The art
of sound design
Logos Cluster
This sound is a nod to a certain classic sci-fi movie whom I both love the soundtrack and aesthetics. It adds a sixth harmony which gives it a peculiar, slightly mysterious feeling. Playing single sustained notes or simple triads works best on it.
Victor Morello - on Augmented BRASS
I'm an electronic music producer, sound designer and computer enthusiast.
I've worked for 5 years as an in-house sound designer for Arturia, working on both the sound and ergonomics of products like MatrixBrute, Pigments and PolyBrute. I now create experimental music as Zero Crossing Point, exploring strong emotions and abrasive textures. In my spare time, I also create video games and experiment with 3D graphics.
“Easy access to a wide range of modulators and effects were a must for creating compelling and lively patches. I especially enjoyed the quality of the samples and the ability to have two parallel chains of instruments going on. I focused on sounds that were simple and inspiring, while making a few that would also propose a musical or melodic idea, in the hope of sparking musical inspiration.”
Angelic Rim
This preset is perfect as a base for a cinematic cue. Using the morph and color knobs you can tell a whole story with just one note. The granular engine on layer B adds a dystopian texture to the patch.
Richard Veenstra - on Augmented BRASS
I'm a Dutch sound designer and composer currently based in Madrid, Spain. I provide factory presets and sample libraries for leading software and hardware musical instrument companies like Arturia, Elektron, Toontrack, Steinberg, Native Instruments, Soniccouture, and Applied Acoustics Systems. I'm also the co-founder of Feature Music and part of the sound design agency 'The Solos'.
“The morph knob is the most powerful element of Augmented Brass. It's really great to turn a classic patch of acoustic horns into a heavy synth-based braaaam sound. The addition of unusual playing techniques make the instrument into a real gem. I wanted to create sounds that are unheard of in other brass-like synthesizers. This meant looking further than what a traditional brass instrument is and define what a brass sound can mean for modern music production.”
Drone It
Who doesn't like a long atmosphere created by a piano in a huge reverb? No one does. So that's the basis of this preset, augmented with some synthetic textures with synchronized long modulations to create an evolving atmosphere. Morph A is composed of a classic drone sound where piano and synth sounds are mixed, and morph B of a modulated granular texture to add movement to the sound. The macro is designed to transform the sound during your sustained chord, making it more intense or the opposite, as you wish!
Quentin Feuillard - on Augmented GRAND PIANO
I'm a sound designer and technician who evolved in the world of Djing before studying sound programming for video games and audiovisuals. Sound designer at Arturia since 2022, I work mainly on the Augmented series and samples, I've been lead SD on the series since 2024. Outside the company, I like to paint miniatures and play board games in my spare time.
“The samples inside and the presets engines are the must have to get inspiration. The intuitiveness of the Morph parameter to blend your two creations and the evolving capacities with macros from Pigments and modulators give you infinite possibilities! I always think of an idea before making presets. I listen to music or watch videos that inspire me a lot to recreate or try to keep the same feeling while creating. For example, Tape Piano was inspired by a video that talked about recording on tape, and I tried to imagine how I could recreate the same behavior as a physical material.”
Firefly Felt
I wanted to create some original prepared piano sounds, and add randomisation to the pitch and other parameters to accentuate the organic feel of the presets. I combined some of the atypical processed samples like Balinese Beach and Mallets to deep piano tones, and also creates reverse note effect with Functions.
Lily Jordy - on Augmented GRAND PIANO
Classically trained multi-instrumentalist turned sound designer and engineer, Lily Jordy has been creating and performing organic electronic music as “Lyli J” for the past 10 years. Mesmerized by the art of synthesis and audio sculpting, she’s created many presets for Arturia’s hardware and V-Collection instruments. Her latest packs include an Air Tribute, as well as factory banks for CZ V and Pigments.
“Layering the additional and processed piano samples was a huge source of inspiration for me to create beautiful textures and tones. Being able to easily swap the Engines to try out different combinations and how they Morph between each other is something I really appreciate in the Augmented series instruments. ”
Aroused Reeds
This preset's default sound is acoustic, featuring a Pitch Shifter Delay whose pitch is set to -5, producing a sort of diatonic canon. I began with a simple melody and most of the Macros minimized to create a natural, opaque sound with a gentle canon effect. As the arrangement progresses and intensifies, I utilized the Macros and MIDI Velocity to unveil the full expression this sound is capable of.
Gustavo Bravetti - on Augmented WOODWINDS
Electronic musician and music producer from Montevideo, Uruguay, I started programming sounds and music in the early 90s. Years later, I traveled the world, performing live with alternative MIDI controllers of my own creation.
“Arturia takes a giant leap with Augmented Woodwinds, showcasing superior sample quality that's both cinematic and inspiring. The woodwind samples seamlessly blend with the synth engines, producing a rich, evocative sound palette. Numerous presets offer quick usability, making it a versatile asset for various musical genres. Its cinematic allure sets a new benchmark in the Augmented series, making it a highly recommendable choice for those eager to explore the realms of both the organic and the synthesized. I focused on harnessing the instrument's detailed samples and dynamic velocity layers, creating rich, responsive sounds. My exploration led to cinematic expressions, authentic soundscapes perfect for film scoring, and some quirky sonic experiments. I invested additional time in fully optimizing the Macro controls, granting users the agility to alter sounds effectively in real-time, ensuring the results remain useful and musical.”
