Taking that spark of imagination and transforming it into sound is the most fundamental, exhilarating part of creating music. Pigments makes that process natural, intuitive, and colorful.

WHAT’S NEW IN VERSION 2?

New Sample Engine

Explore hundreds of samples, import your own, load them into one of 6 different slots with 6 playback modes. Loop, edit, and bring them to life with Pigments’ modulation abilities.

New Synth Mode

Add another level to your sound design by transforming samples into granular synth patches at the touch of a button, adjust density, envelope, size, and exciting randomization parameters.

New Sequencer

The in-built sequencer now lets you apply randomness in a non-destructive way, letting you always return back to where you started, perfect for live performance and improvisation.

New Filter and Delay

We’ve added the iconic sound of the Buchla Easel low pass gate and a space-age tape echo to Pigments’ sonic arsenal, for some seriously nice warping, contorting analog flavor.

Refined Features

What would an update be without little improvements here and there? New interface, MPE capability, new undo/redo functionality and enhanced modulation bar await you.

New Presets

To show off the new features, our team of heroic sound designers have created hundreds of breathtaking new sounds for you to explore and use in your tracks.

Your sound, in living color

Imagine a sound, then create it.

Pigments gives you the finest elements ever found in a software instrument, letting you create pioneering, exciting, and deeply personal sounds. Laying everything out before you, Pigments lets you fully express your creativity in a way that’s never been seen before in a software instrument.

Intuitive
lightning-fast
workflow

Powerful
awesome-sounding
architecture

AMAZING PRESETS
FROM LEGENDARY
ARTISTS

Pigments features a twin audio engine, letting you mix virtual analog and wavetable oscillators with a sample engine to create the perfect starting point for your patch. You can even morph wavetables, granularize samples, and import your own sounds to warp and contort.

What you do next is up to you. Experiment with 3 envelopes, 3 LFOs, and 3 function generators. Assign modulators to animate your sound, and breathe life into it. Add controlled, or totally wild random changes to any parameter with a Turing probability generator. Run it through 2 filters, with any combination of iconic analog filters or modern formant and surgeon filters you want. Process your patch with exciting contemporary effects like wavefolder and multifilter, or vintage studio reverbs, tape delays, and EQs.

“Routing” isn’t a dirty word

Scanning a matrix for the right parameter works, but it isn’t the only way.

Thanks to its unique interface, Pigments doesn’t just make complex modulations easy, it makes them fun. This is a new approach to building sounds.

Sound Corner

Ice Box (Victor Morello)

Driving and melodic trap track, making good use of the new sample engine. All the synth parts and melodies come from Pigments 2.0 presets, with the use of external drum samples.

Green Calx (Simon Gallifet)

The “Cosmos Olie” factory preset is put to good use in this mesmerising ambient track, which shows Pigments’ ability to shine at making larger than life and ethereal sounds.

Copper (Simon Gallifet)

Organic and bouncy techno track. Drums and percussions were made using samples from the factory library.

The First (Stephane Schott)

All synthesised sounds of this evocative track were made using Pigments. No additional processing as all you can hear on top of the presets are the built-in effects. The drum parts were made by layering a DrumBrute impact with external samples.

Risers (Matt Pike)

Part of this track can be heard in the teaser announcing the instrument. The “Kicking Risers” preset plays an important role here !

Released (Matt Pike)

Organic bass music track, full of groove and glitches, in which all synthesiser parts were made using presets from Matt Pike, that can be found in the instrument.

Like a Road Leading To Nowhere (Simon Gallifet)

Bewitching melodic track showing the deep and ambient side of the instrument.

Katalise (Simon Gallifet)

Melodic techno track with broken beat track made using only Pigments as the sound source. No additional effects not plug ins were used.

Geometriae (Twolegs Toneworks)

Deep and ambient dub techno track using only Pigments as the sound source, using presets from Twolegs Toneworks, which can all be found within the synth.

Cartel (Robert Dudzic)

Mysterious and slightly menacing cinematic track using only Pigments as the sound source. No additional effects nor plug ins were used.

Slop (Maxime Audfray)

Punchy glitch hop track showing the versatility of Pigments. No external effect is applied.

Making a masterpiece

For 20 years, we have been analyzing, emulating, and refining the most iconic synthesizers ever made.

