Ambient Pads & Drones Sound Design with Pigments (with commentary)

[@MartinStuertzer]

Please let me know which topic you would like to have me working on next time!

[@iamelohym]

Old VST Gems from the Past... like making Drones with SYNTH1 or something like that.

[@Raumfalle]

Arturia Pigments 5 Input for processing external audio (Hardware and VST)

[@ekraftmusic]

how to work with arpeggios in Pigments 5 or Diva? thanks for the stream

[@traumadiffuser3705]

I would appreciate a session about Dark Ambient. Also creating weird sounds FX that appear from time to time. Thank you!

[@GrootsieTheDog]

The subtle transitions/arraignments that are so important to keep an ambient track interesting within the minimalist structure. 😊

[@krazywabbit]

Hi from the future. WOW!!!!!!! I saw your videos in the past and while the sounds are amazing, the process never clicked. I didn’t understand that lingo. Now having listened and noodled, someone shared this video this morning. The way you present. It clicked. I quickly grabbed my journal and wrote notes on pad 1 and drone 1. I also have pigments (won in a contest) it’s been collecting virtual dust. This video has inspired me. I’m stopping at the 40 min mark to go practice as you begin the next part saying it’s a little more complicated. I’ll come back later. Your style, explanation and approach is so helpful. I’ve always wanted to do this but nothing really clicked. For you to take the time to have done this in the way you did. I’m forever grateful. When a human being can be a positive spark to another human being, THIS is what it’s all about. Thank you so very much 🎉

[@MartinStuertzer]

Thank you for your kind words!

[@markbelcher1777]

Exceptional learning experience. So informative, showing us ‘real’ tips and tricks, at a steady pace! Thank you Martin!

[@erwingroeneveld5372]

Thank you very much for this one. Learned a lot. For me, the main takeaway is: don't overdo it, keep it simple, split up the patches so you can use external effects like Supermassive, and plan. Thinking in low, mid and high sounds is a good one. I do have the tendency to "choke" the lower end of the spectrum. Great to see a Pigments tutorial in a musical context, instead of the "mechanics" of the instrument. Much appreciated!

[@MartinStuertzer]

Thank you very much, I am glad, that you found the livestream useful!

[@tammy1001]

Was going to make a comment but, everything this guy just said...

[@Rayvvvone]

Hi, Martin !! I got an Arturia Minilab 3 and figured out that the best I can do is to use a soft synth such as vital. I need tutorials like yours. I used to dream of making my own space ambient music.... and you are just about to start that with your help. I also love to mix melodic techno with a DJ mixer... I have a very small room, no place for much equipment.. my desk is pretty full already. I would add that music has saved my life. So, your tutorial is also very HEALING to me.. and I want to thank you from the bottom of my heart. If I am happy, my kids are happy and they thank you as well. So many musicians are SO generous and that blows my mind. Thanks again.

[@MartinStuertzer]

Thank you for your kind words!

[@alexfostes4021]

Lovely cat Neptune 😊

[@kenlusk4528]

Martin, this is an excellent video. You've totally changed how I approach designing pads, and have given me yet another reason why I love Pigments.

[@stanante]

Getting some proper Steve Roach vibes from this. Raally appreciate you sharing your experience with this! Really insightful and helpful for where I'm at in the learning curve.

[@schattenquelle]

Danke Martin. Was für ein sensationelles Tutorial!!! Ich habe den Pigments-Synth schon länger, aber kaum erforscht. Diese Komplexität ist nun garnicht mehr so undurchschaubar wie ich ihn bisher empfunden habe. Ein ganz herzliches Dankeschön für diese herrliche Inspiration. Grüße, ein Like und ein Abo selbstverständlich!😃

[@johnlouiskluck]

Missed the live broadcast but this is very inspiring! Thank you Martin and Neptun!

[@bigtony7807]

Sound good and you are true creator dude ! I got a soundbuddy cat too he always jump on the desk and chillin while im working😀

[@johnnyraphaell]

Pad 2 has some Robert Rich vibes in it. Love it!!

[@NineInchFailz]

Found you first through your albums on spotify, then completely unrelated found you by searching for tutorials. The real Gs share their knowledge

[@MartinStuertzer]

Thank you! I am glad, you discovered me on Spotify, most people do it the other way round.

