Overview
サウンド (Sound) is a Hatsune Miku VOCALOID track by composer baker (Keisuke Hattori), first released on his 2008 album celluloid. In the years since its original release, the song found a second life in the rhythm game space when it joined the maimai song library as part of the niconico & VOCALOID genre with the launch of maimai FiNALE on January 25, 2019. The lyrics, written by baker himself, frame a personal, resilient "sound", an inner melody that persists through loneliness, crowded streets, and the noise of daily life, delivered through imagery of speakers, aching hearts, and childhood memories. Stylistically, the track sits at a steady 160 BPM with a driving pop-rock arrangement built around Miku's signature synth vocals and a clean, mid-2000s VOCALOID production aesthetic. In maimai, サウンド carries a notable regional distinction: it was removed from non-Japanese cabinets starting with maimai DX, making it available exclusively on Japanese arcade machines. The M aster chart, designed by Jack, stands out for its heavy slide-note count (108 of 642 total notes), giving the upper difficulty a flowing, kinetic feel that matches the song's melodic momentum.
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Trivia
- サウンド was added to maimai FiNALE on January 25, 2019 as part of the niconico & VOCALOID genre.
- In Asian English versions of maimai, the title is romanized as Sound.
- The song was removed from non-Japanese versions of maimai starting with maimai DX, making it a Japan-exclusive track.
- サウンド originally appeared on baker's 2008 album celluloid, over a decade before its maimai debut.
- Baker (Keisuke Hattori) handled composition, arrangement, and lyrics for the track, with vocals by Hatsune Miku.
- The MASTER chart was designed by Jack, and the EXPERT chart was designed by はっぴー (Happy).
- Unlike many niconico & VOCALOID tracks in maimai, サウンド has no other music game appearances outside the maimai series.
- The song's chart levels have been revised upward across maimai versions: originally Lv. 4/6/8/11 (Basic/Advanced/Expert/Master) in FiNALE, they were adjusted to 5/7/9/12 starting in later versions.
- An Easy difficulty chart (Lv. 2, 128 notes) existed in the original maimai FiNALE release but is not present in the truth data for later DX revisions.
FAQ
- Who composed the song サウンド (Sound)?
- サウンド was composed, arranged, and written by baker (Keisuke Hattori), with vocals provided by Hatsune Miku.
- When was サウンド added to maimai?
- The song joined maimai with the FiNALE version on January 25, 2019, categorized under the niconico & VOCALOID genre.
- What difficulty level is サウンド's MASTER chart?
- The MASTER chart is level 12 with a difficulty constant of 12.5. It contains 642 notes, 501 taps, 21 holds, 108 slides, and 12 breaks, and was designed by Jack.
- Who designed the EXPERT and MASTER charts for サウンド?
- The EXPERT chart was designed by はっぴー (Happy), and the MASTER chart was designed by Jack.
- What album is サウンド originally from?
- サウンド was originally released on baker's 2008 album celluloid, well over a decade before its inclusion in maimai.
- Is サウンド available on maimai outside Japan?
- No. The song was removed from non-Japanese versions of maimai starting with maimai DX, making it playable only on Japanese cabinets.
- What does the title サウンド mean?
- サウンド translates directly to 'Sound' in English, and the title is romanized as 'Sound' in official Asian English versions of maimai.
- What is the BPM of サウンド?
- サウンド has a BPM of 160 throughout the entire track.
