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The Arturia CMI V is a software reproduction of the Fairlight CMI Series IIx digital sampling workstation, an instrument behind numerous early '80s MTV-era megahits. By applying Arturia's TAE modelling technology, the CMI captures the sound and capabilities of the original, but expands the feature set to include 10 tracks with a polyphony of 32 notes per track, additive and spectral synthesis engines, a full mixer with studio-quality effects, an expanded Page R step-sequencer with 32 steps.
The software includes the original 600 presets from the original CMI library, plus 360 factory presets created by Arturia's sound designers. Create new sounds by changing a preset, or import your own samples. The Page R sequencer adds two more tracks, allows for real-time transposition, and adds a polyrhythm mode with variable track lengths, swing, and more. The mixer section includes standard volume faders, mute, solo, and pan for each track. A single aux bus allows you to create an effect send using the 13 on-board, studio-quality effects, while two effects slots on the master bus allow for compression and limiting.
Main Features
- Software synthesizer playable through a MIDI keyboard
- 600 presets from the original CMI library
- 360 preset sounds made by Arturia sound designers
- Expanded number of tracks to 10 with a polyphony per track up to 32
- Accurate emulation of the analog filter response
- Faithful recreation of the sampling and additive synthesis capacities of the instrument
- Variable bit depth and sample rate
- Introduction of a new sound generation mode: Spectral synthesis
- Classic Page R inspired 32-step sequencer
- 24 sources of modulations per track to apply to all CONTROL parameters
- High-quality output effects
- VST, VST3, AU, AAX, and standalone operation
Digital Synthesis
- Sampler
- Utilizes the now-standard waveform display, including the ability to drag start time and length for both samples and loop points
- Visualize the waveform in 3D
- Tuning, envelope, filter and vibrato settings are available to further shape your sound and performance
- On-board instrument library
- Sample import for additional processing and performance options
- Instantly vary the playback sample rates of any samples from the digital dirt of 2.1 kHz all the way up to 44.1 kHz for modern CD quality, usually discovering interesting side effects along the way
- 30 second sample length for evolving instruments and soundscapes
- Time Synth
- Powerful additive synthesis engine
- Determine how your sound animates by dragging multiple breakpoints on the independent envelopes for each of 32 harmonics
- Real-time oscilloscope helps you visualize your work.
- Augmented simple sine waves for harmonics
- Add simple waveforms or more harmonically complex wavetables as the source for each harmonic—opening up a ton of creative possibilities
- Start from scratch, modify a preset, or work with a sample you’ve converted from the Sampler page
- Spectral Synth
- Different take on additive synthesis
- Affect an overall distribution curve of harmonics with controls including Center, Spread, Bias, and Fundamental Boost
- Modulating parameters with functions and controllers provides a powerful way to add motion and energy to your sound designs
- Select different waveshapes to pioneer sounds beyond those based on simple sines
- Offers an easy way to tame additive synthesis and produce different sonic results
- Cross-synthesis
- Fast Fourier Transform (FFT) function you the power to analyze a sample and convert it to a harmonic profile to further manipulate using all the unique harmonic controls only available to you in Time Synth mode
- Faithful modeling of this functionality offers unpredictable artifacts during the conversion process that can be musically useful themselves
- Converting your additive synth work into a sample to employ the Sampler’s display and controls in further defining your sound
Modulations
- Assign Tab
- Map control and modulation sources to just about any system parameter
- Click the Map button above the desired source, click/drag the parameter that you want to control in the lower panel to the desired offset amount, and click the Map button again to commit
- Control sample start time with the keyboard
- Trigger a crazy pitch warble on every note using an envelope
- Map a single control or modulation source to multiple parameters simultaneously or vice versa
- Map button illuminates all associated targets for easy visualization of assignments
- Function Generators
- Each instrument has its own six independent Functions you can set up as envelopes, LFOs, and tracking curves, ready to map to a plethora of destinations on the Assign tab
- Click and drag numerous breakpoints, drag the curvature of each segment for very detailed control, and specify randomization ranges for each point
- Time Mode: Loop switch causes a Function to repeat for use as an addition LFO—anything from a simple ramp or trill to the exotically complex
- Options are provided for detailed control over how a Function retriggers and runs, plus the ability to sync it to multiples or divisions of your DAW tempo to add exciting animation to whatever parameters you choose
- Control Mode: The position of the Function curve is determined by the current value of a controller you associate with it
- More Modulation
- Original modulation capabilities are still in place, such as the Vibrato section
- Added complement of assignable left-hand controllers to include six sliders and six switches that are now available in the Assign and Functions tabs
- Convenient and dedicated set of front panel performance sliders for instant access to common sonic parameters like filter, attack, damping, sample start, and more
- MIDI capabilities include mapping standard controllers like velocity, mod wheel, aftertouch, and others, to just about any parameters you can imagine for intimate performance control.
- Standard MIDI-learn capabilities
Sequencing and Mixing
- Page R Sequencer
- The Page R sequencer was the first commercially available screen-based pattern sequencer
- The quantized, pattern-based workstation implementation changed both the way music sounded and was composed
- Opens production to talented creatives regardless of their musical motor skills
- Updated Pattern Grid:
- Real-time transposition
- Added two additional tracks
- Implemented polyrhythm mode with variable track lengths
- Incorporated swing
- Mixer
- Mixer Page: Manage and balance the CMI V’s 10 instrument channels
- Works in stereo, including an aux bus and master.
- Includes 13 studio-quality effects to extend your sound designs right on board
- Leslie rotating speaker emulation
- Destroy: Bit-smashing distortion
- Route one effect per instrument, one on the aux return, and two on the master
- Apply a variable amount of aux bus reverb feed from each instrument, plus apply overall compression and limiting on the master
- Tune/Map
- Specify the root note, range, MIDI response channel, and polyphony for each individual instrument slot
- Set up splits and layers for more complex performance, instrument stacking options, or DAW assignments
- Control global temperament for outside-the-box sound design or microtonal music