Working with Dr Robert Moog, Cameron Jones, and many other industry legends, we have built our reputation on creating world-class instruments. We turned the music industry on its head with the release of our trailblazing, affordable analog hardware synthesizer, the MiniBrute.

With multiple awards under our belt, you could say that we’ve done our homework. Pigments combines our passion for vintage FM and analog sound with modern wavetable and granular synthesis to create what is, to us, the ultimate software synth.

Press Clipping

"This instrument is paradise for those who love geeking out in the process of crafting unique sound."
AudioTechnology Magazine
"Pigments is a very powerful and unique soft synth created by Arturia who, we have to say, are masters of their game."
DJ Mag
"Pigments is an absolute pleasure to use and never feels confusing or intimidating thanks to its excellent interface. Yet there is still enough depth and thoughtful, musical features to keep the most demanding sound designer happy. Hatts off to Arturia - I hope they will continue to develop software of their own design. (...) A pleasure to use thanks to its excellent design and graphical interface."
Sound on Sound
"It’s an entirely original virtual synthesizer with an unusual and compelling sound, a wonderful slate of great features, and a user interface that’s as easy to navigate as it is, well, colorful"
Recording Magazine
"Pigments is a great synth for complex evolving sounds (...) And, this is a very fun instrument to play (...) If you’re into synths, you’ll really want to check this one out for sure. Hats off to Arturia for successfully expanding into a new instrument category (...) Pigments takes Wavetable synths to a new, more refined and mature level than any other implementation I’ve seen to date."
Tape Op
"Impressive capabilities!"
Interface
"5/5 Pigments easily earns a place at the top table of synthesis. (...) the whole thing impresses from end to end. It’s hard to imagine how Arturia could have made it any easier to use - the work it has done in that regard is hugely commendable. With its voluminous, expressive sound and inspiring interface and architecture, Arturia’s first homegrown synth is a marvel."
MusicRadar
"Pigments causes a sensation. They’ve put a lot of thoughts and expertise in software and hardware synth development to create a graphically well thought out interface. Rarely it was possible before to create or reroute such complex modulations so quickly, rarely was the introduction to the topic of wavetable synthesizers so easy. Pigments is the synthesizer for beginners. The surface is exemplary large and clear, the parameters are not hidden."
Bonedo
"Pigments is yet another winner in their lineup of synth plugins. I really can’t think of anything I’d like added to it. (...) It is very easy to use, the layout of controls in the display seem well thought out, and best of all it just sounds great."
Sound Bytes Mag
"There's a lot going on in this latest synth powerhouse. (...) a surprisingly adept emulation machine (...) excellent controllable randomization tools."
Electronic Musician
"There's a lot going on in this latest synth powerhouse. (...) a surprisingly adept emulation machine (...) excellent controllable randomization tools."
Electronic Musician
"Arturia's Pigments Synth is very flexible and versatile thanks to the combination of classic analog synth and wavetable technology. It offers many possibilities for changing the sound, but the user interface remains very clear. The sound ranges from gentle to absolutely fat."
Digital-notes.de
"Pigments is a success. The interest of this instrument is double: a powerful synthesizer and a real learning tool (...) Pigments reconciles the look and listening."
KR home-studio
"Fairly easy to use softsynth that uses the best of Arturia has to offer when it comes to softsynths. (...) Very usable for laying down sequence basslines if you combine it with additional FX plugins that can make it sound dirtier."
Gearjunkies.com
"Incredible sounding oscillators and filters, beautifully designed, amazing modulators, powerful and flexible effects, great sequencer and arpeggiator section."
AskAudio Magazine
"At the heart of Pigments is the deep, deep modulation routing system, with a highly visual approach each source can have multiple destinations and can also be modified by the same sources. Its deeply powerful and results in some highly complex and compelling sounds."
SonicState
"Pigments sounds excellent. It is because of both perfectly built synth engines and great filters, as well as the availability of a wide range of perfectly designed wavetables (...) In terms of sound, Pigments represents the highest league, while workflow, GUI, and unbelievable possibilities of modulation and effects section can appeal to many musicians."
Estrada i Studio
"I’m having a great deal of fun with it. And we’re clearing at a new generation of advanced soft synths. Then on top of all of that, it’s not an exaggeration to say that Pigments is really a synth combined with a sequencer. The polyphonic sequencer/arpeggiator is full of trigger options and settings that mean it’s totally possible to fire up Pigments in standalone mode and make a whole piece, just as you would with a full synth workstation or modular rig."
Creat Digital Music
"It is a synthesizer in which Arturia has wanted to concentrate a large number of resources and get out of the most established areas. It is not a synthesizer that intimidates its use, but in spite of offering a very recognizable global structure, it floods with details in each element that go out of the most traveled and allow to accumulate many simultaneous actions."
Hispasonic
"I highly recommend you to try out Pigments, which sound pallet could perfectly fit all your tracks. Arturia's developers keenly designed the ergonomics of the interface, in order to make it easier and intuitive for users when working with it. It's the type of synthesiser we can use to learn synthesis. "
Audiofanzine
"Pigments is a powerful synth unifying the best of virtual synthesis, it has an amazing sound and modulation options are a delight to design dynamic sounds. An excellent and flexible ally for the creation of new sounds."
Future Music ES
"Arturia keeps the promises that Pigments can sound like other synths; no other synth can sound like Pigments. New vibes and tones are always helpful to stay unique with the sound you deliver. (...) Pigments is because of its layout and approach an outstanding way to learn how to use a Synth."
Strong Mocha
"Excellent sound quality, with two powerful oscillators and a diverse set of filters."
Gearslutz

