bass trainer

[Alan T]

I'M TRYING TO DECIDE BETWEEN THE ZOOM PALMTOP EFFECTS UNIT PFX9003 AND THE TASCAM CDBT1MK11 FOR A TRAINING AID.I'VE BEEN PLAYING FOR A YEAR NOW AND I WANT TO GET SOMETHING TO ENHANCE MY PRACTICING. HAS ANYONE USED EITHER OR BOTH OF THESE AND HELP ME DECIDE ON ONE.THANKS

[ErikP.Bass]

I do not have any experience with the products you mention...but based on viewing a brief description of both I think the Korg PandoraPX4B could be a happy medium. At tad more expensive than the Zoom and Tascam....though.
I have the PX4B and use it every day. It is a great practice tool. Some of the best money I have ever spent.

Just a suggestion and a link. It is at least worth checking out.

http://www.korg.com/gear/info.asp?A_PROD_NO=PX4B

[Suckbird]

Yeah the pandora is geat, i use it all the time but it eats batter too fast.
I like the drum machine and the sounds is pretty good..

go get it!

[jpo259]

I have a CD-BT1 and I think it is the BOMB!!! I wish I had something like this when I was just starting. From what I have read about the MkII, it sounds like a very cool tool. For learning tunes off of a CD, it is excellent.

I had to learn a bunch of 30's and 40's theater music recently. I had the charts. I downloaded the tunes off of limewire. Some of the CD tracks were not in the same key as the charts, AND............the vocalist for the production wanted to sing some in 'her' key!

So, I had tunes to learn where the charts, the CD, and the key we would play it in were all different!! The CD-BT1 made it so easy to get a grip on these tunes. I could change the key of the song to the key we were going to play it in, and away I'd go!!! Oh, I had to write my own charts for the new key, but, with that and the CD-BT1, I had the tunes down cold!

Now, why would you need a drum machine in your practice trainer if you can throw in a CD and play along with your favorite band?? Also,the new MkII has a built-in metronome. I plug a little metronome into my BT1 if I want to do scales or whatever. The CD-BT1/II has cool effects, a tuner, the bass boost/cut stuff, tempo adjutment, aux. input (for a drum machine!!). Headphone out. Aux. line out., etc. VERY COOL tool. IMO

[MUppet]

I second JPO259 -- slamming unit to practice with and to learn songs. Has CD looping on it, pitch control, the works.

I just wish this thing was around 10 years ago, it would have saved me TONS of time learning tunes

Get it, it's worth it.

[tplyons]

Not really effects... sounds like instruction to me...

Moved.

[Mrspikepuma]

I've had the CD-BT1 for a while now and its a great unit. The ability to loop at slower speeds helped me no end. Its surprising how just slowing a song down by 8 or 16% makes stuff much easier to follow and play. Getting upto speed is no problem once you have got it licked. Its only faults are those awful menu's you have to navigate and my unit is a bit picky over the CD's it will read.

[raynman68]

I have been using the CD-BT1 for about two months now and love it to death with the exception of it loving to eat batteries. I also have used the Korg PX4B which is also great. You might also want to take a look at the CD-BT1 instead of the MKII I have seen some places have it on clearance sale for $75.

[redjeep!]

I've got an older Pandora (PX3B) and it's great, but it definitely eats the batteries.

Funnily enough, I actually find that I use my computer far more for looping - I've got a copy of the 'Amazing Slow Downer' which I find has much better sound quality than the Korg and also better functionality. For instance, you have much better control over the stop/ start points and it will also do an entire track if you wish.

It's also much cheaper (I think it's about a $40 -50 download).

It doesn't have the portability of the Korg or the effects though.

[millard]

Bass Trainier all the way. I got mine for Christmas and use it all the time. My family (and neighbors) don't want to listen to me practice all the time and the headphones work just fine for that. I don't even keep an amp in the house any more (it's in the garage).

The CD and slow down and pitch change features all work pretty well. You can also boost the bass in the song or squash it, depending on the type of practice you want to do. The only thing that bothers me at all is that one of my basses has rather low-output pickups and I have to turn the overall volume down real low and the bass volume all the way up to get a good mix.

Hook up a cheap drum machine as a line-level input and you could do any sort of practice you wanted without bothering anyone.

I also use the Amazing Slow Downer on my computer sometimes (very good at what it does), but it gets pretty picky about working with files purchased the Napster or iTunes because it doesn't understand the rights management stuff in the MP3s.

Millard

[metalguy2]

Yeah man... I never used to bother learning songs until I got my bass trainer. It really is awesome. BTW now that someone here mentioned the pitch shifting I don't have to downtune a halfstep to practice my other bands music.

I think the fact that so many people here have a bass trainer is testimony enough to get one. Really valuable piece of equipment.
I mean.. The first thing I did with it was learn
Cannibal Corpse - Hammer Smashed Face

[Big giant head]

Originally Posted by raynman68

...You might also want to take a look at the CD-BT1 instead of the MKII I have seen some places have it on clearance sale for $75.

Can you tell me where I can find these clearances? That's a very good price. Cheaper than e-bay

[mike sancho]

I use my CD BT1 every day. Quiet practice and cd loop capability comes in very handy on some things. Cash well spent IMHO