[@jamesconraadtucker]

Martin, you are the best teacher on products I like delving into to get the right information. From Stepic to Pigments, you're calm and pleasant demeanor, and thoughtful patient instruction is excellent. I just wanted to pass that along. Peace, blessings, James

[@varde6965]

Thank you so much for this! Have had a 2 year break from making music,. Just started to produce ambient again, i needed something to do with my time after my dog passed a way 2 weeks ago. And videos like this is really motivating to get back into it :).

[@MartinStuertzer]

Oh I am so sorry about your dog!

[@OceanMoonJack]

Martin - your tutorials are life-changing. Thank you so, so much

[@GareauRA]

So I followed your video to the absolute "T" and by that I mean when you made a change I made a change and my change mirrored your change. And oh my lord I just sit here listening to this all day! Thank you for taking the time to make these. There are those of out there that absolutely look forward to you're next session!!!!

[@MartinStuertzer]

Thank you! More sessions like this are coming soon.

[@MikkelGrumBovin]

Omg , that intro is just....wonderful ❤you earned my sub😊

[@holgernetterby4863]

Always a pleasure to listen to / watch 😀

[@bhespe]

Hi Martin, thank you very much for this excellent tutorial!

[@wngimageanddesign9546]

Congratulations on your award and recognition! Much deserved.

[@fallenleaf24]

Following along but using the ImpOSCar3 what a delight! Not only is the synth incredible but it was complementing your pad nicely :D It was Jam Sesh! Thanks!

[@wykevanweelden]

Absolutely love this! Hope you'll make more vids for Pigments cos I'm learning a lot here!

[@AA_MusicGuy1111]

Pads and all are nice but I hit like and subscribe as soon as I saw that cat ❤

[@fxdaly]

Excellent, Martin. Very informative

[@chrolimeg]

very helpful tutorial 🎶 thank you very much 🙏

[@equinoxambient]

I recently acquired Pigments and so far really liking it and I really appreciate the long form content on this. Thank you for sharing your knowledge.

[@Kabelix]

Martin, i really enjoy this new stream format and the idea of doing these kind of production streams on a regular basis. Thank you so much for putting so much work and enthusiasm into this. I did learn so much from you, and especially of course in these last streams. I would love to see some UHE repro stuff and maybe sometimes in a different genre - iirc you also like dub music? but of course the most important point is that you feel good while streaming so i will enjoy everythiing you like ;)

[@isostaticmusic]

Congratulations on your Schallwelle award!

[@gen-amb]

Martin thank you for this beautiful generous sketch of your process; So many enlightenments for me!

[@Official_Zenuh]

just love the ambience, serependy you bring to me thru your music. Willen Dank.

[@buddingsignal]

i can probably never thank you enough, Martin. infinite thanks. 🙏pad 1 is the best thing i've heard and played in Pigments. wow. i can't stop playing it and i'm using only a few fingers. you also taught me how to use LFOs on Pigments. thank *YOU* 🙏

[@MartinStuertzer]

Ooh thank you for your kind words!

[@SongOfItself]

Martin, thank you, this was fantastically useful! So interesting to see how you do certain things your way.

[@JesusMusic-pan]

It was a great talk and it solved a problem that had puzzled me for a long time! Thank you!

[@itinerantghost]

Really enjoyed this one, Martin. Super useful as always, and a lovely insight into some of the sounds you make. Really appreciate how you're taking the time to break down each sound, and answer questions as you go along.

[@ekraftmusic]

Martin thanks! Why don't you make Pigments 5 presets with nice pads and sell them for $10-15. I think many would like to buy!

[@MartinStuertzer]

Maybe your wishes will come true in Q2 or Q3 2024.

[@Sundownerrr]

Brilliant this, thank you sir.

[@heikoelswyk7735]

Vielen Dank für die Einblicke, das ist sehr sehr inspirierend 👍

[@creta84]

Thank you so much. This tutorial was such an amazing journey.

[@radiofloyd2359]

A little fyi: per my experiences, the envelopes in pigments seem to operate somehow independently from the VCA envelope, which means that making the release of the envelopes to 20s is going to take substantially more processing power for the patch than if you set it to something reasonable like 6 or 7s. That's what I would recommend, umless you intend to use all 20s.

