Pigments 6

[kinkajou]

Ah... ok, i see now

Thank you - didn't ever notice this feature before....

and i wouldn't read the "v" sign as warning, it's just a simple checkmark

[noiseboyuk]

Yes, Analog Lab is great for browsing and auditioning patches (inc from the new expansions). You don't always get all the deals there though, so check with the store before buying. I can't see the current bundle deals in the app for example.

[bmanic]

Been exploring the new version a lot more now and I have to say, this is probably one of the more impressive updates to Pigments over the years. There are so many small workflow and power updates that take it over the top. Absolutely love the new Voice modulator thing. It's also very nice to be able to finally drag and drop the 2nd layer modulation (the one Arturia calls side-chain.. what a bizarre term to use).

I do wish that for Pigments 7.0 we get a proper modulation matrix and the ability to freely modulate anything with anything in more than 2 layers. This is the only thing holding Pigments back in terms of power. It's one of the few thing setting this apart from Avenger, Nexus 5, Alchemy, Falcon, Halion etc. As it is now we are still stuck with those combinators and you run out of them awfully fast and even those can't do some quite simple tasks without using up two of them!

Anyhow, the new Vocoder is also a super cool addition and sound absolutely sublime! It has a huge range of possible sounds due to the flexible routing of the modulator. Another cool addition is the envelope follower. It's almost as flexible in it's routing as the ones found in Alchemy. It took a little while to realize that it takes it's signal from the input of a module, not from the output. So if you select "Filter 2" as a source, the volume knob of filter 2 has no effect on the envelope follower. Still, you can build some cool feedback systems and your own compressor in quite a few different places in the overall synth signal path.

Would be cool if the Envelope follower could take modulation sources as it's input as well.. though we do have other modules to do sort of similar things (like the Lag module) but the EVF would be a nice little addition for further shaping.

Next up it's time to explore the Scan feature for the Granular engine.

[HOTF]

Yesterday I was planning on just exploring the new features of Pigments 6 and making some patches. First patch I made was so inspiring I got carried away and started writing a track. Well I haven't played with it as much as I wanted to but hey I guess the point of those tools is to make music. (or you can just make fart noises i won't judge )

[mabian]

Been exploring the new version a lot more now and I have to say, this is probably one of the more impressive updates to Pigments over the years. There are so many small workflow and power updates that take it over the top. Absolutely love the new Voice modulator thing. It's also very nice to be able to finally drag and drop the 2nd layer modulation (the one Arturia calls side-chain.. what a bizarre term to use).

I do wish that for Pigments 7.0 we get a proper modulation matrix and the ability to freely modulate anything with anything in more than 2 layers. This is the only thing holding Pigments back in terms of power. It's one of the few thing setting this apart from Avenger, Nexus 5, Alchemy, Falcon, Halion etc. As it is now we are still stuck with those combinators and you run out of them awfully fast and even those can't do some quite simple tasks without using up two of them!

Anyhow, the new Vocoder is also a super cool addition and sound absolutely sublime! It has a huge range of possible sounds due to the flexible routing of the modulator. Another cool addition is the envelope follower. It's almost as flexible in it's routing as the ones found in Alchemy. It took a little while to realize that it takes it's signal from the input of a module, not from the output. So if you select "Filter 2" as a source, the volume knob of filter 2 has no effect on the envelope follower. Still, you can build some cool feedback systems and your own compressor in quite a few different places in the overall synth signal path.

Would be cool if the Envelope follower could take modulation sources as it's input as well.. though we do have other modules to do sort of similar things (like the Lag module) but the EVF would be a nice little addition for further shaping.

Next up it's time to explore the Scan feature for the Granular engine.

Not sure about the envelope follower input... Maybe it takes the output of the selected filter, excluding the volume knob? It would be strange if it would be like you described.

Thanks,
Mario

[starflakeprj]

Very interesting new synth module. I can't wait to check it out. Looks like a very Nifty physical modeling unit paired with granular features that are unique as far as I'm aware

I guess Phase Plant with its modal filter, with which you can achieve similar sounds, is the closest, as far as I know. But I'm not going that deep in most cases. Maybe Kaivo from Madrona Labs is even closer in terms of granular + physical modeling. Plasmonic otherwise?

Some others:
AAS Chromaphone 3 https://www.applied-acoustics.com/chromaphone-3/

Physical Audio https://physicalaudio.co.uk/

NuSofting https://nusofting.net/plugins

I was thinking of synths combining granular with physical modeling elements, at least Chromaphone is lacking the granular part as far as I know.

[starflakeprj]

Phase Plant has a modal filter...?

Doesn't it? I thought so, I haven't spun it up for a while, so now you're making me insecure.

No? It's got Filter Table, but that's something different. Afaik.

Yeah, definitely not the same thing. I guess I based my assumption on a few sounds I've heard from Phase Plant which sounds like they could come from physical modeling or the using of modal filters.

