Steinberg Groove Agent 3 Operation Manual

Groove Agent 3
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Tool Tips
After having used Groove Agent 3 for a while, you may want to live 
without the helpful Tool Tips. Do so by unticking this box.
Limit memory usage
If activated, Groove Agent will use less memory because changing 
from classic to dual mode or vice versa will empty the previously se-
lected modules. For example, if you go from Groove Agent classic to 
dual mode and load Special Agent in the upper module, Groove 
Agent classic will be unloaded. Also, if you change back to...

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Audio outputs
You can decide how many stereo outputs you need for Groove Agent 
3 by choosing a number here. Each output will create a new mixer 
channel in you host audio mixer.
Please note that Groove Agent 3 will have to be removed from the VST 
instrument rack and re-opened again for changes to be effective. 
MIDI Output
When MIDI Output is active, this status is shown by a MIDI plug sym-
bol in the LCD window. Click the symbol to turn this function on/off.
One very...

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•Copy any desired length of this new part into another section of the 
song or into another song altogether.
•Use another kind of quantizing or dynamics. 
•Copy the entire part, delete the kick drum in the original part and de-
lete all other instruments in the copy part on another track. Now you 
can assign the kick part to another virtual or physical instrument, e.g. 
your favorite sampler. If you’re using a Cubase drum map, this whole 
operation is even simpler. 
The MIDI...

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If you use the “Record to file” option, remember to set the MIDI Out-
put switch to OFF when you’re finished. This action actually instructs 
Groove Agent 3 to write that file. You can then import said MIDI file 
into your song for further tweaking. Just use the “Import MIDI File” 
function of your host, or common drag and drop import if you prefer, 
and you’re there. Please note that every time you start Groove Agent 
in this mode, any previous MIDI file will be...

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MIDI Mute Key Mode
When controlling Groove Agent from a MIDI keyboard, there are alter-
native methods for muting and un-muting groups. Choose the method 
that suits you best.
Toggle – White keys in the range C4-C5 switch instrument groups 
1-8 on and off. 
Velocity Switch – Notes with high velocity (>64) mute groups, notes 
with low velocity un-mute groups.
While Held – Groups are temporarily muted (or un-muted, depending 
on their current status) while notes are held. 
When...

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Creating a drum track with Groove Agent 3
When you want to add drums to your music, your scenario may be ei-
ther one of these two: 
1.Your sequencer program is an empty screen but you have very defi-
nite musical ideas in your head. You want to start with the drums.
2.A couple of instruments and/or vocals have already been recorded, 
and now you want to add a drum arrangement. Groove Agent offers at 
least three different ways of creating a drum track:
Method 1 – Play...

Groove Agent 3
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•Disadvantage: If you want to use a lot of dynamic controls, like the 
Compressor knob fading in and out or switching snare drums during a 
song, these events are not captured, only the MIDI notes streaming 
out of Groove Agent.
Of course, you can mix these two methods of working, by automating 
Groove Agent to map out the song and then recording its output to a 
MIDI track for fine tuning. You can think of this as rendering Groove 
Agent’s output to a MIDI track, like you can...

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Using Groove Agent’s MIDI output (Live to 
host) in Cubase SX
Not all hosts can handle MIDI output from a plug-in, but these steps 
work fine in Cubase SX:
1.Open Groove Agent in your VST instruments rack. Select Groove 
Agent as your input (and de-select it as an output to avoid double trig-
gering) on the desired MIDI track. Go to the Setup page and make 
sure that MIDI Output is set to “Live to host”. For most situations, the 
auto quantize function in your sequencer...

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•Note: Every time Groove Agent writes a MIDI file to the desktop, any ex-
isting file with that name (“Groove Agent Output.MID”) will be overwrit-
ten.
•Note: In Classic Mode, the MIDI channel used to play back an imported 
MIDI file doesn’t matter; Groove Agent will listen on all channels (this is 
sometimes called Omni Mode). However, in Dual Mode, the Upper agent 
will only listen on channel 1, and the Lower agent only on channel 2.
Using host automation in Cubase SX
Probably...

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Composing with Groove Agent’s Memory slots 
in Cubase SX
For more drastic changes, i.e. if you want to change style, kit and sound 
in one go, the Memory buttons come into play. Proceed as follows.
1.Open Groove Agent 3 in your VST instruments rack. Prepare settings 
for the various parts of your song in Groove Agent 3 and save those 
“snapshots” in different memory locations. You may want to use one 
snapshot for the first verse and another snapshot for the chorus etc....