Steinberg Groove Agent 4 Manual

							Working With Pads
Instrument Pads41
To access the folder where the user MIDI patterns are saved, right-click the 
Pattern Library field and select  Show in Explorer/Finder . In this location, 
you can add, remove and rename files an d create subfolders to organize your 
MIDI patterns.
NOTE
Pattern pads always contain the MIDI da ta and do not reference the original 
MIDI files.
Original Tempo
Displays the original tempo  as s
 aved in the MIDI file.
Start Specifies the beat from which the pattern starts to play.
End Specifies the end of the pattern. Initially,  th
 is parameter is set to the original 
length of the MIDI pattern.
Import Field To import MIDI files from your file  s
 ystem or MIDI parts from your host 
application into the user pattern library,  drag them onto the MIDI import field.
You can import multiple MIDI files at the same time by dropping them on the 
im
 port field. The first file is assigned to the selected pad.
MIDI Export Field To export a pattern, click the  MI
 DI export field and drag it onto a MIDI track 
in your host application. You can also drag the field to other locations and 
applications that support MIDI files.
Import/Export and Alternative Trigger Note Mappings If you are working with alternative trigger note mappings, this is taken into 
a
ccount and the MIDI pattern is adapted automatically on import/export. This 
is important if you are recording MIDI wi th a hardware drum controller and you 
want to import MIDI parts  from the host application or export patterns from 
Groove Agent to the host application during that process.
If you recorded the MIDI file with the standard trigger note mapping, 
de
 activate alternative trigger no te mapping in the Pad section. 
						

							Working With Pads
Instrument Pads42
Performance Section
For instrument pads, the Performance section on the Agent  page contains MIDI 
pattern player settings.
Swing Grid
Determines the grid for applying  Swing. 
 For example, to shift the timing of 
every 16th note in a pattern, set this to  1/16.
Swing Allows you to shift the timing of notes on even numbered beats to give the 
pattern 
 a swing feeling. Ne gative values shift the timing backward, and the 
notes are played earlier. Positive values shift the timing forward, and the notes 
are played later.
Gate Scale Allows you to shorten or lengthen the notes of the pattern. At a value of 100  %, 
th

e notes play with their original gate length.
NOTE
Gate Scale  has no effect on samples that are played in  One Shot mode. They 
always sound until the end.
Velocity Scale
Raises or lowers the note-on velocities  o
 f the pattern. At a value of 100 %, the 
not
es are played with their original velocity.
Quantize Amount This parameter defines how much of the  quantization grid
  is applied. A value 
of 100  % means the MIDI note events play back only at the specified quantize 
n

ote value. Smaller values move the  notes only partially towards the next 
quantize note value. With a value of 0  %, no quantization is applied.
Quantize Grid This parameter allows you to set up a qu antizat
 ion grid, in fractions of beats. 
You can also specify dotted and triplet values.
Tempo Scale Defines the speed at which the pattern is running. You can choose between 
h
alf, normal, and double speed. 
						

							Working With Pads
Instrument Pads43
Using MIDI Effects
For each instrument pad, you can set up MIDI effects.
To open the MIDI effects page, activate the  In
 strument button in the pad section, 
open the  Edit page on the right side  of the panel, and click the  MIDI Fx tab.
Pad Mode
Pad mode determines to which pad the settings on the  MIDI FX page are applied.
Internal In Internal  mode, t
 he MIDI effects are applied to the samples on the selected 
pad.
Remote In Remot
e mode, you can select to which destination pad you want to apply 
the MIDI effects.
This allows you to trigger an instrument with and without MIDI effects. Also, 
any soun

d editing can be  performed on one pad.
NOTE
• If the destination pad also contains MIDI effects, these are not taken into 
account.
• If you set up remote MIDI effects on  a pad for which samples are assigned, 
the remote MIDI effects are applied only to the samples on the destination 
pad. 
						