[@JacoF17]

Hi Martin. Thank you, Jacopo from Venice. Italy👍🌈🎵🌟

[@Art0691p]

Great video. Learnt a lot. Many thanks.

[@Dpower]

Thank you Martin🤗

[@RJATTRILL]

Beautiful sounds

[@samharvey8201]

Great video! Will be subscribing to check out more. You have a great style.

[@CreatednoiseSound]

Hi Martin, Tollem kanal hast du da. Verfolge dich schon einige zeit. Klasse livestream

[@MartinStuertzer]

Vielen lieben Dank

[@VirtualModular]

This was excellent Martin, I use Pigments a lot so it was interesting to see your approach. On the question of using the external input, I've been using this for guitar effects recently. I was thinking of making a tutorial but I think it would only interest about 3 people on the entire internet! One issue is you don't get any sound unless there's a MIDI note to open the envelopes, so to use as a regular effect processor you need to feed it a sequence and crank the release up to get a constant sound. The effects are largely very good, but what makes it more interesting than regular effects are the synth filters and modulation, in particular things like the random modulators. Of course, you can use the effects on hardware synths or VSTi's in a DAW, drum tracks or anything else. It's definitely worth checking out if you already have Pigments!

[@MartinStuertzer]

Right now I don't see a usecase for Pigments as external effect processor, but it is interesting to see, that they implemented that feature.

[@VirtualModular]

@Stuertzeryep, I don't use it a lot but it can make some interesting sounds that you wouldn't be able to get with most pedals, or plugin effects. I made a patch just now using sample and hold to modulate the formant filter, which I really liked on guitar. I've convinced myself to make a video on it anyway, to hell with it 😉

[@0711RC]

Thank you. Awesome lesson.

[@Heatwave1988]

Fantastic stream! Respect from Ukraine!

[@Innocence44]

very inspiring. thank you!

[@lukaszswist2321]

great taste of sound design, nice cooking

[@WHaTcAniSaY-nv9yk]

U-He and Arturia need to do something together. Imagine what Vst they could co-create. Hmm

[@boryskuczkowski]

Hi Martin, this is really wonderful. I have discovered your channel and music lately and it's absolutely amazing. I noticed that some of your clips would use irregular timing 17 or 24 bars - is that on purpose to create different overlapping points when looped over time? Thank You.

[@MartinStuertzer]

Yes exactly. Music in our modern computer programs are quantised and put into boxes of 2, 4 or 8 bars by default. For the music, which I would like to make, I want to have a more "natural" feeling.

[@Bendelan]

Thanks for the great video.

[@paveldmitriev3670]

Thank you! you are the best ambient performer! ))

[@analogsynthtim8823]

Vielen Dank Martin❤

[@robmlisanti]

Sorry I couldnt make it live, had errands today, i will watch it tonight! thank you!

[@MartinStuertzer]

No problem, the stream will remain online.

[@krysticsage]

I am loving this walkthrough! I copied what you did on Pad1 in the PolyGrid in Bitwig and make an amazingly luscious pad sound :)

[@MartinStuertzer]

Great, I need to do my homework on the Bitwig synths.

[@krysticsage]

@@MartinStuertzerIf you have never checked out "Poly Grid" .. it is a modular environment where we can make our own synths. I took 3 Pulse (square wave) oscillators and built a synth in just a few minutes. We even have a Oberheim-inspired filter (XP) so I could match closer to the filter you chose in Pigments. : ) I went this route because Bitwig doesn't have any native synths with more than 2 oscillators. It was an awesome exercise for myself, and I am very happy with the results! When I put the SuperMassive on it, it just took it to the next level and I said "Wow!". Cheers mate!

[@duartecancela]

thank you bro 🙏

[@jasonsykes7725]

excellent,thank you enjoying the insight into your modulation routing and techniques.I am migrating over to Bitwig after years on Cubase any help with modulation routing or uses inside of bitwig would be really helpful.

[@sonuslab5337]

Glückwunsch zum Schallwelle Award. Video läuft.

[@MartinStuertzer]

Vielen Dank!

