Augmented PERSIA is a hybrid virtual instrument from Arturia that fuses deeply-sampled traditional Persian and Middle Eastern instruments with powerful modern synthesis engines. The instrument's sound library was captured in a state-of-the-art recording facility in the Netherlands in partnership with Evolution Series, featuring expressive performances from six iconic instruments: Oud, Tar, Saz, Ney, Alto Kamancheh, and Shah Kaman. Each source instrument offers multiple authentic articulations — from plucked and bowed strings to breathy wind textures — alongside processed and experimental variations for cinematic and sound design applications. The hybrid engine layers acoustic samples with Virtual Analog (TAE®), Granular, Wavetable, Harmonic, and Simpler synthesis, allowing seamless morphing between organic and electronic worlds. Intuitive Morph and seven assignable macro controls — Time, Color, Motion, FX A, FX B, Reverb, and Delay — let composers sculpt expressive, evolving textures in real time. Over 200 mix-ready factory presets span intimate melodic voices, evolving drones, rhythmic patterns, and cinematic underscores. The built-in 16-step arpeggiator with Chance lane and Auto Regen adds rhythmic movement, while MPE compatibility and MTS-ESP ODDSOUND microtuning support open the door to nuanced polyphonic expression and alternative tuning systems. Augmented PERSIA runs as a standalone application or as a plug-in in all major DAWs on Windows and Mac.

Key Specifications

Sampled Instruments: Oud, Tar, Saz, Ney, Alto Kamancheh, Shah Kaman (multiple articulations)

Synth Engines: Virtual Analog (TAE®), Granular, Wavetable, Harmonic, Simpler

Presets: 200+ factory presets; 7 macros, 2 LFOs, 2 Function Generators, MPE support

Effects: 2 FX slots per layer, 16 FX types incl. ParamEQ, Bitcrusher, BL-20 Flanger; built-in Reverb & Delay

Formats & System: VST / VST3 / AAX / AU / NKS (64-bit); Win 10+ or macOS 11+, 4 GB RAM, 4 GB disk space