Join the family

We’ve worked alongside top artists, producers and sound designers to create thousands of cutting edge presets to inspire you, to explore, enjoy, and customize.

Ed Is Dead

Artists Corner

One of the most intuitive and easy-to-program synthesizers I've tried, an incredibly well-designed architecture and a stunningly fast routing makes it easy to generate really complex patches.
Ed Is Dead
( Producer / Songwriter / DJ )
Marius de Vries

Artists Corner

Been a long time since I got to know a soft-synth that feels so alive! Beautifully designed, original, and deep, and it sounds great.
Marius de Vries
( Composer )
Howie B

Artists Corner

I can very quickly get and create what I hear in my head. Sonically sound and visually a treat use.
Howie B
( Producer / Pussyfoot Records )
FEMME

Artists Corner

I can sometimes be quite lazy with my programming, I'm impatient, work fast and like stuff to sound great quickly. I found Pigments does just that and i've had a ton of fun playing with the sequencer. It's powerful and hugely flexible, but the controls accessible, easily understood and manipulated.
FEMME
( Artist / Performer )
Ade Fenton

Artists Corner

The GUI on Pigment is particularly impressive, it’s so easy to navigate your way around, so despite its huge power, creating even the most complex sounds is quick and satisfying.
Ade Fenton
( Producer / Gary Numan )
Jamie Lidell

Artists Corner

There’s a wealth of combinations to be had and the vast power under the hood could easily be overwhelming were it not for the rather ingenious and elegant interface. The routing matrix is a triumph. Effects are not token additions but are potent enough to make a sound all on their own. By the time the sound leaves the plugin it’s ready. No processing jacket required! It’s a chocolate box. It’s a paint box. Well done!
Jamie Lidell
( Artist / Producer )
Plaid

Artists Corner

We love it, there is a real detail and depth in its sound, the modulation assignment and routing system is one of the best we’ve used, making complex structures clear. Its potential is exciting, we’ve still got lots to discover.
Plaid
( Producers )
Nicky Romero

Artists Corner

I love how Pigments sounds so warm, and how easy it is to achieve the result you are looking for with your music. Great job on how the interface is done, all functions are easy to be found, even if you are new to this synthesizer. 5/5.
Nicky Romero
( DJ / Producer )
Andrew Huang

Artists Corner

Pigments is super deep and super flexible. The layout and visual feedback for modulation routing is the best I've ever seen in a softsynth.
Andrew Huang
( Producer/YouTube Influencer )
Blush Response

Artists Corner

What I really like about Pigments is the depth of oscillator modulation that is available. Plenty of software synths can do wavetables, FM, Phase distortion, etc... but not all at once. I love that I can combine all these methods with the expansive modulation matrix to make new and ever changing sounds.
Blush Response
( Artist / Producer )
Cyril Boehler

Artists Corner

For my soundtracks I'm always searching for new sounds. With Pigments I’ve found a synthesizer that expands my sound universe with granular and wavetable synthesis perfectly. Pigments has the most intuitive user interface that I have ever seen in a complex synth. With this interface it is really easy to make innovative and distinctive sounds.
Cyril Boehler
( Composer / Producer )
Robert Dudzic