[@ElementaryKnowledge3000]

This is awesome!

[@ElementaryKnowledge3000]

Also, you make it all very accessible. Thank you.

[@johnnyraphaell]

Output Portal can be an Hologram Microcosm FX as a Plugin. Its very complex and sounds lovely

[@MartinStuertzer]

Thank you, I am going to check it out!

[@vikramjitbanerjeetuki]

Please make a pad tutorial with any of your favourite HARDWARE Synths please 🙏🙏🙏

[@rafaell28]

Hello! I know most people consider this to be basic stuff but I would love some specifics about designing particle sounds, I recon that is achievable by just using a shimmer fx but I wonder if theres a way to have more control on it, the speed, spreading in the stereo field and even the use of fifths and other harmonics in a more controled way. This will look dumb for most people but I'll ask anyway, since my mind works in a very visual context: (I imagine in my fertil mind a swarm of cristal flys moving around me in a similar pattern) (also inspired by Richard Wright and David Gilmour in Shine On You Crazy Diamond arpeggio, the image of a big diamond rotating and reflecting one beam of light in multiple coolours and 360 degree direction, also in a fixed pattern) Thank you for the great content, subscribed and checking your older videos with much interest!

[@Raumfalle]

@MartinStuertzer When and where is your gig in Berlin?

[@MartinStuertzer]

It is with my project Phelios, check out all infos here: raubbau.bigcartel.com/product/der-tag-der-befreiung-ist-nah-23

[@GrahamFMcElearney]

Hi @MartinStuertzer I hope you're well. Thanks so much for this. A while ago someone on here asked you about a tutorial on writing chords for ambient pads - it was a few years ago in the early days of the Stay At Home concerts. You mentioned a particular site that you said was useful - I was wondering if you could remember what it was?

[@MartinStuertzer]

Hmm, I can't remember!

[@GrahamFMcElearney]

@@MartinStuertzer Oh well not to worry!

[@GrahamFMcElearney]

@@MartinStuertzer But id you do have any tips or know of any resources on this it would be great - y always have such fantastic pads in your music! G

[@mass-1128]

Hi Martin, great video! What features and improvements would you like Arturia to add to Pigments with a future firmware update?

[@Synfluence101]

That is a nice explanation and sound design lesson for such a cool synth. Where did you find and get the Waldorf Iridium wavetables?

[@olafsigursons]

Electro-Harmonix Ocean 11 is one hell of a good reverb with a lot of interesting algo for not too much. Looks at guitar pedal, there is good options there.

[@SmileyFabian]

Tolles Tutorial. Wäre super, wenn Du das Bitwig-Projekt teilen könntest. :)

[@tomfoolery4077]

whats the benefit of using the external reverb vs the reverb in Pigments?

[@Mgetienne]

Which synthesisers you are using. Your sounds are so great..🫶🏽

[@BerndScheurer]

vielen dank für die neuen ideen! bei der gelegenheit: wenn die random-lfo ausgehen, könnte man auch die random-generatoren verwenden?

[@MartinStuertzer]

Ja, theoretisch schon. Die müssten aber immer durch etwas getriggert werden, weil sie nicht von alleine laufen. Das macht es bei Pads mit langen Tönen schwierig. Außerdem stünden noch die Modulatoren von Bitwig zur Verfügung. Man kommt schon zurecht. :)

[@Danif3d]

About stuffing Supermassive in a pedal, I remember seeing someone intalling it in a Windows mini PC the size of a large phone. Not sure about the price though. I believe you can also host VSTs in Raspberry Pi Linux.

