGIEN, we’ve always been focused on providing quality content to our community, and we are so honored and humbled that we can say we have a community at all. With that said, we do want to be transparent with you all. Our studio is downsizing. Initially, we started out as one person who worked with individuals as collaborations came up. We are going back to a very similar model, and going forward, we’ll be treating the studio as a hobby rather than a mission.

In simpler terms, the amount of time we can put in has lessened as many of our members have increased outside responsibilities. This reality paired with the pressure to constantly put out new content has just made the internal passion for this project difficult to maintain. Plainly speaking, we’re all just exhausted all of the time, and I think it’s been time to realize that fact for a while. We are encouraging our members to pursue their personal passions and hobbies rather than ours.

While these plans may sound grim, there is no reason to worry. The STUDIO OGIEN flame still burns bright, and we have many things planned for years to come. The team just wanted to inform all fans of the OGIENOIDs, as this downsizing means we will take much longer to put out anything new. Our goal moving forward is going to be a focus on quality over quantity, and enjoyability over competition. Playing the numbers game just isn’t what we’re about.

As of 2023, we are also switching focuses almost entirely. For more exciting plans on what you can expect from us, keep on a scrollin’!

The Ultimate Goal For Voicebank Production

Ideally, our ultimate goal is for each OGIENOID to possess a wide useable range and at least two languages. Eventually, we want to get to a point where we can consider the OGIENOIDs as “complete” with no plans to re-record or record different voicebank styles (ex: CV & VCV). We may choose in the future to add new languages depending on interest in the community or the voice provider’s general enthusiasm. As it stands right now, this is the full breakdown of our plans:

  • Each OGIENOID is set to receive a SALIENT-style Japanese VB which includes:
    • Tri/Quadpitch normal, soft, and power voicebanks, depending on the difficulty to record said voice. (Ex: Apollo PRIME is expected to be a very difficult voicebank to record, so each append/timbre may end up as tripitch instead of the pre-established quadpitch).
    • glottal stops
    • vocal fry
    • growl
  • Some OGIENOIDs may receive Goddess voicebanks
    • Now that’s a blast from the past! One particular voice provider has expressed interest in doing this, and we’re very excited to see if it comes to fruition~
  • Each OGIENOID is set to receive VCCV English
    • Monopitch voicebanks, three timbre (normal, soft, strong). This is the plan for what the VCCV Alpha banks we produce (like Kasai IGNITE Alpha) will evolve into for their full release.
    • There may be a possible expansion to make those timbres into tripitch later on. This will depend on the availability of each voice provider.
    • We want to research more about VCCV additions, such as vocal fry, and may be able to include those later on as well.

Voicebank Production: What Comes Next

After these goals reach fruition, we will consider each language as complete and finalize development. However, we will still add additions to these completed voicebanks as add-on downloads. As the community develops new and interesting ways to use UTAU voicebanks, we will do our best to keep the OGIENOIDs as up-to-date and relevant as possible.

Citing the above, we consider KASAI OG01 as having completed her journey with the Japanese language for UTAU. It is only English development for her from here on out. After IGNITE hits completion, KASAI OG01 will also achieve completion status unless we potentially decide to give her a third language (which may or may not happen! If it ever does, it will be a total surprise to our audience as not to put undue stress on the voice provider).

Can I Tell You Something Exciting?

Alpha VCCV voicebanks for AXIS OG06 and HONOS OG04 are already recorded! Holy smokes! Each is a normal-style voice with a single pitch, just like KASAI IGNITE Alpha. We’ve decided to name these voicebanks TERRA (Axis) and SOL (Honos).

The next step is to get the voicebanks OTOd and debut their Alpha artwork. Depending on where we outsource the OTO process, these voicebanks could be out quickly. That would be an excellent way to start off 2023! Later in the year, we will focus on expanding HONOS SOL Alpha, as her VP has been hard at work recording more VCCV samples.

