Groove Agent 3 (32/64bit) ?

Virtual instruments Groove Agent
1

Hi folks,

Something I need help with here (please) regarding Groove Agent 3. I did look thru the posts on here but did not see this question raised. I asked a couple of Steinberg expertise guys recently but I seem to have gotten slightly different pieces of information here.

<Groove Agent 3 [32/64bit] / Cubase Artist 7.5 / Cubase 7.5>

I have GA3 and want to record a drum track with it. As I understand, GA3 is 32-bit (because I think it is around 6 x years old) and so it is not possible to create a drum track within Cubase 64-bit.

So what I have been advised is to open and Instrument Track and also an Audio track (in Cubase Artist 7.5 <32 bit>). Then to select (in the Edit Menu) :-

Live to Host,

and

GM Drum Sounds.

Then to play the drum pattern and also record this data as audio on an Audio Track (I think it may also be possible to record it onto a Midi Track instead of an Audio Track). Once finished, to Export the file and then Import it into Cubase Artist 7.5 where it can be manipulated along with the rest of the project data for the song. In other words, you create the drum track in Cubase Artist 7.5 <32 bit>, Import the single file into Cubase Artist 7.5 <64 bit>, and then create all the other tracks for the song (strings, bass, piano, or whatever).

This is because it is not possible to initially create (record) the drum track (GA3) in Cubase Artist 7.5 <64 bit>.

However, I could not seem to get this to work so perhaps there is something else I need to be doing/setting (if anyone can help please) ?

And secondly, I have been told this week that if I want to be able to create drum tracks using GA3, then I need to upgrade my DAW to Cubase 7.5 (full). And this is because the aforementioned (advice) is not correct. So therefore, if I upgrade to Cubase Artist 7 .5 then I will be able to create my GA3 track and all other tracks for the project/song all under the same roof (with the need for Export/Import. Though the issue of 32bit/64bit still remains? And for me to upgrade my DAW is £200 :open_mouth: .

I am really confused here guys !! Not at all sure what to do. I purchased GA3 about 18 x months ago when I first started getting into Cubase and I like the layout and ease of use compared the GA4 (because GA3 has some great Jazz styles and is more like a ‘traditional’ drum machine). However, at the moment it is of no use !!

Thanks very much in advance and I hope I have explained my issue/question clearly (as its a little complicated to put into words easily).

Cheers,

Paul Seaman

2

You don’t have to first work in Cubase Artist 32 bit and then import the result in Cubase Artist 64-bit.
Use jBridge (jBridge ( for Windows ) | J's stuff) in order to make Groove Agent 3 (which is 32 bit) work in a 64 bit environment.
On my system (Cubase 7.5 - 64 bit) Groove Agent 3 works flawlessly through jBridge.
Audio export as well as midi output record (through Live to Host) work as it should.

Of course this is for the full version of Cubase but I can’t imagine that there is any limitation in using Groove Agent 3 with Cubase Artist.

Best regards

3

Thanks very much indeed Teacue,

A different third opinion! lol

I had never heard of the ‘jbridge’ before. I know you have used it but is it definitely SAFE because obviously I am wary about downloading 3rd Party freeware. No one wants a virus if they can help it! :astonished:

Is the method I described earlier (for creating a drum track of GA3 in Cubase) correct please? I never tried using it before until last month :-

So what I have been advised is to open and Instrument Track and also an Audio track (in Cubase Artist 7.5 <32 bit>). Then to select (in the Edit Menu) :-

Live to Host> ,

and

GM Drum Sounds> .

Then to play the drum pattern and also record this data as audio on an Audio Track (I think it may also be possible to record it onto a Midi Track instead of an Audio Track).

That’s how I understand it to work. However, NOTHING will record!? And so I am now thinking (worrying! :astonished: ) that this is due to GA3 not being able to work within Cubase Artist 7.5 period, hence Steinberg informing me that it will only work within Cubase 7.5 (full). And so regarding this (assuming the advice is correct), having the ‘jbridge’ will not make any difference to the scenario.

But what ‘jbridge’ WILL do is allow for GA3 (a 32bit sw) to function within a 64bit version of Cubase 7.5 full (or Cubase Artist if it works)?

