Chroma Campfire

Chroma Campfire is a nostalgia-filled preset pack for Arturia Pigments and Analog Lab inspired by the distinctive soundscapes of Boards of Canada. This collection includes 80 meticulously crafted Boards of Canada synth presets that recreate some classic BoC tracks as well as offering new sounds influenced by their unique style.

I decided to use Arturia Pigments to recreate these sounds, as it’s a powerful synth with the ability to use multiple layers, integrated samples, versatile filters, and complex effect chains to authentically recreate Boards of Canada’s effects-heavy sound.

The presets in Chroma Campfire mirror the aesthetic of Boards of Canada, so there’s a strong focus on ambient pads infused with white noise, fuzzy distortion, tape delays, and dark reverbs. These sounds are very inspiring for crafting ambient soundscapes, echoing Boards of Canada’s penchant for ethereal tones and textured backgrounds.

Each preset is equipped with four custom macro controls, allowing immediate adjustments to fit your own musical tastes. Beyond ambient pads, the pack includes raspy analog leads, deep basses, and synthetic, Rhodes-like keys that embody a lo-fi charm.

Perfect for producers and musicians seeking to channel the Boards of Canada synth vibe, the presets in Chroma Campfire can enhance any project with atmospheric depth and lo-fi warmth.

I selected Arturia Pigments for recreating the sounds of Boards of Canada due to its exceptional flexibility. Key features I utilized include noise FM, up to six LFOs to emulate analog-like qualities, and a robust effects section with up to nine effects per patch.

This allows for intricate configurations such as using send/return channels and applying distinct effects to various filter and oscillator outputs. The distortion effects are great quality and I was able to get tape-like sounds by layering different types of modulation.

For those who do not own Pigments, the Analog Lab presets offer the exact sounds crafted in Pigments. While these presets lack the ability to change every setting, they are still adjustable through the four custom Macro controls. They are compatible with both Analog Lab Pro and the entirely free Analog Lab Play, ensuring accessibility for all users.

Below showcases another 21 of the individual Chroma Campfire presets in Pigments. All the sounds are straight from Pigments with no extra effects added.