![]() 512MB of RAM is also recommended, but I'd increase this to 1GB for a typical user who's running a host sequencer and other softsynths alongside. Installationīesides the jump in required hard drive space from 300MB to 450MB, system requirements are much the same as for version 1 (a 1.4GHz PC Pentium or Athlon processor for PC users, or a Power Mac G4 Dual and 1.25GHz), although Windows 2000 and Mac OS 9 support have been quietly dropped. A set of rotary knobs down the left-hand side of the window lets you create a triplet shuffle feel, loosen the timing, add simple limiting, and control the Ambience balance by mixing together dry, two-metre, and seven-metre distant miked versions of the same sounds. Other refinements include the choice of snare or sidestick, buttons to trigger accents or fills on demand, a half-tempo feel, and a random option that plays slightly varying patterns. Furthermore, each style provides 25 complexity levels from laid-back to incredibly busy, chosen from the lower slider, each with its own unique 'fill', and once again you can link/unlink the fills from the complexity level. Each style has an associated drum/percussion setup, but you can unlink the lower part of the slider to marry any kit with any style. ![]() Groove Agent can play drums in a variety of styles, arranged chronologically across the upper curving timeline slider, starting in the 1950s with 'Swing' and moving through five decades to the 21st century and 'Mini Club'. ![]() We reviewed version 1 back in SOS July 2003, but here's a brief recap. What's more, you can now bypass the internal sample-playback engine and output MIDI data to trigger your own preferred drum sounds, and you can capture MIDI performances to a MIDI file independent of any host application. Version 2 offers many more rhythm style options (81 instead of version 1's 54) including grunge, punk, and trip-hop, plus nine new kits, and there are now up to eight stereo outputs available for more refined mixing options. The sounds are all high-quality 24-bit audio (mostly recorded onto analogue tape), and although you can use it as a simple drum machine, it actually provides far more creative possibilities. ![]() Plenty of us fall into these categories, yet when I first saw version 1 displayed at the Frankfurt Musikmesse in 2003 I was tempted to dismiss it as a gimmick - that is, until I was given a proper demonstration of its capabilities. We put it through a proper multi-platform test.įrom Bornemark, the same Swedish developers that gave us Virtual Guitarist and Broomstick Bass (reviewed elsewhere in this issue), Groove Agent is essentially an 'instant drummer' for those that either can't or don't have the time to program their own drum rhythms, or who want some rhythmic inspiration. The following examples have been created with Cubase SX 2, but should be adapted easily to other sequencers featuring automation functions.From the same team that brought you Virtual Guitarist, Groove Agent has had an impressive upgrade, and is now claimed to work better under non-Steinberg hosts. And GA more than adequately fits this role, with the added benefit of modern, computer-based sequencers, allowing you to edit, automate etc. If there’s indeed already a bunch of software drumsamplers like LM-4, Battery 1/2, DR-008, RM-IV, Ezdrummer, BFD and others, as far as I know, GROOVE AGENT was the first one trying to emulate the typical Drum-Machine paradigm : on the one hand, different drumkits at your disposal, and on the other hand, predefined patterns and fills in various styles and being able to put those patterns together to create a complete rhythm track/arrangement. And now of course we have access to fully equipped, DAW computers, and we’re slowly replacing the old‚ magic boxes with software programs such as Groove Agent. So it just seems normal that people are trying to create artificial drumtracks with synthesizers or replacing acoustic drums by drum-machines and samplers in the studio. Whatever the kind of music you’re into, acoustic or electronic, drums are the driving force behind all musical styles and tendencies. In our so called Modern Music there’s one instrument which is really ubiquitous : introducing Drums ! It’s being published here with their very kind permission. This article was first written for the late MusicRun magazine.
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