							Working With Pads
Instrument Pads44
If you activate Remote mode for a pad, a remote ic on is displayed on the pad 
in the pad section.
• To bypass the remote effects, click the  Di
 sable MIDI to Remote Pad 
button to the left of the remote icon.
Rudiments Section
Active
Click this to activate the articulation.
Type Determines the rudiment type.
•Flam pla
 ys 2 hits very close together.
• Drag plays 3 hits very close together.
• Ruff plays 4 hits very close together.
• Roll continually plays drum hits to produce a sustaining drum sound.
• Buzz emulates the effect of a drummer pressing the stick into the drum 
while hitting it. The stick bounces on the drum, producing multiple hits 
that sound like a decaying drum roll.
Flam, Drag, and Ruff
For  Flam , Drag , and  Ruff, the following parameters are available:
Sync Synchronizes the hits to the project temp o. T
 he time span between the hits is 
set in fractions of beats.
Time Adjusts the time span between the hits.
Note Value If Sync  is 
activated, this parameter adjusts the time span in fractions of beats.
Dynamics Adjusts the dynamics of the hits.
• With negative values, the first hit is  softer than the following hit 
 or hits.
• With positive values, the first hit is louder than the following hit or hits.
Humanize Use this parameter to randomize the timi ng, 
 the dynamics, and the pitch of the 
hits. 
						

							Working With Pads
Instrument Pads45
Roll
For Roll, the following parameters are available:
Sync Activate this button to synchronize the hits to the project tempo. The time 
span
 between the hits is set in fractions of beats.
Time Adjusts the time span between the hits.
Note Value If Sync  is 
activated, this parameter adjusts the time span in fractions of beats.
Dynamics Adjusts the dynamics of the hits. Higher values attenuate the even-numbered 
h
its of the roll.
Humanize Use this parameter to randomize the timi ng, 
 the dynamics, and the pitch of the 
hits.
Buzz
For  Buzz, the following parameters are available:
Grip Adjusts the grip of the dr um. Higher settings prod
 uce a shorter decay of the 
buzz.
Pressure Adjusts the pressure on the stick. Higher settings produce a longer decay of 
the
 buzz.
Humanize Use this parameter to randomize the timi ng, 
 the dynamics, and the pitch of the 
hits.
MIDI Delay
MIDI Delay produces echo effects by repeating the notes that you play.
The subsequent note events can be modified, for example, you can vary the time 
span

 between the echoes with the  Distribution parameter.
Active Activates/Deactivates the MIDI Delay effect. 
						

							Working With Pads
Instrument Pads46
SyncSynchronizes the echoes to the project tempo. The time span between the 
ec
hoes is set in  fractions of beats.
Time Adjusts the time span between the echoes.
Note Value If Sync  is 
activated, this parameter adjusts the time span in fractions of beats.
Repeats Determines the maximum number of the echoes.
Damping Determines whether the echoes fade-in or fade-out with the MIDI velocity. If 
yo
u set this parameter to negative values, the MIDI velocity gradually 
increases. If you set this parameter to positive values, the MIDI velocity 
gradually decreases.
NOTE
Damping shows only an effect if the sound settings of the samples use 
velocity.
Pitch
Determines how much the pitch changes from echo to echo.
Distribution Determines the time distribution of the echoes. If you set this parameter to 
n
egative values, the time span between echoes gets shorter, that is, the 
echoes speed up. With positive values, the echoes slow down. 
						

							Working With Pads
Pattern Pads47
Pattern Pads
The pad section provides up to 128 pads, organized in 8 groups of 16 pads. Each 
pad is mapped to a MIDI note. You can assign MIDI patterns to each pattern pad, 
to trigger complete drum patterns or sing le instrument patterns, depending on the 
MIDI files. The pads are used to switch between patterns.
If a MIDI file is assigned to a pad, th e pad shows a progress indicator and a beat 
counter. When the pattern is triggered, the progress indicator shows the playing 
progress graphically. In addition, the beat  counter shows the current beat during 
playback. This allows you to see which patterns are currently running and at which 
playing position, relative to the length of th e pattern. This can be particularly helpful 
when  Toggle mode is selected, because it provides a quick overview of the 
patterns that will be stopped an d those that will be triggered.
The Transport controls above the pads allow you to trigger the focused pattern pad 
without playing a MIDI note. Click the  Stop button to end playback. If you switch 
between pattern pads during  playback, the pattern changes according to the set 
Restart Mode .
Assigning MIDI Files to Pads
• Drag a MIDI file from the Explorer/Fin der or from the MediaBay onto a pad.
• Drag a MIDI part from the  h
 ost application onto a pad.
• Drag a file from the Explorer/Finder onto the import field. The file is imported  to you
 r user pattern library an d assigned to the selected pad.
• Select a pad and open the  Agent ta
 b on the Edit page. In the Pattern section, 
open the  Pattern Library  pop-up menu and select one of the factory or user 
MIDI patterns. 
						

