Steinberg announced a new version of its Groove Agent virtual drummer plug-in at Summer NAMM 2006. Groove Agent 3 combines an expanded drum library with new virtual drumming technologies to offer a complete virtual drumming solution in one virtual instrument.

“This new version of Groove Agent is the state-of-the-art in virtual drummer software,” says Helge Vogt, Steinberg’s Product Manager for VST Instruments. “We’ve not only added more quality sounds and musical styles, but also extended the capabilities dramatically. This plug-in opens up a whole world of drum and percussion playing while being extremely easy to use,” he continues.

Among the new features in Groove Agent 3 are two new agent player modules, namely Special Agent and Percussion Agent.

The new Special Agent offers realistic modelling of a real studio drummer based on customized audio recordings, while Percussion Agent plays a range of new percussive instruments in a large range of styles. With the new Dual Mode, any two of the three modules can be combined in a virtual jam session, offering more dynamics and variability.

With the new Drum Sample Import feature, users can now also import their own samples, allowing Groove Agent 3 to utilize almost any drum sound for its grooves, beats and fills. Separate samples for dry and ambience samples can be imported, providing a quick, easy way of creating a virtual drum kit miked up in its own room.

Groove Agent 3 also offers new functionality including a new FX section featuring a new EQ and compressor, with new presets ready for each drum component as well as each kit. With its Alternating Hits feature, Groove Agent 3 automatically alternates samples to avoid repetition of sounds, ensuring lively, realistic drum rolls and paradiddles. The Auto Fill feature intelligently generates fills to help produce dynamic drum backing tracks for improvisation on other instruments, making Groove Agent 3 ideal for use as a rehearsal and jamming tool.

Price and Availability

Groove Agent 3 will ship in September 2006 for $299.99 MSRP.