We can promise THREE new voicebanks this year, two of them VCCV English! We’re hoping for more, but let’s start off small!

We are currently working on an improved vocal booth/studio revamp before proceeding. For the time being, we are taking a little break from recording. This affects all voices but HONOS OG04, as her Voice Provider records in a different location. Yes, that is correct, 7/8 OGIENOIDs are recorded in-house, and four of those are recorded by one person (which is why updates to the original four, Kasai/Axis/Atlas/Apollo, take longer to produce).

There’s a very real possibility we may put a pause on SALIENT-style releases in favor of more Alpha English VCCV as well. However, that will be a later decision (if we get that far!).

Plans for More Contests And Events!

We want to get back to giving the community more opportunities to be involved in the process of producing OGIENOIDs! KASAI SALIENT really re-ignited our love for doing so, and we feel we can finally put more energy into fun festivities. The release for HONOS ELITE will have a contest of its own. More information on that one is coming soon!

Expanding The OGIEN Universe And Creating More Original Content

Now that our rainbow is complete, we are eager to focus our attention on the OGIENOIDs as characters rather than just voices and fun facts. Our intent has never been for the girls to be solely instruments. We’re excited to explore their story and share it with you in the coming months!

We are setting our sights on first putting out HONOS ELITE and the new VCCV Alpha banks, then, once these voicebanks are out, we will officially be switching our focus to (almost) entirely original content. Our main YouTube channel will no longer feature covers after this point. Still, there may be an exception or two depending on the situation. Covers will still be found on our SoundCloud account. With more English voices, we plan to shy away from our girls being seen as a simple cover group.

Here’s to a new chapter for the OGIENOIDs and STUDIO OGIEN!

I’m sure many of you may feel as if this is the closing of a chapter, and that you might be near the end of this story. I want to personally thank you all for your support over the years as we completed our rainbow, and I want to reassure you all… The OGIENOIDs aren’t going anywhere. We will continue to expand on their world (and many others, mind you) as time goes on, and we are hoping you’ll join us for this journey.

We’re excited to put out more genuine works from the heart, focusing on more complex (and mature) content. We want this studio to go back to being that… A studio, with creativity, art, and enjoyment being the main focuses. We hope you are just as excited as we are about the future!

Recent Progress Reports

Hey, everyone…it’s Kiko. I know, I know. We’re really behind on our timelines. This year has been really chaotic for members of the STUDIO OGIEN team, myself included. I want to take this time to be open with you, our wonderful and beautiful community. This is what has been going on during August, September, and October.

Current Project Timelines

Last year, we posted a blog about our plans going into 2022, and we had big goals in mind. We had plans to release quite a few voicebanks this year, and our biggest goal yet was to release DIONE OG05 and VIRTUS OG02, which we will reach (yay!). DIONE OG05 successfully debuted at the end of May this year, and VIRTUS OG02 is currently in testing for a release this week.

After our two releases in the first half of the year, we hit some pretty rough times within the team. The state of the world we are living in adds to that. STUDIO OGIEN is a cooperative team of full-time workers, and the current state of the world has left us with little time to focus on our projects in STUDIO OGIEN, which saddens us deeply. Now, don’t panic. We are not going anywhere. We just need to reevaluate our timelines, which I will delve into in the next section.

For now, here is our current estimate of releases:

VIRTUS OG02 – Version 1.0 Releasing This week on November 3rd!

HONOS ELITE – Full Release Winter 2022/Early Winter 2023

ENGLISH ALPHA BANKS – First Half of 2023. OGIENOIDS Participating TBD.

THEIA MONARCH & APOLLO PRIME – Currently in the recording stages. Estimated Mid-Late 2023.

AXIS ULTIMATE & ATLAS SUPREME – Currently in the recording stages. Currently undetermined 2023/2024

We’re Sorry

We know how excited everyone is for these new voicebanks. We are too! Unfortunately, as full-time working adults, life gets in the way more often than it did before. We are really hoping to have a better and more accurate release schedule in the future. As you see above, we have very broad ranges. I’ll explain how our releases will break down going forward.

