# Arturia Pigments Hover over any parameter to see tool tips at the bottom of the interface. ## Synth engines The two synth engines can be set as Analog, Wavetable, Sample, or Harmonic. You can copy-paste with the button beside each engine.[^1] There's also a utility engine for adding noise or another oscillator.[^2] ### Analog There's coarse, fine, and drift tuning knobs. The drift knob will add a random element of pitch.[^1] The four waveforms are sine, triangle, saw, and square. The width knob alters the pulse width of the triangle and square waves. There's also a dedicated noise oscillator.[^1] The key switches on oscillators 2 and 3 can be switched off to remain static or be modulated. The sync switch of oscillator 1 force-matches oscillator 2's frequency, and when used in combination with the oscillator's tune knobs, you can get unique timbres.[^1] The modulation section allows you to modulate oscillators 1 and 2 by either the third oscillator or the noise oscillator, or a combination.[^1] Output allows you to choose how much to send to each filter. The output volume also allows you overdrive the synth, like a vintage analog synth.[^1] ### Wavetable Similarly, it has a tune and output section.[^1] You can import your own WAV files into the wavetable. Go to imported and press the waveform button.[^1] Use the position knob to select different waves from the table by either choosing from the static snapshots or enabling the "morph" button for anything in-between.[^1] Beneath the main wavetable display, you can use frequency modulation, phase modulation, phase distortion, and wavefolding. Right of it, the modulator acts as the source for these four waveshapers. Set it to one of ten different waves and tune it how you'd like. You can also use the volume knob on this section to add in the modulator's signal.[^1] Unison allows you to add chorusing and harmonizing effects.[^1] The wavetable section also features wave shapes from famous synthesizers, like the Moog Mini.[^3] ### Sample Go to the edit tab to enable looping.[^4] You can change loop mode from forward to back and forth. Click and drag the ruler up and down to change the zoom on the waveform. This allows you to get really fine with your loop points. Selecting Key Map from the six mapping modes automatically assigns samples to different key ranges.[^5] The BitCrush shaper mode has a sample rate reducer (labeled "decimate") and a bit depth reducer. When key track is switched on, the decimate value follows the keyboard.[^6] This can be used to emulate vintage samplers. Turn on the granular module to enable granular synthesis. Increase the density to add more grains to the playback. Click the dropdown menu to open up different time options. Use the density randomizer to the immediate left of it.[^7] Use the size knob to determine the length of each grain. Use the randomizer to immediate right of it.[^7] Change the amplitude envelope of each grain with the button in the center.[^7] The direction allows you to alter the playback direction by setting the ratio of forward to backward.[^7] The random pitch knob can be quantized to a scale.[^7] Random start randomizes the start of each grain.[^7] Limit determines the amount of grains that can overlap.[^7] The random stereo type (between size and volume) can be set to pan or width. Pan randomizes the pan of each grain. Width allows you to have different random values for size, start, and pitch on each channel.[^7] ### Harmonic This is Pigment's additive synthesis engine. Use the partials control to the right to change the number of partials. Use the volume knob to change the volume of the partials.[^8] The parity control allows you to choose a ratio of odd and even harmonics.[^8] Tilt defines the balance of partials. Tilt offset allows you to choose which partial will be the start of the tilt control.[^8] The formant filters allow you to shape the partials. You can use the morph knob to morph between different filter shapes.[^8] The imaging section can be set to split, random, and periodic. These controls allow you change the stereo spread of partials.[^8] The modulation section can be set to frequency or phase modulation. You can change the ratio of the partials for different timbres.[^8] The partial modulator section can be set to window, cluster, or shepard.[^8] ### Utility The noise sections play back samples of noise, which can be white noise or foley. You can disable the loop and define the length of your sample. You can also enable key-tracking.[^9] You can also add another analog oscillator.