Steinberg Groove Agent 3 Review

http://www.floridamusicco.com/proddetail~prod~steinberg%5Fgroove%5Fagent%5F3%...
Steinberg Groove Agent 3 is the third incarnation of Steinberg's phenomenally successful Groove Agent virtual drummer VST instrument, and is a major step up from previous versions. Groove Agent 3 combines a huge library of drum and percussion sounds with a range of player technologies to give you dynamic, ready-to-go drums, beats, rhythms and percussion in only a few mouse clicks. Top-quality drum samples and live recorded drum performances in a massive number of variations cover 123 different styles from over 50 years of music history, automatically synced to the song tempo. And Groove Agent 3 also features more kits and sounds, including 3 new top-rate acoustic drum kits, as well as the ability to import user samples in wav and AIFF format for even more flexibility.

Steinberg Groove Agent 3 adds two new agents to the Classic Agent seen in previous versions: Special Agent and Percussion Agent. While the top-notch Special Agent adds an astoundingly realistic studio drummer complete with new acoustic drum kits to Steinberg Groove Agent 3's arsenal, the Percussion Agent is specialized in red-hot percussive grooves and beats. The new Dual Mode puts any two of the three agents together in the recording studio for scorching virtual drum and percussion sessions -- all within one single VST instrument. And while Steinberg Groove Agent 3 breathes new life into any production with its inspiring and inventive drum performances, it's also an ideal sparring partner for practice or jam sessions.

Add inspiring live drum patterns and percussion performances in real-time to your song and quickly record the result.
Covers almost any style: 123 styles total - 108 Groove Agent and 15 Special Agent drum styles plus hundreds of percussion performances played by professional studio drummers - automatically synced up to song tempo.
Variations with 25 complexity levels in each style, including fills, intros, endings and half tempo feel variations.
Huge audio library: 10 richly detailed acoustic kits and 9 drum machines plus a vast array of acoustic and electric percussion sounds in outstanding quality.
Classic Groove Agent module offers fully editable drum styles with corresponding kits and FX.
NEW - Special Agent module features 15 complete live drumming styles, each containing 75 different performances.
NEW - Percussion Agent module with 8 groups of red-hot recorded percussion grooves with hundreds of percussion performances.
NEW -- Dual Mode combines the breathtaking creative power of two Agents playing side by side within the same VSTi.
NEW -- flexible User Import Sample feature (wav/AIFF) - Create your own kits.
NEW - Realistic rolls and paradiddles thanks to Alternating hits for each drum on every note. This means no more machine gun effect.
NEW - Auto Fill functionality and useful Speed control for jamming and practicing.
RealAmbience technology offers true recorded ambience for drum kits to perfectly blend into any mix.
NEW - 9-band EQ and compressor for each of the 12 stereo outputs, useful Presets included.
Record Groove Agent beats to a MIDI track with Cubase and Nuendo or export Groove combinations to a MIDI file for further editing in any host.
Supports all major formats: VST, DXi, AU + Rewire for easy Pro Tools® integration.
Standalone version with multiple-output support included.
Steinberg Groove Agent 3 - Minimum System Requirements

MAC

Mac OS X v10.4
Power Mac G5 2 GHz or Intel Core Solo 1.5 minimum
1 GB RAM
4 GB free HD space
DVD drive required for installation
CoreAudio compatible audio hardware is required
Steinberg Key (copy protection device) and USB port required*
Internet connection required for license activation
For usage as plug-in, a VST (VST 2.3 or higher) or AU compatible host is required (AU hosting is compatible with Logic 7.1.1). For usage as Rewire slave device, a Rewire compatible host is required.

PC

Windows XP Home or XP Professional
Intel / AMD Prozessor 2 GHz minimum
1 GB RAM
4 GB free HD space
DVD drive required for installation
Windows MME compatible audio hardware is required (ASIO compatible audio hardware required for low latency operation).
Steinberg Key (copy protection device) and USB port required*
Internet connection required for license activation
For usage as plug-in, a VST (VST 2.3 or higher) or DXi2 compatible host is required. For usage as Rewire slave device, a Rewire compatible host is required.

*The Steinberg Key (USB copy protection device) required to run this product is not included. Customers who do not own a Steinberg Key must purchase one separately. The same Steinberg Key copy protection device is then used for all Steinberg products that require it.

Category:

Music

Tags:

• Steinberg
• Groove
• Agent
• 3
• Review
• vst
• plugins
• au
• drum
• machine
• software
• dxi
• rewire
• recording

[hartistry1957]

I am considering purchasing this. Anyone using this with Pro Tools LE 7? I haven't seen or heard anything negative yet.  Plugin format is VST & RTAS. Pro Tools only allows RTA plugs, unless I'm using a conversion program. Does SGA3 work better as VST or RTAS? And, how do the raw samples sound? Super flat, or do they have some good quality natural acoustical properties?

[floridamusiccompany]

it really sounds and works the same in both vst or Rtas version.

you can chose the amount of recorded acoustics for the sounds.

regards chris

[rino655]

EZ Drummer is not a standalone program. Must have host program like cubase, pro tools, or logic to run it inside as a VST instrument or RTA.

[floridamusiccompany]

It is if you download the free toontrack solo.

regards Chris

[DustinAssmuteit]

I would have bought it, if it had no dongle. since VG2 i have alot of problems with the synchrosoft license setup. either Cubase 4 works, or VG2 but never both together. you may guess what may happen if i added another newer steinberg app to my lcc. the older ones like hypersonic 2 work ok for me...

[floridamusiccompany]

never experienced a problem with syncrosoft we have all the steinberg products in one key.

when you say one or the other works do you mean that once cubase is started you cannot pull up virtual guitarist in the vst window.

regards Chris

[vespertinne]

What about odd time signatures. I write in 9/4, 9/8, 7/8, 6/4, 5/4, etc. Songs change BPM (sigs) several times. I hear a lot of 3/4 and 4/4 in these programs, but how do we compose in odd times? Thanks!!

[THESONARIAN]

GA 3 is a huge program ... love how it works and how easy too use, VERY disappointed that there are not more patterns and styles ... really don't understand how they could so limit the styles ... just NO perfect drum package out there as far as I'm concerned ...

[babygrandmother]

@DeadWhiteButterflies yeah i'd be interested to know this too.. anyone??

[kriacaoverbal]

I LOVE IT!!!

[DeadWhiteButterflies]

Can this function well as a stand alone progamme? I'm looking for a drum machine type programme where I can make beats, loop them, and be able to run it it off my laptop and play along in a live gig. Can Groove agent do that?

[plasmaforce11]

@hartistry1957 yup ProTools LE 7 here yoo but this sounds like it would be better than the beat detective in PT7 :P i dunno though

New one is PT9

[synchronizerman]

Does this come with new drum samples compared to Halion One? Specifically I'm looking to purchase a DAW because I recently got into composing, but I unfortunately don't have vstis/AUs...I'm worried that if I get Cubase I'll be stuck without anything. Logic looks good too, but Cubase looks more appealing to me. Should I invest in Cubase and get Kontakt 4 at one point, (or should I get Komplete instead) since its supposed to have a lot of good variety? I like Cubase but...

[TheCrystalyne]

Great but how do you transfer the grooves into your DAW??

[soullavee]

This does my head in!

[russhurley]

thanks - good review. interesting accent...uk northerner/something else? cool

[bloomingpower]

that's a good question