We will plan releases by the first half or second half of the year, which will break down further by the quarter of the year (three-month sections) as we get more clear on releases.

Thank You

We appreciate all the outpouring of love we’ve received on all of our social media platforms, all the covers you have shown us, and for just bringing light into our community. We cannot thank you enough for your support, and we hope to see you at all our future releases.

Much Love,

Kiko and the STUDIO OGIEN Team

June & July Monthly Progress Reports

Progress For June & July

So… I kind of flubbed last month, I’m sorry! STUDIO OGIEN has been undergoing a lot of moving pieces regarding upcoming releases. There have also been a lot of outside factors effecting our team’s physical and mental wellbeing, so we will soon be going on a break. Rest assured, we have been making good progress this past June and July! With that out of the way, let’s move on to the exciting news from the team!

VIRTUS OG02 Release

The most exciting thing in our roster is the full release of VIRTUS OG02. She’s got just a little bit more fine-tuning to do, but after that expect some really great demos! We’ve made a lot of progress in June, and Virtus has been handed off for OTOing. Rest assured, she’s not in WIP hell, but we are taking our time to finalize her OTO and release materials. We are expecting to release our golden girl sometime between in the last week of August and mid September. This timing comes in perfectly, as our NEXT exciting release is….

(Drum roll, please)

HONOS OG04 ELITE

That’s right, folks, another SALIENT style OGIENOID voicebank is on the way! HONOS OG04 ELITE (formerly named VALOR) will *hopefully* debut late September to mid October! 🤞 Recording has been completed, and we are on to the quality check and OTO stage. Our audience can expect the same basic qualities from ELITE as from SALIENT: three multipitch appends all useable in one track, with growl, glottal stops, vocal fry, and more.

It is quite possible that the pair may receive a joint release earlier or later than expected, as they are being OTOd by two different parties. It’s a little up in the air at the moment, but what an exciting time at the studio! We are so excited for this new chapter of OGIENOID development!

Keep Up To Date

Are you excited for VIRTUS OG02 release and now HONOS OG04’s expansion? Stay tuned, more info is coming soon! Meanwhile, sign up for our newsletter to stay up to date on our blog releases. Likewise, you can follow us on Twitter, Facebook, or Instagram for more news on our social media.

VIRTUS OG02 UPCOMING RELEASE INFORMATION

HAPPY THURSDAY!

Today, we’ll be going over our plans for the release of our newest OGIENOID; VIRTUS OG02. Included in this briefing will also be her voicebank details, range, and a few extras. As of today, her page has been updated once again to reveal more downloadable content on her character page. Let’s get started!

VIRTUS OG02 RELEASE SCHEDULE

We are so excited to share VIRTUS OG02, but we want to give ourselves ample time to prepare. We’re working to find the rest of her bugs, finalize her OTO and properly edit her documentation. In the meantime, please look forward to the following demos from VIRTUS OG02:

Oblivious

Magnet

Butterfly and Flower and Spider (Featuring THEIA OG03 and HONOS OG04)

???

REMINDER OF THE UPDATED FORMULA

As mentioned in DIONE OG05’s release information blog we have changed the formula for Original/Default voicebanks! We’ve made the executive decision to release new characters as a single timbre. This is to keep up with our more complex releases like KASAI SALIENT and the Goddess series. However, these single appends will be multipitch, with four unique pitches. The goal is to allow newer OGIENOIDs to show their true potential and range from the beginning, keep their voices relevant for longer, and reduce the number of recordings needed for future expansions. This way, we can create better quality voices and deliver updates to our audience faster than ever before.

VIRTUS OG02’S INITIAL RELEASE AND SPECS

VIRTUS OG02 Default is a Japanese VCV that will include four unique pitches: G3, B3, C#4, G4. Her voice is recorded in a solid, mature tone that makes fit well with soft rock, pop, and more.

