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

[Fernando Carvalho]

Does anyone know what types of file formats and length limits can be imported for the Sample engine? I am trying to find info out on it but can't find anything in the manual or the website. Every time I try to import a file it is greyed out on a wav or mp3 which makes no sense. Have also rebooted everything to no avail. Thanks.

In my experience wav works, aiff doesn´t and if you try to import samples longer than 1 minute they will load but will be cut to 1 min max.

[exponent1]

So a friend was inquiring about the microtuning capabilities of Pigments. I tested with a 31-edo Scala tuning but seems like the synth only supports upto 12 notes per octave for the alternate tunings and not more. What I mean is, when I used a 31-edo tuning, Pigments would just jump octaves instead of continuing from the 12th note onward and playing the 13th note in the 31-not scale. Or maybe I'm doing it wrong. Can any one else please test this out and confirm?

[c_voltage]

Nothing sounds better than DUNE, it is the benchmark when it comes to sound quality.

Frankly i did not liked a bit the unison character in Dune 2, just tried it in release times (did not tried v3 though, but it seems it's quite similar things, unlike v1).
And for example, i do not like Serum "aesthetically", but how sounds his unison did impressed me once. Imo his could been grab even only for this part.

EDIT though dune v2-v3 consider usually like advanced unison machine, but i have feeling that for such an advance, there had to find a compromise in algorithm quality (i exactly about unison). But perhaps this is a somewhat subjective.

[perpetual3]

Nothing sounds better than DUNE, it is the benchmark when it comes to sound quality.

Frankly i did not liked a bit the unison character in Dune 2, just tried it in release times (did not tried v3 though, but it seems it's quite similar things, unlike v1).
And for example, i do not like Serum "aesthetically", but how sounds his unison did impressed me once. Imo his could been grab even only for this part.

EDIT though dune v2-v3 consider usually like advanced unison machine, but i have feeling that for such an advance, there had to find a compromise in algorithm quality (i exactly about unison). But perhaps this is a somewhat subjective.

This is all kind of subjective. I mean, if someone likes Reason Subtractor over Diva, they can think it’s the better synth and that’s their opinion.

There are some technical characteristics that can maybe lead one to determine rather objectively that one synth is a better value than another.

[c_voltage]

This is all kind of subjective. I mean, if someone likes Reason Subtractor over Diva, they can think it’s the better synth and that’s their opinion.

There are some technical characteristics that can maybe lead one to determine rather objectively that one synth is a better value than another.

Yes, i understand. But also i forgot to note - i did comparison unison in Dune 2 and Serum exactly face to face n DAW, in those times. Ie was some test (i mean not just by some memories). So, i was unable to repeat that "coldness"\cleaness in Dune. She had some slightly "dirty mix" of voices. And it was sad, because her capabilities\layering were impressive.

But what fun, recently when i tried Antidote (*which being considered something like successor of Dune2 AFAIR, or rather branch), i quite liked unison in it, so even bought. But not exclude that it's nonetheless different engine yet.

[Edouard Arturia]

i got an email from edouard telling me he has submitted my message as feature request
hmm...still wondering if edouard is biological or algorithmical....

I'm actually a bot but I enjoy reading KVR forums
Speaking more seriously, don't worry, I did reference your feature request.
Best regards
Edouard

[BONES]

Frankly i did not liked a bit the unison character in Dune 2, just tried it in release times (did not tried v3 though, but it seems it's quite similar things, unlike v1).

I think you are pretty much on your own here. It's DUNE's unison that makes it sound so good. Making big, rich strings is so ridiculously easy it's hard to imagine anything else coming close.

[exponent1]

So a friend was inquiring about the microtuning capabilities of Pigments. I tested with a 31-edo Scala tuning but seems like the synth only supports upto 12 notes per octave for the alternate tunings and not more. What I mean is, when I used a 31-edo tuning, Pigments would just jump octaves instead of continuing from the 12th note onward and playing the 13th note in the 31-not scale. Or maybe I'm doing it wrong. Can any one else please test this out and confirm?

Hi Edouard and others, can you please verify or confirm this behavior/feature please?

[Yakko Warner]

I can't say I care, either way, but syncing to note on would ensure repeatable renders.

I think look at the serum too. I am determined to use only one synthesizer, at least at this stage.

Why? What sort of music do you want to make? If you really, really, really must have just one, then look for something with multiple forms of synthesis, like DUNE or Pigments. I have both and it would be hard to choose between them. Nothing sounds better than DUNE, it is the benchmark when it comes to sound quality. It is not necessarily easy to work with, though - the library is very primitive by today's standards and the way the synth is designed gets in the way of good workflow. OTOH, Pigments is really easy to get the most from and, overall, I think it is probably the more versatile of the two. In the end I think price would be the determining factor and at $99 Pigments would win. At full price DUNE would probably just be in front.