If you do not feel I have explained this adequately enough then maybe I could make a screenshot/video to try and explain it to you clearer?

I don’t really want to upgrade to Cubase 7.5 (full) if I can help it. Apart from this GA3 problem, I am quite happy with everything else about it. Plus the upgrade is £200 (which is way more than I expected to be honest).

Much appreciated mate,

Paul

4

jBridge is a well recognized software, it solves in many cases problem that Steinberg own vstbridge cannot solve.
Make some search about it @ KVR forum or @ gearslutz forum or even on Steinberg forums to convince yourself :wink:
It also does not cost much.

jBridge simply allows 32 bit plugins to work as they should in a 64 bit daw.

Sorry but I have no clue about any limitation with Groove Agent and Cubase Artist as I work with the full version of Cubase 7.5

Otherwise the way you try to record seems to me correct though I would add that for audio it is not absolutely necessary to record in real time.
If you set Groove Agent so that the play button lights but Groove Agent does not play you can then use export audio.
For midi you have indeed to record in real time.

5

Hi Teacue,

Thanks mate.

I understand now what you are saying about JBridge. I had just not heard of it before so that’s why I was asking all the questions. I see its 15 Euros. Do you know if you can run it on 2 x PC’s please ?

Sorry, yes, I see you are on Cubase 7.5 (full) and not Artist ! Maybe someone also with Artist might chip in.

Not quite sure what exactly you mean by setting the GA3 play light button, and then Exporting Audio ? Would be great if you could explain a little bit more please so I can try it out.

Cheers,

Paul

6

Paul,
I have the full blown version of Cubase and GA3 along with jBridge. Without jBridge the MIDI WILL NOT record. Going with the 64 bit version breaks the 32 bit plug GA3. I can vouch for jBridge and the author of it has supported and helped me many times. I was so grateful I bought another copy so he would get some more money. He really should charge more for it.

Something in the back of my mind says that while you can run the plug in Cubase Artist you may not be able to bounce the midi out to an audio track… not sure on that though. Wish I could help more.

LB

7

Thanks LB,

I will have another look at it tomorrow thanks. I may make a video also.

Cheers mate,

Paul

8

Paul,
Do you have other plug instruments routed to an Audio track? Let me know and realize there are some good videos on YouTube that show how to set it up. If need be I can locate them and post a link?

LB

9

Hi LB,

Ta mate. I really appreciate that. I will make a video in the morning for you. I think that JBridge may offer a solution. I will look into downloading it. Seems that lots of these software’s need something extra to get them to work in the way they are supposed to!

Ta,

Paul

10

Paul,
Here is one video on how to route MIDI to an audio track. The example of how I do it starts at about 1:50 in. Now if you cannot do this it might be because ARTIST does not support it. I simply am not sure on that part. There are other videos on doing this same thing but I could not locate it at the moment. Go to this link: - YouTube

Good Luck,
LB

11

Hi,

I watched the video a couple of time thanks a lot. I still could not get it to work in Artist 7 but I have downloaded a ‘trial’ version of Cubase 7 to try it out with. As you say, it might possibly be a limitation within Artist but I am thinking it is more to do with a 32/64-bit confliction.

I managed to make a video myself tonight as a friend took remote-access of my PC and I we had a good look at GA3 (in 32-bit). Can’t remember if you have been following my other thread on recording videos (for You Tube) “Blue Yeti Mic”, but I am using a software called VoiceMeeter to cater for me using a headset mic/headphones, external DX27 synth and Cubase all at once (being filmed ‘live’ in Camtasia). Anyway, I have used the VoiceMeeter in this instance with GA3 :-

I also need to get the JBridge sorted which you previously mentioned…

Best,

Paul

12

Ok,
I might be confused as I thought you were having trouble getting your midi onto an audio track. Your excellent video showed your doing that already. What you seem to really be after is recording MIDI data. For that I would concentrate on the 32 bit version of Cubase and G3. If you take this task on in 64 bit land your really going to be up against the headwinds as that is more involved. So my advice is to get the recording of MIDI down and working prior to going onto 64 bit land.

