Arturia have launched Pigments version 2, a free update that introduces new features such as sample playback, granular synthesis, a revamped sequencer, a new filter, delay effect, and new presets to show off all these new abilities.
Here’s a preview of Pigments 2:
Here’s what’s new:
- New Sample Engine – Explore hundreds of samples, import your own, load them into one of 6 different slots with 6 playback modes.
- New Granular Mode – Transform samples into granular synth patches at the touch of a button, adjust density, envelope, size, and exciting randomization parameters.
- New Sequencer – The in-built sequencer now lets you apply randomness in a non-destructive way, letting you always return back to where you started, perfect for live performance and improvisation.
- New Filter and Delay – New options include a Buchla Easel inspired low-pass gate and tape echo.
- Refined Features – An updated interface, MPE capability, new undo/redo functionality and enhanced modulation bar
- New Presets – Hundreds of new sounds
Pricing and Availability
Pigments is available for $99 / 99€ (intro offer through Jan 7, 2020 – normally $199 / 199€). Version 2 is a free update to existing owners.
I listened to some demos on YouTube. This sounds great, and it is feature packed. I will probably order this as a Christmas gift to myself.
Got it after noticing it supported MPE. Pretty decent implementation at that. Existing Arturia users can get it for cheaper than 100USD (I paid 70USD for it). It’s rapidly becoming my “monster synth” of choice, more than Xfer Records Serum or KV331 Audio SynthMaster 2.9 (or Native Instruments Massive, which doesn’t support MPE). The filters, the responsiveness, the legato mode, the waveshaping options, the overall workflow, and even the factory presets get me in a pretty good mood. By assigning breath control to a macro (and that macro to a few parameters), I was quickly able to build a windcontroller-friendly patch. It also works relatively well with the ROLI Lightpad M Block, though patches aren’t designed to be so expressive.
Much better choice than the V Collection 7, in my case. Thought about getting UVI Falcon while it was 30% off. Glad I bought Arturia Pigments instead.
Hi could you make a youtube video? I’d love to see your breath control patch.
Pigment Stew
I got it for $49, but that might be because I have V Collection. At that price (or even $99), it’s a ridiculous amount of functionality, and for something that deep, it’s pretty easy to use without cracking a manual.
I have V too. I mostly just use Synclavier V though. This looks sort of interesting.
i paid 69 Euro and I am satisfied
Well, I paid €0/£0/$0 for it, and so I don’t have it, and I’m also very satisfied.
Ok, now let’s get back to my real hardware synths.
Cool dude
Wow. So edgy.
I have lots of hardware synths too, but for this kind of thing (wavetable+sampling+massive modulation options), I can’t think of a hardware synth that comes. Maybe the Waldorf Quantum, but Pigments is ever-so-slightly more affordable.
I’m really enjoying it. The wavetable side handles most of the bright end of the spectrum, the granular side is really upfront to use (& weird fun, too) and the VA comes closer to real than I’d expected. You’d never mistake it for a hardware Moog/ARP, but it has great *wavetable* versions of the same character. The sequencer becomes hypnotic, like playing Solitaire. It’ll be nice to have a crispy synth that can sit in the *middle* of all the others and glue them together at subtle moments. The animated modulation strip in the middle will be a big hit with stoners.
It is a good synth. it misses a few things the old massive (let alone the massive X) has and its UI is rather pragmatic that beautiful. It looks pleasent, but clearly its optimized for usefulness: everything you need now is visible and gives you feedback how the value do progress (unlike massive X). And getting to where you want is easy. Its all designed with boxes in mind. Here you have your box (SEM filter with it most important knobs) you can switch it on, off or change it to another filter. Its a synth foptimized for people who can not think modular.
Even the massive had some routing, here its just 2 OSC -> 2 Filter -> FX (2 Buses), so in that regard weaker than massive X and dont get me started on phaseplant. Also the wave shaping stuff has less abilities than the contour. The strenghts come from fact you have virtual analagoe and wavetable and granular and you can combine them as you prefer and that modulation is very easy, good arp, you have versatile signalflows (compensating for rather rigid audio flow). Which seems necesary becasue it seems to alreasy eating up some CPU and doing more complex signalchain might have killed the project on that front.