Even if you know exactly what modulation to use to get a certain sound, synthesizers can be very different, such as sound signature, workflow, oscillator behavior, filters, etc. I agree that one synthesizer is suitable for one, the other for the second, etc., but my opinion is that one has to master a limited number of tools given how deep modern synths are. I've listened to a lot of misconceptions about one or the other synthesizer just because people don't know how to use them. For example Massive X. Everywhere they point out that there is no wave import, you cannot edit wave tables, use a second filter, etc. In fact, who needs these features? They would rather be redundant and only slow down the workflow. It is much more useful to have a limited number of high quality wave tables, each of which can produce a wide range of sounds and not overlap with the others. The same goes for filters and effects. What are your 100 filters, 100 effects, 1000 wave charts and 10K samples if they sound the same or just not good? More important is what algorithms the filters use, not just to push more filters. I'm sorry, I deviated, but I had to say it.
I say it because as a person he does not know in depth any instrument, he cannot make full use of it and make false conclusions based on what he knows from other synthesizers. And the serum is the same. Anyone who doesn't know him enough will say that it sounds thin, raw, cold. Yes, such may be the default sound, but it clearly did not prevent almost every sound from being synthesized with this. So I want to master one instrument. In my ears pigments sounds great.

And I still can't figure out this Anchored LFO, what will be the benefit to me and how much pain it will be if oh no. When I play the synthesizer I prefer the LFOs and other modulators to be free run. Also resetting the wave-phase phase. I don't find much difference between the key and random modes, but random seems to be a slightly better.
Sorry for the long post.

[muki]

I'm actually a bot but I enjoy reading KVR forums
Speaking more seriously, don't worry, I did reference your feature request.

merci, edouard

more to come

[Freaqpeak]

Bought Pigments 2 without demoing it. It sounds really good, but I do miss being able to modulate Start/End position in loopmode in sample/granular playback. Or did I miss anything? Its disappointing for me personally since I also own Padshop 2 already, which can not do this either...

[exponent1]

Bought Pigments 2 without demoing it. It sounds really good, but I do miss being able to modulate Start/End position in loopmode in sample/granular playback. Or did I miss anything? Its disappointing for me personally since I also own Padshop 2 already, which can not do this either...

I think you can modulate the start position position of the sample/grain and the size and time of the grains. Can you please explore it more and check again? I might be wrong.

[Stefken]

Bought Pigments 2 without demoing it. It sounds really good, but I do miss being able to modulate Start/End position in loopmode in sample/granular playback. Or did I miss anything? Its disappointing for me personally since I also own Padshop 2 already, which can not do this either...

Just hook it up with a modulator and there ye go....

[Echoes in the Attic]

Yeah sample start modulation is as easy as any other parameter. So is grain size. Maybe cnt is talking about the loop markers though? In the edit section. I don’t see a way to modulate those, there’s only the markers on the waveform to edit The placement. Same with loop fade and other parameters in the edit screen actually. That’s too bad. Is there a way to modulate these?

[BONES]

I've had Pigments for more than a week now and I haven't even looked at any of the sample-based stuff. I am still having way too much fun with the sawtooth oscillators.

I agree that one synthesizer is suitable for one, the other for the second, etc., but my opinion is that one has to master a limited number of tools given how deep modern synths are.

Yeah but, at the end of the day, they all work pretty much the same way - you have one or more sound sources (oscillators) that you run through one or more filters and you use various modulators to alter the sound over time. It's learning what things do that's important. Once you understand the underlying concepts of things like envelopes and LFOs, it just becomes a matter of learning the peculiarities of a particular instrument. Mostly synths are pretty straightforward, despite how different they can appear to be. I honestly don't see how you will gain any advantage by restricting yourself to just one because I don't see any deeper truths to be revealed in any of them.

because as a person he does not know in depth any instrument, he cannot make full use of it and make false conclusions based on what he knows from other synthesizers.

A stupid person will, and there are no shortage of them around here, but anyone who goes into a new synth with an open mind will quickly work it all out.

till can't figure out this Anchored LFO, what will be the benefit to me and how much pain it will be if oh no.

That's the work of five minutes. It means less than nothing to me but I can definitely see why it's important to others. e.g. If you do LFO modulated (wub-wub) basslines, with other LFO modulation on top, it could be very handy.

e synthesizer I prefer the LFOs and other modulators to be free run.

I prefer it to reset at NOTE ON. Free running is just anarchy!