Artists Corner

With Pigments you can do sound design without limitations. I’m able to quickly turn the ideas in my head into sounds, partly thanks to the friendly and intuitive interface. I directly felt a connection with Pigments; the filters sound great, and it has a lot of power in the low end, something that is signature to my personal sound.
Robert Dudzic
( Composer / Sound Designer )
Lael Goldberg

Artists Corner

I love it. It sounds brilliant and really responds to what you want it to do. All the presets are super musical and a great starting point for either enhancing a part of a song or going in fresh.
Lael Goldberg
( Producer / Songwriter )
Cian Ciaran

Artists Corner

Inspired, programmed a patch and wrote a tune within minutes. I could easily lose many an afternoon, day and night with this one.
Cian Ciaran
( Producer / Engineer )
Guy Sigsworth

Artists Corner

I LOVE this synth. Modern, clever, sophisticated, smart. Bravo Arturia.
Guy Sigsworth
( Producer )
Janus Rasmussen

Artists Corner

It's a very inviting synth. Before you know it, you'll be tweaking your own intricate and interesting presets. Pigments has a good balance between being simple and really deep, which is no small feat for this many features.
Janus Rasmussen
( Bloodgroup )
Mylo

Artists Corner

Pigments is a complete surprise and a revelation to me because I normally associate the team at Arturia with having successfully closed the gap between analog and digital emulation. But this is something completely new, an analog/wavetable hybrid beast with the craziest modulation capabilities I have ever seen.
Mylo
( Producer )
Emre Türkmen

Artists Corner

From sparkling highs to rumbling lows, this has everything you need and then some.
Emre Türkmen
( Years & Years )
Camo & Krooked

Artists Corner

Pigments is a state of the art softsynth, which combines all classic and modern synthesis possibilities we wished for in one powerful package. The only limitation is your own mind!
Camo & Krooked
( Producer )
Mark Ayres

Artists Corner

Deep… both gloriously old-fashioned and fashionably modern. It follows the MatrixBrute path of almost infinite modulation which is a very good thing. Can’t wait to start importing my own Waveforms.
Mark Ayres
( Radiophonic Workshop )
Nicky Romero

Artists Corner

It gives you the results pretty fast, it brings that quality of an analog synth to approachable, easy software, that everybody can use.
Nicky Romero
( DJ / Producer )

We think Pigments is the best sounding, most addictive software synth ever made. We would say that, we love it, and we think you will too.

Why don’t you try it for yourself?

Gallery

Platform specifications

  • Windows: Win 8.1+ (64bit) PC: 4 GB RAM; 2.5 GHz CPU.
    2GB free hard disk space
    OpenGL 2.0 compatible GPU
  • Apple: 10.13+: 4 GB RAM; 2.5 GHz CPU.
    2GB free hard disk space
    OpenGL 2.0 compatible GPU

Required configuration

Works in Standalone, VST, AAX, Audio Unit, NKS (64-bit DAWs only).

VST 2.4
VST 3
AAX
AU
NKS

Protection

The software is protected by the Arturia Software Center. You can learn more about it here.






All manufacturer and product names mentioned on this page are trademarks of their respective owners, which are in no way associated or affiliated with Arturia. The trademarks of other manufacturers are used solely to identify the products of those manufacturers whose features and sound were studied during the development. All names of equipment, inventors, and manufacturers have been included for illustrative and educational purposes only, and do not suggest any affiliation or endorsement by any equipment inventor or manufacturer.




Main Features

  • Two engines in parallel
    • Virtual Analog triple osc engine
    • Complex Wavetable engine
    • Sample and Granular engine
  • Two filters
    • Classic filter types from V Collection instruments
    • Modern filter types
    • Continuous series/parallel routing
  • Powerful effects section
    • Insert or Send routing
    • Modulable parameters
  • Advanced modulation system
    • Graphical editing, source-based or destination-based.
    • Envelopes, LFOs, Function generators, Random src, ...
  • Visual interface
    • Graphical representation of the most important modules
  • Polyrhythmic Sequencer and Arpeggiator
    • Create complex, custom and evolving sequences/arps
    • Advanced random sequence generator
  • Extensive factory preset library
  • NKS controller compatible

Awards

aw1
 aw1
 aw1