							Working With Pads
Pattern Pads48
Assigning Multiple MIDI Files to Pads
You can drag and drop several MIDI files to pads at the same time.
PROCEDURE
1. Move the mouse over the lower part of  the pad on which you want to drop the 
first MIDI file.
A yellow frame indicates which pads receive a MIDI file.
2. Drop the files.
RESULT 
The MIDI files are imported to your user MIDI pattern library and are automatically 
assigned to the pads.
Removing MIDI Files from Pads
• To remove a MIDI pattern, right-click a pad and select  Remove Pattern from 
the context menu.
• To remove the MIDI patterns from all se lected pads right-click one of the pads 
and select
  Remove Pattern  from the context menu.
Using MIDI Port B for Pattern Pads
By default, instrument and pattern pads sh are the same MIDI port. If two pads are 
triggered in parallel, the pattern pad always  gets priority, therefore, instrument pads 
that use the same trigger note as a pattern pad cannot be played via MIDI.
To be able to play all instrument and patt ern pads via MIDI, assign MIDI port B to 
the pattern pad section. This way, you can trigger instruments on one MIDI port and 
patterns on the other.
PROCEDURE
• To use Port B, activate the  Use MIDI Port B for Pattern Pads  button in the 
lower left corner of the pattern pad section.
If port B is used, MIDI data is received on all MIDI channels. 
						

							Working With Pads
Pattern Pads49
Locking Pad Settings
The settings in the Pad section ( Exclusive , Jam State , Play Mode , etc.) are 
common to all slots, that is, you set them up only once. However, these settings are 
part of kit presets, and are replaced  when you load a preset to a kit slot.
• To avoid overwriting your existing pad se ttings with the prese
 t settings when 
loading a preset to a kit slot, activate the  Lock Pad Settings button below the 
pad section.
If this button is activated, the pad settings from the preset  are not applied and 
t
 he existing settings remain active.
•If the Loc
 k Pad Settings  button is deactivated and you load kit presets to 
different slots, the pad settings saved in the presets overwrite the existing pad 
settings.
Any active pattern pads from the ne w prese
 t overwrite the current pad 
settings on the associated  pads. Inactive pads are not restored from the 
preset, that is, existing settings  for these pads remain active.
Moving and Copying Pattern Pads
You can copy or move pattern pads with al l their settings to other pattern pads of 
the same or a diff erent pattern group.
• To move the active pattern pad with all its settings to anot her pad, drag 
 the 
pad and drop it on  the destination pad.
• To copy a pattern pad to another pad,  hold down [Alt]/[Option] 
 and drag the 
pad on the destination pad.
• To move or copy one or more pads onto other pads, use the context menu  commands  Cu

t Pad, Copy Pad , and Paste Pad .
This way, you can move or copy  multiple 
 pads at the same time.
NOTE
You can also move or copy pads between  pad groups. To do so, first drag the pad 
onto the group button for the group to which you want to move or copy the pad, 
then drop it onto the destination pad. 
						

							Working With Pads
Pattern Pads50
Overview Tab
The Overview  tab shows which patterns and styles are assigned to the pattern 
pads of the 4 agents.
Cells in which a name is disp layed have a pattern or style 
 assigned. If a pattern is 
assigned to a pad, its background is gray and if a style is assi gned, its background 
is dark blue.
The 4 columns represent the 4 agents. For ea ch agent, the 16 pattern pads of the 
selected pattern group are displayed.
• To select a pattern pad of a specific agent, click the corresponding cell. The name of the selected pattern or styl e
  is displayed in the top section of the 
tab.
• To activate/deactivate a pad, click its button. Only active pads are played back.
• To find out where a user MIDI pattern is  stored on your system, right-click the 
cell and 
 select Show in Explorer  (Win)/Reveal in Finder  (Mac).
Assigning Patterns and Styles to Cells
You can assign patterns or styles to the cells on the  Overview tab.
PROCEDURE
1. Move the mouse pointer over a cell so that an arrow icon is displayed on the 
right.
2. Click the arrow to open a window that shows the available patterns or styles.
3. Select an entry in the list.