[@fruchticaramelos9013]

Glückwunsch zum Preis! Hochwertige Pedale und externe Effektgeräte hören sich deutlich besser und präsenter an als Plugins, irgendwann siehst du es ein ;) - selbst wenn es DSP basierte Pedale sind. Es ist einfach nicht das selbe. Habe etliche Tests gemacht, weil ich auch in Frage gestellt habe, ob sich der Kauf von teuren Pedalen heutzutage noch lohnt. Jedes mal, wenn ich z.B. den Eventide Space mit den Valhalla Plugins verglichen habe, gefiel mir der Pedal-Sound deutlich besser. Viel tiefer und nicht so matschig mit unschönen Überschneidungen. Gerade bei so übertriebenen langen Hallfahnen und Delays ist das schon nice, wenn man wirklich gute Effekte hat. Auch Delay und Modulationseffekte hören sich ganz anders an. Es ist eine Geschmackssache, keine Frage. Ich kann das gut verstehen, dass ordentliche Bands oder Produzenten schon immer in hochwertige Studios gehen, um einen ordentlichen Sound zu bekommen. Wenn man diese Tracks mit langen Valhallafahnen mal laut macht, tut es meistens weh auf dem Ohr und es hört sich undefiniert matschig an, miese Überschneidungen. Es ist trotzdem wunderbar, dass heute jeder die Möglichkeit hat günstig zu produzieren.

[@MartinStuertzer]

Hmm hmm! Schwieriges Thema! Ich habe ja selbst schon viele teure Pedale ausprobiert und bin zu einem anderen Ergebnis gekommen. Aber wie du richtig bemerkst, ist es Geschmackssache.

[@deejayroman]

Was soll bitte anders klingen, wenn du den gleichen "Code" in the Box oder in einem externen Gerät ausführst?

[@MartinStuertzer]

Es hat wohl Gründe, dass es so gut wie keine Plugins von Hardware-Geräten gibt, damit man genau diesen Vergleich nicht anstellen kann. So ist es immer ein Vergleich zwischen zwei verschiedenen Algorithmen, deren Unterschiede natürlich größer sind als das, was andere Wandler, Vorstufen und was da so alles verbaut ist, ausmachen. Sofern keine analogen Schaltungen wie Bucket Brigade Delay, Bandecho, Hallspirale oder Plattenhall (Gott bewahre!) verbaut sind, halte ich das wirklich für eine sehr gewagte Theorie, dass Hardware anders klingt als Software.

[@deejayroman]

@@MartinStuertzerDa bin ich voll bei dir. Eventide Blackhole gibt es z.B. als Hardware und Plugin. Da könnte man mal vergleichen, wäre vielleicht mal interessant.

[@fruchticaramelos9013]

Es ist eine häufige Debatte zwischen Hardware und Software. Hier habe ich einen Vergleich zwischen dem H90 und Valhalla Vintage Verb gezogen. Ich habe absichtlich stark übertrieben, die Elemente extrem betont und den Reverb übermäßig eingestellt - so würde niemals ein Mix von mir klingen. Es ist wie Tag und Nacht. Der Hardware-Reverb kann richtig eingestellt werden, und selbst wenn es übertrieben ist, klingt er noch weich und tief. Es steckt echter Druck dahinter, und die Höhen sind präsent, wenn man es wünscht. Beim Valhalla habe ich intensiv getweakt, aber es war bei weitem nicht möglich, einen so schnellen Sound zu erreichen, und generell fehlt es an Druck. Das ist nur ein schnelles Beispiel, aber für mich ist das schon aussagekräftig. Es gibt bereits ein Video hier, das einen besseren Vergleich zwischen dem Blackhole-Plugin und der Hardware zeigt. H90 www.dropbox.com/scl/fi/8ivpr5qgbhgv1dqnj5t1k/H90.wav?rlkey=3in7zs4ele8ryxflo31w8u0hs&dl=0 Valhalla Vintage Verb www.dropbox.com/scl/fi/asx4eoom65whwlenvftp5/Valhalla-Vintage-Verb.wav?rlkey=l8rgtkrghh6l61w4rmfnj9kd2&dl=0

[@franco6390]

Om 🎉grande saund 🎉🐱

[@lX-NDR]

How do you compare pigments to phaseplant?

[@jeffsymons7084]

Hello Martin. Perhaps you already discovered this, but the high frequency spike at nyquist is from Supermassive. I am not sure exactly what is happening to cause it but if you turn down the MOD Depth in Supermassive the spike goes away. Perhaps the modulation inside Supermassive is causing some non-linearities, It may be worth asking Sean Costello what is happening technically.

[@MartinStuertzer]

Thank you very much, I would never have thought of that!

[@mcmasters3000]

the beach boys made pad sounds too

[@rashpeg]

Превед медвед. Great tutorial! What headphones did you use?