[^9] ## Filters [SEM Matrix 12 Mini Jup-8 Filters PART 16 | Arturia Pigments 3.5 Tutorial - YouTube](https://www.youtube.com/watch?utm_source=pocket_saves&v=LMVSO66wkO0) Filters can be run in series or parallel or anything in between with the filter routing knob on the top right.[^10] Filters can also be routed to different FX buses.[^2] Some filter modes have dedicated modulation control. This is an easy way to assign keyboard tracking to your filters.[^11] You can use the swap button to switch the filter order.[^11] ### Multimode The Multimode filter is quite clean and low on CPU. You can select from a variety of different filters, including bandpasses and notches.[^11] ### MS-20 ### SEM The SEM filter has a mode knob which morphs between different filter types, which is good for modulation.[^11] ### Matrix 12 The Matrix 12 filter contains seven filters from the Oberheim synth of the same name. It's soft and great for pads, even with the resonance cranked.[^11] ### Jup-8 Pigments 3 added the Jup-8 lowpass filter.[^2] ### Mini The Mini filter is based on Bob Moog's ladder filter. The drive knob allows you to overdrive the filter.[^11] ### Surgeon The Surgeon filter is very steep. It's so strong that the phase alters the pitch.[^11] ### Comb The Comb filter has key tracking which can be used for pitched noise.[^11] ### Phaser The Phaser filter effectively lets you have one phaser effect per note. You can set how many poles, which changes the amount of notches.[^11] ### Formant The Formant filter allows you to morph between different vowel sounds.[^11] ## Keyboard tab Open the keyboard tab to change glide (portamento) time.[^12] Turn off "always" mode to change glide to only when played legato.[^13] You can also change pitch bend in this window.[^13] ## Modulation Assign a parameter to a modulator by clicking the "assign" button when you mouse over a parameter or click on the modulator and assign a modulation amount on the parameter.[^10] ## Effects Click the FX button on the top right. There's two insert buses and one send buses. The insert buses are in series and the send bus is in parallel (sent before the inserts). You can change the routing of bus A and B on the top right.[^14] ## Sequencer The polyrhythmic sequencer can be used to arpeggiate or generate random sequences.[^10] It can do some neat aleatoric arpeggiations of chords too.[^15] The sequencer/arpeggiator can be used to route midi to another synth or virtual instrument too.[^15] ## Presets Mouse over the light bulb icon gives notes from the sound designer for each preset.[^10] [^1]: [Tutorials | Pigments - Episode 2: The Synth Engines - YouTube](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jj9tfq8oF3Q) [^2]: [Tutorials | Pigments 3 - Episode 6: Overview - YouTube](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AVHBf0Sa-PQ&list=PLt1d_YWdtAZ4wdNmghYQfElgkLDDel6Xw&index=5) [^3]: [Mini Moog With Hair In Pigments 4 | Sound Design Tutorial - YouTube](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T81MqPVZHo0) [^4]: [Pigments 4 | How To Create the Lo-Fi Vibe - YouTube](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=At97WcvXft0&list=PLt1d_YWdtAZ4wdNmghYQfElgkLDDel6Xw&index=3) [^5]: [Pigments - Sample Engine – Arturia FAQ](https://support.arturia.com/hc/en-us/articles/4405748112146-Pigments-Sample-Engine) [^6]: Pigments Manual [^7]: [Tutorials | Pigments - Episode 5: Granular Synthesis - YouTube](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sTwrzjnTWVE&list=PLt1d_YWdtAZ4wdNmghYQfElgkLDDel6Xw&index=15) [^8]: [Tutorials | Pigments 3 - Episode 7: Harmonic Engine - YouTube](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=khdBdQAIhiA&list=PLt1d_YWdtAZ4wdNmghYQfElgkLDDel6Xw&index=6) [^9]: [Tutorials | Pigments 3 - Episode 8: Utility Engine - YouTube](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w_2U6JZh0N8&list=PLt1d_YWdtAZ4wdNmghYQfElgkLDDel6Xw&index=7) [^10]: [Tutorials | Pigments - Episode 1: Overview - YouTube](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tiuXcebNyuw) [^11]: [Tutorials | Pigments - Episode 3: Filters - YouTube](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DHgTnIzaWfc) [^12]: [Arturia Pigments 3 Tutorial Ep#9 - Keyboard Modulaton - YouTube](https://youtu.be/hz4071j92ho?si=Igp3rlOoPb7Mminz) [^13]: [Keyboard Tab PART 43 | Arturia Pigments 4 Tutorial - YouTube](https://youtu.be/Z4nYZogllvA?si=4mkxRwmx9nAUQQH_) [^14]: [Tutorials | Pigments - Episode 4: Effects - YouTube](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zNg5HDWsBZI&list=PLt1d_YWdtAZ4wdNmghYQfElgkLDDel6Xw&index=14) [^15]: [Did You Know Arturia Pigments Does This? 🤔 - YouTube](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y0rSIbJ696U&t=105s)