Her release will include a folder compatible with both UTAU and OpenUTAU. Extra files included are her full body artwork, reference image, and logo.

Keep Up To Date

Are you excited for the completion of our rainbow upon our VIRTUS OG02 release? Stay tuned, more info is coming soon! Meanwhile, sign up for our newsletter to stay up to date on our blog releases. Likewise, you can follow us on Twitter, Facebook, or Instagram for more news on our social media.

OGIENOID Voicebank Changelog (June 2022)

Summer updates have begun, so here’s our first changelog! We’ve done our belated “spring cleaning”. Lately, we’ve been tidying up older voicebanks and starting work on character pages. As of today, KASAI’s page is updated and ready to go! As she gains more voicebanks, we will re-format her voice downloads section. At that time, we’ll sort voices by language rather than by voicebank name. Furthermore, we will leave it as is until the full IGNITE release (projected late 2022 or early 2023, we underestimated this undertaking!). We will be tackling the pages for HONOS, AXIS, APOLLO, THEIA, and ATLAS in the coming weeks.

Voicebank Cleanup Changelog:

KASAI:

  • Firstly, we have discontinued “Original”, replaced with “Original V2”. Note: if you have her Original voicebank downloaded, we ask that you do not redistribute it!
  • Additionally, we’ve updated Original V2, AMORE, SALIENT, and IGNITE (Alpha) for OpenUTAU compatibility.

HONOS:

AXIS:

  • Updated Original and TELLURIC for OpenUTAU compatibility
  • To clarify, we’ve made TELLURIC OTO updates. Changed Prefixes to Suffixes. Must download if you are planning to use her in OpenUTAU. Otherwise, her Falsetto Voice Color will not function properly. If you do not use OpenUTAU, you do not need to worry about this!
  • In addition to this, we’ve updated “Original” to 1.5.0. Furthermore, we swapped around some defaults for better voice control. AXIS TELLURIC’s B3 is now the base voice. The old “Original” has become “Raspy”. “Lively” has become the new “Original”. This will serve as a placeholder until Original V2 is released.

DIONE:

  • N/A

APOLLO:

  • Updated Original for OpenUTAU compatibility.

THEIA:

  • Updated Original for OpenUTAU compatibility.

ATLAS:

  • Updated Original and CELESTIAL for OpenUTAU compatibility.
  • Moreover, CELESTIAL OTO tweaks (more on-time now) have been input.

The YA-Series:

  • Similarly, we’ve updated Artemis, Gaia, and Lyra for OpenUTAU compatibility.

All OGIENOIDs:

  • In other words, OpenUTAU/UTAU voicebank compatibility is fully implemented. One download to rule them all!
  • Changed character portraits.
  • Added terms of use to folders.
  • Cleaned up some folders.
  • Lastly, we’ve added unzipped folders on MEGA for those with slow internet. Users can now download folders one at a time! 🙂

To sum up, that’s all for now!

STUDIO OGIEN’s Summer 2022 Updates

A General Refresh

Over the summer, STUDIO OGIEN will be performing a bit of cleanup, updates, and general maintenance across its website, voicebanks, and documentation. Let’s go over these recent developments together in today’s blog!

Changes and Updates to OGIENOID Voicebanks

Discontinuing and Replacing Outdated Voices

Times are changing, and we’ve grown a lot since the initial release of a few voicebanks! We’ve come to a decision to do a little house keeping and retire some voices we are not as happy with as we used to be and replacing them with newer models. The first voicebank we are discontinuing is KASAI OG01 “Original”. KASAI OG01 Original will be replaced with “Original V2”, which will be a lite version of SALIENT. Likewise, we will also be discontinuing AXIS OG06 “Original”. This voicebank will also be replaced with “Original V2” late in the year or early next year. AXIS OG06 Original V2 will be a lite version of ULTIMATE, coming in 2023.

