Arturia Pigments 2 (Free Update): Now it's Granular

[perpetual3]

Nice!

[EnGee]

There is a clear tendency in this forum to prefer synths from small companies over the big corporate companies ones, I guess it should make one appear cool.

Forum members are people too.

Anyway ...

I listened to that last video demo and it reminded me of a time I purchased a decorative tourist Bodhrán and expected it to sound like the real thing. Judging by that video alone, I would conclude that the Emperor's New Clothes are non existent. I own a lot of Arturia gear so there's no need for anyone to make assumptions about my likes and dislikes based on a theory they just pulled out of their ass.

I have listened to that video, and was actually very disappointed! The sound is so disturbing with I think so much aliasing especially in the high notes! I really dislike such sounds which reminds me of V-Station and Morphine (yikes!)

Hmmm, I thought I might like it with time, but Nah! Sure I'll get rid of it! I wish I had CZ V instead of it when it was discounted. That one sounds much better than Pigments. I regret now buying it in such impulse way! I should have wait more and demo it more! Anyway, back to MX, this one sounds really amazing

You know I am a huge MX fan, but Pigments is actually very deep. Deeper than MX in some ways. And like is said - try sequencing MX with Pigments. You can polyrhythmically sequence the performer.

The thing is I have Bitwig which is not short of modulation options Anyway, in Arturia feedback, I have already written my 'negative' opinion and my suggestion of a better sound engine

[perpetual3]

There is a clear tendency in this forum to prefer synths from small companies over the big corporate companies ones, I guess it should make one appear cool.

Forum members are people too.

Anyway ...

I listened to that last video demo and it reminded me of a time I purchased a decorative tourist Bodhrán and expected it to sound like the real thing. Judging by that video alone, I would conclude that the Emperor's New Clothes are non existent. I own a lot of Arturia gear so there's no need for anyone to make assumptions about my likes and dislikes based on a theory they just pulled out of their ass.

I have listened to that video, and was actually very disappointed! The sound is so disturbing with I think so much aliasing especially in the high notes! I really dislike such sounds which reminds me of V-Station and Morphine (yikes!)

Hmmm, I thought I might like it with time, but Nah! Sure I'll get rid of it! I wish I had CZ V instead of it when it was discounted. That one sounds much better than Pigments. I regret now buying it in such impulse way! I should have wait more and demo it more! Anyway, back to MX, this one sounds really amazing

You know I am a huge MX fan, but Pigments is actually very deep. Deeper than MX in some ways. And like is said - try sequencing MX with Pigments. You can polyrhythmically sequence the performer.

The thing is I have Bitwig which is not short of modulation options Anyway, in Arturia feedback, I have already written my 'negative' opinion and my suggestion of a better sound engine

Ah, yes, I don’t have Bitwig. Must try it out.

[fmr]

I have already written my 'negative' opinion and my suggestion of a better sound engine

Care to share it with us? This is basically the only forum I check, and I'm curious about what your suggestions are.

[Tj Shredder]

I got Pigments now and I don’t regret! I do understand the complaints about the basic oscillators, they are a bit too basic. They should look at the basic oscillators of the Grid to learn how it could be more interesting. If you want it more complex you need to use the wavetable which can do (sort of) all off that, but its not easy and less smooth and more demanding on the CPU, as it needs to do all sorts of interpolation calculations...
Of course getting into FM will as well create more complex wave forms, but this is as well not as straight forward as bending and folding a simple wave form...

[EnGee]

I have already written my 'negative' opinion and my suggestion of a better sound engine

Care to share it with us? This is basically the only forum I check, and I'm curious about what your suggestions are.

Share what? I have already said it!
Nothing specific! I'm not a developer. Maybe they can do oversampling or something similar to get rid of that aliasing in high notes.

[tony10000]

My initial impression of Pigments 2 is mixed.

I like the analog, sample playback and granular capabilities but I believe the wavetables and filters need some help. More wavetables and filter types would help. The effects are also pretty weak.

I do love the sequencer and its design---plus the fact that you can output it to other synths.

[Igro]

Which FXs are weak, just curious.

[tony10000]

Which FXs are weak, just curious.

They sound OK, but are rudimentary. There is only one kind of reverb, for example.

When compared with other synths in that retail price range (Avenger, Dune 3, Rapid, Serum, Spire, Hive 2, Icarus 2, etc.), they are especially weak.

