Groove Agent 5 Explained

Eli Krantzberg presents in-depth Groove Agent tutorials! Learn all of Groove Agent 5's features and functions as well as how to make realistic drum beats and more. These Groove Agent video tutorials are perfect for those starting out with Groove Agent 5, or just want to know more about this powerful virtual drum instrument.

Jump-Start

• Overview (04:58) - Learn about the layout of the Groove Agent interface, and see where all the important element are accessed.

• Loading Kits (03:35) - See how the Kit Rack and Kit Slot functions are used to customize and control the loading of kits and patterns.

• The Load Panel (03:51) - Discover how the various tabs are used as a searchable database for Kits, individual instrument sounds, patterns, and more.

• Pre-Listening & Replacing Instruments & Patterns (04:50) - Watch as the basic functions we've looked at so far are used to start making music and customizing Groove Agent's instruments and patterns.

• Introduction to Styles (04:39) - See how unassigned pads are used in conjunction with the Style Player to generate pattern variations with varying degrees of complexity and playback parameters for different song sections.

• Converting Styles to MIDI Patterns (02:15) - Learn how to convert patterns in the Style Player to MIDI patterns, so that they can be edited in the Pattern Editor.

• Creating the Different Sections of a Drum Part (05:05) - Discover how to copy and modify customized styles to multiple pads in order to create the different sections of a song; and then see two different ways of bringing the style patterns in to your DAW.

The Agents

• Working with Multiple Agents (05:56) - Learn how to set up the kits for two different agents, one acoustic drums, the other percussion, to play styles that complement each other.

• Layering Multiple Agents (03:08) - Explore the use of multiple agents to create fatter layered sounds, when triggering the same patterns.

• Acoustic Agent (06:12) - Explore the sonic control and MIDI FX for these acoustic drum kits.

• Percussion Agent (02:32) - Hear how the Edit page Sound Parameters effect the sound of the percussion agent instruments.

Instrument Pads

• Beat Agent Pad Mapping (05:47) - Learn how to drag and drop, reorder, swap, exchange, move, copy and reassign instrument pad assignments and layouts.

• Working in Mapping View (04:42) - See how this window is used to split or layer multiple samples assigned to the same pad, and adjust their volume, pan, tuning, filter settings, and more, individually.

• Envelope Editing (05:43) - Discover the basics of editing pitch, filter, and amp envelopes, including how to control the display and movement of the existing as well as newly created envelope points.

• Looping & Envelope Play Back Modes (02:48) - Discover how the sustain, loop, one shot, and sample loop envelope play back modes each sound differently when played back with the same looped filter envelope settings.

• Pitch, Filter, & Amp Envelopes (06:22) - Explore the way these three envelopes are used to effect the sound of the triggered samples.

• The Sample Editor Pt. 1 (02:58) - Learn where all the basic tools, functions and zoom controls are accessed in this tab.

• The Sample Editor Pt. 2 (05:42) - Explore ways to control the way the sample is played back, including velocity based sample start, delayed sample start, various loop modes, and time/format shifting.

• The Slice Tab (03:35) - Use this part of Groove Agent 5 to slice audio loops and automatically map the slices to instrument pads. A MIDI track is also created and is associated with the first empty pattern pad.

• Decompose (03:46) - Explore how this function is used to separate the tonal and noise components of samples. They can be re-mixed together or recombined with other elements from other samples.

• The Record Tab (05:01) - Learn how to record and map your own samples directly onto Groove Agent's Instrument pads.

Patterns

• Working with Patterns (04:30) - See how to load patterns across multiple pads, and how Global pattern mode effects triggering patterns from multiple agents.

• MIDI & Style Players (06:16) - Discover how the parameters in these windows effect playback of MIDI and Style patterns.

• Note Repeat (05:51) - Hear how the Note Repeat functions allow you to generate repeated notes within a particular note range using various rhythmic subdivisions, that are switched on the fly in real time.

• The Phrase Player (05:07) - See how this part of the Perform Window is used to generate phrases based on user defined rhythmic patters.

• Capturing the Repeat Patterns (03:51) - Learn how to record the Phrase patterns onto pattern pads.

• The Pattern Editor (07:51) - Explore how to modify and create MIDI note patterns and controller data in this window.

Mixing & Automation

• Mixing (06:30) - See how the Agent page in the Mixer tab differs for Beat, Acoustic, and Percussion Agent, and then how the common Aux, Kit, and Master tabs work similarly in each.

• Automation & Options (04:49) - Learn about automation and controller assignments, and global options to optimize your use of Groove Agent 5.