Improvements to Accessibility

Not everyone has equal access to fast, reliable internet, but that shouldn’t stop you from having fun and doing what you love. For these members of our audience, we will be tweaking current voicebank downloads as well as future releases. STUDIO OGIEN will begin splitting up appends and pitches to download individually for those with low storage and slow internet speeds. This way, visitors on our site can download assets one at a time to prevent timeout errors or having to leave their computers on and active for extended periods of time. We truly do not wish to leave anyone out, so we hope these changes will help those who need the option.

Moving Forward With OpenUTAU

STUDIO OGIEN will begin updating current voicebanks to be compatible with both UTAU and OpenUTAU. If for some reason they can’t be utilized by both with one file, select voicebanks will be split into two downloads, one for each software. Going off the above point, all tutorial blogs will be updated for more information on using OGIENOIDs in OpenUTAU.

However, starting in 2023, we will be releasing voicebanks with OpenUTAU first in mind. This may eventually effect voicebank compatibility with UTAU, but we will do our best to avoid this outcome.

Changes to Character Pages

Starting with KASAI OG01’s character page, we will be re-formatting the voicebank download sections. We will begin organizing tabs by language and including voicebanks in a more compact layout. Additionally, we’ll be updating all character pages to reflect the format updates made on DIONE OG05 and VIRTUS OG02’s downloads section. Users will now have direct access to full body boxarts and logos!

However, we do have one negative change with our downloadable assets for the OGIENOIDs. As of today, we are discontinuing new LipSync models due to low usage. Each girl will get a default LipSync and a Goddess LipSync (if they have a Goddess voicebank). Further, we will no longer include new LipSync models for every voicebank release.

Monthly Scheduled Website Maintenance

We will be implementing scheduled end-of-the-month maintenance on the official website starting in June. This will take place on the last Friday of each month, making the site potentially inaccessible for a few hours. The times will unfortunately be random and will depend upon the availability of group members to maintain. Please plan in advance if you are in need of assets or downloads!

Other Updates

Whew! That was a lot. Now for a few final notes that are more fun! STUDIO OGIEN is unleashing new products to our Redbubble shop. If you have any special requests, please let us know! Likewise, we are, after all this time, planning to offer physical boxarts and other fun products like keychain, buttons, and, eventually, printed version of- oops~! We can’t tell you that just yet! You’ll just have to stick around for a very special future update to find out. Let’s just say, there’s nothing better in the world than the smell of a new book…

End of Month Progress Report – April

Hello everyone~! STUDIO OGIEN sure has been busy this month! We’ve been hard at work perfect DIONE OG05 for release. I hope you all love her as much as I do! Speaking of, that’s a great place to start off this month’s End of Month Progress Report.

DIONE OG05 Initial Release and Teasers

Earlier in the month, we had a dedicated post to share the news of DIONE OG05‘s initial release and teaser announcements, which you can view here. She has just finished her last recording session today, and we are preparing her full-range demo songs for your listening ears.

What You Can Expect:

The Au Lait – May 17th

Cresent Moon – May 24th

Music Box Demo, Full Release, and Blog Tutorial – May 31st

In addition, DIONE OG05’s 2D LipSync and 3D MMD models are to be released over the next few weeks as we ramp up for her full release.

STUDIO OGIEN Will Be Holding a Design Contest

In the coming weeks, we will be holding a design contest for one of the OGIENOIDs new bank outfits! How exciting! We are looking forward to all of your ideas, and we will be releasing more information on this in June. Oh, alright, I’ll give you a little tease for who it could be for: it’s a current bank progress bar on our homepage! wink wink

A Two Week Break

STUDIO OGIEN has had a busy six months, and we are hoping this will be the last break we need to fully adjust to these changes for the year! Kiko (that’s me!) has been scheduling our posts to make sure we are keeping our community in the loop. I’m doing my best to give you all the most efficient tutorials and up-to-date information on all things STUDIO OGIEN! These blog posts will be the only posts until May 3rd, when we return.