[fmr]

They sound OK, but are rudimentary. There is only one kind of reverb, for example.

When compared with other synths in that retail price range (Avenger, Dune 3, Rapid, Serum, Hive 2, Icarus 2, etc.), they are especially weak.

This is funny. Not dismissing any of the other synths (from the ones listed above, the only I don't have is Avenger, and I like the others very much), please explain what kind of special reverbs you have in those, and how Pigments FX behave "especially weak" when compared to what's in them

[tony10000]

Well, I will give you an example. Dune 3 has two effects chains that each contain distortion, 2 parametric EQs, 2 delays, phaser, chorus, reverb, and compressor. Most of those devices have numerous options (not just presets). Compared to Dune 3, Pigments' effects are very rudimentary and weak.

[BONES]

I listened to that last video demo and it reminded me of a time I purchased a decorative tourist Bodhrán and expected it to sound like the real thing.

And what, exactly, do you think Pigments is attempting to pass itself off as? It is what it is, that you would choose such an analogy shows an inability to judge a synth on its merits. Clearly it needs to conform to some preconceived notion of how a synth should sound to get a tick of approval from you, in which case that tick is worthless because it is unlikely in the extreme that Arturia has your bias in mind when they created Pigments.

I have listened to that video, and was actually very disappointed! The sound is so disturbing with I think so much aliasing especially in the high notes!

How do you know it is isn't either the way it is meant to sound or a result of the compression used on the audio? I certainly don't hear any aliasing when I use the actual synth.

I really dislike such sounds which reminds me of V-Station and Morphine (yikes!)

Only a clueless idiot couldn't get some great sounds out of V-Station.

Anyway, in Arturia feedback, I have already written my 'negative' opinion and my suggestion of a better sound engine

Here's hoping they know you as well as we do and ignore everything you have to say.

I do understand the complaints about the basic oscillators, they are a bit too basic... Of course getting into FM will as well create more complex wave forms, but this is as well not as straight forward as bending and folding a simple wave form...

What complaints? You're the first person to say anything about that. How is wavefolding any less complicated than FM? I like my basic oscillators to be just that - basic. As you point out, there are other options if you need something less basic.

I like the analog, sample playback and granular capabilities but I believe the wavetables and filters need some help. More wavetables and filter types would help. The effects are also pretty weak.

And here was me thinking how amazing the variety of filter types available is. I think the options are better than any other synth I have in my VST folder (and I have plenty). It certainly beats DUNE, Hive, Thorn and Synthmaster One for filter variety. Factory comes closest but Pigments has it beat i the final analysis. Given that, it's hard to take the rest of what you have to say seriously at all.

[BONES]

They sound OK, but are rudimentary. There is only one kind of reverb, for example.

Same as Hive and Pigments has more controls and a nice visual reference

When compared with other synths in that retail price range (Avenger, Dune 3, Rapid, Serum, Spire, Hive 2, Icarus 2, etc.), they are especially weak.

Hive and DUNE are the only ones of these I have and I think Pigments rates as well as they do for effects. DUNE, in particular, is ridiculously over-the-top when it comes to effects. Hive and Pigments have everything you need to make a great timbre. If you need something more special, you use effects plugins. Simple.

It doesn't make sense for each individual developer to continually reinvent the wheel when they could be innovating in other areas. To put it another way - let the effects developers concentrate on effects so the synth developers can devote all their effort into making even more amazing synths.

Well, I will give you an example. Dune 3 has two effects chains that each contain distortion, 2 parametric EQs, 2 delays, phaser, chorus, reverb, and compressor. Most of those devices have numerous options (not just presets). Compared to Dune 3, Pigments' effects are very rudimentary and weak.

It sounds to me like you are simply equating the number of effects with the quality on offer, which is a stupid thing to do. As I said, DUNE is way over-the-top when it comes to effects. It's ridiculous and it gets in the way of working. Still, I don't find the effects in Pigments to be of any lesser quality or usefulness and they don't' get in the way like DUNE's can.

[Igro]

Pigments has two chains, each with 3 effects. So you can have 6 effects in serial mode. Is that not enough? I mean, if you want to have effects overhaul, then your DAW can do this..

I would rather have more advanced routing options, such as fully independent APM Envelopes and the ability to bypass effect section for particular oscillators.

[Aloysius]

GRRRRRRR!