POLYCHROME SOFTWARE SYNTHESIZER
What’s new in Pigments 3
Pigments has evolved to be bigger, bolder, and more versatile than ever, blurring the lines between timbres and pushing sound design into vivid new territory.
Every sound engine you need
From soft acoustic timbres to deep hard-edged bass, atmospheric choir pads to granular percussive glitches - with Pigments, anything is possible.
Combine any pair from 4 dynamic sound engines to create a double-edged sound that’s totally unique to you, with different types of oscillators, algorithms, detailed sampling capabilities, and so much more...
Harmonic
Access the expansive world of additive synthesis, allowing you to create your own custom waveform down to the finest individual harmonic detail. Build acoustic string & wind sounds from scratch, or modulate for aggressive material timbers that demand your full attention.
Experiment with up to 512 partials, dual customizable formant filters that can be morphed from A to B, odd and even harmonic customization, partial distribution, complex frequency windows, and more.
Wavetable
Huge basses, razor-sharp leads, and dense digital pads await with Pigments’ advanced wavetable synth engine. Choose from over 160 wavetables, select any waveform snapshot, or morph between them - you can even import your own wavetables to unlock limitless possibilities.
Transform any wavetable beyond sonic recognition with dynamic tools like phase distortion, wavefolding, and rich unison & voice controls - make it your own.
Virtual Analog
Our award-winning analog emulation technology lets you harness the iconic sound of the best synths ever made, in the context of Pigments’ advanced stereo architecture. Enjoy the sought-after vintage warmth and timeless retro charm of analog keyboards, monosynths, and modules.
The Virtual Analog engine offers 3 oscillators complemented by noise and unison features. Each oscillator has 5 waveforms to choose from, as well as its own tuning, FM, and keyboard controls, much like the coveted bass synths of old.
Sample
Browse hundreds of samples, or import your own, and render any sound into a detailed granular synth patch at the touch of a button. Warp, contort, stretch, and modulate your samples for timbres ranging from ambient texture to surreal grainy keyboard sounds.
Choose from 8 granular waveforms, with detailed interconnected controls for grain density, length, start position, pitch, and much more - take any existing sound and effortlessly mould it into something beautifully musical.
Utility engine
Whether you’re using Harmonic, Wavetable, Virtual Analog, or Sampling, Pigments lets you add equal depth and texture to any sound with the Utility engine.
This additional engine can be added to whatever pair of sound engines you’ve chosen to create your sound, allowing you to add an extra oscillator and up to 2 layers of sampled noise.
Filters
Pigments features twin morphing filters that can be customized to taste. Choose from 10 filters, from legendary analog self-oscillating ladders to bleeding-edge modern options like surgeon, formant, and comb.
Refine further with enhanced routing, giving you detailed control over your signal chain. Wire your filters in series or parallel, route each filter to a separate FX bus, or sum both filters pre-FX for that all-encompassing finishing touch.
Synth
This is where you’ll shape your synth voice, from choosing your combination of sound engines to weaving your own web of modulation. Here, you’ll also find your filter controls, as well as keyboard and expression settings - the core of Pigments’ unique voice creation.
FX
Color, contort, or complement your sound with an array of FX worthy of the finest mixes. Intuitively laid out are your 3 buses - Bus A, Bus B, and Send Bus - each capable of having 3 FX algorithms in whatever order or routing you need.
Seq
Bring your patch to life with a visual 16-step sequencer & arpeggiator. Add movement and randomization to any patch, chord sequence, or melody with an interface that’s perfect for composing, performing, or sound design.
Cutting-edge FX
Add the finishing touches with some studio-grade FX.
Pigments’ FX panel offers twin insert buses and a send bus, each one letting you choose and combine any 3 of the premium effects to create a truly refined, mix-ready sound.
- NEW Pitch Shift Delay - A clean, modern algorithm for creating exciting pitch-shifting ambience.
- NEW Flanger BL-20 - A faithful reimagining of an elusive analog studio effect.
- NEW Chorus JUN-6 - One-touch analog sparkle and stereo fatness, taken from our faithful Juno-6 emulation.
- NEW Multiband Compressor - An essential dynamic tool for creating a tight sound without ever leaving Pigments.
- Multi Filter - 5 additional & essential resonant filter curves to further shape your sonic response.
- Param EQ - A 5-band parametric EQ for continuous, detailed control over the important frequencies.
- Compressor - Control peaks and fatten up your sound with a beautifully transparent compressor.
- Distortion - Dial up the heat for aggressive basslines and torn-up ambience.
- Overdrive - Natural clipping for that organic guitar-amp grit .
- Wavefolder - Turn your sound on its head with the zapped distorted effect of wavefolding.
- Bitcrusher - Inject a touch of lo-fi goodness with beautifully digital downsampling.
- Chorus - A classic modulation effect for animating and widening any sound.
- Flanger - Unmistakable overlapping jet engine sweeps and resonant peaks.
- Phaser - A classic chunky modulation effect that oozes guitar pedal attitude.
- Stereo Pan - Subtle manipulation of the stereo field for adding width to any mono sound.
- Delay - Straightforward time-based ambience.
- Tape Echo - Delay with vintage color, based on classic guitar FX units.
- Reverb - Give your sound some space with a detailed yet simple reverb algorithm.
Preset library
Pigments comes loaded with 1200 of the best presets for house, dub, trap, lo-fi, and everything in between, created by the best sound designers, producers, and beat makers in the business - so you can get exploring straight away.
It doesn’t end there - as you explore presets, get real-time tips from the designers themselves by hovering over the ‘ideas’ icon, showing you what parameters to tweak to make the most of each sound. You can even add your own notes for future reference.
Organize your own custom presets and expand Pigments’ library with our monthly Sound Banks, including artist tributes, instrument-themed releases, and the hottest genres in music production.
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 - MacOS: 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).
Main Features
- Two engines in parallel with a choice of:
- Virtual Analog triple osc engine
- Complex Wavetable engine (including over 160 wavetables)
- Sample & Granular engine (including sample library)
- Harmonic Oscillator additive engine
- Third Utility engine
- Analog-style oscillator layer with 5 waveforms and 6-octave range
- Dual noise sample players with built-in sample library
- Visual interface with color-coded modules and graphical feedback
- Dual filters with continuous series/parallel routing
- Classic filter types from V Collection instruments
- Modern filter types
- Powerful FX section
- Insert or Send routing
- Modulable parameters
- 18 FX algorithms, from vintage to cutting-edge
- Advanced modulation system
- Graphical editing, source-based or destination-based.
- Envelopes, LFOs, Function generators, Random src, ...
- Extensive, ever-growing library of 1200 presets
- Polyrhythmic Sequencer and Arpeggiator
- Create complex, custom and evolving sequences/arps
**Product is a digital download, not a physical product