Yamaha and iU Jointly Launch a Course to Systematically Learn Vocaloid Culture and Music Production

Yamaha Corporation (hereafter 'the Company') will jointly hold a special lecture titled 'Vocaloid Music Culture and Production Course' with the Professional and Higher Education Institution for Innovation and Management (Sumida-ku, Tokyo, hereafter 'iU') to systematically learn about Vocaloid, Vocaloid music, and the activities of Vocaloid Producers (Vocalo-P). This course was planned as a joint program where participants can systematically learn about the increasingly popular Vocaloid culture, Vocaloid music, Vocalo-P activities, and the flow of music production.

Course Features
The course is divided into two parts: the first term and the second term. In the first term, in addition to classroom lectures on the history and copyright of Vocaloid, students will learn music production using our software 'VOCALOID™6', which is equipped with VOCALOID:AI. In the second term, students will form teams and engage in a practical program involving the creation of MV (Music Video) concepts for Vocalo-P songs, placing orders with creators, and promoting them on YouTube. This comprehensive production experience using Vocalo-P songs as a subject is an unprecedented attempt worldwide. Instructors will provide practical guidance, including Nejishiki, a Vocalo-P and JASRAC board member, along with Hideki Kenmochi, a Vocaloid developer, and Masafumi Yoshida, the current Vocaloid planner and developer.

Course Overview

[First Term]
Vocaloid Music Culture and Production Course: Basic Edition
Content: A 2-day intensive lecture learning basic knowledge from classroom lectures on Vocaloid history, technical explanation, and copyright, to the release of a Vocaloid song through practical music production.
Date: May 30 (Sat) and 31 (Sun), 2026, 13:00-17:00 each day
Tuition: 30,000 yen (excluding tax)

[Second Term]
Vocaloid Music Culture and Production Course: Practical Edition
Content: A workshop-style course practicing MV concept/scenario creation for Vocaloid songs, YouTube promotion, etc.
Date: November - December 2026 (4 days in total)
Tuition: 50,000 yen (excluding tax)
*Includes the commercial version of 'VOCALOID6'

[Target Audience]
High school students and above (Capacity: max 40 for the first term, max 24 for the second term)

[Venue]
Professional and Higher Education Institution for Innovation and Management, Takeshiba Satellite Office
https://www.i-u.ac.jp/access/

[Application Form (First Term Only)]
https://forms.gle/AAB4btvf7n9rdfpG8
*Information regarding the second term will be announced at a later date.

[Application Deadline]
Friday, May 22

[Details]
https://blaboratory.org/news/iu-yamaha-vocaloid-lecture/

Instructor Profiles

Nejishiki
Board Member, Japanese Society for Rights of Authors, Composers and Publishers (JASRAC)
Board Member, Federation of Creators Associations in Japan (FCA) / Board Member, Japan Council of Performers Rights & Performing Arts Organizations (JCAA) / Board Member, Japan Lyricists Association
Instructor, Acoustic Design Course, Senzoku Gakuen College of Music
Debuted by posting 'Rokutousei no Yoru' on August 6, 2013.
A multi-player who not only writes lyrics and composes but also plays all the instruments himself.
Representative works include 'Freedom Lolita', 'Ice breaker', 'Pina Colada', and 'Datura to Ringo'. Total views on video sites are about 35 million on YouTube and about 8 million on Niconico Douga. He is also actively engaged as an instructor, serving as a guest lecturer at various universities, vocational schools, and high schools, giving speeches, and acting as a commentator for an online salon regarding copyright.
Website: https://www.nejishiki.com/

Hideki Kenmochi (Planning Group, Research and Development Planning Department, Yamaha Corporation)
Vocaloid Developer
Joined the company in 1993. After engaging in R&D related to acoustics, he was seconded to L&H Japan Co., Ltd. from 1996 to 1999. After gaining experience as an audio signal processing engineer, he started developing Vocaloid in 2000 and announced it externally for the first time at 'Musikmesse', the world's largest musical instrument show in Frankfurt, Germany, in 2003. He was consistently in charge of Vocaloid development and commercialization until 2014.
Currently based in the Tokyo metropolitan area, he is engaged in internal information dissemination, external collaboration, and management.

Masafumi Yoshida (VOCALOID Group, New Business Development Department, Yamaha Corporation)
In charge of voice bank development and overall Vocaloid planning
After experiencing a wide range of jobs, such as PA sales, acoustic equipment setting, and endoscope testing, he is the parent of Vocaloid...