Sunrise Over Taihu
Honestly, I like all the presets! It's hard to pick out just one specific sound. For my demo track, I used four presets: Sunrise Over Taihu, Chinese Duet, Tianxia, and Tea Ceremony. These sounds are based on three Chinese instruments: Guqin, Pipa, and Yangqin. I think these instruments capture the spirit of Chinese culture perfectly.
Konstantin Klem - on Augmented YANGTZE
I have been passionate about music ever since I was a child. Huge influences for me are Eduard Artemyev, Didier Marouani, and Vangelis. During my college years, I released several singles in the trance style under the Qursion alias and then seriously got into sound design. My recent EP was released on the Billegal Beats. Currently, I'm immersed in crafting a new album and designing soundbanks for a variety of synthesizers.
“I'm definitely enjoying the Morph feature. You can seamlessly transition between sound eras - from ancient instruments to ultra-modern ones. Imagine you're composing a 10-track piece with Yangtze on each track and at one point you automate the Morph knob on all tracks simultaneously! I think this is an amazing feature for film or game scoring, when transitioning from one scene to another. During my college years, I had the opportunity to intern at a university in China. I was able to visit cities like Harbin, Dalian, and Jiamusi. I interacted a lot with ordinary people. I think I captured the essence of this rich culture. Every time I opened Yangtze, I tried to remember everything that happened to me in China, everything I saw and heard. It was a great help in my work on the sounds.”
Airport Music
It was hard to land on my favourite preset, but I have chosen Airport Music. This was influenced by Brian Eno’s Music For Airports album. I was exploring the new choir samples and landed on this sound when I added a big reverb. You can create a lush soundscape with this one. Voices Trailer is my second favourite preset, although it is less versatile.
Joe Sheldrick - on Augmented VOICES
I am a sound designer and composer with a wide variety of experience in these worlds spread over 20 years. I started out as a club DJ/producer and I then got into sample pack and preset creation. I later progressed into the sonic branding world where I initially worked for electric vehicle startup Arrival, then later as a freelancer. In 2024 I joined the Arturia sound design team where I have been working on the Augmented Series amongst other projects. I love scoring music to visuals and I am a synth and music tech enthusiast.
“The strengths of the Augmented Series is the ability to quickly layer real multi-sampled instruments with synth and sampled elements creating a uniquely hybrid sound. The new UI of version 2 has vastly improved workflow and is a joy to design sounds with. Unless I am directed to design a specific sound, I will always try to approach the synth in a unique way by finding its oddities and hidden features. I get bored quickly by the same ideas and approaches, so I am always seeking new territory. ”
Void Choir
At first I wanted something close to Voices sound like and with little movements inside, starting with a swell through a formant filter helped me a lot to get that feeling.
Quentin Feuillard - on Augmented VOICES
I'm a sound designer and technician who evolved in the world of Djing before studying sound programming for video games and audiovisuals. Sound designer at Arturia since 2022, I work mainly on the Augmented series and samples, I've been lead SD on the series since 2024. Outside the company, I like to paint miniatures and play board games in my spare time.
“The main strength of this instrument is the sound possibility gives by this 4 engines and the Morph feature to makes complex and evolving sounds. Experimental sounds created for Voices combine very well with all the real articulations, spice it up with some synthesis element and get a good recipe for a good sound.”
Forbidden Handpan
Zain Hayat - on Augmented STRINGS
I’m a producer, composer and sound designer currently based in Bangalore, India, specialising in sound design and genre-fluid music that leans heavily towards textures, distortion and storytelling.
“What immediately drew me to Augmented Strings was just how easily I am able to morph from organic to electronic elements. The sample engines and synths are extremely powerful, with some great choices in sounds built in. The versatile effects and the ease of use have made this instrument my go-to when it comes to putting quick ideas down. My musical work melds organic and electronic sounds, and that’s the approach I took while building these presets. I wanted to build a set of presets that could easily be added into almost every genre as well as scores for film. The ease in which strings could be transformed into just about anything else was my biggest inspiration, and I experimented my way up from there.”
Light’s Saga
Gustavo Bravetti - on Augmented MALLETS
Electronic musician and music producer from Montevideo, Uruguay, I started programming sounds and music in the early 90s. Years later, I traveled the world, performing live with alternative MIDI controllers of my own creation.
“Like the other instruments in the Augmented Series, this one is both practical and powerful, especially with the brand new modulation system. While I craft my own sounds, I appreciate the huge value the vast, high-quality, ready-to-use preset library adds—especially with macros that offer deep, expressive control instantly, without having to dive into complex synthesis. I spent most of the time exploring combinations of mallet samples and synth engine presets, chasing happy accidents. When something promising emerged, I added modulation to give the sound its own dynamic personality, shaping it further with well-mapped macros. Effects then added depth, character, and space, often transforming the patch entirely. ”
Air Loop
Arovane - on Augmented MALLETS
My name is Uwe Zahn, aka Arovane. I have been a musician for over thirty years and have also worked as a sound designer for various companies for the last ten years. My current musical projects are a collaboration with Taylor Deupree on 12k and solo albums on LAAPS, Puremagnetik and DAUW.
“The Augmented Instruments are characterized by enormous tonal flexibility and high sound quality. The preset bank system is well designed and supports me very well in my musical work. The modulation options are diverse and the morphing raises the instrument to the next level. The possibility of morphing between two sounds really appealed to me. That and the excellent FX unit as well as the modulation options stimulated my imagination to program presets. It was very exciting to combine acoustic instruments with synthetic sounds. ”