Summer Updates

During the second week of May, we will be releasing a blog about all the summer updates we plan to incorporate into STUDIO OGIEN’s maintenance and future releases. Please keep an eye out for this blog as it will be very informative about our procures going forward.

If you have any questions or concerns, even during our breaks/hiatus, feel free to send in a form from our Contact Page, an @ on Twitter, or a comment on a blog, and Kiko will respond during these times.

DIONE OG05 Upcoming Release Information

Happy Tuesday!

Today, we’ll be going over our plans for the release of our newest OGIENOID; DIONE OG05. Included in this briefing will also be her voicebank details, range, and a few extras. As of today, her page has been updated once again to reveal more downloadable content on her character page. Let’s get started!

DIONE OG05’s Slated Release

If you’ve followed our TikTok account, you may already know we are teasing a May 2022 release. We are currently slating the official release for the end of the month, May 31st. This is actually a Tuesday, so her release will be combined with our end-of-the-month progress report for May. We want DIONE OG05 out as soon as possible, but we want to give ourselves ample time. We’re working to find the rest of her bugs, finalize her OTO and properly edit her documentation.

@studioogien

#utau #utaloid #ogienoid

♬ sound from heyitssarahw – scottkress
A recent teaser for DIONE OG05 on our TikTok

Changing The Formula

For the first time, we have changed the formula for Original/Default voicebanks! We’ve made the executive decision to release new characters as a single timbre. This is to keep up with our more complex releases like KASAI SALIENT and the Goddess series. However, these single appends will be multipitch, with four unique pitches. Going forward, this will be our new formula. The goal is to allow newer OGIENOIDs to show their true potential and range from the beginning, keep their voices relevant for longer, and reduce the number of recordings needed for future expansions. This way, we can create better quality voices and deliver updates to our audience faster than ever before.

DIONE OG05’s Initial Release And Specs

DIONE OG05 Default is a Japanese VCV that will include four unique pitches: C3, F3, A#3,D#4. This will actually make DIONE OG05 the OGIENOID in our lineup with the lowest range (yes, even lower than HONOS OG04!). Her voice is recorded in a calm, gentle tone, making her an ideal fit for ballads, soft pop, and other similar genres.

Her release will include a folder compatible with both UTAU and OpenUTAU. Extra files included are her full body artwork, reference image, and logo.

Most Recent Teasers

At this time, we have one short teaser out for DIONE OG05. New full length demos will begin to come out later this month!

Teaser, only uses A#3

End of Month Progress Report – March

Welcome to March’s progress report! It’s hard to believe it’s already the end of March! Hello, everyone, Kiko here! This update will be a bit smaller than usual, but there are exciting things brewing at the STUDIO OGIEN Headquarters.

Logo Updates

We had one major update when it come to logos this month and that is for our lovely, KASAI OG01! Below you can see the before and after.

Image

Our Full Recording Set-Up

We have an official list of equipment we use to record our voicebanks. If you’d like a full breakdown of all our tools, check out our companion blog!

Let’s Laugh Together

We’ve recently put out a new social media account. Please join us over on TikTok for the occasional short video, parody, and plenty of teasers! CAUTION: Please be aware that we are treating our TikTok account as a space with adult humor and language.

@studioogien

An exciting new direction, and language capability, comes to STUDIO OGIEN this winter! Introducing KASAI IGNITEα, a VCCV English voicebank for KASAI OG01. Release is today! #UTAU #Utauloid #utauloids #OGIENOID #kasaiog01

♬ original sound – STUDIO OGIEN
@studioogien

#utau #utaloid #ogienoid

♬ sound from heyitssarahw – scottkress

Introducing…DIONE OG05

Image

Have you seen the latest OGIENOID drop from our team? DIONE OG05 now has a page all about her! While our team is hard at work decoding the message we found in the bottle near our building, we’ve released what we have been able to read. The strangest thing is that there was a link provided on the weathered paper.

