Sharpkey

### Website

Although the website has shutdown, but you still can access and download the synthesizer via the Wayback Machine here: Website and download
Boxstar's Weibo
Boxstar's bilibili Channel
Boxstar's Twitter

**Sharpkey** was a singing synthesizer application software developed by Boxstar. It was replaced by the Sharpkey Galaxy software, which was then replaced by the now modern DeepVocal.

## History

The editor and its first vocal, Huan Xiao Yi, were announced and released on July 21st, 2016, through a video on Boxstar's bilibili.

Many vocals would follow, as can be seen on the timeline page. The vocal would be replaced by Sharpkey Galaxy in the future with the release of Suoyun Rila on February 16th, 2019, and would then be converted into the DeepVocal software, likely released with Xia Yezi.

## Releases

Version 1.0.0 - July 21st, 2016

Version 3.6.0 beta 19 - February 16th, 2019

## Voices

There were many voices produced for the software, though not all were released.

Released, in chronological order:

* Huan Xiao Yi
* Kiana
* Yuan Xiao
* Lian Hua
* Yong Qi
* Akane Inari
* Suoyun Rila (released for Sharpkey Galaxy Editor)

Produced for the Sharpkey or Sharpkey Galaxy engines, but not released:

* Feng Qing Wakasame (cancelled)
* Rabia (assumed to be released for DeepVocal)
* Namine Ritsu
* Yu Sheng (assumed to be released for DeepVocal)
* Yun Hao (assumed to be released for DeepVocal)

## Features

Notable features included built-in dictionary support to convert certain Chinese characters into roman letters, a feature known to the western community as cross-fade which allows to replace a note's vowel with that of a different phoneme (for example, typing into Sharpkey "bo<ka>" would appear as "bo[bo<ka>]" and would render a "bo" sound with the vowel of a "ka" sound), and multiple parameters:

* Volume - Changes the volume
* Pitch - Changes the pitch
* Brightness - Shifts the voice from mellow to excited
* Power - Shifts the voice from soft to powerful
* Breathiness - Changes the breathiness
* Gender - Changes the formant of the voice, making it sound more masculine or feminine
* Phoneme - Changes the timing of phonemes and transitions
* Timbre - Changes which pitch is used for the note
* Cross(Vowel) - Allows to crossfade the vowel of the note with the same vowel of a different pitch

## Sharpkey Galaxy Editor

Not to be confused with Sharpkey Galaxy, the Sharpkey Galaxy Editor was an updated version of the Sharpkey editor. Though meant to be an update to better prepare the software for Sharpkey Galaxy, the files for Akane Inari as well as much of the work on both of the editors resulted in many features of the software being lost, including the cross-fade feature. The new Sharpkey Galaxy Editor can support all vocals except for Akane Inari, while the old Sharpkey editor can support all vocals except Suoyun Rila.

Many parameters were also lost. The remaining parameters are:

* Volume
* Pitch
* Breathiness
* Phoneme
* Timbre

This editor has been replaced by the DeepVocal editor.

## Marketing

Most of the market in China came from Boxstar himself on his Weibo and his Bilibili, but a sizeable portion came from those who were developing voices for Sharpkey Galaxy, Boxstar's user outreach program.

In the West, much of the advertisement came in the forms of Infoholic and other community influencers.

## Criticism

Sharpkey had come under some criticism for its metallic engine noise and its VOCALOID-esque GUI. Additionally, there have been multiple private contractual disputes within the software and voices produced for it.