Arturia Pigments Software Synthesizer Offers Dual Synth Engines

Arturia has introduced Pigments, a new software synthesizer that offers dual synth engines – designed to let you combine wavetable synthesis and virtual analog synthesis in ‘in any combination you want’.

Other key features include a wide range of filters, deep modulation options and 13 built-in effects. 

Features:

  • Two engines in parallel
  • Virtual Analog triple osc engine
  • Complex Wavetable engine
  • Two filters
  • Classic filter types from V Collection instruments
  • Modern filter types
  • Continuous series/parallel routing
  • Powerful effects section
  • Insert or Send routing
  • Modulable parameters
  • Advanced modulation system
  • Graphical editing, source-based or destination-based.
  • Envelopes, LFOs, Function generators, Random src, …
  • Visual interface
  • Graphical representation of the most important modules
  • Polyrhythmic Sequencer and Arpeggiator
  • Create complex, custom and evolving sequences/arps
  • Extensive factory preset library

Tutorial:

Pricing and Availability

Pigments is available for Mac & Windows with an intro price of US $149 (normally $199). A preview version is also available.

23 thoughts on “Arturia Pigments Software Synthesizer Offers Dual Synth Engines

  1. Just purchased and exploring it now. Very impressed so far. The price of 69 euros if you are a V Collection owner was a bonus – thank you Arturia! It is well laid out and easy to navigate. There is something here that reminds me of NI Razor…..

  2. Can you load your own wavetables in Pigment? Really, that’s all that’s standing in the way of it becoming a dangerous synth right now.

    1. Yes – you can load user Wavetables or even WAV files that are ‘chopped up’ by Pigment to create a wavetable. Thats pretty interesting….You can download a fully working copy to try it out and the manual is available for download should you want to read up on it.

  3. ARTURIA = AMAZINGURIA!
    I was fortunate enough to have been a beta tester with some earlier products and I have been continually impressed with the quality and hard work put into the development and ease of use for the end user.

    The trailer for this product should be enough to win over folks.

    If you have ever been to NAMM, you know where the party is also.

    I must add, I did have big issues with the Matrix Brute, but, overall, it is a decent sounding beast.

  4. Nothing new? Who could have predicted that response?

    Oh, yeah! On the other thread. See #4.

    1- Hardware, but nothing new or innovative.
    2- Hardware, but costs too much.
    3- Hardware, but not all knobby analog with 16 voices.
    4- Software, but nothing new or innovative.
    5- Software, but costs too much.
    6- Software, but not available with same features in a $5 iPad app.

    I think that there is a good deal new here in Pigments. As I typed the previous sentence, I have to say that the only thing I don’t like about it is the name. I kind of understand why they chose it though. Next time I will have to add not liking the name, or the color, to my master list of New Synth Gripes.

    It is always a good idea to download the demo and try it out. Then we can move the discussion along from a position of “knowing things”.

    This thing sounds really good. All of the little displays make it really easy to understand what is going on with the modulations. The fact that you can bring your own WAV files to the party is a major plus. I took several presets and starting adding modulations, changing things around, and arrived miles away from where I started. You could lose a lot of time in a hurry playing with this. That is a plus.

    I really like this thing.

    1. Every single “selling point” of that software synth has been done dozens of times before, so yeah, sounds nice, but nothing to make you say “oh, that’s a good idea there” or “oh, I like its character”.
      This is one of the reasons why I completely moved away from software synths a few years ago. All those super souped-up software synths with tons and tons of features, in the end they all end up sounding the same over-processed, generic go-to thingy. All the sounds in this teaser video could well have been made on Omnisphere, Dune or Zebra, nobody would hear the difference.
      I’d rather spend a bit more on a hardware synth with its own limitations and a character of its own (like Arturia’s hardware for example, that I absolutely love by the way), but then again it’s only my personal opinion and you don’t have to agree with me.

      1. “I’d rather spend a bit more on a hardware synth…”

        What synth are you talking about for “a bit more”
        Uno synth for $199 is the closest I could think of?
        I got pigments for $69. IMHO well worth it.

        Sidenote: I am getting new carpets in my 3 studios so had to pack up massive amounts of hardware, synths, drums, racks of gear, etc. before the installation date so I have a setup right now that consists only my Apple MacBook Air, 2 iPad pros and a desktop computer. I love it. Really getting back into my softsynth collection. JMO but whatever tools we choose to use, it’s ultimately about what we create that matters most to me, the stuff is just a means to try and get there. My $0.02

  5. Pigment is surprising east coast in parts, well worth a look. some lovely touches too like the built in interactive tutorial and the ‘light bulb’ icon that actually highlights and suggests knobs to tweak to change the sounds of patches intelligently (obviously the knobs and range shown is preselected by the sound designer, but a lovely learning touch)

  6. I tend to agree with the comment about how you may be able to generate these same sounds via other soft synths already in your arsenal. That said, I won’t lie – the look of this is what caught my eye immediately, and Auturia really has yet to let me down in terms of products & sounds. I downloaded this demo and just had a lot of fun with how it does some things a little differently, like modulating sources/destinations. And for me, thanks to V6, it’s only $69, which makes my decision a bit easier. It’s a cool, great sounding synth which I’ll immediately get very creative with, period. I’m not about to have the “better than (whatever synth)” conversation. No need.

  7. The only thing like a problem I have with Pigments is that once you take up three or four synths this powerful, they do start to duplicate functions a bit. I understand digging in with hardware and I still go there some. Just keep in mind what it can mean to drop WAVs in as oscillators. Even with just one instrument that will do that, you can get into the deep end and sound design your @$$ off. Its like a flipped image of a serious hardware setup in its range of possibilities.

    1. Exactly. I’ve spent most of this year falling in love a Behringer D, my first hardware. Knob per function/actual instrument is my current addiction Trust me, I’m being pulled in opposite directions. But flexible wavetable-centric VST architectures are what will keep producers in business year-in and out in the future.

  8. Great synth, but still no mouse wheel support on this or any other Arturia soft synth 🙁 These are so uncomfortable to edit compared to U-He or Roland plugins. I hope they will add this simple but crucial feature at some point.

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