What are your first impressions of DIONE OG05? We would love to know what you think and what you look forward to about her release! DIONE OG05 is slated for release in May 2022!

Okay, I Have Had It With This Glitter. Ceren, What Is Going On?

For the past several weeks, glitter has been covering the recording booth. I have no clue why, and I’m tired of going home covered in glitter. Oh – there’s a note on my desk…

‘Kiko, make sure you inform everyone in the memo that VIRTUS OG02 now has a portion of her live page up. As for the glitter situation, VIRTUS OG02 is finishing up her last recording session this week. The glitter will be gone afterward. If you see any butterflies or bows within the next month, I plead the fifth. Keep up the great work.

-Ceren, STUDIO OGIEN CEO‘

OH! VIRTUS OG02! That makes much more sense now. Ah haha.

Well, since I have the green light from Ceren herself, let’s introduce VIRTUS OG02!

Image
VIRTUS OG02 Official Logo

I think that’s all I have for you all when it comes to things that have been happening around the studio. Are you all excited about the releases of VIRTUS OG02 and DIONE OG05? What are your thoughts? We’d love to hear each and every one of them!

Until next time this is Kiko signing off!

Wrapping Up Our Progress Reports, Each Month!

Please tune in next time for April’s progress report! In the meantime, sign up for our newsletter to stay up to date on our blog releases. Not your thing? That’s alright! Follow us on Twitter, Facebook, or Instagram for more news on our social media.

STUDIO OGIEN’s UTAU Recording Setup (March ’22)

After many years, STUDIO OGIEN has finally obtained an updated recording setup for its UTAU characters! We are excited to bring more OGIENOID voices to life with our new UTAU recording setup!

To clarify before we begin, we understand that some of the items we use in this list are a bit on the pricey end. However, we have spent many months saving money and taking advantage of payment plans to buy these pieces of equipment. We chose to invest in equipment with long-term usability. This way, we can create voicebanks with consistent quality for years to come. The following post acts as a record of our current equipment. Our hope is that this post can help our audience.

Microphone

STUDIO OGIEN UTAU Recording Setup
Electro-Voice RE20

Firstly, let’s begin with the item we are most excited about. The Electro-Voice RE20 is a microphone that has been a fan favorite for radio since 1968. It is STUDIO OGIEN’s first XLR microphone! We chose this mic for its true cardioid nature and smooth sound. Additionally, the RE20 is excellent for reducing background noise as well.

An XLR is different than a standard USB mic. Unlike a USB mic, an XLR mic does not plug straight into your computer. To sum up, XLR mics need more parts in order to work.

It is a pricier microphone, but it is easy to finance this mic with a payment plan.

Microphone Stand

InnoGear Microphone Stand

Secondly, our new mic stand. This heavy-duty piece of gear is solid, sturdy, and heavy. This is great, as our setup demands a lot out of a mic stand! For the quality, it is a fairly priced piece. The included screw adapter also fits the RE20 perfectly.

Isolation Shield

XTUGA Isolation Shield with Pop Filter

In addition, we added an isolation shield to our setup. Isolation shields reduce the noise picked up via the microphone while recording. In short, by isolating your microphone from its surrounding environment, the shield enhances the quality of your voice and prevents distortions. For example, we use this shield to prevent unwanted noise from leaking into our recordings from less insulated walls.

Audio Interface

Focusrite Scarlett Solo

Further, we required a way to make our mic “talk” to our computer. In comes our audio interface. An audio interface is a tool that converts signals into a format your computer can recognize. The interface can also play audio directly to your headphones. We decided to go with the Focusrite Scarlett Solo for its ability to capture studio-like quality without the full studio! Another plus we love with this interface is the ease of use. On days we want to get to recording as soon as possible – it’s as easy as 1, 2, 3!

XLR Cables

Mogami Gold STUDIO-15 XLR Microphone Cable

XLR cables are the proper way to connect your audio interface and mic. In short, these cables act as a connector between various stage, audio, and video pieces of equipment. The connectors are circular in design and have between three and seven pins.