So this might be as simple as hitting a switch in Groove Agent. To get Groove Agent 3 to produce recordable MIDI you need to do this:

  1. Bring up the GA3 main GUI and in the lower right corner, click edit.
  2. In about the same area of the GUI click, setup.
  3. On the right hand side of the screen about 1/3 of the way down you will find a section called ‘Groove Agent MIDI Output’. Select the ‘Live To Host’ setting.
  4. Hit the Close button and then close again to get back to the default screen.
  5. Arm your MIDI track, start GA3 and click record on the transport.
    You should now be recording MIDI notes.

Now on your next question of being able to hit record and have it start GA3 at the same time. I know of no way to do this. However if were to put the focus (highlight) the GA3 window there might be a way with key commands or a macro to do this. There is also another way to produce MIDI and get it into Cubase. This is done in the same area where we made the switch setting to allow MIDI recordings. Instead of ‘Live To Host’ we make the selection of ‘Record To FIle’. You then start GA3 and in the window that shows bmp, fill on and off and other such info. There is an icon of an eyeball and if you hover your mouse over it, it pops up “Groove agent Record To File”. Click that after GA3 has played a while and it will write a file to your desktop. Now it has been a while but I think you used to be able to drag and drop that file on your GA3 MIDI track and boom you had MIDI. But it will not allow me to do that on this end so I tried importing it, not sure that is working either. I will play with it a bit and see if I can figure it out.

Good luck Paul!
LB

13

Ok, cheers LBro.

I will have a good read thru all your kind advice in the morning mate.

I am pleased I have explained everything correctly to you now and it will be easier for you to understand now that I am getting better at making videos.

Best,

Paul

14

Ah,
Very good then. Hey what camera are you using for the vids? Or is it all in software?

LB

15

I am using the free trial of Camtasia at the moment. I tried APowerSoft and Sony Vegas and also Fraps. I thought they were all bloody awful to be honest. With Camtasia comes SNAGIT which is great for stills and screenshots.

16

Ah, SnagIt is a great hack for making up tutorials and user guides. I used to use it many years ago in the IT industry.

Let me know how it goes with getting MIDI to record. Should be pretty easy once you turn those switches on in GA3.

LB

17

Paul,
The second method of getting GA3 midi into a Cubase track is simple and works with both 32 bit and 64 bits setups. I also found my imported files at the bottom of a many track project. So once you have the file on the desktop you simply import it into Cubase (File/Import/MIDI File…) and it will go to the bottom of your track list in an automated newly created track, per import. Or in other words every time you do an import it will create a new MIDI track and place it at the bottom of all your tracks in the project.

Hope that makes sense and helps. If not ask questions!

LB

18

Paul,
I just read through this thread again, are you still running Cubase Artist 32 bit ? This is important because without jBridge GA3 simply WILL NOT record direct MIDI into Cubase 64, no matter if it is Artist or the full version of the program.

Let me know,
LB

19

Hi LBro,

The You Tube video was in 32-bit Cubase Artist. And I have not tried anything out in 64-bit as yet simply because Steinberg Support told me GA3 will not function in it (Artist 7.5 64-bit), period. Their advice was to definitely upgrade to Cubase FULL (I think it was about £250 when I last price checked) and then I would certainly be able to use GA3 (by using the procedure of Export/Import as previously discussed). But it did not work when I tried it many times. So either it is not possible, or I am doing something wrong in the process of Exporting/Importing the Midi File. It absolutely won’t work in Cubase 7 FULL.

Paul

20

Ok Got you and good that your are sticking with the 32 bit setup for now.

Now then, what does not work? That is pretty vague. Is the MIDI file created on your desktop? I looked at the GA3 docs and they are not real clear on how to do this. Or they are old and not up to date with latest version of GA3 as they never even talked about the eyeball/eyelid icon on the main page that actually is the step that creates the file. Or if it is in the docs possibly I missed it, but I do not think so. Thus I should probably create a video for you. Hum, another way to help you would be with TeamViewer. Whereby with remote control I could show you on your computer how to do it. Let me know if you want to try such a thing.

LB