Arturia Pigments 3.5 Polychrome Software Synthesizer (Download)

This latest update to the award-winning Pigments includes new wavetables, distortion FX, cross modulation, filter FM from Engines, and a comb filter. There are 59 new wavetables inspired by molecular structures, mineral textures, and aggressive modern timbres, while the distortion FX includes 16 versatile distortion algorithms. Cross modulation creates unique sonic behaviors and complex timbres. The filter FM can modulate filters (M12, SEM, Mini, LowPassGate) from Engine 1 and Engine 2, while the expanded comb filter effect provides a versatile sound design tool that goes beyond classic filter behavior.

Pigments 3.5 is a powerhouse that's equipped with modern wavetable synthesis, granular synthesis, harmonic synthesis, and virtual analog modeling engines running in parallel. The virtual analog engine provides three oscillators, each with the standard sine, triangle, saw, and square waveforms with sync and FM capabilities, while the wavetable engine provides 164 wavetables with frequency modulation, phase modulation, phase distortion, and wavefolding. The twin morphing filters can run in series or in parallel and provide eight types including Phaser, Matrix 12, Surgeon, Multimode, Formant, Mini, Comb, and SEM.

The modulation section offers stellar graphic depictions of motion for each of the numerous mod sources including velocity, aftertouch, modwheel, keyboard, expression, three envelopes, three LFOs, three customizable function generators, three random generators (turing, sample and hold, binary), and two combinators, which combine two modulation sources for unusual control options. What's more, there are four macro controls, allowing you to assign multiple parameters to a single knob for mindbending morph effects.

To polish up your sound, there are no less than two insert effects engines, each with three insert slots as well as a dedicated master effect send that also includes three insert slots. There are 13 effects available and each offers deep integration within the sound-design engine. The advanced sequencer/arpeggiator is clearly laid out for effortless programming and tweaking on-the-fly. Adjust notes, octaves, and velocity by simply clicking and dragging steps. Create polyrhythmic animated sequences with ease, dial in triggered randomization to keep things spicy. Pigments lets you experiment and explore a bit of randomness, safely in the confines of the key you’re playing in. Select one of 14 scales for the sequencer, and you’ll never play a wrong note.

Arturia's Pigments polychrome synthesizer features hundreds of amazing presets created from top sound designers and A-list artists. You'll find readily available soundscapes, neon synthwave lead lines, monster basses, and quirky percussive sequencers. Additionally, the instrument features an Ideas icon, which displays recommendations from the preset creator on what parameters to tweak to make the most of a preset. The software is Windows and Mac compatible and works with any 64-bit DAW that supports VST 2.4, VST 3, AAX, or Audio Units.