looking for a bass trainer

peetey · #1 11-09-2007, 09:35 PM

My wife and kids are already asking me what I want for x-mas. So I was thinking a bass trainer would be nice. Did a search and all I heard mentioned was the Tascam Pandora. I kinda like the the mp3 idea. The cd type would be ok too, I guess.

Are there any others similar to the pandora mp3?

How do they sound through headphones?

Raul Amador · #2 11-09-2007, 09:50 PM

I have the Cd version and it works pretty well. Slows the tune down without changing the pitch. The bass can sound kind of distorted. I think the Mp3 thing could sound even better.
Either way it helps to pick out the line when you are trying to rip a tune! I,ve seen them on musicians friend.

rduckwor · #3 11-09-2007, 10:12 PM

Get the Tascam CD version of their bass trainer. PITA to burn the CD's but it works well. I read here that others had tried the MP3 version and it had some drawbacks. Get the power supply or go to RS and get one. It eats batteries.

avid · #4 11-10-2007, 11:07 PM

I just posted about the Tascam MP-BT1 Mp3 here.

Here is another thread about the MP3 version.

seventhson · #5 11-11-2007, 12:28 AM

The Tascam and the Pandora are two different units (but i have both!). The Tascam is the CD based one. The Pandora by Korg. It is the headphone amp/effects modeler with loop phraser built in.

peetey · #6 11-13-2007, 07:39 PM

Thanks for all the comments so far. I just want to ask a few more questions then I'll be done.

Would it be worth investing in some good cans for this thing? I need a pair of good "over the ear" headphones anyway. Will it improve the sound?

I once had a gadget similar to this back in the 80's. I don't remember the name but it was just a player, a cassette player to be exact. It was all black and looked like on of those old sony cassette walkmans. You mixed in the bass and it had separate volume controls, that was it. I remember the sound. It was just awful. I probably had cheap headphones back then.

How do these Tascam bass traners sound?

Does the CD version play burnt MP3 discs?

seventhson · #7 11-13-2007, 08:39 PM

yea, the old walkman ones simply slowed down the cassette to 1/2 speed so everything was dropped down an octave. i believe it was an ibanez unit iirc...

Quote:

Originally Posted by peetey

How do these Tascam bass traners sound?

they sound "ok". nothing hi fi. but good enough. they work as advertised: slowing down w/o pitch shift. also allows you to pitch shift the song independently of the slow down function so that you don't have to retune your bass. the best thing about it is that you can create a loop, so you can loop the phrase you're trying to cop. that's worth the price of admission alone. mark the start of the loop on a beat and mark the end of the loop on a logical end beat and it actually sounds musical...you won't get ear fatigue by listening to it over and over while you're trying to figure a tricky passage out.

Quote:

Does the CD version play burnt MP3 discs?

no!

wanna buy mine? i have a software based one that i use almost exclusively now (traskriber by reedkotler.com).

avid · #8 11-13-2007, 08:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by peetey

Would it be worth investing in some good cans for this thing? I need a pair of good "over the ear" headphones anyway. Will it improve the sound?

Sennheiser HD280 Pro is the most often recommended here at TB. They sell for around $100.

bluestarbass · #9 11-14-2007, 08:17 AM

IF you want to use a computer, the ampeg svx amp sims are the best practice tool ive ever used. I have mixed emotions on actually using it for a recording, but the practice part of it is amazing.

peetey · #10 11-14-2007, 01:53 PM

Thanks guys.

1) MP3 version tascam bass trainer.

2) Either the Senheisers or the Grados.

That's my christmas list this year. No socks or ties, just bass related stuff.

CallieBum73 · #11 11-14-2007, 02:09 PM

I seen one in Musicansfriend.com...like 100 bucks..they do eat batteries but I think you can get a power adapter right???

walknbluez · #12 11-14-2007, 03:52 PM

As another has stated the Tascam and Pandora are two different units. I was looking for the same thing and finally decided on the Pandora because for one you can just plug an MP3 player into it to play along with songs rather than having to load MP3's into it or use the CD with the CD version. I think I heard of some issues with the Tascam as well as far as it freezing up.

So far the Pandora has been working for me. I plug the Ipod into it, select songs I want to practice to, and then cancel out the bass part so that I can play my own line.

You can also use it live. I was told it wouldn't work well but I tried it and believe it or not, with a couple of the settings it really beefed up my tone. In fact, the first time I used it my band mates commented on the way the bass was sounding (and I didn't even tell them I was doing something to change it). So although I didn't get it for that application it turns out to be an added bonus.

Bassist4Life · #13 11-14-2007, 04:07 PM

I use audacity for that kind of practice. And, it's free. Download it and give it a try.

You can change pitch, tempo, loop, and a million other things. I think you'll enjoy it.

I also use it to edit the audio from our live shows. I can't believe it's free.

Joe

JRB123 · #14 11-25-2007, 03:03 PM

B4L,

Just dld audacity - what do i need to do to remove the bass?

thanks

manicbassman · #15 11-26-2007, 01:15 AM

best practice...

http://www.xs4all.nl/~mp2004/bp/

capnsandwich · #16 11-26-2007, 01:44 AM

Google: Peter Vogle Let's Jam. It's a series of cd's that leave out instruments so you can jam along. I use the bass one and it's helped me out in learning different grooves to different types of music.

ThunderSix66 · #17 11-26-2007, 01:50 AM

best practice is free by the way

73jbass · #18 11-26-2007, 03:07 AM

I have the MP3 Tascam trainer,and I really like it. I had a problem witht he first one,but it was replaced by AMS with no hassles.The second one has performed flawlessly.I got tired of having to take cd's with me,so the MP3 version took care of that.Definitely worth looking into.

73jbass · #19 11-26-2007, 03:08 AM

I have the MP3 Tascam trainer,and I really like it. I had a problem with the first one,but it was replaced by AMS with no hassles.The second one has performed flawlessly.I got tired of having to take cd's with me,so the MP3 version took care of that.Definitely worth looking into.

bassclefman · #20 12-19-2007, 11:30 AM

I have the CD version bass trainer if anyone is interested send me a private message it works great with the CD's. I'm selling it I have to much gear.