[@MartinStuertzer]

Thank you! I am working with the Neumann NDH 30.

[@francotonini6446]

Om🎉 grande 🎹🎶🎹😻

[@ickebins6948]

Since the Pigments 5 update it can't really use it anymore. Freezes, crashes ... I don't know why, I did not change anything on my setup. Reinstalled multiple times, nothing changed. Same problem in standalone or within a DAW...

[@MartinStuertzer]

That is strange! What kind of computer are you running? I know the frustration of things stopping to work after an update!

[@ickebins6948]

@@MartinStuertzerMy pc is pretty good. AMD 5800X, 32GB RAM, Win10, everything running on SSD's. Pigments is the only software that has those problems.

[@MartinStuertzer]

I would suggest that you contact Arturia support about this. I am on a Mac and can't give you any hints how to troubleshoot this.

[@ickebins6948]

@@MartinStuertzer Thanks for the reply. I'm in contact with Arturia so hopefully they can figure that out. Have a great week.

[@iamelohym]

Neptune is the Conductor.

[@Naturalblend.]

Hi Martin, I'm writing to you from Italy, I follow your channel a lot, I wanted to ask you if I could delve deeper into the topic of (phase correlation on ambient music)? I don't know if you can do it, but thanks anyway

[@danbient]

This seems/resembles a Reese bass

[@AmbientShores]

Can't get it wrong with Arturia.

[@dimakinash]

Top👍😎😎😎😎

[@n.tenbroeke2564]

I can hear you loud and clear

[@naturesound2963]

Hallo Martin, ich bewundere wirklich Dein Wissen und die Handhabe all der virtuellen und analogen/digitalen Soundmaschinen, von denen ich nicht sehr viel vestehe, es aber bewundere, wie Du die Klangformung außerordentlich beherrscht.. Aber es wäre doch auch gut, ein Tasteninstrument auch spielerisch zu beherrschen, und das kann ich hier zunächst noch nicht erfassen. Bei Deiner Intelligenz wäre es doch mal eine Herausforderung, mal wirklich Klavierspielen zu erlernen, oder? Verstehe dies bitte als *konstruktive Kritik* .. und weiterhin frohes Schaffen.. :)

[@MartinStuertzer]

Es ist auch hilfreich, das Buch nicht nur vom Deckblatt aus zu bewerten, wie der Engländer sagt. martinstuertzer.de/2023/12/24/my-beethoven-recordings/

[@naturesound2963]

@@MartinStuertzer Oh, in der Tat, das erschloss sich mir nicht bislang, da auf Deinem Kanal hier ja eher programmierte "Maschinenmusik" dominiert, die spieltechnisch ja eher überschaubar ist, wo aber die Ruhe, Meditation, die Sanftheit und das Gefühl für die Zartheit der Klänge sich einem auftun. Hut ab und Respekt .. und danke für den wichtigen Hinweis und die Korrektur. :) Dennoch müssen wir Musiker nicht "unter Beweis stellen", wie gut wir denn nun sind.. Entweder, man ist an die "Ewigkeit des Seins" angeschlossen, und man ist sich dessen bewußt, oder man lässt Maschinen dafür arbeiten, dass man wähnt, nur all zu gerne dort zu sein, wo man denn so gerne sein würde ;), oder? Ich möchte die Vorstellung und das Werben für das ja durchaus "narzis-steigernde" Equipment damit nur einmal mehr in Frage stellen.. Darf ich das? ... ;D

[@Shubham_Kvt79]

Please sir do release the last conversation track i just need please sir😢❤

[@GrootsieTheDog]

Your definition of a drone is incorrect. There are different types of drones - a drone is less about its technical make up. Its more about its function. The Tanboura drone is actually a sequence of notes. Much like a synth sequence lacking a strong melodic theme. A melodic sequence becomes very repetitive very quickly and doesn't act as a drone. But a series of notes in a seq that has no melodic theme can be repeated over and over and, much like the repetitive seq of notes on a Tanboura, acts as a drone of sorts i e. A grounding repetitive stream of sound. A drone is better defined as a musical element that has no appatent direction. Its use and purpose is to give a static element for other musical elements to move around.