NAMM 2025Arturia releases Pigments 6 - Free Update

Arturia has announced the release of Pigments 6, the latest version of its flagship all-in-one software synth.

With Pigments 6, users can explore the new Modal Engine, refined filters, a brand-new vocoder effect, enhanced granular functionality, fresh modulation possibilities, and a host of additional improvements – all designed to take multi-engine sound design to new heights.

Existing users can update Pigments for free and access an introductory offer on Explorations preset bundles. If you're new to Pigments, you can make the most of an introductory price and discount on these expansions.

Harness Every Shade Of Synthesis

Pigments offers 6 types of synthesis, a deep modulation system, high quality effects and a generative arpeggiator-sequencer, all in an clear and intuitive interface:

• New modal engine.
• 3 new filters.
• New vocoder effect.
• 4 new modulators.
• Granular engine improvements.
• UX/UI improvements.

New in Pigments 6:

• New Modal Engine: Experience physically-inspired tones using collisions or friction, from delicate plucked strings to richly resonant pads. A bold new dimension in hybrid synthesis.
• New Filters: Broaden your palette with an analog-infused Multimode V2, the stacked Cluster filter for swirling textures, and LoFi for crunchy, lo-fi style coloration.
• New Vocoder Effect: Inject everything from classic vocal textures to avant-garde color-bass sound design into your patches, blending external input or Pigments' engines with seamless versatility.
• New Modulators: Elevate expression by assigning different modulation values per voice, adding deeper randomness, triggering audio-driven envelope followers, and sculpting curves with the revamped Function V2.
• Granular Improvements: Scan through samples mid-playback for time-stretching atmospheres, randomize grain playback for each note, and continuously adjust grain size for fluid, evolving textures.
• UX & UI Enhancements: Refine modulations with Quick Edit V2's drag-and-drop workflow, explore an improved file browser, and enjoy a refreshed layout—including a polished light theme—for effortless creativity.

Modal Engine

• Create soft plucked string sound: Select the string resonator mode, use the collision exciter only. Lower the brilliance knob to have a natural sounding decay.
• Create a chimes layer for a pad: Use the friction exciter with a very slow rate, or Use the granular exciter with a low rate and add random to the rate. This will add a subtle layer of chimes to your sound.
• Create metallic timbre while maintaining a solid sense of pitch: Create dissonant tones with Warp and Shape knobs. Then increase the Range knob to protect the first harmonics from the wrapping and preserve the base pitch of the sound.
• Use the modal resonator like a regular oscillator: Turn Decay and Brilliance all the way up to make the resonance infinite, and use the collision exciter, which excite all frequencies by the same amount. With this basis you can tailor the oscillator with the Warp, Shaper and Timbre parameters, and use the filters and Amp envelope like if it was a regular oscillator.
• Use Warp quantize to modulate the pitch of the partials while staying in tune: Turn on Warp Quantize (the little Q to the right of Warp). Then modulate the Warp and Shape knobs with LFOs or random modulators.

New Filters

• Formant filter with the Cluster filter: Select the LP+HP 24 mode with the cluster filter. Set a high resonance and a cutoff of 700Hz. Modulate the spread between 0 and 0.5, and play a rich signal like a Saw wave. Bonus: Add a bitcrusher in the FX to increase the vowel effect.
• Aliased Keys with the LOFI filter, to emulate the effect of old samples played across the keyboard: Select a source with few harmonics, like a sine, a triangle or a e-piano sample. Turn up the Keytracking to maximum. Enable pre-filter. Turn down the Freq knob until you have the right amount of aliasing.
• Resonant filter without losing bass: Select Classic filter LP, in Analog mode. Modulate the filter cutoff by an envelope. Play a bassline with a simple Saw wave, and increase resonance. For more grit, increase the output volume of the oscillator.

New Vocoder

• Talking Synth: Make Pigments talk using the external Audio Input with your voice. Experiment with Daft Punk like signature sounds and go beyond using Pigments capabilities.
• Color Bass Sound Design: Set the vocoder modulator to any point in your signal chain or to FX input to self vocode your signal to discover a new sonic territory. Mess around with the Mode, Bandwidth and Band Numbers to go from a very modern resonant spectral sounding vocoder to a cheap dirty one.
• Water Drop Effect: The Gate parameter allows to trigger individual band only when the amplitude of the band is greater than the threshold value. Find the sweet spot for your input sound and play with the Decay parameter to create droplet effects.

New Modulators

• Voice Modulator: Create organic variations in the spirit of analog synths with the Voice Modulator, creating differences on the modulated parameters between each note played.
• Envelope follower: Use the sound anywhere in Pigments audio chain and use its amplitude to create movements to any parameter to create organic behaviours.