[sacer]

i still can't add the exploartion 2 and 3 bundle to my cart, is anyone else able to buy them ?
I already have owned the bundle 1

[kraster]

Very interesting new synth module. I can't wait to check it out. Looks like a very Nifty physical modeling unit paired with granular features that are unique as far as I'm aware

I guess Phase Plant with its modal filter, with which you can achieve similar sounds, is the closest, as far as I know. But I'm not going that deep in most cases. Maybe Kaivo from Madrona Labs is even closer in terms of granular + physical modeling. Plasmonic otherwise?

Some others:
AAS Chromaphone 3 https://www.applied-acoustics.com/chromaphone-3/

Physical Audio https://physicalaudio.co.uk/

NuSofting https://nusofting.net/plugins

I was thinking of synths combining granular with physical modeling elements, at least Chromaphone is lacking the granular part as far as I know.

Madrona's Kaivo is essentially a granular into a tuned resonator into a modeled body

Reason's Objekt can take any audio signal as an exciter to excite its modal filter and/or resonators.

So you can route the output of Reason's Grain into Objekt's input.

[kinkajou]

i still can't add the exploartion 2 and 3 bundle to my cart, is anyone else able to buy them ?
I already have owned the bundle 1

...wrote this on the last side, but here again:

Go here

Then scroll down and there you can add the bundle(s) to your chart.

[Teksonik]

If you can't hear it in a blind test, is it really there? Our sense of hearing is extremely susceptible to cognitive bias.

Your opinion is also susceptible to cognitive bias. A blind test would prove what? One synth sounds different to another? We should know that without the need for a test. I can hear "something" (as others have) in the core sound of Arturia synths but whether I could pick that sound out in a flawed and pointless "blind test" is irrelevant.

I don't go into using or testing Arturia synths looking for that sound so there is no "bias". I simply hear something (or perhaps the lack of something) in their core sound and again it's not something that can be defined. An analogy would be that you like the taste of a meal from one restaurant but the same meal from another is missing "something" that keeps it from being your favorite. Nothing wrong with either meal, you just prefer one over the other even if you can't define what causes the flavor to be different between the two. Is it missing a spice? Too much of another spice? And so on.....

If you don't like how Pigments sounds, then you don't like it for whatever reason you have.

I never said I don't like the sound of Pigments. What I said was.....

Great synth but I have many others that I much prefer. It is fun to program and even more now at version 6 so I'm still happy to own it.

And in the very post of mine that you quoted:

It's not an unpleasant core sound but there does seem to be a common core sound. Nothing that would keep me from buying more Arturia synths (or inspire me to do so) but again I can relate to what they're saying.

So your bias against the idea that some people hear "something" in the Arturia synths is on full display.

Again nothing that would keep me from buying more Arturia synths and I probably will in the future but nothing that makes me say "wow this core sound is awesome, I need to buy all their synths".

One more time, I like Pigments it's just not one of my favorite sounding synths. I will use it but it won't be the first synth I reach for on a daily basis. Get it now?

[bmanic]

Not sure about the envelope follower input... Maybe it takes the output of the selected filter, excluding the volume knob? It would be strange if it would be like you described.

Thanks,
Mario

Yes, that's how I meant it. Sorry for being unclear. It definitely takes the filter itself into account but not the volume knob.

[sacer]

i still can't add the exploartion 2 and 3 bundle to my cart, is anyone else able to buy them ?
I already have owned the bundle 1

...wrote this on the last side, but here again:

Go here

Then scroll down and there you can add the bundle(s) to your chart.

It's still not working for me, as soon as i log in and want to get offer, it's causing problems that i can't add them to cart and when i want to open the offer from my account, i get: 400 Bad Request

[BBFG#]

I have always preferred the website access over going through Analog Lab. I've also been considering selling of Lab/Collection and just owning Pigments/Augments.
Something I've long had an annoyance with is how some single presets require you to buy an entire library for other plugins I have little real use for.
So "by instrument" is a far more important filter than "by genre". Genre filtering is such a narrow and subjective perspective since any sound can be used in any genre. Whereas your choice of plugins streamlines the search. And having to do it through a plugin that many don't own is backwards. Put the website store back. It had its quirks and definitely could be improved. But this is not an improvement.

[Funky40]

I can hear "something" (as others have) in the core sound of Arturia synths but whether I could pick that sound out in a flawed and pointless "blind test" is irrelevant.

I´m totally with you, as has been phrased out by you in your original post. I hear that too. As do many others. I´m also totally unbiased. I take a Synth and play with it. No bias.

now, vs. Pigments 6, just judging from YT demos, i totally like those digital timbres. I´m very excited to check it out. Still had no time. Seems to be a wonderful update. Most others would have called it a new Synth, or taking otherwise worth a full price (~$99 nowadays) just for the update.
Thats big thumbs up vs. Arturia.
I might grab a soundset or two as a thanky you.