What About A Preamp/Mic Activator?

If you’ve been doing your research on a recording set-up, you may have heard the term “preamp”. To sum up, a preamp is a device that connects to your audio interface and microphone to help counter the inevitable noise the microphone will pick up. However, the microphone we have chosen for our newest set-up is one that has a built-in noise-canceling filter. This helps the microphone pick up your voice only.

During our initial testing, we discovered an odd issue with the RE-20 producing a high amount of background noise. Once we removed the preamp from the equation, we noticed an uptick in quality. After that, we concluded that the preamp was causing our samples to have a heavy amount of “engine noise”. We discovered that the cloudlifter was interfering with the RE-20’s built-in noise cancellation. As a result, we eventually excluded it from our setup.

Originally, we selected the Cloudlifter CL-1 Mic Activator. It did not fit our needs, but depending on the microphone you choose, this may be a great addition to your own setup.

Cloud Microphones Cloudlifter CL-1 Mic Activator
Cloud Lifter CL-01

STUDIO OGIEN’s Previous Recording Equipment

Our original equipment began with a Logitech headset, and from there we quickly upgraded to a Blue Yeti. A decent USB mic, it served as a great starting point. Our Blue Yeti was used to record all currently released OGIENOID voicebanks (excluding HONOS OG04). In the end, we sold our Blue Yeti to finance the purchase of new equipment, so, going forward, no new OGIENOID voicebanks will use that mic.

Below is a breakdown of each OGIENOID and the equipment used for their recordings.

KASAI OG01

KASAI OG01 Original [CV-V] – Blue Yeti (microphone) in an open room setting.

Kasai AMORE [VCV] – Blue Yeti (microphone) paired with a DIY desktop vocal booth.

KASAI OG01 SALIENT [VCV] – Blue Yeti (microphone) paired with a DIY vocal booth (made with PVC and moving blankets).

KASAI OG01 IGNITE [VCCV] – Blue Yeti (microphone) paired with a DIY vocal booth (made with PVC and moving blankets).

HONOS OG04

HONOS OG04 Original [VCV] – AT2500 (microphone) in an open room setting.

VIRTUS OG02

VIRTUS OG02 Original [VCV] (Currently in development) – Our new equipment. Currently being recorded in an open room with lite sound treatment.

AXIS OG06

AXIS OG06 Original [VCV] – Blue Yeti (microphone) in an open room setting.

Axis TELLURIC [VCV] – Blue Yeti (microphone) paired with a DIY desktop vocal booth.

AXIS ULTIMATE [VCV] –
(Currently in development) – Our new equipment. Currently being recorded in an open room with lite sound treatment.

DIONE OG05

DIONE OG05 Original [VCV] -(Currently in development, initial recordings completed) – Our new equipment. Currently being recorded in an open room with light sound treatment.

APOLLO OG0X

APOLLO OG0X Original [VCV] – Blue Yeti (microphone) in an open room setting.

APOLLO PRIME [VCV] –
(Currently in development) – Our new equipment. Currently being recorded in an open room with light sound treatment.

THEIA OG03

THEIA OG03 Original [VCV] – Blue Yeti (microphone) in a semi sound-treated closet.

THEIA MONARCH [VCV]
(Currently in development) – Our new equipment. Currently being recorded in an open room with light sound treatment.

ATLAS OG07

ATLAS OG07 Original [VCV] – Blue Yeti (microphone) in an open room setting.

Atlas CELESTIAL [VCV] – Blue Yeti (microphone) paired with a DIY desktop vocal booth.

ATLAS SUPREME [VCV] –
(Currently in development) – Our new equipment. Currently being recorded in an open room with light sound treatment.

So, what do you think of our new UTAU recording setup? Please let us know your thoughts and advice in the comments!

Voicebank Progress

Honos VALOR
12%
Apollo PRIME
0%
Theia MONARCH
0%

Affiliates

The Lace Workshop
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